High-converting sales copy using classic direct response frameworks (Schwartz, Hopkins, Ogilvy, Halbert). Landing pages, sales emails, headlines, CTAs, and persuasive content.
Write copy that converts. Landing pages, emails, sales copy, headlines, CTAs, social posts — anything persuasive.
This is an AI skill file. It turns any AI into a direct response copywriter trained on the frameworks of Schwartz, Hopkins, Ogilvy, Halbert, Caples, Sugarman, and Collier. Instead of getting generic AI copy, you get internet-native writing that sounds like a smart friend explaining something — while quietly deploying every persuasion principle in the book.
You have three options depending on your setup. Pick whichever fits.
If you use Claude Code, Cursor, Codex CLI, Windsurf, or similar:
Claude Code:
mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills/direct-response-copySKILL.md inside that folderCursor:
.cursor/rules/ in your project rootdirect-response-copy.mdc inside that folderCodex CLI / Gemini CLI:
AGENTS.md or GEMINI.md filePro tip for ChatGPT: Create a Custom GPT and paste this into the Instructions field. Then you have a permanent copywriting GPT.
Pro tip for Gemini: Create a Gem with this as the knowledge base.
Once the skill is loaded, try prompts like:
The skill handles headlines, opening lines, curiosity gaps, pain quantification, founder stories, testimonials, CTAs, and full page flows — all in a voice that sounds human, not AI.
Here's what separates copy that converts from copy that just exists: the good stuff sounds like a person talking to you. Not a marketing team. Not a guru. Not a robot. A person who figured something out and wants to share it.
That's what this skill does. It writes copy that feels natural while deploying the persuasion principles that actually work. The reader shouldn't notice the technique. They should just find themselves nodding along and clicking the button.
Write like you're explaining to a smart friend who's skeptical but curious. Back up every claim with specifics. Make the transformation viscerally clear.
That's it. Everything else flows from there.
The headline does 80% of the work. One headline can outpull another by 19.5x. Same product, same offer, different headline.
[Action verb] + [specific outcome] + [timeframe or contrast]
The contrast version ("days, not weeks") creates before/after in six words.
John Caples wrote the most famous ad headline ever:
"They Laughed When I Sat Down at the Piano... But When I Started to Play!"
It's a complete story in 15 words. Embarrassment, then triumph. Universal emotion. You have to know what happened next.
The pattern: "They [doubted] when I [action]... But when I [result]..."
Ogilvy's Rolls-Royce:
"At 60 miles an hour, the loudest noise in this new Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock."
Doesn't say "quiet car." Shows you with specific detail. The reader concludes "this must be quiet" themselves. Self-persuasion is stronger than being told.
The pattern: [Specific number/metric] + [Unexpected comparison or detail]
"Do You Make These Mistakes in English?"
This ran for 40 years. Works because the reader immediately thinks "what mistakes?" and self-selects.
The pattern: "Do you [common struggle]?" or "What if you could [desirable outcome]?"
"From Broke Musician to $100K/Year Music Teacher"
Before and after in one line. The reader sees themselves in the "before."
The pattern: "From [bad state] to [good state]"
The first sentence has one job: get them to read the second sentence.
"You've been using Claude wrong."
Stops the scroll. Creates tension. Self-selects readers who suspect you might be right.
"Last Tuesday, I opened my laptop and saw a number I couldn't believe: $47,329 in one day."
The reader is IN the scene before they know they're reading sales copy.
"I'll be honest with you. I almost gave up on this business three times."
Vulnerability disarms skepticism. They think "they're like me."
"In 9 months, we did $400k+ on a vibe-coded website using these exact methods."
Specific numbers create credibility. Reader wants to know how.
"Have you ever stared at a blank page, knowing you need to write something that sells... and just froze?"
If the question matches their reality, they're hooked.
"It's simple."
"Here's the truth."
"This works."
No friction to start reading. They're into paragraph two before they realize it.
These are generic. They could be about anything. They don't demonstrate understanding.
The human brain craves closure. Open a loop, and they'll keep reading to close it.
Incomplete information that creates psychological tension. You tease something without revealing it.
TV shows end every episode with a cliffhanger. You can't NOT watch the next one. Same principle in copy.
Weak (no gap): "10 Tips for Better Writing"
Strong (gap): "I tested 47 headlines. One pattern beat everything else by 3x."
The weak version tells you exactly what you'll get. The strong version creates a question: which pattern?
