| name | mkt-copywriting |
| description | Persuasive writing for anything that needs to sell. Landing pages, sales pages, emails, ads, social posts, headlines, CTAs. Triggers on: "write copy for", "landing page copy", "sales page", "help me sell", "punch this up", "make this convert", "write a headline", "score this copy", "review my copy", "email copy", "ad copy". Produces multiple variants per piece, rates output on 7 quality dimensions, and recommends split tests. Loads brand voice and positioning for consistency. Does NOT trigger for content repurposing (use mkt-content-repurposing), email sequences (use mkt-email-sequences), or long-form SEO articles.
|
Copywriting
Good copy reads like a smart person explaining something they care about. No one notices they're being persuaded — they just keep reading because it's useful and specific. Every technique in this skill exists to serve that feeling.
Outcome
Persuasive copy saved to projects/mkt-copywriting/{campaign-name}/, scored on 7 dimensions, with multiple variants for testing. Headline variants (5-10), body variants (2-3 for long-form), and A/B test suggestions included.
Context Needs
| File | Load level | How it shapes this skill |
|---|
brand_context/voice-profile.md | full | Match tone, vocabulary, rhythm in all copy |
brand_context/positioning.md | angle only | The chosen angle determines lead, proof hierarchy, CTA framing |
brand_context/icp.md | full | Know who you're writing to: awareness level, pain points, objections |
brand_context/samples.md | yes | Reference for voice consistency |
context/learnings.md | ## mkt-copywriting section | Apply previous feedback before starting |
Load if they exist. Proceed without them if not — this skill works standalone.
Step 1: Load Context
Check brand_context/ and load per the table above. Show a brief status:
- Voice loaded: "[tone summary]. All copy will match."
- Positioning loaded: "Building around '[angle]' frame."
- ICP loaded: "Writing for [audience]. Awareness level: [level]."
- Nothing found: "No brand context yet. I'll write solid copy — we can build your brand profile anytime to make it on-brand."
Read context/learnings.md → ## mkt-copywriting section. Apply any previous corrections.
Step 2: Establish Format
Ask or infer from context:
| Format | Typical length | Structure |
|---|
| Landing page | 800-2000 words | Full sequence (see references/persuasion-toolkit.md) |
| Sales page | 2000-5000 words | Extended full sequence with founder story, FAQ |
| Email | Under 500 words | Hook → single value → CTA |
| Ad copy | Platform limits | Hook → benefit → CTA within char limits |
| Social post | Under 300 words | Hook → value → CTA |
| General | Custom | Apply methodology with user-specified constraints |
State which format before generating.
Step 3: Check for Existing Work
If projects/mkt-copywriting/{campaign-name}/ exists, read what's there. Show a summary and ask: "Revise existing, add a new piece, or start fresh?"
Step 4: Pre-Generation Checklist
Before writing, confirm these (ask the user if unclear):
- Audience awareness level — Schwartz 1-5 (read
references/classic-frameworks.md for the full model). Determines headline approach and copy length.
- Core transformation — Not features. Run the "So What?" chain three levels deep until you hit something emotional or financial. Read
references/persuasion-toolkit.md § The So What? Chain.
- Proof inventory — What testimonials, data, case studies are available?
- Positioning angle — From brand_context or stated by user.
Step 5: Write the Copy
Read references/persuasion-toolkit.md and apply the techniques that fit the format:
- Headlines: Generate 5-10 using different angles (outcome, curiosity, proof, contrarian, story). Star your recommendation.
- Openings: Pick the entry style that best matches the audience's awareness level. Scene-setting for cold audiences, data or challenge for warm ones.
- Body: Keep the reader moving — vary sentence length, bridge sections, plant unanswered questions. Make pain concrete with numbers. Dig three levels past features to find the real benefit.
- Evidence: Every claim needs backup. Structure results as mini-stories: who they were, what they did, what changed, how long it took.
- CTAs: Name the reward, not the action. Below the button, reduce friction: remove risk, show peers, emphasise speed.
For landing/sales pages, use the full arc from the persuasion toolkit — hook through final CTA — adapting which sections to include based on format and audience awareness.
Step 6: Generate Variants
Read references/variants-and-scoring.md for the full protocol.
- Headlines: 5-10 variants across different frameworks. Lead with a QUICK PICK summary.
- Body copy (landing/sales pages): 2-3 variants — Control (strongest primary angle), Contrarian (counterintuitive entry), Proof-Led (evidence first).
- Email subject lines: 5-7 variants when writing emails.
Step 7: Score the Copy
Use the 7-dimension rubric from references/variants-and-scoring.md:
Clarity, Specificity, Voice, Desire, Proof, Urgency, Flow — each 1-10. Total out of 70.
- 90%+ = ship it
- 80-89% = ship with tweaks
- 70-79% = functional but leaving performance on the table
- Below 70% = rewrite priority areas
Self-score generated copy honestly. If any dimension is below 7, note what would fix it and offer to revise.
When the user asks to "score this" or "review my copy" — score first, show weaknesses, then offer to rewrite.
Step 8: Humanizer Gate
Before saving, run all generated copy through tool-humanizer in pipeline mode. Use deep mode if brand_context/voice-profile.md was loaded, standard otherwise. Read tool-humanizer/SKILL.md and apply its pattern detection + replacement process. Only show the score summary if the delta exceeds 2 points.
Step 9: Save Output
Save to projects/mkt-copywriting/{campaign-name}/:
| Format | Filename |
|---|
| Landing page | {YYYY-MM-DD}_landing-page.md |
| Sales page | {YYYY-MM-DD}_sales-page.md |
| Email | {YYYY-MM-DD}_email_{subject-slug}.md |
| Ad copy | {YYYY-MM-DD}_ad_{platform}_{variant}.md |
| Social post | {YYYY-MM-DD}_social_{platform}.md |
Include YAML frontmatter: type, campaign, awareness_level, variant, platform, word_count, date, score.
After saving, show the user actual copy excerpts — not just file paths.
Suggest A/B tests from references/variants-and-scoring.md § A/B Testing.
Step 10: Collect Feedback
Ask: "Does this sound like you? Which headline/variant direction resonates most?"
Log feedback to context/learnings.md → ## mkt-copywriting. If the user flags voice issues, note them so next run adapts.
Suggest logical next skills based on what was created (e.g., after landing page → email sequences, content repurposing).
Troubleshooting
- No brand context: Proceed standalone. Note what would make it better.
- No proof/testimonials available: Write placeholder sections marked
[ADD TESTIMONIAL]. Suggest the user gather 2-3 specific results.
- User can't articulate the transformation: Run the So What? chain with them. Start with features, dig three levels.
- Copy sounds generic after generation: Check if ICP was loaded. If not, ask 2 questions about who they're writing for.
- Voice doesn't match: Re-read voice-profile.md and samples.md. Adjust sentence length, vocabulary, formality.
Rules
Updated automatically when the user flags issues. Read before every run.
- LinkedIn posts must NOT end with a question. Close with a strong declarative statement, a CTA, or a punchy fragment instead. This overrides any "end with a question" guidance in reference files. (2026-03-13)
Self-Update
If the user flags an issue — wrong tone, weak copy, bad format — update the ## Rules section immediately with the correction and today's date.
