| name | copywriting |
| description | Use when the user wants to write, review, or improve marketing copy — hero headlines, landing page copy, ad copy, or email body. Also use when the user mentions 'copy,' 'headline,' 'CTA,' 'value prop,' 'messaging,' 'write this for me,' or asks for help with any marketing text that needs to convert. |
Copywriting
Expertise in writing copy that converts — not copy that sounds good. Converting copy is written for a specific reader at a specific awareness level with a single desired action.
Step 0 — Language Intake (MANDATORY, ask before writing anything)
Before touching a framework or writing a single word, confirm:
- Languages: Are we writing in French, English, or both?
- Primary language: If bilingual — which comes first? (French-first for Quebec audiences; English-first for ROC/US/international)
- Parity or adapt? Straight translation, or adapt tone/idioms for each language independently?
- Legal/compliance: Any regulated terms that differ by language? (e.g., Quebec's Charte de la langue française requirements for B2C advertising)
Ask these as a grouped question block — never assume language from context.
Bilingual Copy Rules (when both FR + EN are confirmed)
- Write each language version from scratch — don't translate, adapt
- French copy: longer sentences are acceptable, register is typically slightly more formal in B2B
- English copy: shorter, punchier; contractions standard
- Headlines that work in one language often don't land in the other — validate both independently against the Conversion Quality Signals below
- If one language must come first in a layout (hero, email subject, ad headline): ask which, don't guess
- Bilingual CTAs: use the same action verb family in both languages ("Commencer" / "Get started" — not "S'inscrire" / "Get started")
Language Intake Quick Reference
| Audience | Primary language | Register |
|---|
| Quebec B2C | French first | Warm, direct, colloquial OK |
| Quebec B2B | French first | Professional, less colloquial |
| Canada national | English first, FR on request | Neutral English |
| US / international | English only | Varies by brand voice |
| Multilingual EU | Ask — no default | Varies by market |
Framework Selection
- Cold audience, pain-driven → PAS: Problem → Agitate → Solution
- Solution-aware, any format → AIDA: Attention → Interest → Desire → Action
- Transformation / testimonial → BAB: Before → After → Bridge
- Feature announcement → FAB: Feature → Advantage → Benefit
- Long-form / high-ticket → 4Ps: Picture → Promise → Prove → Push
Brand Voice Adaptation
Before writing, establish tone (1=left, 5=right):
- Formal ←→ Casual: Score ≤ 2: full sentences, no contractions. Score ≥ 4: contractions OK, conversational.
- Rational ←→ Emotional: Score ≤ 2: lead with data. Score ≥ 4: sensory language, identity-based framing.
- Conservative ←→ Bold: Score ≤ 2: safe CTAs. Score ≥ 4: pattern-interrupt headlines, contrarian claims.
The PAS Framework
Problem: Name the pain in their language.
"Your reporting takes 4 hours every Monday."
Agitate: Show consequences.
"That's 200 hours a year spent in spreadsheets instead of strategy."
Solution: Present the product as the natural fix.
"[Product] pulls every metric into one dashboard. Monday reporting: 15 minutes."
The AIDA Framework
Attention: Stop the scroll with a specific, relevant hook.
Interest: Connect to their situation.
Desire: Paint the after state.
Action: One CTA, specific, with a friction reducer.
Conversion Quality Signals
Copy likely to convert:
- Headline answers "what's in it for me" in ≤ 7 words
- Reader can identify themselves in the first sentence
- One CTA, not three
- Benefit stated before feature
Copy that won't convert:
- "We are [company], we do [thing]" openers
- Adjectives without proof ("world-class", "revolutionary")
- CTA that says "Submit" or "Click here"
- Social proof missing or buried below fold
Headline Formulas
Outcome-specific:
- "[Specific result] in [specific timeframe]"
- "How [company like them] got [result] without [sacrifice]"
Problem-first:
- "Still [painful problem]?"
- "The real reason [ICP] can't [achieve goal]"
Identity-based:
- "For [specific role] who [specific situation]"
Proof-led:
- "[Number] [ICP] switched to [product] this month"
CTA Writing Rules
| Weak CTA | Strong CTA |
|---|
| Submit | Start your free 14-day trial |
| Learn more | See how it works in 3 minutes |
| Click here | Get your free report |
| Sign up | Create your account — no credit card needed |
Copy by Format
Hero copy: H1 = specific outcome for specific ICP (≤ 10 words). Subheadline = how you deliver it + differentiator. CTA = verb + what happens + friction reducer.
Ad copy: Hook in first line. One idea per ad. Body: problem → bridge → CTA.
Email body: Subject under 50 chars. Opening: acknowledge their situation first. One ask per email.
Landing page: Every section = one message + one proof + one CTA. Testimonials must be specific: name + company + measurable outcome.
Common Rationalizations
| Rationalization | Reality |
|---|
| "We'll write copy after the product is done" | Copy IS the product for the first 90 days. |
| "Our audience wants detail, not short copy" | Short copy fails when vague. Long copy fails when padded. Length follows complexity of the ask. |
| "PAS feels too salesy" | PAS is just empathy structured: "I see your problem, here's why it matters, here's what fixes it." |
| "We can't A/B test copy yet" | Write 3 headline variants by default. Pick one to run now. |
| "Just write it in English, we'll translate later" | Translation produces mediocre French copy. Adaptation takes 20% more time and converts 2–3× better. |
| "The language is obvious from context" | Never assume. Quebec B2B clients have been burned by English-first assumptions. Ask. |
Verification