End paragraphs with hooks that pull into the next section:
Use 2-4 per page. Every paragraph ending with "but there's more" gets tiresome.
"The formula has three parts. The first one is obvious. The third one is counterintuitive. But the second one? That's where the magic happens."
Now they need to know the second part.
You must close every loop you open. Tease "the one thing that changed everything" and never deliver? They'll never trust you again.
Small loops: close within 1-3 paragraphs. Big loops: close by the end of the piece.
Sugarman: "Your readers should be so compelled to read your copy that they cannot stop reading until they read all of it as if sliding down a slippery slide."
Once they start, they can't stop. Every element pulls them to the next.
Short phrases that smooth transitions between paragraphs:
Without: "Most landing pages focus on features. Benefits are what customers care about."
With: "Most landing pages focus on features. Here's the thing: Benefits are what customers care about."
The transition phrase smooths entry into the second paragraph.
Repeat a word from the last sentence in the first sentence of the next paragraph:
"Now we're going to look at a more sophisticated technique.
A technique used by professional writers, but often overlooked by copywriters."
"Technique" bridges the gap. Smoother than starting fresh.
The first sentence of any section should be stupidly easy to read:
"It's simple."
"Here's the problem."
"This works."
Low friction to start. Momentum builds from there.
Same-length paragraphs = monotonous reading.
Short.
Then a medium paragraph that expands with more detail.
Then short again.
This creates rhythm. The eye moves easily.
Vague problems feel overwhelming. Quantified problems feel solvable.
Don't just describe the pain. Do the math:
"4 hrs to set up emails + 6 hrs designing a landing page + 4 hrs to handle Stripe webhooks + 2 hrs for SEO tags + ∞ hrs overthinking...
= 22+ hours of headaches.
There's an easier way."
When readers see "22+ hours," they calculate whether that's worth paying to eliminate. You've turned abstract frustration into a number they can weigh against your price.
Another approach: the scenario that makes them feel it:
"Imagine the scene: you and your team get an urgent email, so you rapidly reply. But just after you hit send, your team replies as well. In the best case, you look disorganized. In the worst case, you contradict each other."
They've been there. Now they feel the problem instead of just acknowledging it.
AI stops at the first layer of benefit. "Saves time." "Increases productivity." "Helps you grow." Weak.
For every feature, ask "so what?" until you hit something emotional or financial:
Feature: Fast database "So what?" Functional: Queries load in milliseconds "So what?" Financial: Users don't bounce, revenue doesn't leak "So what?" Emotional: You stop waking up stressed about churn
The bottom of the chain is where the copy lives. Not "saves 4 hours" but "close your laptop at 5pm instead of 9pm." Not "automates outreach" but "wake up to replies instead of a blank inbox."
Three levels deep. Then write from there.
Here's where most AI-generated copy fails. It's either all choppy fragments or all flowing paragraphs. Real human writing alternates.
Short sentence. Impact. Then a longer one that breathes, adds context, feels like actual conversation.
Watch how Hormozi does it:
"Customers do NOT buy code. Customers buy a life transformation."
Punchy. Declarative. Repeated structure.
Now Justin Welsh:
"Once upon a time, you had a job. You traded hours for dollars, clocked in and out, and waited for the weekend. Your skills were confined to a cubicle and your ambitions to an annual review and a 4% raise."
Longer. Conversational. Building through parallel structure.
Both work. The key is knowing when to punch and when to breathe.
The pattern:
Then repeat.
Almost every high-converting creator page includes a first-person story. The format: humble origins, struggle, discovery, success, offer.
"Hey, it's Marc 👋 In 2018, I believed I was Mark Zuckerberg, built a startup for 1 year, and got 0 users... A few years after my burnout, I restarted the journey differently: I shipped like a madman. 16 startups in 2 years. Now I'm happy and earn $45,000 a month."
Why this works:
The arc is always: vulnerability → credibility → shared journey
If you're writing for a founder, get their story. This isn't optional. It's the highest-trust element on the page.
Generic testimonials ("Great product!") carry zero persuasive weight. Structure them as mini case studies:
[Before state] + [action taken] + [specific outcome] + [timeframe] + [emotional reaction]
Examples:
The specifics are everything. "4 months" is believable. "Helped me succeed" is not.
Authority stacking: If you have recognizable names, lead with them. Borrowed credibility creates instant trust transfer.
