I recently watched a fascinating interview with Harry Dry about copywriting – and it ties in really well with the approach I’ve been discussing about brand strategy. I took a lot of notes because the insights were just too good not to share.
Here’s the thing about copywriting – it’s not about being clever or using fancy words – and it’s not about lying or tricking the reader. It’s about telling the truth in a way that sticks. Dry breaks this down into three simple rules which act as a great guide for writing engaging website and marketing copy.
The Three Rules
Rule #1: Can I Visualise It?
Put yourself in the frame of the user – can they see your claim. Compare the two phrases”Get fit” and “Couch to 5K”. The second, you can instantly picture what that means – Someone getting off their couch and eventually running 5 kilometers. Getting Fit, is a good claim but it’s vague. It can mean different things to different people. If you ground the claim into something tangible, it gives it strength and makes it memorable. Whenever I write copy now, I look at the phrase and ask myself: “Could someone draw this?” If not, I need to make it more concrete.
Rule #2: Can I Falsify It?
Can the claims you make in the copy be verified and backed-up. Are they true? This is where you can’t fake it – you have to lead with what’s true. It’s about putting your neck on the line with specific claims. This is less about writing and more about your brand strategy and USP.
An example, instead of writing “he’s good-looking” (which could mean anything), write “he’s 6’2″ and looks like Brad Pitt.” Dry calls this the imagine if “you can’t talk, you can only point” rule. I love this because it forces you to back up what you’re saying with real evidence. Don’t claim the world, show them a graph.
Rule #3: Can No One Else Say It?
Can you own the statement. What is stopping your competitor say the same thing? This is where most copywriting falls flat – it has to come from an actual truth within the company or product.
A Simple Process That Actually Works
I’ve started using Harry’s three-step process for writing anything important:
- First, I figure out what I’m actually trying to do. Where is my audience now (point A), and where do I want them to be (point B)? I also think about where this copy will live – a billboard needs different writing than a newsletter.
- Then I make sure I actually have something worth saying. What’s the real story here? What makes this different?
- Finally, I work on saying it well. I write it out, then I improve it, then I compare it to other ways of saying the same thing. I keep refining until I can’t take anything else away without losing the meaning.
Why is Copywriting important?
Look at Snickers versus the old Fuse bar (remember those?). They are basically the same product. But Snickers says “You’re not you when you’re hungry” – that’s memorable and unique, it’s own able. Fuse went with “Only eat with rubber-soled shoes on.” Snickers is the most popular chocolate bar in the world and where has Fuse gone? Discontinued.
Another example from Dry’s talk: “Marketers, you’ll spend 22,000 hours of your career writing. Spend two learning how to do it well.”
This works because it starts with a fact (22,000 hours), then makes you realise something (wow, that’s a lot of time), and finally offers a solution that seems incredibly reasonable in comparison (just two hours!). It’s like a tiny story that leads to an obvious conclusion.
Caplin’s Law
There’s this rule called Caplin’s Law that really stuck with me: any words that aren’t working for you are working against you. It’s like digital clutter – if it’s not helping, it’s hurting.
A good technique is looking for the word “and” in my writing. It usually means I’m trying to say too many things at once. Now when I see it, I split the sentence in two or pick the stronger point and focus on that.
Why This Matters
Copy makes a difference. It’s one of the few things we have to help tell the story and connect with an audience. Copywriting isn’t about tricking people. It’s about having something true to say and finding the clearest way to say it. Whether you’re writing a tweet, a blog post, or a whole website, these principles are useful. It doesn’t make it easy, but it helps us know when we’re on the right path.
Here’s the video:
Got a new branding or website project that needs copywriting? Get in touch and I’ll see if I can help
