Warm Up
Discuss these questions with your partner before you start the lesson.
Question 1
Think of an advertisement or piece of copy — online, in a magazine, or on a billboard — that really made you want to buy something or take action. What made it work?
Question 2
When you write marketing copy at work, do you tend to lead with features (what the product does) or benefits (what the customer gains)? Which approach do you find more effective?
Question 3
Have you ever changed a button label, email subject line, or headline and seen a significant change in results? What did you learn from it?
Vocabulary
8 key words for this lesson
Rhetorical device
A writing technique used to make communication more persuasive, memorable, or emotionally powerful. Common rhetorical devices include repetition, contrast, and the rule of three.
Riley said: 'We came, we saw, we conquered.' That is a rhetorical device — the rule of three. Three short beats, each one building on the last. It is memorable because the brain finds patterns of three satisfying. Use it in headlines, in closing arguments, and in calls to action.
Ethos
An appeal to credibility or authority. Copy that uses ethos builds trust by demonstrating expertise, experience, or endorsement from someone the reader respects.
Riley said: Ethos is why testimonials work, why 'as used by 10,000 businesses' works, why 'recommended by leading dermatologists' works. You are not just claiming to be good — you are borrowing the credibility of someone the reader already trusts.
Pathos
An appeal to emotion. Copy that uses pathos connects with how the reader feels — their fears, desires, frustrations, or aspirations — rather than just presenting facts and features.
Marcus showed Riley two headlines. One said: 'Our software saves you 3 hours per week.' The other said: 'Stop losing 3 hours a week you can never get back.' Riley said: The second one uses pathos. It does not describe the benefit — it makes you feel the pain of not having it.
Logos
An appeal to logic and reason. Copy that uses logos persuades through facts, data, evidence, and rational argument — giving the reader a logical reason to act.
Riley said: Logos is the rational layer of persuasion. 'Our customers see a 40% increase in qualified leads in 90 days' is logos — it gives the reader a measurable, logical reason to believe the product works. Combine it with pathos and ethos for maximum impact.
Copy hierarchy
The order in which copy elements are read — headline, subheadline, body copy, call to action. Strong copy hierarchy ensures that even a reader who spends five seconds on a page gets the key message.
Riley reviewed Marcus's landing page: The hierarchy is wrong. The headline is generic, the subheadline explains what you sell, and the benefit is buried in paragraph three. Flip it — headline leads with the benefit, subheadline adds context, body proves it. Readers should not have to hunt for the point.
Voice
The distinctive personality and tone that makes a brand's writing recognisable. Voice is consistent across all copy — even when the format, audience, or message changes.
Riley said: Voice is the difference between two brands writing about the same product and sounding completely different. Our voice is direct, confident, and a little irreverent — never formal, never corporate. If your copy could have been written by any brand, it has no voice.
Conversion copy
Copy specifically written to drive a specific action — a click, a sign-up, a purchase, or a call. Conversion copy is judged by results, not by how well it reads.
Riley said: Conversion copy is not about being clever — it is about being clear. The job is to get someone who is already interested to take the next step. Remove friction, answer the last objection, and tell them exactly what to do. Everything else is decoration.
Headline
The most important single line of copy — the one that decides whether the rest gets read. A great headline communicates the core benefit or creates enough curiosity that the reader must read on.
Riley said: David Ogilvy said that when you have written the headline, you have spent 80 cents of your pound. He was right. If the headline does not earn attention, nothing else matters. Write twenty before you choose one.
Phrases
6 phrases and their meanings
Lead with the benefit, not the feature
A core copywriting principle — the headline and opening should tell the reader what they gain, not what the product does. Features describe. Benefits persuade.
Riley looked at the ad copy: 'Advanced AI-powered scheduling engine.' She said: That is a feature. Lead with the benefit: 'Save 5 hours a week — automatically.' The reader does not care what the engine does. They care what it does for them.
What is the one thing this copy needs to do?
