The Copywriter’s Guide to Professional Persuasion

Copywriting is often reduced to the “words” part of marketing. But it’s a little more than that.  It’s psychology. It’s message crafting. It’s professional persuasion.

Copy can be the difference between customers who swipe away, instantly delete, and “mark as spam,” or sign up, checkout, or click subscribe.

Bad copy feels generic, or worse, annoying.

Great copy feels magnetic and creates an offer that’s too irresistible to pass up.

I’ve built this guide from years of writing, researching, optimizing, and most importantly, consuming, so you don’t have to.
We won’t be chasing clicks, conversions, or results.
We’ll be creating the perfect environment for you to attract them instead.

What Makes Great Copy?

In copywriting, the best answer is the one that grabs attention and gets the point across in the fewest, most engaging words possible.  

Let’s look at two definitions of a copywriter: 

“A copywriter is a professional who writes persuasive marketing content, like website text, advertisements, or product descriptions, with the goal of influencing an audience to take a specific action, such as buy products or sign up for a service, essentially crafting compelling copy designed to drive sales and conversions.”

– Google

“Professional Persuader—I sell words that get people to click.”
– Nathan (That’s me.)

See the difference?

Under the constraints of low consumer attention span, character count, and copy-to-design real estate, my copywriting philosophy has always been: 

Every word chosen has to earn its place—it has to feel intentional—no wasted words. No word takes up more room than it has to.

This mindset will always lead to higher-quality copy. 

As a copywriter, it is not our job to sell the product through an email, sms, or ad, but to get the consumer to click through. The website and product descriptions will sell the product. We just have to get them there. 

Strategies for Writing Great Copy

There’s no single formula for great copy, but there are patterns.
These are the principles I come back to again and again:
How to start, how to sharpen, and how to write in a way that gets people to move.

Research Your Brand

The funny truth about copywriting? It’s less about actually writing and more about research and editing. If I had to break it down, it would be something like this…  

That’s right—the actual act of writing? It’s the shortest part.
Why? Because the best copy comes from deep understanding:

Who are you talking to? 
What problem are you solving?
Why should they care, right now?

You’re not just writing “words.” You’re building a message. One that fits the brand, speaks to the audience, sells the product, and lands in the right place at the right time.

Before you draft a single line, know this:

Great copy isn’t pulled from nowhere. It’s pulled from insight. 

Study the brand. Stalk the product. Obsess over the audience.
That’s where good writing starts. Not in a blank doc. But way before that.

Build on Audience Pain Points

Great copy doesn’t just say “here’s what this product does.”
It says: “Here’s how this product solves something you’re already frustrated with.”

And even better: “Here’s how this product makes your life better than it is right now.”  Here’s example email copy written to sell an Extended Length Bulb Auger.
Related: For more on Power Planter, see our in-depth case study.

The Extended Length Bulb Auger has a length of 24” to keep you standing.   It also comes with:
– Pre-installed HD Tip
– Replaceable Blades
– Hex Adapter for drill
– Fully assembled—just attach and dig

The extended-length bulb auger is a highly efficient tool designed to enhance your gardening and outdoor experience…

This is solid for a product page. But for an email, it’s too much.
You’re forcing readers to do the mental math:
  “Wait, is ‘HD Tip’ good?” “Do I need a hex adapter?” “What’s standing length?”

Now here’s my version: 

Chiropractor or Power Planter?
Our Extended Length Bulb Auger cuts through heavy clay like butter—and keeps you standing while doing it.
Because spring is for enjoying your garden, not icing your back. 

Short. Visual. Relatable. No tech specs. Just a clear benefit and a clear outcome.

This is the goal: to shift the copy from explaining the product…  to making someone feel what life looks like with (or without) it.

Frame the Message for Impact

Once you’ve nailed the pain point, you can build your message around it.
These three formats are go-tos when you need copy that lands in a scroll.  

The Dream Scenario 

Paint the ideal outcome. What does their life look like when the product works?

No back pain. No mess. No fuss. 

Holes dug. Garden planted. Beer opened. All in under 20 minutes.

You’re not just selling an auger. You’re selling time saved, energy spared, and a Saturday afternoon that doesn’t end with a heating pad.

The Nightmare Scenario

Remind them what happens without the product. Make them feel it.

You’re kneeling in wet dirt, wrestling with a rusty trowel. 

Your back is screaming.

Two hours later, you’ve planted three flowers and iced your spine twice.

This isn’t fear-mongering. It’s just honest. If your product solves a real problem, show what that problem actually feels like.

This vs. That

Contrast the pain with the solution. Make the choice feel obvious.

Chiropractor bills or a $60 auger? 

