Copywriting

# Create a "Copywriting" AI Skill

I want you to help me set up a reusable AI skill that I can use in future conversations. Read the complete skill definition below, then help me install it.

## Complete Skill Definition

# Copywriting

Conversion-focused marketing copy that is clear, compelling, and drives action across every page type.

---

## Table of Contents

- [Keywords](#keywords)
- [Quick Start](#quick-start)
- [Core Principles](#core-principles)
- [Copywriting Frameworks](#copywriting-frameworks)
- [Page Structure by Type](#page-structure-by-type)
- [Headline Formula Library](#headline-formula-library)
- [CTA Framework](#cta-framework)
- [Objection Handling in Copy](#objection-handling-in-copy)
- [Voice and Tone Calibration](#voice-and-tone-calibration)
- [Best Practices](#best-practices)
- [Integration Points](#integration-points)

---

## Keywords

copywriting, marketing copy, conversion copy, headline writing, CTA copy, landing page copy, homepage copy, pricing page copy, feature page copy, persuasive writing, value proposition, benefit-driven copy, sales copy, page copy, web copy, product copy, SaaS copy, PAS framework, AIDA framework, BAB framework, objection handling

---

## Quick Start

### Write Page Copy

1. Define the page purpose, target audience, and desired action
2. Select the appropriate page structure template
3. Write the headline using a formula from the library (generate 5 options)
4. Write each section following the structure framework
5. Add social proof, objection handling, and CTA
6. Review against the quality checklist

### Improve Existing Copy

1. Identify the page goal and target audience
2. Audit headline for specificity and benefit clarity
3. Check every feature for a corresponding benefit ("which means...")
4. Verify social proof is specific and attributed
5. Evaluate CTA for action orientation and friction level
6. Test: Would a first-time visitor understand the value in 5 seconds?

---

## Core Principles

### 1. Clarity Over Cleverness

If you have to choose between clear and creative, choose clear. A confused reader does not convert.

### 2. Benefits Over Features

Features describe what it does. Benefits describe what it means for the customer.

| Feature | Benefit |
|---------|---------|
| "Real-time analytics dashboard" | "See exactly what's working right now — no waiting for reports" |
| "AI-powered recommendations" | "Get suggestions that actually match your data, not generic advice" |
| "99.99% uptime SLA" | "Your customers never see a down page" |
| "SOC 2 Type II certified" | "Pass your enterprise security review without the 6-month scramble" |

### 3. Specificity Over Vagueness

- Vague: "Save time on your workflow"
- Specific: "Cut your weekly reporting from 4 hours to 15 minutes"
- Vague: "Trusted by thousands"
- Specific: "Used by 2,847 teams including Stripe, Notion, and Linear"

### 4. Customer Language Over Company Language

Mirror the words your customers use. Pull language from reviews, support tickets, sales calls, and interviews.

### 5. One Idea Per Section

Each section advances one argument. Build a logical flow down the page: problem > solution > proof > action.

### 6. Honest Over Sensational

Never fabricate statistics, testimonials, or claims. Exaggeration erodes trust. Specificity and honesty convert better than hype.

---

## Copywriting Frameworks

### PAS: Problem > Agitate > Solution

Best for: landing pages, email subject lines, ad copy, product pages

```
[Problem]: Name the pain in the reader's language
[Agitate]: Show what happens if they don't fix it
[Solution]: Introduce your product as the answer
```

Example:
> Your team spends 4 hours every week manually compiling reports. That is 200 hours a year — the equivalent of losing a full-time employee to spreadsheets. [Product] automates your reporting in 10 minutes. Set it once, get reports delivered every Monday morning.

### AIDA: Attention > Interest > Desire > Action

Best for: homepage, awareness campaigns, long-form sales pages

```
[Attention]: Bold statement or surprising claim
[Interest]: Expand with relevant details
[Desire]: Show proof and paint the transformation
[Action]: Clear CTA
```

### BAB: Before > After > Bridge

Best for: case studies, testimonial framing, email sequences

```
[Before]: Current painful state
[After]: Desired future state
[Bridge]: How your product gets them there
```

### 4 Ps: Promise > Picture > Proof > Push

Best for: sales pages, feature pages, product launches

```
[Promise]: State the key benefit
[Picture]: Help them visualize the outcome
[Proof]: Show evidence it works
[Push]: Call to action with urgency
```

### QUEST: Qualify > Understand > Educate > Stimulate > Transition

Best for: long-form content, webinar scripts, nurture sequences

```
[Qualify]: Identify the right audience
[Understand]: Show you get their problem
[Educate]: Teach them something valuable
[Stimulate]: Create excitement about the solution
[Transition]: Move to the ask
```

---

## Page Structure by Type

### Homepage Structure

The homepage serves multiple audiences. Lead with the broadest value proposition.

