Most small business copy reads like it was written to impress other businesses. "Leading provider." "Bespoke solutions." "Passionate about excellence." It sounds professional, and it sells almost nothing, because customers don't care about you. They care about themselves and their problem.
Copy that sells is simpler than you think. It talks to one person, about their problem, in plain words, and tells them exactly what to do next. Here's how.
Write to one person, not "everyone"
Picture one real customer — your favourite one — and write as though you're talking to them across a table. You'll naturally drop the jargon, explain things properly and sound like a human.
Writing for "our valued customers" produces stiff, generic copy. Writing for Sarah, who runs a busy salon and hasn't had a weekend off in months, produces copy that feels personal to everyone like Sarah.
Open with their problem, not your history
Your first line decides whether anyone reads the second. Nobody cares that you were founded in 2009. They care about the leak, the empty diary or the website that doesn't sell. Start there.
"Established in 2009, we are a family-run plumbing company."
"Water coming through the ceiling? We can be there within the hour."
Turn features into benefits with "So what?"
A feature is what something is. A benefit is what it does for the customer. People buy benefits. To find yours, take any feature and keep asking "so what?" until you hit something the customer genuinely cares about.
Be specific — it's more believable
Vague words like "fast", "great" and "affordable" are easy to ignore because everyone uses them. Numbers, timeframes and concrete details are memorable and feel true.
- Fast delivery→Order by 2pm, get it tomorrow
- Lots of happy customers→1,240 five-star Google reviews
- Affordable prices→From £49 — less than a night out
Say "you" more than "we"
Count the "we", "our" and "us" in your copy, then count the "you" and "your". If "we" is winning, flip it. "We offer flexible appointments" becomes "Book a time that suits you — even evenings and weekends." Same fact, but now it's about the reader.
Prove it, and answer the doubts
Every reader is quietly thinking, "Is this true? Will it work for me? What if it goes wrong?" Answer those doubts before they become reasons to leave. Use reviews (with names), real results, before-and-after photos, years of experience and, if you can, a guarantee.
Write down the three reasons people give for not buying from you — price, timing, trust. Add one line of copy that answers each, right before your call to action.
One clear call to action
Tell people exactly what to do next, and what happens when they do it. (More on that in getting more enquiries.) One action per page or post works best — choices create hesitation. Swap vague buttons for specific, low-risk ones.
Make it easy to read
People skim, especially on phones. Use short sentences and short paragraphs. Break things up with subheadings and bullet points. Cut every word that isn't working. Then read it out loud: if you stumble, so will your reader.
Write the way you speak. "We'll sort it" beats "We shall endeavour to resolve the issue" every single time.
Nobody reads copy. They read what interests them — and what interests them is themselves.
The PAS formula
When you're stuck, use Problem, Agitate, Solve. It works for adverts, emails, social posts and landing pages.
Name the problem in the reader's own words.
"Spending your evenings chasing unpaid invoices?"Show why it matters — what it's costing them.
"That's hours you'll never get back, and cash your business needs now."Present your answer and the next step.
"Our reminders chase payments for you. Try it free for 14 days."Struggling with [problem]? It's [what it's costing them — time, money, stress]. [Your product] helps you [specific result] in [timeframe], without [common hassle]. [Proof]. [Call to action].
Before and after
We are a passionate team of professionals offering a comprehensive range of gardening solutions to residential customers.
Overgrown garden stressing you out? We'll clear it, tidy it and leave it looking brilliant — usually in a single day.
Problem first · benefit · specificOur innovative software leverages cutting-edge technology to optimise your scheduling workflow.
Stop juggling bookings in your head. Clients book themselves, get reminders and pay upfront — so you can just do the work.
No jargon · "you" focusedCheck your copy
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Before you hit publish
- Does the first line talk about the reader's problem or desire?
- Have you turned every feature into a benefit?
- Is there at least one number or specific detail?
- Have you answered the biggest doubt?
- Is there one clear, specific call to action?
- Did you read it out loud?
The bottom line: copy that sells talks to one person about their problem, shows what's in it for them, proves it's true and tells them exactly what to do next — in plain, specific words. Write it like you'd say it, cut the fluff, and test it. That's the whole secret.