I used to obsess over sounding professional. Clean. Safe. On-brand. Then I heard about at the brand numbers – and realized no one was buying.
My copy was “technically good.” It read well. It passed Grammarly. But it didn’t move people. Because polite copy doesn’t trigger action – it triggers indifference.
I learned the hard way:
If your copy is too afraid to offend anyone, it won’t convert anyone.
Here’s lessons I learned the hard way with writing.
Lesson 1: You’re Trying to Sound Smart – Instead of Making People Feel Something
You write what makes you look clever. You list features. You drop buzzwords. You keep it tidy. But no one buys because something sounds “accurate.”
People buy because they want to.
Because they feel seen.
Because the copy creates desire, curiosity, or FOMO.
Features are what your product is. But desire is what your customer wants to feel. If you’re not writing to the emotion, you’re just listing ingredients.
I once saw a headline changed from “100% vegan protein” to “The only protein that won’t make you bloated or break out.” Sales doubled in a week. Same product. Different feeling.
You’re not writing to inform. You’re writing to compel.
Lesson 2: You’re Trying to Please Everyone – Which Means No One Buys
If your copy tries to speak to everyone, it ends up speaking to no one. You try to be safe, polished, middle-of-the-road. You write things that “sound right” – not things that feel true.
But copy that pleases everyone is just… wallpaper. It gets scrolled past. Ignored. Deleted.
High-converting brands make choices:
They choose who they’re for – and who they’re not. They aren’t afraid to push away the wrong people in order to attract the right ones. Because when a reader sees something bold and specific, they stop and say:
“Wait. That’s me.”
Safe copy gets forgotten. Clear, bold, specific copy gets bookmarked.
If your copy doesn’t scare someone, it won’t excite anyone.
Lesson 3: You’re Avoiding Pressure – But Pressure Is What Makes People Act
You bury the CTA. You soften the ask. You don’t want to be “salesy,” so you write: “Learn more.”
Guess what?
No one wakes up thinking, “I’d love to learn more today.” They act when something makes them feel like they’ll miss out. Urgency, scarcity, confidence – that’s what drives clicks.
“Get it now before it’s gone.”
“30-day results or your money back.”
“Only 4 left.”
That’s not aggressive – that’s persuasive. That’s respect for the reader’s time and attention.
If you’re afraid to ask for the sale, don’t be surprised when you don’t get it.
Bonus Lesson 4. You’re Guessing – And That’s Why Your Copy Sounds Like Everyone Else
Here’s the truth:
If you’re struggling to write great copy, it’s not because you’re not a good writer. It’s because you’re not doing the work before you write.
You’re skipping the research.
You’re guessing at what your customer wants.
And you’re using language that sounds like… every other brand in your niche.
Joanna Wiebe, the brilliant mind behind Copyhackers, teaches this perfectly: great copy isn’t written – it’s assembled.
From reviews.
From testimonials.
From Reddit threads.
From sticky, real-world customer phrases.
The best copy I ever wrote?
I didn’t write it.
I found it in a 2-star Amazon review.
You don’t need to write more creatively. You need to listen more closely.
Closing Thoughts
Polite copy makes you feel safe. Bold copy makes you money.
One makes your ego feel good. The other builds your business.
You can keep writing “clean, professional” messaging that gets polite applause… or you can start writing the kind of copy that stops the scroll, triggers emotion, and drives conversions.
Because no one’s sharing the ad that sounded nice. They’re sharing the one that hit them in the gut.
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.