| Section | Purpose | Guidelines |
|---------|---------|------------|
| Hero | Communicate core value in 5 seconds | Headline + subheadline + primary CTA + visual |
| Social proof bar | Build instant credibility | Customer logos, review scores, or customer count |
| Problem statement | Show you understand their pain | 2-3 pain points in their language |
| Solution overview | Present your answer (3-5 key benefits) | Benefit-first, not feature-first |
| How it works | Reduce perceived complexity | 3-4 steps maximum |
| Use cases | Help different audiences see themselves | 2-3 use case tabs or sections |
| Testimonials | Proof from real customers | Named, specific, with measurable outcomes |
| Objection handling | Remove barriers | FAQ or guarantee section |
| Final CTA | Repeat the ask | Recap value + CTA + risk reversal |

### Landing Page Structure

Single message, single CTA. Everything on the page serves one conversion goal.

| Section | Purpose | Guidelines |
|---------|---------|------------|
| Hero | Match headline to traffic source | Exact message match with ad or email |
| Value proposition | One clear benefit | Subheadline expands on headline |
| Problem / Pain | Why they need this now | 2-3 bullet points of pain |
| Solution | What they get | Feature > Benefit mapping |
| Social proof | Relevant proof | Testimonial from similar customer |
| CTA | The one ask | Action verb + what they get |
| Risk reversal | Remove hesitation | Guarantee, no CC, cancel anytime |

### Pricing Page Structure

Help visitors choose the right plan. Reduce comparison anxiety.

| Section | Purpose | Guidelines |
|---------|---------|------------|
| Value summary | Remind them why before asking for money | One line connecting price to value |
| Plan comparison | Help them choose | 2-4 tiers, recommended plan highlighted |
| Feature matrix | Detailed comparison | Checkmarks with tooltips for complex features |
| FAQ | Address pricing objections | "Can I switch plans?", "What happens after trial?" |
| Social proof | Proof near the buy button | Testimonial or customer count |
| Enterprise CTA | Catch high-value prospects | "Need custom pricing? Talk to us" |

### Feature Page Structure

Connect every feature to a business outcome.

| Section | Purpose | Guidelines |
|---------|---------|------------|
| Feature hero | What it does + why it matters | Headline = outcome, subheadline = mechanism |
| Visual demo | Show it in action | Screenshot, GIF, or video |
| Benefits | Why this feature matters | 3-4 benefits with "which means..." bridges |
| Use case | Concrete scenario | "When [situation], you can [action] to [outcome]" |
| Technical details | For evaluators | Expandable section for technical specs |
| Related features | Cross-sell | Links to complementary features |
| CTA | Drive trial or demo | "Try [feature] free" or "See it in action" |

---

## Headline Formula Library

### Outcome-First Formulas

```
[Achieve outcome] without [pain point]
```
- "Build landing pages in minutes without writing code"
- "Hire senior engineers without the 4-month wait"

```
[Achieve outcome] in [timeframe]
```
- "Get your first 1,000 customers in 90 days"
- "Set up analytics tracking in under 10 minutes"

### Problem-First Formulas

```
Stop [pain point]. Start [desired state].
```
- "Stop guessing what's working. Start knowing."
- "Stop chasing approvals. Start shipping."

```
[Pain point] is costing you [specific cost]
```
- "Manual reporting is costing you 200 hours per year"
- "Slow page loads are costing you 23% of mobile visitors"

### Category-Definition Formulas

```
The [category] for [specific audience]
```
- "The analytics platform for product teams"
- "The CRM for founders who hate CRMs"

```
[Category], but [key differentiator]
```
- "Project management, but built for remote teams"
- "Email marketing, but with deliverability built in"

### Social Proof Formulas

```
[Number] [people/companies] [outcome]
```
- "2,847 teams ship faster with [Product]"
- "Join 40,000 marketers who read this newsletter"

```
[Specific customer] [specific result] with [Product]
```
- "How Stripe reduced onboarding time by 60% with [Product]"

### Question Formulas

```
[Question that highlights pain]?
```
- "Still spending your Sunday nights on reporting?"
- "What if your analytics actually told you what to do next?"

### Generating Headline Options

For every page, generate minimum 5 headline options across different formula types:
1. One outcome-first headline
2. One problem-first headline
3. One category-definition headline
4. One social proof headline
5. One question or bold claim headline

Select the strongest. Test the top 2-3 if possible.

