If your content looks like marketing, you’ve already lost.
We don’t scroll to be sold to.
We scroll to be seen, understood, entertained, and helped.
And if your content doesn’t hook in 1.7 seconds, it’s already invisible.
Most brands write for the business.
The best brands write for the brain.
The difference? Emotional clarity. Structural sharpness. A human tone that actually connects.
Ann Handley teaches: clarity > cleverness.
Donald Miller says: make your customer the hero.
Alex Hormozi proves: short punches land hardest.
This isn’t about being a better writer.
It’s about being a better communicator.
Here are 7 rules that make people stop scrolling – and start bingeing.
Rule 1: Don’t open with the point – open with the problem.
Most writers start with a point.
The best start with pain.
You don’t win attention by being right.
You win it by showing you understand what’s wrong.
Donald Miller calls this “entering the story where the customer is.”
If you’re selling speed, describe the pain of delays.
If you’re offering clarity, paint the chaos.
Lead with the friction. Then give the fix.
Wrong: “Our tool helps you streamline projects.”
Right: “You shouldn’t need six tabs open just to find one update.”
Open the wound. Then offer the bandage.
Rule 2: Delete your first sentence.
I used to start every post by clearing my throat.
Turns out, that’s where most good writing dies.
Ann Handley taught me: your real message starts at line 2 or 3.
Your first line is usually for you – not the reader.
Cut it, and suddenly you’re starting strong.
Wrong: “Let me tell you about a common mistake…”
Right: “Delete your first sentence.”
Say less. Start faster. Let the message punch harder.
Rule 3: Use the “Rule of One.”
One idea. One reader. One goal.
Most posts try to do too much.
Teach, inspire, pitch, overexplain… all in one scroll? No chance.
Hormozi built an empire writing one-punch posts.
The best creators online don’t say everything.
They say one thing really well.
Wrong: “Here’s how we built a great team, scaled our business, and grew revenue.”
Right: “We only hire people who’ve built something on their own time.”
Narrow the focus.
Increase the power.
Rule 4: Write like you’re in their DMs.
Nobody reads generic brand content.
People read what feels like it was written just for them.
“You” is your strongest word.
Speak to one person, not a crowd.
Wrong: “Brands should consider their audience’s needs.”
Right: “You’ve probably posted something great – and watched it flop.”
This isn’t writing for reach.
It’s writing for resonance.
Make it personal, and it becomes powerful.
Rule 5: Replace adjectives with analogies.
Adjectives are lazy.
Analogies are sticky.
Your app isn’t “great.”
It’s “like a pocket-sized project manager who never drops the ball.”
Analogies light up the brain.
They make boring ideas vivid.
They give your message character and contour.
Wrong: “Our interface is simple and easy to use.”
Right: “It works like Google Docs, if Google Docs were designed by a designer.”
Paint visuals. Not vibes.
Rule 6: Build tension, then break it.
You know why Netflix works?
Tension. Tease. Payoff.
Your content needs that same rhythm.
Open loops. Curiosity. Micro-suspense.
Wrong: “Here are 5 tips to grow your audience.”
Right: “Most people are one writing habit away from doubling their audience – and they don’t even know it.”
People don’t scroll for tips.
They scroll to solve mysteries.
Set the hook. Hold it. Deliver the twist.
Rule 7: Steal structure, not style.
I used to copy people’s tone.
It made me sound like a bootleg version of someone cooler.
Then I learned to study their structure instead.
Look at how they open.
How they build tension.
How they land the final punch.
Then rebuild your idea using their bones – in your voice.
Wrong: “I’m gonna try to sound like Hormozi.”
Right: “Let me study how Hormozi frames a hook, and use that shape for my own idea.”
The formula isn’t cheating.
It’s scaffolding.
Structure gives you reps.
Style comes from rhythm.
Conclusion
Most brand content is ignored because it’s written for everyone.
The best content gets shared because it feels like it was written for you.
Lead with problems.
Write tighter.
Focus on one reader.
And for the love of content – sound human.
Your writing should feel less like a billboard.
More like a trusted message from a friend.
If this resonated, here’s what to do next:
→ If you’re tired of content that fills space instead of driving sales, let’s talk. Schedule a quick demo.
→ If you’re ready to turn product pages, email flows, landing copy, and more into silent salespeople for your brand, subscribe to either our Unlimited Standard Plan or Unlimited Professional Plan to get started.
Your story deserves better than generic copy.
We make it unforgettable.