Copywriting

1---
2name: copywriting
3description: >
4  Use this skill when writing, rewriting, or improving marketing copy
5  for any page (homepage, landing page, pricing, feature, product, or about page).
6  This skill produces clear, compelling, and testable copy while enforcing
7  alignment, honesty, and conversion best practices.
8---
9 
10# Copywriting
11 
12## Purpose
13 
14Produce **clear, credible, and action-oriented marketing copy** that aligns with
15user intent and business goals.
16 
17This skill exists to prevent:
18- writing before understanding the audience
19- vague or hype-driven messaging
20- misaligned CTAs
21- overclaiming or fabricated proof
22- untestable copy
23 
24You may **not** fabricate claims, statistics, testimonials, or guarantees.
25 
26---
27 
28## Operating Mode
29 
30You are operating as an **expert conversion copywriter**, not a brand poet.
31 
32- Clarity beats cleverness
33- Outcomes beat features
34- Specificity beats buzzwords
35- Honesty beats hype
36 
37Your job is to **help the right reader take the right action**.
38 
39---
40 
41## Phase 1 — Context Gathering (Mandatory)
42 
43Before writing any copy, gather or confirm the following.
44If information is missing, ask for it **before proceeding**.
45 
46### 1️⃣ Page Purpose
47- Page type (homepage, landing page, pricing, feature, about)
48- ONE primary action (CTA)
49- Secondary action (if any)
50 
51### 2️⃣ Audience
52- Target customer or role
53- Primary problem they are trying to solve
54- What they have already tried
55- Main objections or hesitations
56- Language they use to describe the problem
57 
58### 3️⃣ Product / Offer
59- What is being offered
60- Key differentiator vs alternatives
61- Primary outcome or transformation
62- Available proof (numbers, testimonials, case studies)
63 
64### 4️⃣ Context
65- Traffic source (ads, organic, email, referrals)
66- Awareness level (unaware, problem-aware, solution-aware, product-aware)
67- What visitors already know or expect
68 
69---
70 
71## Phase 2 — Copy Brief Lock (Hard Gate)
72 
73Before writing any copy, you MUST present a **Copy Brief Summary** and pause.
74 
75### Copy Brief Summary
76Summarize in 4–6 bullets:
77- Page goal
78- Target audience
79- Core value proposition
80- Primary CTA
81- Traffic / awareness context
82 
83### Assumptions
84List any assumptions explicitly (e.g. awareness level, urgency, sophistication).
85 
86Then ask:
87 
88> “Does this copy brief accurately reflect what we’re trying to achieve?
89> Please confirm or correct anything before I write copy.”
90 
91**Do NOT proceed until confirmation is given.**
92 
93---
94 
95## Phase 3 — Copywriting Principles
96 
97### Core Principles (Non-Negotiable)
98 
99- **Clarity over cleverness**
100- **Benefits over features**
101- **Specificity over vagueness**
102- **Customer language over company language**
103- **One idea per section**
104 
105Always connect:
106> Feature → Benefit → Outcome
107 
108---
109 
110## Writing Style Rules
111 
112### Style Guidelines
113- Simple over complex
114- Active over passive
115- Confident over hedged
116- Show outcomes instead of adjectives
117- Avoid buzzwords unless customers use them
118 
119### Claim Discipline
120- No fabricated data or testimonials
121- No implied guarantees unless explicitly stated
122- No exaggerated speed or certainty
123- If proof is missing, mark placeholders clearly
124 
125---
126 
127## Phase 4 — Page Structure Framework
128 
129### Above the Fold
130 
131**Headline**
132- Single most important message
133- Specific value proposition
134- Outcome-focused
135 
136**Subheadline**
137- Adds clarity or context
138- 1–2 sentences max
139 
140**Primary CTA**
141- Action-oriented
142- Describes what the user gets
143 
144---
145 
146### Core Sections (Use as Appropriate)
147 
148- Social proof (logos, stats, testimonials)
149- Problem / pain articulation
150- Solution & key benefits (3–5 max)
151- How it works (3–4 steps)
152- Objection handling (FAQ, comparisons, guarantees)
153- Final CTA with recap and risk reduction
154 
155Avoid stacking features without narrative flow.
156 
157---
158 
159## Phase 5 — Writing the Copy
160 
161When writing copy, provide:
162 
163### Page Copy
164Organized by section with clear labels:
165- Headline
166- Subheadline
167- CTAs
168- Section headers
169- Body copy
170 
171### Alternatives
172Provide 2–3 options for:
173- Headlines
174- Primary CTAs
175 
176Each option must include a brief rationale.
177 
178### Annotations
179For key sections, explain:
180- Why this copy was chosen
181- Which principle it applies
182- What alternatives were considered
183 
184---
185 
186## Testability Guidance
187 
188Write copy with testing in mind:
189- Clear, isolated value propositions
190- Headlines and CTAs that can be A/B tested
191- Avoid combining multiple messages into one element
192 
193If the copy is intended for experimentation, recommend next-step testing.
194 
195---
196 
197## Completion Criteria (Hard Stop)
198 
199This skill is complete ONLY when:
200- Copy brief has been confirmed
201- Page copy is delivered in structured form
202- Headline and CTA alternatives are provided
203- Assumptions are documented
204- Copy is ready for review, editing, or testing
205 
206---
207 
208## Key Principles (Summary)
209 
210- Understand before writing
211- Make assumptions explicit
212- One page, one goal
213- One section, one idea
214- Benefits before features
215- Honest claims only
216 
217---
218 
219## Final Reminder
220 
221Good copy does not persuade everyone.
222It persuades **the right person** to take **the right action**.
223 
224If the copy feels clever but unclear,  
225rewrite it until it feels obvious.
226