The first brand I ever wrote copy for made zero sales.
I thought it was a design problem. Then I blamed the product. But the truth? The copy was all about the brand, not the customer. Since then, I’ve learned the hard way what actually moves people to buy.
Here are the 5 brutal reasons your brand copy isn’t converting – and what to write instead.
Reason 1: You’re talking about yourself instead of the customer.
I used to think listing all the amazing things we’d accomplished would make people buy. Turns out? Nobody cares.
Your customer doesn’t want your resume. They want a solution. And if your copy reads like a company bio instead of a mirror – they’ll scroll right past you.
Donald Miller nailed it: “If you confuse, you lose.” And nothing confuses like making yourself the hero of the story.
Flip it. Make them the hero. You’re just the guide who gets them where they want to go.
Reason 2: You’re selling features, not outcomes.
I once spent one week writing detailed product copy for a client – every line packed with features: organic ingredients, carbon-neutral shipping, BPA-free packaging. Zero bump in sales.
Then I rewrote it to focus on outcomes: “Feel better in your skin, without second-guessing what’s inside the bottle.” I learned conversions jumped 28%.
People don’t buy products for what they are.
They buy them for how they’ll feel after using them.
Nobody buys a drill. They buy a hole in the wall.
List the features if you must, but lead with what life looks like after they say yes.
Reason 3: You’re missing emotional triggers.
Professional. Polished. Clean.
Also? Cold. Bland. Forgettable.
People don’t buy from brands they understand. They buy from brands they feel. Ann Handley puts it perfectly: “Good writing is empathetic. Great writing makes you feel something.”
What’s your reader afraid of? What do they secretly want?
Speak to that. Because copy without emotion is just text on a screen.
Reason 4: You assume the reader understands your offer.
The curse of knowledge is real. You know your product inside out. Your customer doesn’t.
You say “intelligent automation with seamless integration.”
They hear: “tech headache I don’t have time for.”
Every time I assume the reader “gets it,” conversions drop. Every time I spell it out like they’re brand new – they convert.
Explain your offer like you’re talking to a friend over coffee. Simple. Direct. No buzzwords.
If they don’t get it, they won’t buy it.
Reason 5: You’re not addressing objections.
“I like it… but I’m not sure it’s worth the money.”
“I’ve tried something like this before. It didn’t work.”
“Is this really for someone like me?”
If you don’t address these doubts, your reader will.
Dave Gerhardt said it best: “Great copy isn’t about hype – it’s about removing friction.”
Your job isn’t just to sell. It’s to anticipate hesitation – and destroy it before they even feel it.
That’s what builds trust. That’s what creates conversions.
Final Thoughts
The first time I wrote brand copy, I failed because I made it about the brand. Now? Every word I write is for them.
Most brand copy doesn’t fail because the product is bad. It fails because the message never lands.
It talks at the customer instead of speaking to their pain.
It hides emotion behind polish.
It assumes trust that hasn’t been earned.
And it ignores the quiet doubts that block every sale.
But when you speak clearly, lead with outcomes, tap into emotion, and erase hesitation - your words become more than branding.
They become a sales force.
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.