A clarifying question asked before writing — or reviewing — any piece of copy. Great conversion copy does one thing well. Copy that tries to do everything does nothing well.
Before Marcus started writing the landing page, Riley asked: What is the one thing this copy needs to do? Marcus said: Get people to start a free trial. Riley said: Good. Then every element — headline, body, CTA — has to serve that one job. Cut everything that does not.
You are talking to one person
A reminder that the best copy is written as if to a single reader — not a segment, not a demographic, not an audience. The more specifically you write for one person, the more universally it resonates.
Riley said: When you write this email, you are talking to one person. Not 'our audience' or 'SME decision-makers'. One specific person who has a specific problem. Picture them. Name them if it helps. Write to them. The copy will be sharper for it.
Answer the last objection before the CTA
A conversion copy technique — identifying the final hesitation a reader has just before they act, and removing it in the copy just before the call to action.
Riley said: Right before the sign-up button, what is the reader thinking? Probably: 'Is this going to be hard to cancel?' So we answer it: 'No contract. Cancel any time.' Answer the last objection before the CTA and your conversion rate will go up. Guaranteed.
Does this sound like us?
The voice and tone check — asking whether a piece of copy reflects the brand's distinctive personality. If any brand could have written it, the voice is missing.
Riley read Marcus's copy aloud and asked: Does this sound like us? It's accurate — but it could be any brand in our category. Our voice is direct and a bit unexpected. Rewrite the opening so it sounds like us specifically, not like a generic tech company.
Make the CTA earn its click
A principle for writing calls to action — the button or link text should be specific, active, and connected to the value the reader gets by clicking. Weak CTAs say 'click here'. Strong ones say what clicking achieves.
Riley said: 'Submit' is not a call to action — it is a form button. Make the CTA earn its click. Change it to 'Get my free report' or 'Start saving time today'. The reader should feel that clicking is the obvious next step, not a commitment or a risk.
Videos
Watch these terms used in context
Dialogue
Read the dialogue and hover the blue words for definitions
Marcus
RileyRiley, I'm rewriting our homepage. I want the copy to actually convert, not just look nice. Where do I start?
Start with one question: what is the one thing this copy needs to do? For a homepage, it is usually to get someone to take the next step — a trial, a demo, a scroll. Every word should serve that job.
Right now our headline says: 'Advanced project management software for modern teams.' What is wrong with that?
It is a feature description, not a benefit. Lead with the benefit, not the feature. What does the software actually do for someone? What do they gain? What pain does it remove?
It saves teams about 5 hours a week on status updates and meetings.
There is your headline. Now make it use pathos. Not 'save 5 hours a week' — try: 'Stop losing 5 hours a week to meetings that go nowhere.' That uses emotion. The reader feels the pain before they hear the solution.
I also want to add social proof. We have 10,000 customers and a 4.9 rating.
That is ethos. Use it. 'Trusted by 10,000 teams worldwide — rated 4.9 on G2.' That borrows credibility from the people who already trust you. It answers the question the sceptical reader is asking: 'Has this worked for people like me?'
And the body copy has data — '40% reduction in meeting time, 30% improvement in on-time delivery.' Is that useful?
Yes — that is logos. Use all three: pathos in the headline, ethos in the social proof, logos in the body. That is the full persuasion stack.
What about copy hierarchy? My current page has the testimonials before the product description.
Fix the hierarchy. Headline first — benefit. Subheadline — one sentence of context. Then the logical proof. Then testimonials to confirm. CTA last — but make the CTA earn its click. Not 'Get started' — 'Start saving 5 hours a week'.
And what about voice? We want to sound confident but not arrogant.
Define your voice in three words. Write copy, then ask: does this sound like us? If it could be any brand, it has no rhetorical device and no personality. The voice should be consistent from headline to CTA.
Exercises
Complete all three exercises to see your final score
Complete the Sentence
Choose the correct answer to complete each sentence.