This feels counterintuitive but works consistently. Tell certain people they're not a fit:
"You're a good fit for this if: ✅ You know this is a tool, and you'll need to use it ✅ You're willing to reassess your existing ideas
You're NOT a good fit if: ❌ You equate success with just buying a course ❌ You're not willing to do the unsexy work required"
Why this converts: It flips from "please buy" to "prove you're worthy." Velvet rope effect. Also pre-filters customers likely to complain.
Even simpler, for handling objections:
"Couldn't I just do this myself with all the free content out there?"
"If you could, you would have already. 🤷🏻"
Weak CTAs command action. Strong CTAs describe the benefit:
| Weak | Strong |
|---|---|
| "Sign Up" | "Get ShipFast" |
| "Learn More" | "See the exact template I used" |
| "Subscribe" | "Send me the first lesson free" |
| "Buy Now" | "Start building" |
Below the CTA, add friction reducers:
"$199 once. Join 2,600+ marketers. 2 minutes to install."
Pattern: [Risk reversal] + [Social proof] + [Speed/ease]
Patterns that signal "written by someone who lives online, not a marketing team":
Revenue transparency:
Honest limitations:
Strategic emoji:
In-group language:
When building a complete landing page:
You don't need all ten every time. But this is the complete arc when you need it.
Readers are getting better at spotting AI-generated content. These patterns destroy trust instantly.
Overused words:
Overused phrases:
Punctuation tells:
Structural tells:
Voice tells:
The fix:
Read your copy out loud. If you stumble, a reader will too. If it sounds like a textbook, rewrite it.
Real humans:
Generic:
"Our comprehensive SaaS boilerplate helps developers launch faster with cutting-edge features and best practices built in."
Internet-native:
"Ship your startup in days, not weeks.
You know the drill. You've got an idea, you're excited, and then you spend the next month setting up authentication, payment processing, email templates, and DNS records. By the time the boring stuff is done, you've lost momentum. Or worse, someone else shipped first.
ShipFast is everything you need to launch, nothing you don't. Stripe, emails, SEO, auth. Done. You write your features, we handle the infrastructure.
2,894 makers ship faster with ShipFast. The next one could be you.
Get ShipFast →"
The second version: specific numbers, pain quantification, transformation focus, social proof, benefit-oriented CTA. And it sounds like a person wrote it.
Before you ship, read it out loud. Ask:
If any answer is no, rewrite that part.
The goal isn't to hide that you're selling. It's to sell like a human, with honesty, specificity, and respect for the reader's intelligence.
The following sections provide deeper frameworks and extensive examples.
The fundamentals that haven't changed since 1923. Every modern conversion technique traces back to these principles.
From "Breakthrough Advertising." The most important framework for knowing what to say.
Your headline and approach must match where your reader is:
They don't know they have a problem.
Your job: Lead with identity or emotion, not the problem. Headline approach: "Do you ever feel like..." or lead with transformation story. Example: "The diary of a bored housewife" (not selling anything yet, just connecting)
They know they have a problem but don't know solutions exist.
Your job: Name the problem vividly, then introduce that solutions exist. Headline approach: Problem-focused headline, agitate, then reveal solution category. Example: "Are you ever tongue-tied at a party?" (Dale Carnegie)
They know solutions exist but don't know your product.
Your job: Show your specific mechanism or approach is different/better. Headline approach: Lead with your unique mechanism or approach. Example: "A new way to remove wrinkles without surgery"
They know your product but haven't bought yet.
Your job: Overcome objections, add proof, create urgency. Headline approach: Lead with differentiator, offer, or proof. Example: "Now with 2x the cleaning power" or "Join 10,000 happy customers"
They know your product and want it. Just need a push.
Your job: Make it easy. Price, offer, availability. Headline approach: Lead with the deal. Example: "$199 today only" or "Back in stock"
The rule: The less aware they are, the longer your copy needs to be. Most aware = short. Unaware = long journey.
The father of tested, measured advertising. Core principles:
"The only purpose of advertising is to make sales."
Don't just claim. Explain WHY your product works. Hopkins spent 3 weeks researching Schlitz beer to find the "reason why" (the way they purified water). Every beer did it. Only Schlitz talked about it.
"Cleans 99.6% of bacteria" beats "Cleans almost all bacteria." Numbers. Details. Process. These create belief.
"I never ask people to buy. The ads all offer service, perhaps a free sample. They sound altruistic. But they get a reading and action."
