Clever copy is killing your sales, and you’re too proud of it to notice.
You spent hours obsessing over the headline, the pun, the “tone.” But your customer didn’t laugh. They left. And if they don’t get it in 3 seconds, they’re gone – for good.
Clarity isn’t a “nice to have.” It’s the first test of trust.
The godfather of copywriting, David Ogilvy said, “The consumer isn’t a moron. She’s your wife.” But today, DTC marketers treat their buyers like they’re in an ad agency pitch room. Here’s the truth: clever copy flatters you. Clear copy feeds your customer. And fed customers are the ones who buy.
This isn’t about removing creativity. It’s about removing ego. And it starts with the way you write.
If your copy needs to be explained, it’s not working.
If you have to explain it, it’s broken.
Your homepage isn’t a riddle. Your product page isn’t a scavenger hunt. If someone has to ask what you sell – they’re never coming back.
Think about it. How many times have you clicked off a site because you couldn’t tell what it did? You didn’t go read the FAQ. You left. That’s what your customer is doing every day.
Great copy doesn’t “unfold over time.” It lands immediately. The faster the message lands, the more likely the sale.
If they don’t get it, they won’t trust it. If they don’t trust it, they won’t buy it. End of story.
Customers don’t bounce because of bad prices – they bounce because they’re confused.
Cleverness is for awards. Clarity is for sales.
You can win awards and lose your company. That’s what happens when you write for your peers instead of your customer. Your job isn’t to be liked. It’s to be understood.
David Ogilvy didn’t build billion-dollar brands with punchlines. He did it with copy that told the truth – fast. Copy that didn’t wink. It worked. He said: “If it doesn’t sell, it isn’t creative.”
Today, most “creative” copy wouldn’t pass that test.
So ask yourself:
Is this line winning attention or winning revenue?
Is this copy written for judges or for buyers?
One makes you feel smart. The other makes you money.
Choose.
Customers buy what they understand – not what sounds cool.
You’re not selling to brand strategists. You’re selling to tired parents, distracted scrollers, people comparing you to 10 other tabs. They don’t care if it sounds cool. They care if it solves their problem.
“Cool” is often just another word for “vague.” And vague doesn’t convert.
Clear copy answers the only three questions that matter:
What is this? Why should I care? Can I trust it?
Answer those, and you win.
Clear is confident. Cool is insecure. Customers can tell the difference.
And they only buy from the one they trust.
Your copy should pass the “Would a 5th grader get this?” test.
You’re not dumbing it down. You’re stripping it down. Every extra word adds confusion. Every fancy phrase adds friction.
Want to know if your copy is working? Read it out loud to a 11-year-old. If they hesitate, you’re losing adult buyers, too.
The clearest brands aren’t the loudest – they’re the ones who make things easiest to understand. And the easiest brand to understand is usually the one that wins.
Simplicity is power. Complexity is a liability. Great copy says more by saying less.
And the brands that master that? They own the market.
Confusion Kills Conversions. Clarity Closes.
Your clever copy might be costing you six figures a year. Because nobody buys what they don’t understand. And nobody trusts what feels confusing.
DTC success doesn’t start with a rebrand. It starts with one brutally honest question: Does this make sense – instantly?
Because if it doesn’t, nothing else matters. Clarity isn’t just copy. It’s conversion fuel.
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.