Choose the correct word or phrase to complete each sentence. Only one answer is correct.
1.The headline uses pathos — instead of describing the benefit, it makes you feel the of not having it.
2.Testimonials and expert endorsements are examples of — they borrow the credibility of someone the reader trusts.
3.Before writing anything, ask: what is the thing this copy needs to do?
4.'We came, we saw, we conquered' is an example of the rule of — a common rhetorical device.
5.If your copy could have been written by any brand, it has no .
6.Right before the call to action, answer the last — remove the final hesitation before the reader acts.
Matching
Click a word, then click its correct definition.
Click a word on the left, then its definition on the right.
Words
Definitions
Fill in the Blank
Drag the correct words from the word bank to complete each sentence.
Sentence 1
Lead with the — — —, not the feature — what the reader gains, not what the product does.
Sentence 2
Pathos, ethos, and logos together form the full — — — stack — emotion, credibility, and logic.
Sentence 3
Does this sound like — — —? If any brand could have written it, the voice is missing.
Sentence 4
Answer the last — — — before the CTA — remove the final hesitation right before the reader acts.
Sentence 5
Make the CTA earn its — — — — 'Start saving 5 hours a week' is stronger than 'Get started'.
Sentence 6
The rule of three is a common — — — device — three beats, each building on the last, memorable and satisfying.
Tip: Think about the meaning of each word and what makes sense in the sentence.
Multiple Choice
Choose the best answer for each question about the dialogue.
1.What does Riley say is wrong with the headline 'Advanced project management software for modern teams'?
2.How does Riley describe the difference between the two headlines about saving 5 hours?
3.What does Riley say is the correct order for copy hierarchy on a homepage?
4.What does Riley mean by 'make the CTA earn its click'?
Group Activities
Role-play scenarios and discussion questions for group classes
🎯 Choose the Best Response
Read what the person says. Choose the best response from the three options.
Customer says
“Our ad says 'AI-powered scheduling technology for enterprise teams'. Is that a good headline?”
Salesperson responds…
Customer says
“Should we use the same brand voice for all markets?”
Salesperson responds…
Customer says
“Our sign-up button says 'Submit'. Is that okay?”
Salesperson responds…
🔍 Spot the Mistake
Read the conversation. Three lines have a mistake. Can you find them?
Marcus
I've written the headline as a logos appeal — it says: 'Thousands of teams have left their old tools behind and never looked back.'
Riley
That is actually ethos — it borrows the credibility of existing customers. Logos would be specific data: '94% of teams see results in 30 days.'
Marcus
Understood. And the CTA at the bottom says 'Click here'. Is that strong enough?
Riley
No — 'Click here' is too passive. Make the CTA earn its click — try 'Start saving 5 hours a week' or 'Get instant access today'.
Marcus
And for the product description, I've put the benefits before the headline and the features after. Is the hierarchy right?
Riley
No — the headline should always come first. Then benefits in the subheadline, then features or proof in the body copy below.
✏️ Finish the Salesperson's Line
The copywriter starts a sentence. Work with your partner to finish it naturally.
Customer
“Our homepage copy is not converting. Where do we start?”
Salesperson
“Start with one question: what is the one thing this copy needs to do? If the answer is 'get people to start a free trial', then every element — headline, body, CTA — has to serve that job. Right now, your headline leads with a feature, not a benefit. Try leading with... …”
Customer
“How do we write copy that feels emotional but still credible?”
Salesperson
“Use all three appeals. Lead with pathos — connect with the feeling or frustration the reader has. Then add ethos — the credibility of existing customers or expert endorsement. Then close with logos — the data that proves it works. The full persuasion stack looks like this: …”
Customer
“We want to have a distinctive brand voice but we are not sure how to define it.”
Salesperson
“Start by choosing three words that describe how you want to sound — not what you sell, but how you say it. Then write a piece of copy and ask: does this sound like us? If it could be any brand in your category... …”