Writing Creative Ad Copy

I've been in the copywriting space for 10 years and have generated $100’s of millions of dollars for clients.  Here are the 9 most profitable copywriting lessons I've learned along the way: 1. Most Copy Follows the Same Pattern: Headline → Lead → Body → Offer → CTA. Use this structure for every piece of copy: sales pages, emails, ads—everything. Try this today: Take an existing sales page and rearrange it to follow this flow. Notice how it improves clarity. 2. Stop Selling to Everyone: A hungry niche is far more valuable than a big, lukewarm audience. Identify your top 2–3 customer personas and speak directly to them. Try this today: Rewrite one of your marketing emails to address a single, specific persona’s biggest pain point. 3. Your Headline is King: 80% of your effort should go into writing a headline that stops the scroll. Without a powerful headline, no one reads the rest. Try this today: Write 10 variations of a headline for the same offer. Pick the strongest one (or split-test them). 4. Write First, Edit Later: Separate the creative process (writing freely) from the critical process (editing). More words during writing; fewer words after editing. Try this today: Draft an email or ad in one sitting without stopping yourself, then cut it down by 30%. 5. Make it a Slippery Slope: Headline sells the subheadline → subheadline sells the lead → lead sells the body → body sells the CTA → CTA sells the click. Each section teases the next. Try this today: Structure each element on your landing page to create curiosity for the next. 6. People Care About Themselves: They want to know: “What’s in it for me?” Focus your copy on how your product solves their problems or satisfies their desires. Try this today: Count how many times you say “you” versus “I/we” in your copy. Aim for at least a 2:1 ratio. 7. Embrace the Rule of One: One product, one big idea, one CTA per piece of copy. Avoid confusing your reader with multiple offers. Try this today: If you have multiple CTAs in an email or ad, eliminate all but one to see if conversions improve. 8. Be a Friend, Not a Salesman: Show your personality: use relatable language, humor, empathy. Give value first, then ask for the sale. Try this today: Add a personal anecdote or inside joke in your next email to build rapport and trust. 9. Never Start from Scratch: Use proven frameworks (PAS, AIDA, FAB, etc.) to save time and improve results. Frameworks guide your thinking and help you hit the emotional triggers your audience needs. Try this today: Pick one framework (e.g., PAS) and outline your next sales email before filling it in with copy.

How to write good copy for the internet (a guide). Bad copy kills businesses, good copy makes them. I think we’re entering an era where the best products don’t necessarily win, the best copy does. Most people write copy like they are writing instruction manuals. They got lost in explaining how the sausage is made and no one cares. And even worse they use that same robotic copy in the content they create. 1. Paint a picture Make your reader see, feel, and believe in the world you're describing as if they're living it. It's like telling a story that they become a part of. 2. Conversational tone Write like you're chatting with a friend. It should feel easy and friendly, making your reader feel right at home. 3. Use line breaks generously Space out your sentences like breathing spaces in a conversation. People don't have time to read dense paragraphs when you are competing with TikTok. 4. Hone in on a single focal point Keep your message tight around one big idea. It's like using a spotlight in a dark room to show off the most important thing. 5. Shows credibility with examples Use real stories or examples to prove your point. It's like showing a picture to prove you've been somewhere cool. 6. Anticipates concerns and works through objections Think ahead about what might bother your reader and talk it out. It's like answering their questions before they've even asked them. 7. Entertaining Keep things fun or interesting so your reader enjoys reading. It’s like adding a dash of spice to make a meal tastier. 8. Know who you’re trying to reach Write for someone specific, like you know exactly who they are, what they like, and what they need. It’s like picking out a gift for a friend. 9. Show how the product works Explain how things work in simple terms. It’s like explaining a game so everyone can play. 10. Has clear calls-to-action Be clear about what you want your reader to do next. It’s like giving clear directions so someone doesn’t get lost. 11. Don’t be a robot Put some personality in your writing. It’s like wearing your favorite outfit instead of a uniform. 12. Be different than your competition Stand out by being yourself. It’s like choosing to dance to your own music when everyone else is dancing the same. 13. Use positive words Use words that make people feel good and hopeful. It’s like smiling through your words. 14. Avoid exclamation points Use them sparingly. It’s like not shouting in a conversation. 15. Clear and concise Keep it short and sweet. It’s like telling a story without adding unnecessary details. 16. Safe copy is risky copy Dare to be different. It’s like taking a new path through the woods instead of the worn trail. 17. Be interesting, be brave Write something that grabs attention. It’s like telling a story that no one wants to end. 18. Every word matters Choose your words carefully. It’s like picking out just the right ingredients for a recipe. I hope this guide has been helpful.