Three holes per hour or three holes per minute? 

Sore knees or standing tall?

This format works because it’s visual, fast, and forces a decision. It cuts through hesitation and drives action.

Leverage Seasonality

Timing matters. A good offer at the wrong time? Easy to ignore. But the right message at the right moment? Irresistible.
Before you write, ask yourself:

Is there a holiday coming up?
Is this something someone could gift?
What does it say as a gift—love, apology, thanks?
Are we in planting season? Back-to-school? Post-vacation burnout
Has something just ended, and are we bouncing back?

Good seasonal copy doesn’t just name-drop the calendar. It leverages the moment.

It ties the pain point and the offer to what’s happening right now.
Here’s what that looks like:

Don’t give her flowers. Give her fewer sore knees and everything she needs to grow the garden of her dreams.

Phew. You’re right on time. The soil’s warm. The planting window’s still open. And your garden has room to grow something beautiful.

The season shapes the mindset. The mindset shapes the message.

Make Messaging Human 

Let’s face it, then come to peace with it.  

People use AI.

Yes, it can help you write faster. But only you can make it human.
The best copy doesn’t sound like marketing—it sounds like a friend.  It’s emotional. It’s real. And it’s not afraid to break the rules. 

Here’s what I keep in mind:

1

Write how people talk.

Use contractions. Use rhythm. Drop the “corporate voice.”

2

BE DIRECT

No flowery/filler language

3

ADD PERSONALITY

Humor, edge, weirdness—yes.

4

SPEAK TO ONE PERSON

Not “customers.” Just you.

5

AVOID JARGON

“Industry-leading” is meaningless.

6

Use sentence variety.

Mix short bursts with longer thoughts.

7

Use fragments.

Yes. Even. Fragments.

8

Break the rules.

If a sentence hits harder without the comma, skip it. The feeling is more important than the rule.

9

BOLD & ITALIC

Used sparingly, they go a long way to convey what you mean.

If it sounds good out loud, it’s probably good.

If it sounds stiff? Rewrite it.

The goal isn’t perfect grammar. The goal is connection.

AI is a tool, not a writer.
Use it to move faster. But never trust it to write like you. It mimics structure. Not soul.

Here’s how I use it:

First drafts & idea dumps: Let it over-explain. Then rewrite it like a person.
Condensing client copy: Bloated paragraphs and dense need-to-knows? Ask for a concise version.
Brainstorming: Great when you’re stuck or burned out.
Technical stuff: Meta descriptions, alt text, subject line A/B options, SEO blocks, etc.

AI has tells—patterns that instantly expose a line as machine-written. Don’t let them slip into your final copy.

1

Overly Formal Phrasing

“Discover the benefits of our innovative solutions”—yawn.

2

Empty Adjectives

“Cutting-edge,” “revolutionary,” “world-class,” “next-level.” These don’t mean anything without proof.

3

Over-Explaining

AI loves to restate the obvious. If it’s already been said, cut it.

4

Repetitive Sentence Structure

Many AI outputs follow the same structure over and over. Vary it—some short, some long, some punchy.

5

Trying to Please Everyone

AI often plays it safe. Real voice has edge, opinion, and specificity. Pick a side. Say something. 

6

Passive Voice

“It has been shown…” Just no. Be active. Be direct.

If you use it, your job is to make it sound like it was written by a person. Add emotion. Add rhythm. Edit aggressively. Inject your voice. Use it like a spark, but you light the fire.

The Formula

When in doubt, follow this copy formula.

Every strong message you’ve ever clicked, opened, or acted on probably followed it, whether you realized it or not. 

Hook: Why it matters

Grab their attention. Hit a pain point. Make them feel something fast.
If they don’t care here, they won’t read the rest.

Deal or Point: What’s in it for them

Make it clear. What’s the offer, the benefit, the thing they get?

CTA: What to do next

Tell them exactly where to go, what to do, and why now.  If your copy answers who, what, where, when, and why, you’re good to go.

Your Final Copy Checklist:

Does every word earn its place?
Does it sound like a person?
Is the hook undeniable?
Does it solve a problem now?
Is the CTA irresistible?
Would I click this?

How ECD Helps Brands Write Copy That Converts

We’ve written for 100+ brands across email, SMS, ads, landing pages, and more, and the common thread is this: strategy, structure, and message clarity win every time.
At ECD, we don’t just write “copy.” We build click-worthy, conversion-driving customer journeys that move people from scroll to site to sale.  

Want to see what that looks like in action?  We’ll show you what your emails, flows, or campaigns could be doing—and how to fix what’s not.

Get Your Free Revenue Forecast

The Art of Professional Persuasion: A Copywriting Guide