😞

67 Common Copywriting Mistakes

That Might Accidentally KILL Your Sales Page Conversions

..danieldoan.net..
I’m Daniel Doan.
Here’s a little bit about me…

➔ 10+ years of expertise

Writing high-converting copy for the
largest B2B companies in America.

➔ 1,132+ successful projects

Sales pages, landing pages, frontend
ads, and email nurture sequences.

➔ 224+ clients nationwide

CEOs and senior marketing execs
who rely on me for effective copy.
Let’s try to avoid the following mistakes...
(making a few might be okay, but too many of these will destroy your conversions)
😞 Copywriting Mistake #1 of 67

Lack of Credibility
Your copy doesn’t have enough proof of
success or points to reassure that your offer
will deliver on its promises.

How to fix it:

➔ Create more proof points

Showcase more testimonials, proof of
success, and transformations.

➔ Demonstrate the value

Showcase the offer in a more direct and
visual way through the copy.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #2 of 67

Overly Logical
Your copy is overly logical and doesn’t stir any
emotion at all. It comes off dull, drab, and
completely lifeless to your prospects.

How to fix it:

➔ Insert more emotion upfront

Build initial interest by appealing to
widely felt emotions.

➔ Weave in more visual copy

Show, don’t tell. Write in a way that
showcases movement and visuals.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #3 of 67

Difficult Transformation
Your copy makes your offer sound hard. Your
prospect feels that moving forward will be a
painful and confusing process.

How to fix it:

➔ Future-pace their success

Make sure your prospect is reminded of
the desired transformation.

➔ Use adjectives that convey ease

Add more verbiage that reassures your
prospect that the offer is easy.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #4 of 67

Repetitive Language
Your copy overuses a lot of words that make
the writing feel like your prospect is reading
the same words over and over again.

How to fix it:

➔ Make sure there’s a narrative arc

Use a proper storytelling structure on
the copy. Don’t just repeat stuff.

➔ Use a thesaurus on your verbs

Make sure the words you’re using are
varied enough to maintain interest.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #5 of 67

Completely Dry
Your copy doesn’t elicit many emotions or take
prospects through a journey — it just states
things in a matter-of-fact way.

How to fix it:

➔ Liven up the phrasing

Add more words that add more visuals
and paint a stronger picture.

➔ Engage in more storytelling

Use more narratives to help prospects
imagine their future success.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #6 of 67

Not Conversational
Your copy reads stiff and robotic — almost
forced. It doesn’t sound like something an
actual human would say.

How to fix it:

➔ Read it out loud

Make sure the phrasing sounds like
something you would actually say.

➔ Use transitory phrases

Inject the right words in between
statements to make things flow.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #7 of 67

Overly Selfish
Your copy focuses too much on what you
personally value in your offer and not enough
on how your offer can help your prospect.

How to fix it:

➔ Rethink the big idea

Try to come up with a better angle that
resonates more with the prospect.

➔ Dig deeper into psychographics

Learn more about the headspace that
your prospect is in.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #8 of 67

Wrong Tone
Your copy makes your brand come off
incongruent with how you want to be
portrayed.

How to fix it:

➔ Assume a persona when writing

Visualize a specific character in your
head when writing — then write in a
tone they’d find relatable.

➔ Create a brand voice document

Use a document that encapsulates how
to properly phrase sentiments.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #9 of 67

Not Relatable
Your copy isn’t relatable to your prospect and
they don’t see themselves as someone that
your offer can genuinely help.

How to fix it:

➔ Craft a more specific narrative

Write a relevant hook, then follow it up
with a linear story.

➔ Use more of their words

Do more research into phrasing that the
prospect actually uses.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #10 of 67

Too Much Jargon

Your copy assumes that your prospect knows
way too much vertical-specific information
and vocabulary.

How to fix it:

➔ Simplify your writing

Use words that are simpler to
understand and get to the point faster.

➔ Use more direct analogies

Incorporate analogies into the writing
that help with comprehension.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #11 of 67

Bad Assumptions
Your copy assumes too many incorrect details
about the prospect to the point where they
feel like you don’t understand them.

How to fix it:

➔ Zoom out a bit more

Don’t go as narrow with the phrasing.
Instead, be more inclusive.

➔ Study your prospect more

Interview more of your ideal customers
and look for broader similarities.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #12 of 67

Not Enough Benefits

Your copy lists a lot of information about
features, but doesn’t do enough to tie them
into tangible and directly relevant benefits.