Don’t write another headline before reading this: “No sentence can be effective if it contains facts alone,” said copywriting great, Eugene Schwartz. “It must also contain emotion, image, logic, and promise.” Headlines are sentences too, of course. They’re actually the most important sentences. Because if you write a bad one, nobody will care enough to keep reading. Nobody will give a damn. If you write a bad headline, you fail. So don’t write flat, invisible headlines, like white paper on a white desk. Write compelling headlines. Headlines containing emotion and imagery and logic and promise. Here’s how to make your most important sentence: 1/ Emotional ↴ Make it dramatic, like this famous headline by John Caples: “They Laughed When I Sat Down At the Piano — But When I Started to Play!” It’s among the most successful headlines of the 20th century because it tells a story — and so efficiently. Dramatizing the claim (or its result) is storytelling, pure and simple. It’s making the prospect visualize a clear narrative in as few words as possible. And if she can relate to this narrative — if she can understand it — you now have her attention. 2/ Vivid ↴ Make it appeal to the senses, like this headline from The United Fruit Company: “Tastes Like You Just Picked It!” Sensitizing the claim by making the prospect feel it, smell it, touch it, see it, or hear it will transport the prospect to a moment, consciously or otherwise. In this headline, it’s a hungry moment: you’ve just bitten into a fresh apple, it’s delicious, and you’re craving another bite. 3/ Logical ↴ Make it a question, like this headline by Gary Bencivenga: “Has This Man Really Discovered the Secret of Inevitable Wealth?” If you want to make someone think, ask them a question. A good question can change someone’s perspective, which can change everything: “A change in perspective,” said Alan Kay, “is worth 80 IQ points.” 4/ Hopeful ↴ Make it inspirational, like this classic headline from Rolls Royce: “To The Man Who Is Afraid To Let His Dreams Come True” This ad was featured in Julian Watkins’ book, The 100 Greatest Advertisements, because despite running during the Great Depression, it sold more cars than any Rolls Royce ad before it. An inspirational headline can challenge any limiting beliefs the prospect may have, forcing her to think critically about what she deeply, genuinely wants. Life, after all, is a battle between what we want and what’s expected of us. It’s our perennial dilemma, omnipresent and omnipotent. If appropriate, write a headline that helps the prospect cope with this. Write a headline that bolsters hope. Onward. #copywriting #marketing #creativity Psst... coming soon ↴ 𝘝𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘎𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘊𝘰𝘱𝘺: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬 → www.verygoodcopy.com/book

