You’ve tested form fields, added a fancy new video to your website, and maybe even thrown in a freebie or offer incentive via your newsletters. But conversions still aren’t happening. The problem usually isn’t the design, the form length or the CTA button colour. The problem is the way you’re talking about what you sell.
Here’s the truth that’s hard to swallow: the majority of people don't care deeply about your product or service (at least, not like you do as the retailer). They don’t care about your software, your process, or your brand story. They care about themselves and what they're getting out of the deal of buying your goods or services. They want to know how it makes them look and feel, and whether it makes their job or life easier. If your copy doesn’t connect to those things, it doesn’t matter how much traffic you drive – people will drift away.
That’s why good marketing copywriting matters. It’s not about clever slogans or buzzwords. It’s about helping your reader see themselves in your offer. They need to know that you get them and see their point of view, and that you have something that can improve their lives in some way or another.
How to write marketing copy that actually works
There’s an old way of structuring marketing messages: introduce who you are, explain what you do, describe how you help, and then push for the sale. That worked ten years ago, but audiences are savvier now. It's also a much faster-paced digital-first world that we're living in, and customers don't have the time or the patience to sit through your sales pitch. They’re scanning, comparing, and deciding in seconds whether your message is worth their time.
There is a better way. First, tell them what they get. Then, show them how it works in practice. Finally, deal with the doubts that are holding them back.
What they'll get
When someone lands on your site, they’re usually thinking, “What’s in it for me?” Or “What will I get out of this?” If they can’t answer these questions in the first few seconds, they leave. The challenge is that most businesses answer with features: dashboards, integrations, analytics, reports. But features don’t sell. Outcomes and reviews from other people (who have had successful outcomes) do.
Think about it from your customer’s perspective. When using your product or service, what can they do now that they couldn’t do before? How does it make them look and feel? Does it make them feel like they’re part of the small group who figured something out before everyone else? That’s the story you need to tell.
Show them how it fits into their world
Once you’ve made the outcome clear, the next question is whether the offer feels real. People need to picture themselves using your product or service in a specific situation. That’s where authentic stories and reviews come in.
If you’re selling software, don’t just say it’s “easy to use.” Tell the story of someone who successfully used that software to automate a slow process within their business. If you’re selling consulting, don’t just say you “help businesses grow.” Share how a client saved money using your services while seeing their business grow. These aren’t just nice anecdotes or nice words. They’re real life case studies that bring your product or service to life. Through this, customers can see themselves using the same product in their own lives.
The more concrete and specific your examples are, the easier it is for someone to see your offer not as an abstract idea, but as something they could actually use.
They might have doubts – make sure you tackle them
Let's face it, we all question purchases. Will it do what I need it to do? Will it make my life easier? Is it worth the money? How much will I use it? These are all common questions that race through our minds before we head to the checkout or abandon the purchase.
Even if someone loves the outcome and the story, hesitation creeps in. Is this going to take too much time? Is it complicated? Is it expensive? Is it going to disrupt my current setup? If those questions aren’t answered, the default response is to do nothing.
This is where clever marketing copywriting becomes a bit like anticipating objections in a sales conversation. If onboarding is fast and easy, point this out as a feature. If it works with tools they already use, make that clear, too. If there’s a way to try it without risk, highlight that. If there's a free trial, make the most of that point, too. People don’t buy when they’re uncertain, so your job is to clear the uncertainty before it takes over.
This formula works because it matches how people process decisions. First, they need to know what’s in it for them. Then, they need to picture themselves using it. Finally, they need reassurance that it’s safe to move forward. Skip any step and the whole thing breaks down. This is how many companies with the best-performing marketing messages consistently communicate. They don’t drown people in jargon and buzzwords, and they don’t pretend objections don’t exist. They meet the customer where they are, and walk them through a story that makes sense.
A good example of marketing copywriting
Imagine a company that sells a high-end coffee machine. The traditional way to pitch it might be:
“We’re the MasterBean Co. We make premium coffee machines. Ours has a double boiler system, stainless steel housing and customisable temperature controls.”
That’s fine, but it’s also easy to forget. It’s a list of features with no real connection to why someone should care. It doesn't sound any different to a regular coffee machine.
Now let’s try the new formula. Start with what they get: “Barista-quality coffee at home, ready in under three minutes.”
Then, show how it fits into their life: “Whether it’s a quick espresso before work or a cappuccino after dinner, just press a button and your drink is ready. No fuss, no mess.”
Finally, deal with the doubt: “Trusted by thousands of coffee lovers, with a two-year warranty and free repairs if anything goes wrong.”
Which pitch would you connect to more? It's likely the latter.
The takeaway
The lesson here applies across all industries. An e-commerce store can frame its products in terms of how they improve someone’s life instead of rattling off specs. A legal firm can show real stories of clients they’ve helped instead of speaking in jargon. Even a local business can take this approach and make their message clearer, sharper and more human.
At the end of the day, copywriting is about empathy. It’s about stepping out of your own perspective and into your customer’s shoes. When you do that, the formula almost writes itself.
