Copywriting
*Horizontal skill — applied wherever persuasive writing is needed. Also bootstraps product context for all marketing skills.*
Inputs Required
- Page purpose, audience, product/offer, traffic context
.agents/mkt/product-context.md(created below if missing)
Output
- Copy by section + annotations + 2-3 alternatives per key line
.agents/mkt/product-context.md(if it didn't exist)
Quality Gate
Before delivering, verify:
- Every headline/hook contains a concrete noun or specific number (not abstract: "better", "innovative", "leading")
- Every key line passes 3-question test (visual? falsifiable? uniquely yours?)
- CTA follows [Action Verb] + [What They Get] formula
- Competitor swap test: Replace brand name with competitor — if it still works, rewrite
Chain Position
Horizontal — called from any skill. Creates .agents/mkt/product-context.md used by all marketing skills.
Before Starting
Step 0: Product Context
Check for .agents/mkt/product-context.md. If missing: INTERVIEW. Ask 8 product questions and save to .agents/mkt/product-context.md.
Required Artifacts
| Artifact | Source | If Missing |
|---|---|---|
product-context.md | mkt-copywriting | INTERVIEW. Ask 8 product questions and save to .agents/mkt/product-context.md. |
Optional Artifacts
| Artifact | Source | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
icp-research.md | mkt-icp-research | Audience language for better copy |
imc-plan.md | mkt-imc | Angle context when called from IMC |
Product Context Bootstrap
Check for .agents/mkt/product-context.md. If missing, interview with these 8 questions and save:
# Product Context
**Date:** [today]
## Product
[One sentence: what you sell]
## Buyer
[Primary buyer: role, company type, situation]
## Problem
[The pain it solves — in their words, not yours]
## Differentiator
[What's different — something a competitor CANNOT claim]
## Social Proof
[Best testimonial or most repeated praise]
## Model
[Price, pricing model, free trial availability]
## Voice
[3 adjectives: e.g., "direct, technical, warm"]
## Primary CTA
[What should people do next: e.g., "Start free trial"]All marketing skills read this file for product context.
The Three-Question Test
Run every key sentence through:
- Visual? Close your eyes. Can you see it? ("Couch to 5K" = yes. "Regain fitness" = no.)
- Falsifiable? Is it true or false? ("6'2, reads on the tube" = yes. "Funny, smart, good values" = no.)
- Uniquely yours? Could a competitor sign this? ("The dating app designed to be deleted" = only Hinge. "The best platform" = anyone.)
Three yeses = keep. Any no = rewrite.
Core Rules
Make It Visual
Abstract words evaporate. Concrete words stick. Zoom-in technique: Write the abstract word → ask "what do I actually mean?" → keep zooming until you hit something you can drop on your foot.
- "Regain fitness" → "Couch to 5K"
- "Worn by pretty and old people" → "Worn by supermodels in London and dads in Ohio"
Make It Falsifiable
True-or-false statements put your head on the chopping block. Ears prick up. "Don't talk, only point" — point at the graph, the statistic, the specific feature.
- Volvo: "Your car has five numbers on the speedometer. Volvo has six."
Make It Yours Alone
"Never write an ad a competitor can sign." — Jim Durfee
Test: Swap in competitor's name. Still works? Rewrite.
Facts Over Adjectives
Start with a fact. Build from there. "Even when it's not Heinz, it's Heinz."
The Conflict Framework
Draw a line. Write opposites. Left: "Throw money and pray." Right: "Learn copywriting." Contrast sharpens both sides.
Speed Test
Show someone your copy. Two seconds. If they don't get it, rewrite.
CTA Formula
[Action Verb] + [What They Get] + [Qualifier]
Bad: Submit, Learn More, Click Here Good: "Start your free trial", "Download the 2026 playbook", "See pricing for your team"
Page-Specific Guidance
| Page | Key Principle |
|---|---|
| Homepage | What you do in one sentence. Primary use case, not every feature. |
| Landing Page | One goal, one CTA. Match headline to traffic source. Remove nav. |
| Pricing | Lead with value, not price. Anchor with most popular plan. |
| Feature | Lead with outcome ("Track time in one click"), not feature name. |
| About | Founding story. What you believe. Team photos + real context. |
Cross-Skill Integration
| Called From | Focus On | Return |
|---|---|---|
mkt-content-create | Hook + CTA copy | Specific text, not frameworks |
mkt-lp-optimization | Headline variants + PAS body | 10+ headline options, scored |
mkt-imc | Angle descriptions, pillar messaging | Sharpened angle text |
Output Format
When saving copy artifacts, use this frontmatter:
---
skill: mkt-copywriting
version: 1
date: [today's date]
status: draft
---On re-run: rename existing artifact to [name].v[N].md and create new with incremented version.- Copy by section — Hero, social proof, problem, solution, how it works, testimonials, CTA
- Annotations — Why each choice was made, tied to which rule
- Alternatives — 2-3 headline options, 2-3 CTA options
- Meta — Page title + description if relevant
Process
- Check for
.agents/mkt/product-context.md— create if missing - Who am I talking to? What do they currently believe? What should they believe after?
- What can I say that nobody else can?
- Write 3-5 versions of every key line
- Run each through 3-question test
- Two-second test
- Cut everything not working for you
- See
references/copy-frameworks.mdfor headline formulas
References
- references/copy-frameworks.md — Headline formulas, PAS framework, page templates