If your story doesn't hit in the first 5 seconds It's Over You don’t get minutes to earn attention anymore. You get moments. That’s why the best ads today don’t start by selling. They start by storytelling, fast. Take this campaign: It opens like a zombie thriller. Not a product demo. Not a stat dump. Not a polished brand shot. But a story that grabs your brain before it even knows what it's watching. So why does it work so well? 📌 It uses genre to create instant tension Within seconds, we’re in a world. It’s not just an ad, it’s a scene. A story. One you can’t look away from. 📌 It anchors emotion before explanation We feel before we understand. That’s what powerful stories do 📌 It educates through narrative By the time we realize the message (synthetic materials take 200+ years to decompose), we’re already emotionally invested. 📌 It aligns cause with creativity This isn’t preachy. It’s precise. The storytelling is the message. The product is the punchline. Want to build content that hits like this? Here’s a storytelling framework to try: 1️⃣ Hook with conflict Every good story starts with tension. Show us something broken, scary, or just plain weird. Make us lean in. 2️⃣ Introduce transformation What changes? What insight or solution comes next? Keep us moving through the arc. 3️⃣ Reveal your message last Don’t start with “what”, start with “why care.” Let the product or idea emerge from the emotion. 4️⃣ Make it feel cinematic Use sound, visuals, pacing, not to show off, but to bring your audience into the moment. 5️⃣ Keep it short, sharp, and story-first We’re in the TikTok era. But attention spans haven’t died, they’ve just gotten pickier. Stories still win. Always. The best storytelling doesn’t sell the product. It sells the belief behind the product. And if you want your brand to rise above the noise Stop pitching. Start telling better stories. #storytelling #branding #sellwithstories #marketingtips I share storytelling and creativity to help you and your company sell more and grow. Let's Connect! 1. Try my other course on LinkedIn Learning: https://lnkd.in/gTh8R5Mc 2. Join 10,000 others learning weekly growth tips at: https://lnkd.in/eCDKabp2 Use the 3-Act E.P.I.C Structure to turn stories into sales: https://lnkd.in/e9_eczTG 3. 3 Ways To Grow Guide: https://lnkd.in/gZaq56hT (no sign-up needed)

Your prospect has a shorter attention span than a goldfish. Here’s how to write copy their brain actually wants to read. If your messaging is making it to the primary but doesn't make the prospect want to reply, it’s probably the spammy email structure your buyer’s brain is already wired to ignore. Most sales copy works against how people actually process information. That’s why I use these four brain-based principles to help reps write copy that earns attention, fast. 📌 Steal these: 1. Cognitive Overload When you share too much, your message gets ignored. The brain can’t hold it all, so it dumps what doesn’t feel urgent. This is why simplified, benefit-led copy outperforms long value dumps every time. If you want them to retain it, reduce it. 2. The Primacy Effect Buyers are more likely to remember the first thing they read. That’s why your first line matters more than anything (that & optimizing for preview text IYKYK). It needs to be clear, relevant, and benefit-driven. If your opener is weak, the rest doesn’t get read. 3. Decision Fatigue Your prospect is tired. They’ve already made dozens of decisions today. If your message is complicated, it’s easier to delete than decode. Use white space. Use short sentences. Make your CTA an easy yes. Write at a 3rd grade reading level. 4. Pattern Recognition The brain loves patterns ... and it also spots the bad ones. If your subject line screams “quick question” or your CTA feels forced, it triggers a mental spam filter. Your intent doesn’t matter. Their brain has already said no. When reps understand how the brain actually works, they stop trying to out-pitch the problem. And they start writing like they respect the reader’s brain. 📌 Which of these four do you see sellers breaking most often? ✨ Enjoyed this post? Make sure to hit FOLLOW for daily posts about B2B sales, leadership, entrepreneurship and mindset.

No one is waking up at 7am, sipping coffee, thinking, “Wow, I really hope someone explains holistic wealth architecture today.” People want clarity. They want content that feels like a conversation, not a lecture. They want to understand what you’re saying the first time they read it. Write like you're talking to a real person. Not trying to win a Pulitzer. - Use short sentences. - Cut the jargon. - Sound like someone they’d trust with their money, not someone who spends weekends writing whitepapers for fun. Confused clients don’t ask for clarification. They move on. Here’s how to make your content clearer: 1. Ask yourself: Would my mom understand this? If the answer is “probably not,” simplify it until she would. No shade to your mom, she’s just a great clarity filter. 2. Use the “friend test.” Read it out loud. If it sounds weird or overly stiff, imagine explaining it to a friend at lunch. Rewrite it like that. 3. Replace jargon with real words. Say “retirement income you won’t outlive” instead of “longevity risk mitigation strategy.” Your clients are not Googling your vocabulary. 4. Stick to one idea per sentence. If your sentence is doing cartwheels and dragging a comma parade behind it, break it up. 5. Format like you actually want them to read it. Use line breaks. Add white space. Make it skimmable. No one wants to read a block of text the size of a mortgage document. Writing clearly isn’t dumbing it down. It’s respecting your audience enough to make content easy to understand. What’s the worst jargon-filled phrase you’ve seen in the wild? Let’s roast it.

