the copy minimalist How Limitations Make You a Better Copywriter Too many eComm teams think they need more resources to ship better work. More time. More budget. More rounds of feedback. But Ryan Reynolds learned a $200 million lesson that changes everything: constraint beats abundance. Green Lantern had unlimited money and flopped. Deadpool had a fraction of the budget and became a phenomenon. The difference? Constraint forced better creative decisions. In today's Copywriter Column, I break...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
New Weekly Round Up (#107) – it's here. Most seasonal copy reads like someone dumped a pumpkin spice latte on a keyboard. There's a better way — and it starts with choosing different words entirely. Also inside: one-word edits and some truly exceptional copy from OLUKAI. Here's what I lined up for you: Copy Tip: Why Verbs Beat Nouns in Seasonal Marketing Full Funnel Marketing Strategy Guide (via Shopify) Forgetting Funnels and Building Feelings (via Hackernoon) 27 Copywriting Examples from...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
the copy minimalist How a Single Word Can Transform Your Message In 1997, Apple launched one of the most iconic ad campaigns in history: "Think Different." But here's a thought experiment: What if it had been "Think Differently" instead? Grammatically correct. Perfectly safe. And... completely forgettable. "Think Differently" would have been an instruction telling you how to think, like advice from a teacher or consultant. But "Think Different"? That's an identity. It tells you who to be. One...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
It's Friday, which means I've got a fresh Weekly Round Up for you — #106. Inside: tactical copy tips, sharp reads, audio worth queueing up, swipe fuel, and a few job opps you might want to check out. Here's what I lined up for you: Copy Tip: The "Cross-Out Test" from Eddie Schleyner Why Brands Should Stand Firm in Their Values Without Fear of the Backlash (via Marketing Dive) 7 Keys to Crafting Sustainability Stories (via Branding Strategy Insider) My Best Frameworks for Product Marketing,...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
the copy minimalist Why Most Content Repurposing Advice Fails (And What to Do Instead) Most marketers know they should repurpose their content. Almost none of them know how to actually do it. Dana Herra wrote a guest post for me today that fixes that. She breaks down 3 frameworks (LEGO, Transformers, and Play-Doh) that turn abstract advice into tactical moves you can use today. 👉 Read → What No One Told You About Repurposing Content Matt 113 Cherry St #92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2205Unsubscribe...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Issue #105 just dropped. This week's copy tip might change how you think about urgency... I also pulled together some psychology-backed research on customer motivation and copy examples from brands that know what they're doing. What's inside: Copy Tip: Loss aversion isn't about fake scarcity Why Consumers Say Yes to the Product (via KnoCommerce) The Psychological Reason Brands Use the Power of Association to Sell (via HubSpot) Talk to Strangers to Write Better (via Psychology Meets Writing)...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
the copy minimalist The Writing Tools I Actually Use (and How) Most people treat tools like magic pills. “If I just find the right app, I’ll finally be organized! Productive! Creative!” I’ve chased that too. But over time, I’ve realized something simple: Tools don’t make you better — they just remove friction between ideas and action. In this week’s column, I shared the tools I actually use (digital and analog) and how they help me think, write, and work better. No sponsorships. No “Top 100...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
It’s Friday, which means I’ve got a fresh Weekly Round Up for you — #104. Inside: tactical copy tips, sharp reads, audio worth queueing up, swipe fuel, and a few job opps you might want to check out. Here’s what I lined up for you: Copy Tip: Demographics won’t save your copy 3 Keys to Creating Memorable Consumer Experiences (via Columbia Business School) 3 Lessons from a Genius Creative Director (via Grace Baldwin) Why Marketing Needs to Take Creative Risks – Even If They Fail (via Robert...
2 months ago • 1 min read
the copy minimalist Why Slowing Down Might Be Your Best Marketing Strategy Just words. It's the competitive advantage most physical forms of marketing have. When's the last time a digital ad made you actually pause? We're all caught in this arms race - louder, faster, flashier. More retargeting. More push notifications. More everything. But what if the answer isn't adding to the noise? What if it's about slowing down? I wrote about why analog thinking might be the most disruptive marketing...
2 months ago • 1 min read