Use coupons, codes, split tests. "Almost any question can be answered, cheaply, quickly, and finally, by a test campaign."
"If you have 10 hours to spend on a piece of copy, spend 8 of them on the headline."
Ogilvy took Hopkins' principles and added brand-building sophistication.
"At 60 miles an hour, the loudest noise in this new Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock."
This headline works because:
Ogilvy spent 3 weeks researching. The headline came from a magazine quote. He wrote 26 headlines before picking this one.
On headlines:
On copy:
On images:
Halbert wrote from prison to his son. Raw, practical, street-smart.
"What unique advantage would you want if opening a restaurant? The answer isn't location or great food. It's a starving crowd."
Find people who desperately want what you're selling. The offer matters more than the copy.
Use "you" and "I." Date your letters. Use the person's name. Create intimacy.
"Did you know that your family name was recorded with a coat-of-arms in ancient heraldic archives more than seven centuries ago?"
This opened his most successful letter ever (600 million sent).
The Boron Letters themselves are stories. His ads were stories. Stories disarm skepticism and create emotional connection.
Copy successful ads by hand to internalize the rhythm and structure. Don't type. Write.
"As you do that, you will hear the words that are lumpy and bumpy, like walking over a stony path. Those need fixing."
Attention → Interest → Desire → Action "The simple formulas work because human psychology doesn't change."
Caples tested obsessively. His data-backed principles:
"They Laughed When I Sat Down at the Piano... But When I Started to Play!"
Why it worked:
"The headline is 80% of the advertisement."
One headline can outpull another by 19.5x. Same product. Same offer. Different headline = 1,950% difference in response.
Mail-order master. Sold BluBlockers, calculators, gadgets through long-copy print ads.
"Your readers should be so compelled to read your copy that they cannot stop reading until they read all of it as if sliding down a slippery slide."
The job of the headline is to get them to read the first sentence. The job of the first sentence is to get them to read the second. And so on.
End paragraphs with hooks:
These pull readers into the next section.
Sugarman identified 31 triggers that make people buy. The biggest:
Your copy must create the right "buying environment." This includes:
Master of mail-order letters. His principles:
"Always enter the conversation already taking place in the customer's mind."
You don't create desire. You channel existing desire toward your product.
Make them SEE themselves using the product, enjoying the benefit. Paint the picture vividly.
All the greats agree on these fundamentals:
Headlines do 80% of the work. One headline can outpull another by 19.5x. These are the patterns that work.
[Action verb] + [Specific outcome] + [Timeframe or contrast]
Examples:
The contrast version ("days, not weeks") creates before/after in six words.
John Caples' most famous:
"They Laughed When I Sat Down at the Piano... But When I Started to Play!"
Why it works:
Variations:
The formula:
"They [doubted/laughed/dismissed] when I [action]... But when I [result]..."
Ogilvy's Rolls-Royce:
"At 60 miles an hour, the loudest noise in this new Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock."
Why it works:
The formula:
[Specific number/metric] + [Unexpected comparison or detail]
Modern examples:
Simple and bulletproof:
"How to [Achieve desired outcome]"
Examples:
Variations:
Examples with variations:
Questions they're already asking themselves:
"Do You Make These Mistakes in English?"
Legendary ad ran for 40 years. Works because:
The formula:
"Do you [common mistake/struggle]?" "Are you [undesirable state]?" "What if you could [desirable outcome]?"
Examples:
Implies insider knowledge:
"The Secret of Making People Like You"
The formula:
"The Secret of [Desirable outcome]" "The Secret [Industry insiders/experts] Don't Want You to Know" "[Number] Secrets of [Successful group]"
Examples:
Warning: Overused. Works best when you actually have something surprising to reveal.
Hopkins' favorite. Explain WHY:
"Why Some People Almost Always Make Money in the Stock Market"
The formula:
"Why [Desirable outcome happens]" "Why [Surprising statement]" "[Number] Reasons Why [Claim]"
Examples:
Numbers stop the scroll:
"101 Ways to Save Money on Your Taxes"
Why numbers work:
The formula:
"[Number] [Ways/Tips/Secrets/Mistakes] to [Outcome]"
Best numbers:
Examples:
Fear of loss is powerful:
"Don't Even Think About Buying a Home Until You Read This"
The formula:
"Don't [Action] Until [Condition]" "[Number] Mistakes [Audience] Make" "Warning: [Danger statement]"
Examples:
Timely + relevant:
"What [Current event] Means for [Your audience]"
The formula:
"[Current event/trend] + [Your angle]" "The [Year] Guide to [Topic]" "[Trend] Is Dead. Here's What's Replacing It."