The more you inject empathy into your content, the better the results. Here's proof... 👇 AI is an incredible tool for content creation, but the secret sauce to truly stand-out messaging? Empathy and humanity. When you approach ChatGPT (or any AI tool) with empathy, you get more personalized, impactful, and human-centered content. Here’s why: 🧠 Understanding your audience’s feelings: Empathy helps you ask the right questions, resulting in content that resonates on a deeper emotional level. 🧠 Creating more relevant responses: You’re not just answering questions—you’re speaking to your audience’s lived experiences and values. 🧠 Improving tone and engagement: Content infused with empathy feels more conversational and less robotic, fostering trust and connection. Let me show you how this plays out in action: Before: ➡️ "Our nonprofit helps communities access better healthcare services. Donate today to support our mission." After applying empathy: ➡️ "Imagine not being able to access the healthcare you need. You’re scared, unsure what the future holds. That’s the reality for many communities we serve. But with your support, we can change that. Every donation brings us one step closer to ensuring no one is left behind when it comes to their health." Notice the difference? The second example connects with the reader’s emotions, creating a sense of urgency and responsibility. It's specific, and it invites the reader into a situation that makes them feel uncomfortable. This discomfort motivates them to solve (or prevent) a problem. As social impact leaders, when we build content rooted in empathy, we unlock more effective ways to connect with our audiences on a deeper level. If you're looking to build trust, authority, and credibility in your thought leadership, start by infusing empathy into every interaction.

13 Copywriting Formulas to Level Up Your Writing Game (and Why You Need a Formula) Quick story from the chessboard with my twin girls: The first time we played chess together, I thought I could just jump in and make quick moves. But soon enough, I realized my girls were learning more strategy than I was! As the game went on, I started to see the importance of having a solid opening and structure to win. Without a formula, I was just making random moves. Turns out, writing is a lot like that – you need a plan to make your message stick. After writing thousands of pages of content, here’s my #1 rule: don’t start without a formula. 1. Before – After – Bridge Before: Describe where the reader is now. After: Paint a picture of life without the problem. Bridge: Show them how to get there. 2. Problem – Agitate – Solve Identify the problem. Agitate its impact so they feel the urgency. Solve it with your product/service. 3. Features – Advantages – Benefits (FAB) Features: What does your product do? Advantages: Why is this helpful? Benefits: What’s in it for the reader? 4. The 4 C’s Clear Concise Compelling Credible 5. The 4 U’s Useful: Give value to the reader. Urgent: Create a sense of urgency. Unique: Show the benefits in a unique way. Ultra-specific: Be precise to grab attention. 6. Attention – Interest – Desire – Action (AIDA) Attention: Grab them right away. Interest: Share relevant info. Desire: Show the benefits with proof. Action: Prompt them to respond. 7. A FOREST A: Alliteration F: Facts O: Opinions R: Repetition E: Examples S: Statistics T: Threes (repeat 3X for impact) 8. The 5 Basic Objections I’m busy. I’m broke. It’s not for me. I don’t believe you. I don’t need it. 9. Picture – Promise – Prove – Push (PPPP) Picture: Set an engaging scene. Promise: Highlight how your product helps. Prove: Share proof to back up your claim. Push: Encourage a clear call to action. 10. The Psychological Pull of Open Loops Start a cliffhanger story, and don’t finish right away. 11. The Reader’s Digest Blueprint Use facts, brevity, and specifics to capture interest. 12. Sonia Simone’s Marketing Story Needs Hero: Your customer. Target: The goal they want to reach. Problem: The barrier they face. Mentor: That’s you! Moral: What they learn through your solution. 13. Writing to One Person Targeting one specific reader is key to making an impact.