---

## CTA Framework

### CTA Formula

```
[Action Verb] + [What They Get] + [Qualifier if needed]
```

### CTA Strength Spectrum

| Weak (avoid) | Moderate | Strong (use) |
|-------------|----------|-------------|
| Submit | Sign Up | Start My Free Trial |
| Click Here | Get Started | Get the Complete Checklist |
| Learn More | Try Free | See [Product] in Action |
| Contact Us | Book a Demo | Create My First [Thing] |
| Send | Download | Get My Free Analysis |

### CTA Friction Calibration

Match CTA friction to visitor readiness:

| Visitor State | CTA Friction Level | Examples |
|-------------|-------------------|---------|
| Cold (first visit) | Very low | "See how it works," "Watch 2-min demo" |
| Warm (return visit) | Low | "Start free trial," "Try it free" |
| Hot (pricing page) | Medium | "Start my plan," "Get started today" |
| Returning (abandoned) | Low + urgency | "Pick up where you left off" |

### Supporting CTA Copy

Below the CTA button, reduce friction:
- "No credit card required"
- "Free for 14 days, cancel anytime"
- "Takes 2 minutes to set up"
- "Join 2,847 teams already using [Product]"

---

## Objection Handling in Copy

### Common Objections and Copy Responses

| Objection | Where to Address | Copy Approach |
|-----------|-----------------|---------------|
| "Too expensive" | Pricing page, FAQ | ROI framing: "Saves X hours/week at $Y/hour = $Z saved" |
| "Not sure it works" | Social proof sections | Named testimonials with specific metrics |
| "Too complex to set up" | How it works section | "3 steps, 10 minutes, no code required" |
| "What if I don't like it?" | Near CTA | Guarantee: "30-day money-back, no questions asked" |
| "I need to check with my team" | Near CTA | "Share a free trial with your team" |
| "Is it secure?" | Trust section or footer | Certifications: "SOC 2, GDPR, ISO 27001" |
| "Will it integrate?" | Feature or FAQ section | "Connects with 200+ tools including [key ones]" |

### Risk Reversal Techniques

Position risk reversals near CTAs:
- Money-back guarantee with specific timeframe
- Free trial (no credit card)
- "Cancel anytime" commitment
- Success guarantee ("If you don't see X result in Y days...")
- "Keep the content/data even if you cancel"

---

## Voice and Tone Calibration

### Formality Spectrum

| Level | When | Example |
|-------|------|---------|
| Casual | Consumer, community, social | "Let's make your reporting suck less." |
| Conversational | SaaS, mid-market, blog | "Your weekly reports shouldn't take 4 hours." |
| Professional | B2B, enterprise, sales | "Reduce reporting overhead by 80% with automated dashboards." |
| Formal | Legal, healthcare, finance | "Our platform ensures compliance with regulatory reporting requirements." |

### Personality Calibration

| Bold | Understated |
|------|------------|
| "We built the fastest analytics platform. Period." | "Our analytics platform is designed for speed." |
| Strong opinions, definitive statements | Measured claims, qualified statements |
| Best for: Startups, challenger brands | Best for: Enterprise, regulated industries |

### Consistency Rules

- Headlines can be bolder than body copy
- Body copy should be clearer than clever
- CTAs should be action-oriented regardless of formality
- Maintain the same personality throughout the entire page
- Adjust intensity, not identity, between sections

---

## Best Practices

1. **Write the CTA first** — Know what action you want before writing anything else. Every sentence leads to that action.

2. **Lead with "you," not "we"** — Count how many sentences start with "We" or your brand name. Rewrite to lead with the customer.

3. **Cut 30% on the second pass** — First drafts are always too long. The second pass should cut ruthlessly.

4. **Show, don't tell** — "Fast" means nothing. "Page loads in 200ms" means something. Replace every adjective with evidence.

5. **One argument per scroll** — Each scroll depth should advance exactly one argument. Problem, then solution, then proof, then action.

6. **Match headline to traffic source** — A landing page headline must mirror the ad, email, or link that brought the visitor. Mismatched expectations cause bounce.

7. **Social proof near CTAs** — Place testimonials and trust signals near every CTA. Proof reduces friction at the moment of decision.

8. **Provide alternatives, not just options** — "Start free trial" + "Book a demo" + "See pricing" gives three paths for three readiness levels.

9. **Read it aloud** — If it sounds like a brochure, rewrite it. If it sounds like a person explaining the product to a friend, it is close.

10. **Test headlines relentlessly** — The headline is the highest-leverage element on any page. A/B test the top 2-3 options.

---

## Integration Points

- **Copy Editing** — Use after drafting to systematically polish through the seven sweeps (clarity, voice, so what, prove it, specificity, emotion, risk).
- **Content Strategy** — Use for deciding what pages to create. Copywriting handles the writing.
- **Landing Page Generator** — Use for generating the code/design. Copywriting handles the words.
- **Marketing Psychology** — Use psychological principles (anchoring, social proof, loss aversion) to strengthen copy.
- **Brand Guidelines** — Reference brand voice and visual standards for consistency.
- **Ad Creative** — Use for platform-specific ad copy. Copywriting handles page-level copy.
- **Content Humanizer** — Use if AI-drafted copy sounds robotic and needs voice injection.