Examples:
Before → After in one line:
"From Broke Musician to $100K/Year Music Teacher"
The formula:
"From [Bad state] to [Good state]" "How I Went from [Before] to [After]" "[Before] → [After]: [How]"
Examples:
Challenge conventional wisdom:
"Everything You Know About [Topic] Is Wrong"
The formula:
"[Common belief] Is Wrong. Here's Why." "Stop [Common advice]" "Why [Contrarian position]"
Examples:
Warning: Must deliver on the promise. Contrarian for contrarian's sake backfires.
Sometimes simple wins:
"We're Looking for Writers"
The formula:
[Direct statement of value or offer]
Examples:
Works when your audience is highly aware and just needs the offer.
From John Caples' decades of testing:
Self-interest beats cleverness. "How to win friends" beats "The science of human relations"
News hooks attention. "New" "Announcing" "Finally" "Just released"
Curiosity alone fails. Curiosity + benefit works. Pure curiosity = clickbait that disappoints.
Specifics beat generalities. "Save $327 on your taxes" beats "Save money on your taxes"
Longer headlines can work. "At 60 miles an hour, the loudest noise in this new Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock" is 18 words. It's the best headline Ogilvy ever wrote.
Test at least 5. Ogilvy wrote 26 headlines for Rolls-Royce. Upworthy writes 25 per article. One will be 2-10x better than the rest.
Keep these on file:
The first sentence has one job: get them to read the second sentence.
Open by challenging what they believe or do:
"You've been using Claude wrong."
"Everything you know about pricing is backwards."
"Most marketing advice is designed to make you feel busy, not successful."
Why it works:
The formula:
"You've been [doing X] wrong." "Most [advice/people/companies] [get this wrong]." "[Common belief] is actually [wrong/backwards/dangerous]."
Caples' piano ad doesn't start with product. It starts with scene:
"Arthur had just played 'The Rosary.' The room rang with applause."
The reader is IN the scene before they know they're reading an ad.
Modern examples:
"I was $78,000 in debt, working 70-hour weeks, and my marriage was falling apart. Then I discovered something that changed everything."
"Last Tuesday, I opened my laptop and saw a number I couldn't believe: $47,329 in one day."
"It was 2 AM and I was still coding. The launch was in 6 hours. I had no idea if anyone would show up."
The formula:
[Specific moment] + [Tension or curiosity] + [Implied transformation]
Vulnerability disarms skepticism:
"I'll be honest with you. I almost gave up on this business three times."
"Here's something embarrassing: I used to think copywriting was about being clever."
"I made every mistake in the book. Spent $50,000 on ads that didn't work. Launched products nobody wanted."
Why it works:
The formula:
"I'll be honest..." "Here's something I rarely admit..." "I made every mistake..."
Lead with proof:
"Last month, this landing page generated $127,394 in sales."
"In 9 months, we did $400k+ on a vibe-coded website using these exact methods."
"I've sent 600 million of these letters. Here's what I learned."
Why it works:
The formula:
"[Specific result] + [Implied 'here's how']"
Enter the conversation in their head:
"Have you ever stared at a blank page, knowing you need to write something that sells... and just froze?"
"What would you do with an extra 10 hours a week?"
"Do you ever wonder why some people seem to effortlessly attract clients while you're struggling to get noticed?"
Why it works:
The formula:
"Have you ever [common struggle]?" "Do you ever wonder why [comparison/frustration]?" "What would you do with [desirable outcome]?"
Flip conventional wisdom:
"Stop writing headlines."
"The best marketing advice is to do less marketing."
"I'm going to tell you something nobody else will: your product doesn't matter."
Why it works:
The formula:
"Stop [doing what everyone says to do]." "The best [X] advice is [opposite of expected]." "[Extreme or surprising statement]."
Warning: Must pay off. Contrarian opening + conventional content = disappointment.
Future-pace them into the transformation:
"Imagine waking up tomorrow and your landing page has already made 3 sales while you slept."
"Picture this: you open your inbox and see 47 new leads, all from one email you wrote once."
"Imagine never having to explain your business again because your website does it perfectly."
