All previous tips

“Your headline has one job: earn the next sentence. If it doesn't, nothing else you wrote matters.”

“People don't buy products. They buy better versions of themselves. Sell the transformation, not the transaction.”

“Write your subject line last. Once you know what the email actually says, you'll know exactly what to promise.”

“Cut your first draft by 20%. Whatever survives is usually the piece. Writers write; editors cut.”

“Loss aversion is twice as powerful as desire. Framing what someone could lose often converts better than what they could gain.”

“Every paragraph should earn the next one. If a reader can skip a paragraph and lose nothing, cut it.”

“Read your copy out loud. If you stumble, the reader will too. Writing that flows when spoken almost always reads well too.”

“Numbers in headlines outperform words because they signal specificity. '7 ways' beats 'several ways' every single time.”

“Specificity creates believability. 'Saves time' is ignored. 'Saves 2 hours every Monday morning' is believed.”

“The preview text is your second subject line. Most copywriters ignore it. That's your advantage — use it.”

“Kill every adverb you can. If you need 'very' or 'really' to make a word work harder, find a stronger word instead.”

“The strongest CTAs remove a fear, not just state an action. 'Start free — cancel anytime' beats 'Sign up now.'”

“Write the way your best customer talks, not the way your legal department approves. One gets read. The other gets filed.”

“Short sentences accelerate. Longer sentences slow the reader down and build anticipation before a big reveal. Use both intentionally.”

“The 'How to' headline has survived 100 years because it makes an implicit promise: read this and learn something useful.”

“Social proof works because we trust what others have chosen. Always name numbers, jobs, and companies — never just 'a customer.'”

“One email, one goal. Every link that isn't your primary CTA is a distraction you're choosing to build in.”

“The passive voice hides responsibility. 'Mistakes were made' is weak. 'We made a mistake' is strong. Own it.”

“Anchor the value before you show the price. If the reader understands what they're getting, the number lands very differently.”

“Curiosity gaps work because the human brain can't tolerate incomplete information. Open one early; close it only after the key message lands.”

“Start in the middle of the action. The best first lines drop readers into a scene, a conflict, or a question — not a preamble.”

“Rhyme and rhythm make claims more believable. 'If it doesn't fit, you must acquit' won partly because it's memorable. Sound matters.”

“Give before you ask. The more value your copy delivers before the pitch, the less resistance the pitch meets.”

“Personalisation beyond [First Name] is where email copy gets powerful. Reference the reader's industry, behaviour, or past purchase — not just their name.”

“Never explain what you just said. Say it well once and move on. If you're tempted to clarify, rewrite the original instead.”