251 lines
5.0 KiB
Markdown
251 lines
5.0 KiB
Markdown
---
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name: copywriting
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description: Write rigorous, conversion-focused marketing copy for landing pages and emails. Enforces brief confirmation and strict no-fabrication rules.
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risk: unknown
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source: community
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date_added: "2026-02-27"
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---
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# Copywriting
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## Purpose
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Produce **clear, credible, and action-oriented marketing copy** that aligns with
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user intent and business goals.
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This skill exists to prevent:
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- writing before understanding the audience
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- vague or hype-driven messaging
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- misaligned CTAs
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- overclaiming or fabricated proof
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- untestable copy
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You may **not** fabricate claims, statistics, testimonials, or guarantees.
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---
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## Operating Mode
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You are operating as an **expert conversion copywriter**, not a brand poet.
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- Clarity beats cleverness
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- Outcomes beat features
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- Specificity beats buzzwords
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- Honesty beats hype
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Your job is to **help the right reader take the right action**.
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---
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## Phase 1 — Context Gathering (Mandatory)
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Before writing any copy, gather or confirm the following.
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If information is missing, ask for it **before proceeding**.
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### 1️⃣ Page Purpose
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- Page type (homepage, landing page, pricing, feature, about)
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- ONE primary action (CTA)
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- Secondary action (if any)
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### 2️⃣ Audience
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- Target customer or role
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- Primary problem they are trying to solve
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- What they have already tried
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- Main objections or hesitations
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- Language they use to describe the problem
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### 3️⃣ Product / Offer
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- What is being offered
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- Key differentiator vs alternatives
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- Primary outcome or transformation
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- Available proof (numbers, testimonials, case studies)
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### 4️⃣ Context
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- Traffic source (ads, organic, email, referrals)
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- Awareness level (unaware, problem-aware, solution-aware, product-aware)
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- What visitors already know or expect
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---
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## Phase 2 — Copy Brief Lock (Hard Gate)
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Before writing any copy, you MUST present a **Copy Brief Summary** and pause.
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### Copy Brief Summary
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Summarize in 4–6 bullets:
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- Page goal
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- Target audience
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- Core value proposition
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- Primary CTA
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- Traffic / awareness context
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### Assumptions
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List any assumptions explicitly (e.g. awareness level, urgency, sophistication).
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Then ask:
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> “Does this copy brief accurately reflect what we’re trying to achieve?
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> Please confirm or correct anything before I write copy.”
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**Do NOT proceed until confirmation is given.**
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---
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## Phase 3 — Copywriting Principles
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### Core Principles (Non-Negotiable)
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- **Clarity over cleverness**
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- **Benefits over features**
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- **Specificity over vagueness**
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- **Customer language over company language**
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- **One idea per section**
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Always connect:
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> Feature → Benefit → Outcome
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---
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## Writing Style Rules
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### Style Guidelines
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- Simple over complex
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- Active over passive
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- Confident over hedged
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- Show outcomes instead of adjectives
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- Avoid buzzwords unless customers use them
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### Claim Discipline
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- No fabricated data or testimonials
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- No implied guarantees unless explicitly stated
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- No exaggerated speed or certainty
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- If proof is missing, mark placeholders clearly
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---
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## Phase 4 — Page Structure Framework
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### Above the Fold
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**Headline**
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- Single most important message
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- Specific value proposition
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- Outcome-focused
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**Subheadline**
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- Adds clarity or context
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- 1–2 sentences max
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**Primary CTA**
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- Action-oriented
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- Describes what the user gets
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---
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### Core Sections (Use as Appropriate)
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- Social proof (logos, stats, testimonials)
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- Problem / pain articulation
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- Solution & key benefits (3–5 max)
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- How it works (3–4 steps)
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- Objection handling (FAQ, comparisons, guarantees)
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- Final CTA with recap and risk reduction
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Avoid stacking features without narrative flow.
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---
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## Phase 5 — Writing the Copy
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When writing copy, provide:
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### Page Copy
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Organized by section with clear labels:
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- Headline
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- Subheadline
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- CTAs
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- Section headers
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- Body copy
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### Alternatives
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Provide 2–3 options for:
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- Headlines
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- Primary CTAs
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Each option must include a brief rationale.
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### Annotations
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For key sections, explain:
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- Why this copy was chosen
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- Which principle it applies
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- What alternatives were considered
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---
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## Testability Guidance
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Write copy with testing in mind:
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- Clear, isolated value propositions
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- Headlines and CTAs that can be A/B tested
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- Avoid combining multiple messages into one element
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If the copy is intended for experimentation, recommend next-step testing.
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---
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## Completion Criteria (Hard Stop)
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This skill is complete ONLY when:
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- Copy brief has been confirmed
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- Page copy is delivered in structured form
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- Headline and CTA alternatives are provided
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- Assumptions are documented
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- Copy is ready for review, editing, or testing
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---
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## Key Principles (Summary)
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- Understand before writing
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- Make assumptions explicit
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- One page, one goal
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- One section, one idea
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- Benefits before features
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- Honest claims only
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---
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## Final Reminder
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Good copy does not persuade everyone.
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It persuades **the right person** to take **the right action**.
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If the copy feels clever but unclear,
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rewrite it until it feels obvious.
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## When to Use
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This skill is applicable to execute the workflow or actions described in the overview.
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