Why your copy sucks. And how to fix it

From Reads to Leads is a newsletter for writers who want more. It's about marketing. Strategy. Positioning. Operations. Results. And yes, it talks about writing too. But through a marketing lens. If this was sent to you, subscribe here so you don't miss the next email.

In today's newsletter:

• Why good writers produce bad copy
• The one-pager that changes everything
• Building your internal swipe file
• Why you need strategic thinkers, not brief followers

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"How do I make my writers create good copy?"

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This question came up in a mentorship session last week.

The content manager was frustrated. Her team kept producing poor copy and she couldn't figure out why.

She showed me their latest ad:

"Want to improve your efficiency? Register for our DevOps events."

It sounds like DevOps was invented yesterday. And improving efficiency is the only thing keeping you up at night.

"Our writers just don't get it," she said. "Our copy sucks."

I asked: "What systems do you have in place to help writers create better copy?"

They had none.

Then I asked to see their brief:

"Write 5 Facebook ads targeted at tech company owners to advertise our DevOps webinars. 30 words max. Due Friday."

No audience insight. No value prop. No differentiators. No context.

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Your brief is garbage. That's why your copy is garbage.

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With a brief like this, you're asking copywriters to:

• Research your audience
• Figure out your positioning
• Create compelling messaging
• Guess what tone you want
• Mind-read your differentiators

Then you act surprised when they deliver something generic.

You can't expect writers to write great messaging when you've given them nothing to work with.

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Three systems to fix your copywriting problem

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Here's how we solve this at Zmist & Copy.

System 1: The messaging one-pager

Before anyone writes a single headline, create a messaging foundation.

Your one-pager needs:

Audience snapshot → Who exactly are you talking to? "Tech company owners" isn't specific enough. What size companies? What problems keep them up at night? What's their experience with DevOps?

Value proposition → What do you offer and why should they care? Features or benefits that matter to them.

Key differentiators → What makes you different from every other DevOps course out there?

Proof points → Stats, testimonials, case studies that back up your claims

Tone guidelines → How should you sound? Technical but approachable? Authoritative? Conversational?

This one-pager becomes the foundation for every piece of copy. Writers don't have to guess what matters. You've told them.

Want a template?

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Download messaging one-pager

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System 2: Build your internal swipe file

Writers can't create great copy if they don't know what great copy look like.

Create your own version of Swiped.co. Good copy and bad copy, side by side. Show writers what works and what doesn't.

Include:

• Copy that converts (with notes on why)
• Bad examples to avoid
• Headlines that stop scrolls
• Examples from other industries

If your writers don't have a trained eye for compelling copy, they can't produce it.

So show them.

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System 3: Marketing-inspo Slack channel

Set up a dedicated channel for sharing great copy examples with your team:

• Ad screenshots from socials that stopped your scroll
• Email subject lines that made you open
• LinkedIn posts that you've bookmarked
• Examples of website copy you want to replicate on your site 
• Article intros that made you read on
• Headlines from different industries
• Whatever made you think "damn, that's good"

Constant exposure to great copy trains the eye. Your writers start recognizing patterns. They absorb what works.

After we implemented these three systems, writers who used to need 5 revision rounds started nailing it on draft 1.

Copy ships faster and is dramatically better.

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These systems work. But there's one more piece.

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You can build the perfect messaging foundation and create the most comprehensive swipe file in the world.

Your writers will produce good copy. No question.

But to get truly great results, you also need to think about who you're hiring.

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Are you hiring brief followers or strategic thinkers?

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David Ogilvy looked for five specific traits when hiring copywriters:

1. Obsessive curiosity about products, people, and advertising
2. A sense of humor
3. A habit of hard work
4. The ability to write interesting prose
5. The ability to think visually

Notice what's missing? Following instructions isn't on the list.

Companies today are looking for someone who can execute briefs. Ogilvy was looking for someone who could think strategically.

Your systems will get any decent writer producing good work. But strategic thinkers will take that foundation and create something exceptional...

So developers stop rolling their eyes at your DevOps ads.

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See you next week

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Summer's almost over and things are about to get busy. 

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We've been heads-down at Zmist & Copy building the Context Engine framework, a product-led content system for companies that want to become the obvious choice in their category. The old content playbook is dead. Companies that figure out the new game first will own their categories.

Kateryna

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P.P.S. If we aren't connected already, follow me on LinkedIn and Instagram. If you like this newsletter, please refer your friends.

P.P.P.S. Need a hand with content? Zmistify your content with Zmist & Copy

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