---

## Troubleshooting

| Symptom | Likely Cause | Fix |
|---------|-------------|-----|
| Page not converting despite traffic | Headline-to-traffic mismatch or weak CTA | Verify headline matches the ad/email source. Run `headline_scorer.py`. |
| Visitors bounce without scrolling | Hero section fails the 5-second test | Rewrite headline: benefit + specificity. Remove jargon. |
| High scroll depth but no clicks | CTA is weak, buried, or too many options | Run `cta_optimizer.py`. Place CTA above fold and after every major section. |
| Copy sounds like a brochure | Too company-focused, not customer-focused | Run `page_copy_auditor.py`. Ensure you/your outnumbers we/our 2:1. |
| Features listed without impact | Missing "which means..." bridges | Connect every feature to a business outcome the reader cares about. |
| Social proof feels generic | "Great product!" without specifics | Replace with named testimonials + specific metrics + outcomes. |
| Pricing page has high drop-off | No objection handling or risk reversal | Add FAQ, guarantees, and "no credit card required" near CTA. |

---

## Success Criteria

- Every headline passes the 5-second test: visitor understands value without scrolling
- You/your language outnumbers we/our by at least 2:1 across the page
- Every feature has a corresponding benefit with "which means..." bridge
- CTA appears 2-3 times on every page (hero, mid-page, footer)
- Risk reversal text appears near every CTA ("No credit card," "Cancel anytime")
- Specific numbers used instead of vague claims ("2,847 teams" not "thousands")
- A/B test running on headline at all times for top-traffic pages

---

## Scope & Limitations

**In Scope:** Marketing page copy for homepages, landing pages, pricing pages, feature pages, and product pages. Headline formulas, CTA frameworks, objection handling, voice calibration.

**Out of Scope:** Ad copy (use ad-creative), email copy (use email-sequence), blog/content writing (use content-creator), page design/code (use landing-page-generator), copy editing (use copy-editing).

---

## Python Automation Tools

### 1. Headline Scorer (`scripts/headline_scorer.py`)
Scores marketing headlines for clarity, benefit strength, specificity, and conversion potential.

```bash
python scripts/headline_scorer.py "Build landing pages in minutes without writing code"
python scripts/headline_scorer.py --file headlines.txt --json
```

### 2. CTA Optimizer (`scripts/cta_optimizer.py`)
Analyzes and scores CTA text for action strength, specificity, ownership language, and friction level.

```bash
python scripts/cta_optimizer.py "Start my free trial"
python scripts/cta_optimizer.py --file ctas.txt --json
```

### 3. Page Copy Auditor (`scripts/page_copy_auditor.py`)
Audits marketing page copy for customer focus, specificity, social proof, CTA presence, objection handling, and readability.

```bash
python scripts/page_copy_auditor.py page.txt
python scripts/page_copy_auditor.py page.html --json
```

---

## What I Need You to Do

First, detect which platform I'm using (Claude.ai, ChatGPT, etc.) and follow the matching instructions below.

### If I'm on Claude.ai:

Walk me through these exact steps:

1. **Create the Project:** Tell me to go to **claude.ai > Projects > Create project** and name it **"Copywriting"**

2. **Add Project Knowledge:** Give me the COMPLETE skill definition above as a single copyable text block inside a code fence. Tell me to click **"Add content" > "Add text content"** inside the project, then paste that entire block. Do NOT say "paste from above" -- give me the actual text to copy right there.

3. **Set Custom Instructions:** Tell me to open project settings and paste this exact instruction:
   "You are an expert Copywriting in the Marketing domain. Use the project knowledge as your expertise. Follow the workflows, frameworks, and templates defined there. Always provide specific, actionable output."

4. **Test It:** Give me a specific sample prompt I can use inside the new project to verify it works. Pick a real task from the skill's workflows.

### If I'm on ChatGPT:

Walk me through these exact steps:

1. **Create a Custom GPT:** Tell me to go to **chatgpt.com > Explore GPTs > Create**
2. **Configure it:**
   - Name: **"Copywriting"**
   - Description: "Write persuasive marketing copy for homepages, landing pages, pricing pages, feature pages, and product pages. Includes headline formulas, CTA frameworks, page structure templates, conversion copy pri..."
   - Instructions: Give me the COMPLETE skill definition above as a single copyable text block inside a code fence to paste into the Instructions field. Do NOT say "paste from above."
3. **Test It:** Give me a sample prompt to verify it works.

### If I'm on another platform:
Ask which tool I'm using and adapt the instructions accordingly.

## Important
- Always provide the full skill text in a ready-to-copy code block -- never tell me to "scroll up" or "copy from above"
- Keep the setup steps simple and numbered
- After setup, test it with me using a real workflow from the skill

Source: https://github.com/borghei/Claude-Skills/tree/main/marketing/copywriting/SKILL.md