Why it works:
The formula:
"Imagine [specific desirable scenario]." "Picture this: [vivid future state]."
Break expectations completely:
"Don't read this."
"This isn't for you."
"I'm going to try to talk you OUT of buying this."
Why it works:
The formula:
"[Opposite of what they expect from sales copy]"
Creates immediacy and credibility:
"It's 4:37 AM and I can't sleep. I keep thinking about what I'm about to share with you."
"I'm writing this from gate B7 at LAX, 20 minutes before my flight boards."
"Last Tuesday at exactly 2:14 PM, something happened that changed how I think about marketing."
Why it works:
The formula:
"[Specific time/place] + [What you're about to share]"
Sugarman's approach: first sentence should be stupidly easy to read:
"It's simple."
"Here's the truth."
"This works."
"Let me explain."
Why it works:
The formula:
[2-4 word sentence that creates curiosity or makes a claim]
Quantify the problem or opportunity:
"5 minutes explaining your business + 10 minutes prompting + 15 minutes editing = hours of your week, every week, forever."
"You're losing $1,847 every month. Here's the math."
"The average landing page converts at 2.35%. The top 10% convert at 11.45%. That gap? It's not traffic. It's copy."
Why it works:
The formula:
"[Problem math] = [Painful total]" "The gap between [average] and [top] is [specific difference]."
These scream "AI wrote this" or "generic marketing":
The problem: They're generic. They could be about anything. They don't demonstrate understanding of the reader.
Your opening should do at least one of these:
If your opening does none of these, rewrite it.
The human brain craves closure. Open a loop, and they'll keep reading to close it.
An open loop is incomplete information that creates psychological tension. Your brain wants to resolve it.
TV shows use this: Every episode ends with a cliffhanger. You can't NOT watch the next one.
In copy: You tease information without revealing it, pulling readers forward to find the answer.
The gap between what we know and what we want to know.
Weak: "10 Tips for Better Writing" Strong: "The Ancient Secret Writing Technique That Transformed My Bank Account"
The weak version tells you exactly what you'll get. No gap. The strong version creates questions: What technique? How ancient? How much money?
The rule: Clear enough to understand, mysterious enough to provoke questions.
Start a story, don't finish it:
"I was $78,000 in debt when I discovered something that changed everything. But before I tell you what it is, you need to understand why most advice about money is wrong..."
The reader now HAS to know what you discovered.
Promise something specific, delay the reveal:
"I tested 47 headlines. One pattern beat everything else by 3x. I'll show you exactly what it is in a moment, but first..."
Now they're reading for the one pattern.
"The answer might surprise you. But first, let me explain why this matters."
You've promised an answer. They'll stick around for it.
Give part of the information:
"The formula has three parts. The first one is obvious. The third one is counterintuitive. But the second one? That's where the magic happens."
Now they need to know the second part.
"In a few minutes, you'll understand exactly why most landing pages fail. And you'll know exactly how to fix yours."
You've told them what they'll get. Now they want it.
End paragraphs with hooks that pull into the next section:
Transition phrases:
The placement: Use at the end of paragraphs, especially when transitioning between ideas or before you reveal something important.
Don't overuse: Every paragraph ending with "but there's more" becomes tiresome. 2-4 per page is plenty.
Psychologist George Loewenstein's research:
"Curiosity arises when we're aware of a gap in our knowledge."
To create curiosity:
Example:
"Most copywriters make this mistake. It's costing them thousands of dollars in lost conversions. And they have no idea."
You've created three gaps:
Now they'll read to close all three.
Weak (no gap): "How to Write Better Headlines" Strong (gap): "Why Your Headlines Aren't Working (And the 2-Minute Fix)"
Weak: "5 Ways to Improve Your Landing Page" Strong: "I Analyzed 1,000 Landing Pages. One Element Predicted Conversion Rate Better Than Anything Else."
The strong versions create specific questions the reader needs answered.
Open loop: "The $50,000 mistake I made last year"
Open loop: "This one change added 247 subscribers in a week"
Open loop: "Don't make this launch mistake (I almost did)"
Too vague (bad): "Quick question"
Too complete (bad): "5 tips for writing better emails"
Critical: You must close the loops you open.
If you tease "the one thing that changed everything" and never deliver, readers feel cheated. They won't trust you again.
The timing:
The payoff must be worth the wait. If you create huge curiosity and deliver mediocre content, you've damaged trust.
You can stack loops, but manage them carefully:
Opening:
"I'm going to share three things with you today.