We doubled our (qualified) inbound lead volume. It all started with our BrandScript. When we used the StoryBrand framework to update our homepage copy, we started converting a LOT more website visitors into actual leads. But...before we could do that, we had to fill in the 7 parts of this key storytelling tool: The BrandScript Here are the 7 points you've gotta get clear (if you want your website to convert more visitors): 1) The Character: What do they want? What do your customers really want, as it relates to your product/service? (Hint: Dig deeper. What they say they want isn’t always what they REALLY want.) 2) The Problem: What’s standing in their way? What’s the villain in their story? Can you personify the root cause of their problem (like we did with “The Client” as the villain in our brand campaign at Teamwork)? 3) The Guide: Why are you the right guide? Answer these 2 questions to make it easy: Empathy: How can you show you understand their struggle? Authority: How can you prove you’ve solved similar problems before? 4) The Plan: What’s the path forward? Keep it simple: What are the 3-4 steps that customers take to reach success with your product/service? 5) The Call to Action: What do they need to do next? What’s the one thing you want them to do? (Schedule a call? Request a demo?) Also, what’s a transitional CTA for those not ready for a direct commitment yet? (Lead magnet, pricing calculator, etc.) 6) Success: What wins do they experience if they follow your plan? List the positive outcomes that will happen for them. We often spend too much time here as marketers, but you still can't skip this step. 7) Failure: What pain are you helping them avoid? Be clear about the negative consequences--if nothing's at stake, they won't take action. What's been the toughest part of your BrandScript to get right? #B2B #marketing #StoryBrand #messaging #webdesign btw...we walk through the step-by-step process to create your own BrandScript in the 1st video of our free 5-part StoryBrand video course. It's available free & ungated on the Business Builders YouTube channel. 📺 Or you can use the link in the comments to get the course delivered to your inbox (along with some free fillable templates). 📧

Ads that sell aren’t born, they’re built. Here’s how top copywriters do it. 💡 Great copywriting isn’t luck—it’s structure. Here are 7 timeless copywriting formulas to transform your ads into conversion machines: 1️⃣ AIDA: Attention → Interest → Desire → Action 🔑 Start strong to grab attention, build curiosity, create emotional desire, and finish with a compelling call-to-action (CTA). 💬 Example: "Struggling with slow mornings? Our coffee gives you 20 minutes back each day. That’s time for your kids, your workout, or just you. Start your day smarter—try it today!" 2️⃣ PAS: Problem → Agitation → Solution 🔑 Spotlight your customer’s pain point, intensify the discomfort, then swoop in with your solution. 💬 Example: "Can’t sleep through the night? Tossing and turning drains your energy and focus. Our mattress is clinically proven to help you sleep better—starting tonight." 3️⃣ 4Cs: Clear → Concise → Compelling → Credible 🔑 Deliver a simple, emotionally engaging, and evidence-backed message. 💬 Example: "Fast delivery. Free next-day shipping. Shop today, get it tomorrow. Rated 5 stars by 1M+ happy customers." 4️⃣ FAB: Features → Advantages → Benefits 🔑 Show what your product does, why it’s superior, and how it changes your customer’s life. 💬 Example: "Noise-canceling headphones → Blocks 95% of background noise → Enjoy focus like never before, even in the busiest spaces." 5️⃣ Before-After-Bridge 🔑 Paint the "before" struggle, highlight the "after" transformation, and position your product as the bridge to success. 💬 Example: "Before: Hours wasted planning social media content. After: Daily posts driving consistent engagement and leads. Bridge: With our AI-powered scheduler, posting is stress-free." 6️⃣ Problem-Solution Formula 🔑 Keep it ultra-simple—present the problem, then solve it. 💬 Example: "Finding healthy snacks is hard. Our organic snack box delivers guilt-free treats right to your door." 7️⃣ The “So What?” Test 🔑 Answer "Why does this matter?" until your copy resonates deeply with your audience. 💬 Example: "Feature: Waterproof jacket. So what? You stay dry. So what? You can enjoy every outdoor adventure without worry." Don’t just write ads. Create impact. Start using these formulas today. 🚀 Take Action Now: 1️⃣ Save this post to master these frameworks whenever you need. 2️⃣ Share it with your team to elevate your marketing game together. 3️⃣ Follow Tom Wanek for more strategies that turn words into results.