How to fix it:

➔ Use more fascination bullets

Incorporate more benefits bullets and
tie every feature into a benefit.

➔ Interview more customers

Find out more specific use cases from
real customers and write them out.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #13 of 67

Speaks Too Broadly

Your copy doesn’t specifically talk to one
person, but assumes that you’re speaking to
several people.

How to fix it:

➔ Use more “you” language

Reframe the copy to speak to just one
person — the singular prospect.

➔ Call out the prospect early on

Make sure the copy grabs the prospect
from the start and calls them out.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #14 of 67

Weak Call to Action

Your copy’s CTA contains too much friction, to
the point where the prospect isn’t inspired
enough to take the next step forward.

How to fix it:

➔ Improve the lead-in copy

Change up the copy that leads into the
main call-to-action. Add more benefits.

➔ Overhaul the offer’s positioning

Make the offer objectively better and
reduce all perceived risk.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #15 of 67

Poor Structure
Your copy contains sales arguments that are
poorly timed and aren’t cohesive, making it
difficult for prospects to follow.

How to fix it:

➔ Follow a proven framework

Whether it’s AIDA, PAS, or something
else, make sure the copy fits.

➔ Interview more buyers

FInd the “eureka” moment and frame
the copy to lead to that point.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #16 of 67

Too Vague
Your copy doesn’t hone in on the specifics of
the right pain points and how your offer will
specifically help them get what they want.

How to fix it:

➔ Write more concisely

Search for more fluffy parts of copy and
try to say more in fewer words.

➔ Re-study the core benefits

Go back to the drawing board and
make sure the benefits are relevant.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #17 of 67

Overly Pushy
Your copy comes off as pressuring prospects
into the sale instead of elevating desire and
using psychological triggers.

How to fix it:

➔ Use less aggressive statements

Ease up on the use of demanding tone
and reduce assertive phrasing.

➔ Build up the sales argument

Create a more clearly defined narrative
that better positions the offer.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #18 of 67

Weak Hooks
Your copy doesn’t do a good job at piquing
curiosity and holding attention at the
beginning of sections (where it matters most).

How to fix it:

➔ Try a counterintuitive hook

Use a hook that goes against “common
knowledge” yet ties back into the offer.

➔ Open up a strong curiosity loop

Create phrasing that piques their desire
to figure out how the story ends.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #19 of 67

Terrible Formatting
Your copy is hard to read and provides a poor
user experience — your prospects’ eyes get
fatigued and they’re not sure where to look.

How to fix it:

➔ Make sure the text is skimmable

Break up large chunks of text and make
sure the copy works for skimmers.

➔ Watch prospects in real-time

Use software to analyze heat maps and
figure out what prospects are doing.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #20 of 67

Confusing Messaging
Your copy doesn’t create and build on a single
narrative. It feels disjointed, confusing, and
creates tangents that are hard to follow.

How to fix it:

➔ Rethink the main big idea

Make sure that the narrative is
congruent all throughout.

➔ Create more logical transitions

Ensure that each section seamlessly
transitions to the next.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #21 of 67

Overly Long Sentences

Your copy contains too many sentences that
drag on for far too long, overstaying their
welcome and boring prospects.

How to fix it:

➔ Reduce comma usage

Go through and remove commas.
Replace and rephrase offenders.

➔ Frontload the benefits

Make sure all benefits are placed
towards the front of sentences.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #22 of 67

Broken English
Your copy contains typos or grammatical
mistakes that create a “halo-effect” and make
your brand seem unprofessional.

How to fix it:

➔ Distance yourself from the copy

Step away from the copy, then read
through every word with fresh eyes.

➔ Use a grammar-checking tool

Run everything through a tool that calls
out typos and mistakes.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #23 of 67

Not Enough Value

Your copy doesn’t convey a strong sense of
value for prospects to feel like they’re getting
a more than fair deal.

How to fix it:

➔ Focus on relevant bonuses

Lean in on extra perks to reassure
prospects that they’re getting a lot.

➔ Position for the right people

Make sure the copy positions the offer
in a way that’s unique to the market.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #24 of 67

Unclear Sentiments
Your copy contains wording that requires your
prospect to read multiple times in order to try
to figure out what you’re saying.

How to fix it:

➔ Read with “Customer’s Eyes”

Put yourself in the prospect’s shoes and
make your way through the copy.

➔ Get an external perspective

Ask a third-party to review and identify
potentially confusing trains of thought.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #25 of 67

Not Skimmable Enough

Your copy does not contain enough elements
that can be parsed at a glance. Prospects
must wade through long chunks of text.