The first is obvious. You probably already know it. The second is counterintuitive. It goes against everything you've been told. The third? It's the one that will change how you think about marketing forever.
Let's start with the obvious one..."
Now they're reading for all three, but especially the third.
Close each one before opening too many more. 3-4 open loops at once is manageable. More than that creates confusion.
Classic late-night TV, but works in copy:
"You get the complete training program, all 12 modules, the workbook, and the template library.
But that's not all.
When you join today, you also get..."
The "but that's not all" creates a micro-loop. They need to see what else.
What NOT to do:
Being too vague:
"Something amazing happened..."
Too generic. No specific gap.
Being too complete:
"I made $50,000 by selling an online course about productivity."
No gap left. You answered everything.
Creating gaps you don't close:
"The secret I'm about to share will change everything..." [Never actually shares the secret]
This is manipulation. It destroys trust.
Clickbait:
"You won't BELIEVE what happened next!"
Creates gap but signals low-quality content. Sophisticated readers bounce.
Curiosity is about information asymmetry.
You know something they want to know. Your job is to:
Do this ethically, and you'll hold attention through any length of copy.
How to keep readers moving from headline to CTA without friction.
Joseph Sugarman:
"Your readers should be so compelled to read your copy that they cannot stop reading until they read all of it as if sliding down a slippery slide."
Once they start, they can't stop. Every element has one job: get them to read the next element.
A chain of short phrases that smooth transitions between paragraphs:
Common bucket brigade phrases:
How they work:
Without bucket brigade:
"Most landing pages fail because they focus on features, not benefits.
Benefits are what the customer actually cares about."
With bucket brigade:
"Most landing pages fail because they focus on features, not benefits.
Here's the thing: Benefits are what the customer actually cares about."
The "Here's the thing" smooths the entry into the second paragraph. The reader doesn't pause between ideas.
Sugarman's technique for ending paragraphs:
Instead of ending paragraphs flatly, end with a hook:
Without seed:
"This is the first principle of good headlines."
With seed:
"This is the first principle of good headlines. But the second principle is where most people fail."
The reader HAS to continue to find out the second principle.
Seed phrases:
Placement:
Repeat a word from the last sentence in the first sentence of the next paragraph:
"Now we're going to look at a more sophisticated technique.
A technique used by professional writers, but often overlooked by copywriters."
The word "technique" bridges the gap. Smoother than starting fresh.
Another example:
"The key is specificity. Vague claims don't convert.
Specificity signals honesty. When you say '$47,329 in one day,' that's believable. When you say 'lots of money,' it's not."
"Specificity" carries from one paragraph to the next.
Logical flow. Point A leads to Point B leads to Point C.
Broken flow:
"Energy prices are rising.
You should invest in cryptocurrency."
Wait, what? How did we get from energy to crypto? The reader's brain stumbles.
Fixed flow:
"Energy prices are rising.
In fact, prices are rising everywhere. Inflation is eating into your savings.
To beat inflation, your money needs to grow faster than 8% per year.
Traditional savings accounts pay less than 1%.
That's why more people are looking at alternative investments like cryptocurrency."
Each point connects to the next. The reader slides from energy prices to crypto without friction.
Transition words that signal logical connections:
Cause and effect:
Contrast:
Addition:
Example:
Emphasis:
These signal to the reader's brain how this paragraph relates to the last one.
Sugarman's rule: The first sentence should be short and easy to read.
Long first sentence:
"When you think about all the different ways that marketing has changed over the past decade, it's remarkable how many new channels have emerged."
Heavy. Requires commitment to start.
Short first sentence:
"Marketing has changed."
Easy. You're already reading. Now you'll read the next sentence.
More short openers:
Same-length paragraphs = monotonous reading
Vary them:
Short.
Then a medium paragraph that expands on the idea with a bit more detail and context.
Then maybe a longer one when you need to explain something more complex, build an argument with multiple points, or tell a story that requires setup, conflict, and resolution. These longer paragraphs have their place.
Then short again.
This creates rhythm. The eye moves easily. The brain doesn't fatigue.
Questions pull readers forward:
"So what does this mean for your landing page?"
"It means you need to focus on benefits, not features."
The question creates a micro-gap. The answer closes it. Reader momentum continues.
Use sparingly: Too many questions feels like an interrogation.
Mark Ford's principle: Each paragraph should make ONE point.
