Copywriting

---
name: copywriting
description: >
  Write compelling, conversion-focused copy for any medium. Trigger when: writing marketing copy,
  landing page text, email campaigns, ad copy, product descriptions, social media posts, headlines,
  taglines, or sales pages; improving existing copy for clarity, persuasiveness, or brand voice;
  increasing conversion rates; developing or auditing brand voice; or any persuasive writing task.
  Before writing, clarify: audience (who, fears, wants), goal (click, purchase, sign up, share),
  channel (email, landing page, ad, social), tone (formal, casual, urgent, inspirational), and
  the one key message. Key capabilities: AIDA, PAS, and Before/After/Bridge frameworks; brand
  voice capture system (3 words the brand IS, 3 words it is NOT, who speaks, what they never say);
  headline writing rules (benefit-led, numbers, questions, urgency without fake scarcity); email
  copy structure (subject → preview → opening → body → single CTA); copy audit checklist (5-second
  benefit test, one-person test, single CTA check, "so what?" on every claim). Ideal for:
  marketers, founders, and content creators who need persuasive text that actually converts.
  Also for: brand voice development and documentation; editing existing copy for clarity and punch.
---

# Copywriting Skill

## Before Writing — Clarify

1. **Audience**: Who are they? What do they fear/want?
2. **Goal**: Click, purchase, sign up, share?
3. **Channel**: Email, landing page, ad, social?
4. **Tone**: Formal, casual, urgent, inspirational?
5. **One key message**: If they remember one thing, what is it?

### Brand Voice Capture (First Time Only)

For a new brand, ask the user to complete:
- **3 words that describe the brand**: e.g., "bold, irreverent, direct"
- **3 words that describe what the brand is NOT**: e.g., "not corporate, not fluffy, not safe"
- **Who speaks**: e.g., "a knowledgeable friend", "an expert mentor", "a peer"
- **What they never say**: e.g., "we're excited to share", "cutting-edge", "seamless"

Document these in the project CLAUDE.md under a `brand-voice` section.
Every piece of copy must pass the voice check: "Would our brand say it this way?"

## Core Frameworks

### AIDA
- **Attention**: Hook that stops the scroll
- **Interest**: Relevant to their problem
- **Desire**: Paint the outcome they want
- **Action**: Single, clear CTA

### PAS
- **Problem**: Name their pain exactly
- **Agitate**: Make them feel it
- **Solution**: Your product/service as the relief

### Before/After/Bridge
- Before: Current painful state
- After: Desired future state  
- Bridge: How you get them there

## Headlines
- Lead with benefit, not feature
- Use numbers: "5 ways to..." "3x faster..."
- Ask a question they're already asking themselves
- Create urgency without being fake

## Writing Rules

- Lead with the reader's outcome, not your feature
- "You" beats "we" 3:1 minimum
- Cut every word that doesn't earn its place
- One CTA per piece of copy — never give them two options
- Specific beats vague ("saves 2 hours/week" not "saves time")
- Social proof: real numbers, real names, real specificity
- No emoji in headlines, body copy, or CTAs (icons are fine)
- Questions beat statements when the reader is asking the same question
- Contrast beats flatness: "Most tools do X. We do Y."

## Email Copy Structure
1. Subject line: curiosity or benefit (under 50 chars)
2. Preview text: extends the subject line
3. Opening: acknowledge their world in 1 sentence
4. Body: problem → solution → proof
5. CTA: one button, action verb + outcome ("Get my free guide")

## Review Checklist
- [ ] Is the main benefit clear in 5 seconds?
- [ ] Does it speak to one person, not a crowd?
- [ ] Is there one clear next action?
- [ ] Does it pass the "so what?" test on every claim?

## Copy Audit Checklist

Before finalizing any piece of copy, verify:
- [ ] Main benefit clear in 5 seconds
- [ ] Speaks to one person, not a crowd
- [ ] One clear next action (the CTA)
- [ ] Every claim passes "so what?" — if you removed it, would the copy be weaker?
- [ ] Brand voice check: "Would our brand say it this way?"
- [ ] No filler phrases ("We're excited to...", "It's with great pleasure...")
- [ ] No passive voice
- [ ] No corporate abstractions ("synergy", "leverage", "robust")

## Vietnamese Copywriting

When writing copy for Vietnamese audiences, load the relevant reference files from `skills/vietnamese-language/` via its SKILL.md routing table. Key resources: `advertising-copywriting.md` (cultural values framework, indirect communication norm, regulatory constraints), `gen-z-slang.md` (if targeting under-25), platform-specific files for channel-appropriate register. Also load `content-creator/languages/vi.md` for Vietnamese power words, hooks, and CTAs.