How to fix it:

➔ Split long sections up

Break up the longest parts into chunks
of skimmable, easy-to-digest copy.

➔ Bold key value phrases

Highlight words or sections that stand
out as relevant to the prospect.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #26 of 67

Wrong Headspace
Your copy contains an angle that assumes
your prospect believes something that makes
them receptive to your offer, but they’re not.

How to fix it:

➔ Retrace the buyer’s journey

Review your prospect’s journey to make
sure your messaging fits their psyche.

➔ Survey more customers

Ask your ideal customers for feedback
about what angles best resonate.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #27 of 67

Unconfident Frame
Your copy contains wording that suggests that
you’re not fully confident in the value you
provide to your prospect.

How to fix it:

➔ Remove weak phrasing

Don’t use words such as “if” — instead,
reframe the sentiment better.

➔ Add more certainty

Make sure every single sentiment
comes across more assertively.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #28 of 67

Droning Sentences
Your copy contains too many sentences with
similar length and tone, creating an ambiance
that puts prospects to sleep.

How to fix it:

➔ Mix in more short phrases

Add short sentences and 1-2 word
phrases to break up the monotony.

➔ Add more emotional pull

Craft a real narrative with emotional
crescendos to pique interest.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #29 of 67

Lack of Flow
Your copy does not transition properly
between ideas. Your words and sentences feel
stiff and are haphazardly structured.

How to fix it:

➔ Revise sentences individually

Within each paragraph or chunk of text,
edit each sentence by itself.

➔ Edit two paragraphs at a time

Keep your eyes on two paragraphs at a
time, editing for flow between both.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #30 of 67

Unnecessary Details
Your copy drones on and on and reveals too
much about your offer that your prospect
does not currently care to learn about.

How to fix it:

➔ Make the use case more focused

Focus more explicitly on the best use
case for the prospect.

➔ Remove irrelevant features

Trim the fat on any details that don’t
speak to directly relevant benefits.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #31 of 67

Irrelevant Benefits
Your copy harps upon benefits that aren’t
strong enough to motivate the prospect to act
— they don’t matter that much.

How to fix it:

➔ Find the right benefits

Study your target market and find out
their biggest pain points.

➔ Place the strongest benefit first

Restructure the copy to frontload the
most important value propositions.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #32 of 67

Accidentally Insulting
Your copy makes your prospects feel belittled,
like you’re assuming they’re idiots and/or
judging them for their insecurities.

How to fix it:

➔ Ease up on the negative tone

Try to frame the copy in a more positive
light and focus on uplifting them.

➔ Remove incorrect assumptions

Review your persona and make sure
you’re not making them feel dumb.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #33 of 67

Insufficient Proof
Your copy doesn’t offer enough tangible and
demonstrable proof that the offer is as
effective as advertised.

How to fix it:

➔ Add a visual demonstration

Use a demo that clearly showcases the
offer being effective for a customer.

➔ Sprinkle in testimonials
Throw in proof of wins from personas
that are similar to your prospect

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #34 of 67

Lack of Urgency
Your copy doesn’t give a good reason as to
why the prospect should act immediately
instead of later.

How to fix it:

➔ Tease fast-action bonuses

Give them a real incentive or bonus if
they act within a given timeframe.

➔ Bring to light real scarcity

Make sure they know the drawbacks of
not acting as soon as possible.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #35 of 67

Risky Proposition
Your copy’s call-to-action feels like it’ll incur
too much risk for prospects. Perhaps they’re
worried about a hard sell or time wasted.

How to fix it:

➔ Make it safe for prospects

Reassure that you’re trustworthy by
making the CTA more risk-free.

➔ Provide extra benefit incentive

Make sure prospects fully understand
that they’ll win even if it’s not a good fit.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #36 of 67

Overly Emotional
Your copy leans too hard on emotion and tries
to go for an overly emotion-driven angle
without creating a proper sales argument.

How to fix it:

➔ Transition the hook into logic

Make sure there’s a proper transition
into a logical sales argument.

➔ Add more proof points

Lean the copy back towards logic with
more proof of customer success.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #37 of 67

Undermined Offer
Your copy attempts to convey that the offer is
a good deal by offering a reduced price, but it
backfires due to poor positioning.

How to fix it:

➔ Position the discount better

Make sure that the promotion doesn’t
undermine the value of the offer.

➔ Add more relevant bonuses

Provide additional incentives for the
prospect to move forward.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #38 of 67

Unclear Pronouns
Your copy uses a lot of vague nouns and
pronouns that make it extremely difficult for
the prospect to understand what’s going on.