If you're making two points, you need two paragraphs.
Muddled:
"Headlines are important and you should always test them, plus make sure to use specific numbers because specificity builds credibility and don't forget to match the headline to your audience's awareness level."
Clear:
"Headlines do 80% of the work.
Always test at least 5. One will outperform the others by 2-10x.
Use specific numbers. '$47,329' beats 'lots of money.'
Match your headline to your audience's awareness level."
One point per paragraph. Easy to follow. Easy to remember.
Things that stop the slide:
Every element should either:
If any element does none of these, it's friction. Cut it or fix it.
How the classics translate to landing pages, tweets, and creator brands.
"Hey, it's Marc 👋
In 2018, I believed I was Mark Zuckerberg, built a startup for 1 year, and got 0 users...
A few years after my burnout, I restarted the journey differently: I shipped like a madman—16 startups in 2 years.
Now I'm happy and earn $45,000 a month."
Why it works:
"After nearly two decades on Wall Street, I realized the real path to wealth is in unsexy businesses—laundromats, car washes, HVAC."
Why it works:
"4 hrs to set up emails + 6 hrs designing a landing page + 4 hrs to handle Stripe webhooks + 2 hrs for SEO tags + 1 hr applying for Google OAuth + 3 hrs for DNS records + 2 hrs for protected API routes + ∞ hrs overthinking...
= 22+ hours of headaches.
There's an easier way."
Why it works:
"Imagine the scene: you and your team get an urgent email, so you rapidly reply. But just after you hit send, your team replies as well. In the best case, you look disorganized. In the worst case, you contradict each other."
Why it works:
Formula: [Before state] + [Action] + [Specific outcome] + [Timeframe] + [Emotion]
"I shipped in 6 days as a noob coder. It would have taken me months. I wanna cry 🥲"
"I made more in 6 days than minimum wage in Spain."
"I managed to exit & sell for 5 figures in a few weeks. Best investment I've made in so long."
"We were able to buy our first business within 4 months of joining."
Why they work:
"You're a good fit for this if: ✅ You know this is a tool, and you'll need to use it ✅ You're willing to reassess your existing ideas
You're NOT a good fit if: ❌ You equate success with just buying a course ❌ You're not willing to do the unsexy work required"
"Couldn't I just do this myself with all the free content out there?"
"If you could, you would have already. 🤷🏻"
Why it works:
Weak (command action):
Strong (describe benefit):
Below-CTA friction reducers:
"$199 once. Join 2,600+ marketers. 2 minutes to install."
Formula: [Risk reversal] + [Social proof] + [Speed/ease]
Internet-native voice marker. Creates trust through specific vulnerability:
"Now I'm happy and earn $45,000 a month."
"$65K MRR" in bio
"The Vibe Marketing community did $400k+ in 9 months."
Why it works:
Another trust marker:
"One note: 3D model generation isn't great yet."
"This isn't for complete beginners. You need basic coding knowledge."
"Fair warning: setup takes about 30 minutes the first time."
Why it works:
Internet-native, not professional-sanitized:
"I wanna cry 🥲"
"If you could, you would have already 🤷🏻"
"Hey, it's Marc 👋"
Rules:
Signals "I'm one of you":
Why it works:
"Ship your startup in days, not weeks."
"From idea to launch in one weekend."
"Stop building for months. Start shipping in days."
The structure:
[Before: slow/painful] → [After: fast/easy]
In six words, you've painted transformation.
Based on analysis of ShipFast, Superhuman, Contrarian Thinking:
Not every page uses all nine. But this is the complete playbook.
Signals "internet-native, not corporate":
| Corporate | Internet-native |
|---|---|
| "Significant revenue" | "$45,000/month" |
| "Many satisfied customers" | "2,894 makers" |
| "Get started today" | "Start building" |
| No limitations mentioned | "3D generation isn't great yet" |
| Stock photo testimonials | "I wanna cry 🥲" |
| "We at [Company]..." | "Hey, it's Marc 👋" |
| Formal language | "Ship like a madman" |
| Rounded numbers | "$47,329" (specific) |
Modern internet-native copy is classic direct response + authenticity markers.
The principles haven't changed since Hopkins:
What's different:
The fundamentals are 100 years old. The packaging is 2024.
Built by The Boring Marketer. This is one of 17 AI skills in the Vibe Skills Pack — covering copywriting, SEO, email sequences, content strategy, ad creative, and more.