Human communication is increasingly written.
Texts. Emails. Slack messages. Instagram DMs. Comments.
Writing is also the most scalable form of communication. A tweet that took 10 seconds to write can be read by millions. And a landing page or email can be written once and used infinitely.
These tips will make your copywriting sharper.
– Neal
Brought to you by Bigin by Zoho CRM—the simplest CRM platform from Zoho, the business software suite trusted by 100 million+ users.
If you are tired of using spreadsheets, sticky notes, email threads, and Slack reminders, say hello to organized business management.
With Bigin:
- Store all your customer information in one place and connect via WhatsApp, phone, meetings, and email.
- Integrate with Google, Mailchimp, Zoom, and 2000+ everyday apps.
- Automate tasks, set reminders, and quickly act on pending tasks.
Sign up for a free trial and get going in 30 minutes—no credit card required.
Brought to you by Bigin by Zoho CRM
Most sales CRMs are big, clunky, and expensive. They cost at least $25 to $90 per user per month and can scale up to hundreds per user per month.
And they're so complicated there's a $10+ billion dollar agency industry around installing them.
Bigin is different.
It's made specifically for smaller companies. It's easier to use, costs less, and does everything you need.
Get started with Bigin for just $7 per user. Upgrade to a paid plan and get $100 off, up to 50% using this link.
6 tips to improve your copywriting
Insight from Neal O’Grady.
Copywriting is one of the most important skills.
Particularly for founders and marketers.
Here are 6 simple and effective tips to improve your copywriting.
Use them to rewrite your ads, landing pages, and that email in your drafts asking your boss (or cofounder) for a raise.
1. Make it about them—not you (your product)
People don’t care about your product. They care what your product can do for them.
What problem are you solving for them? And how does their life improve as a result?
Here are some company examples:
2. Make it relatable
Selling something novel or complex?
People don’t buy things they don’t understand.
Relate your product to something they already understand perfectly. They’ll get it immediately.
Metaphor example:
- Bad: Portable MP3 player with 8GB of storage
- Good: 1,000 songs in your pocket
Analogy example:
Note: The “no fees” is an example of “objection handling”—preemptlively addressing the most likely objection.
Ask current customers how they explain your product to a friend. Find the analogies and metaphors they use.
3. Cut the fluff
Do free flow writing. Then ruthlessly cut words that don’t add value:
- Adverbs
- Adjectives
- Filler
Fluff weighs down copy and makes it harder to read.
4. Use simple words
Even someone with an IQ of 160 enjoys reading at a 5th grade level:
- Avoid industry jargon.
- Pretend you’re explaining it to your grandma or nephew.
It doesn’t matter how educated your audience is:
Harder to read → less engagement → less growth
Tip: Use the Hemingway Editor to check the readability.
5. Be specific
Don’t make people think—be specific and concise.
Specificity helps people quickly understand your value.
Numbers and descriptive details work great. But only if they show the value customers get from you.
Remember: Only you think your value is obvious.
x6. Use active voice (not passive)
Active voice results in shorter, sharper sentences that are easier to follow.
But what does that mean exactly? Here’s an example:
The active voice makes your customer the hero of the story, and your product is the supporting character—not the other way around. This makes it far more compelling and easier to imagine.
Copywriting cheatsheet
Which is your favorite? Hit reply and let me know.
Something fun
We’ve tested this thoroughly internally and can confirm this is true. Credit: Smile Coffee Shop (but found thanks to George Mack).