How to fix it:

➔ Replace most pronouns

Find and remove all pronouns that
make sentiments vague.

➔ Incorporate more specific nouns

Use the most detailed version of a noun
instead of a vague generic.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #39 of 67

Not Enough Desire

Your copy says a lot about the offer, but
doesn’t do enough to make the offer feel
enticing enough for prospects to want it.

How to fix it:

➔ Future-pace more often

Include more copy about the promised
land and how your offer is the vehicle.

➔ Create a real unique mechanism

Tease benefits that can only be
achieved with your specific offer.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #40 of 67

Lexically Verbose
Your copy uses a lot more words than
necessary to convey a sentiment that could
be clearly expressed in a more concise way.

How to fix it:

➔ Use fewer syllables in words

Try to use words with as few syllables
as possible.

➔ Have less convoluted phrasing

Split sentences with multiple commas
into multiple sentences.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #41 of 67

Murky Positioning
Your copy doesn’t accurately reflect the
strength of the offer and the magnitude of the
desired outcome for the market.

How to fix it:

➔ Clarify the result

Make the copy more goal-oriented,
instead of improvement-oriented.

➔ Improve the offer’s positioning

Ensure that the transformation is readily
apparent from the start.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #42 of 67

Buried Lede
Your copy hides the most unique parts of the
offer and doesn’t immediately highlight your
core selling proposition.

How to fix it:

➔ Hone in on your value prop

Find a better way to convey that your
offer is unique to your brand.

➔ Create a better hook

Lead with something novel that also
opens a strong curiosity loop.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #43 of 67

Not Enough Expertise

Your copy sounds like you don’t really know
what you’re talking about — it clearly sounds
like you’re trying to make stuff up.

How to fix it:

➔ Use more specific claims

Avoid unfounded claims and phrasing
that makes the claims sound vague.

➔ Incorporate more numbers

Add more specific numbers throughout
the copy to add more believability.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #44 of 67

Cliché Angle
Your copy uses a lot of messaging that’s
already rampant in the market and doesn’t
feel fresh or unique.

How to fix it:

➔ Create a unique mechanism

Find a better way to convey how your
offer differs in terms of process.

➔ Do more competitive research

Study your competitors and find an
angle of attack that hasn’t been used.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #45 of 67

Esoteric Blabbering
The copy goes into great detail about
something that the prospect doesn’t care
about at all.

How to fix it:

➔ Make a list of benefits

Refer back to the list while editing and
replace anything that doesn’t align.

➔ Put yourself in their shoes

Does anything fail to capture your
attention?

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #46 of 67

Too Many Tangents

The copy veers far off-topic too many times
and doesn’t have a singular big idea with a
cogent thought throughout.

How to fix it:

➔ Outline your copy first

Lay out your flow and points before
drafting anything.

➔ Stop and rethink as needed

If you notice yourself veering off, stop
immediately and course-correct.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #47 of 67

Too Many Numbers

The copy crams a lot of data and numbers in a
few sentences and doesn’t properly space
them out for legibility.

How to fix it:

➔ Think about context

Explain the importance of these
numbers and what they mean.

➔ Make it human
Ramp up the emotion by connecting
that data to the audience’s experience.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #48 of 67

Incorrect Words
The words chosen don’t resonate and don’t
use the real words the prospect would
actually use in their situation.

How to fix it:

➔ Create a cheat sheet

Add a tone section to your buyer
persona notes.

➔ Write how they speak

Read the copy outloud and change
whatever doesn’t match the tone.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #49 of 67

Too Many Ideas

The copy has too many tangential takeaways
instead of focusing on one main big idea and
proving that big idea.

How to fix it:

➔ Reduce your points

Remove any points that you can’t prove
with indisputable data or resources.

➔ Get extra selective

Pick the strongest point out of the
remaining points and run with it.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #50 of 67

Unbelievable Claims
The copy, even if true, is too wild to be
believable by the prospect as well as being
too difficult to prove.

How to fix it:

➔ Find the next best thing

Think of similar points you can make
that you can actually prove.

➔ Inject more social proof

Show that you’re trustworthy by adding
more testimonials to your copy.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #51 of 67

Vague Proof
The copy has proof points but the actual proof
of the desired transformation is not clear
enough for the prospect.

How to fix it:

➔ Be picky about testimonials

Only use the ones that lay out the
problem, solution, and results.

➔ Ask people for more detail

Conduct a new round of testimonials
and ask highly-specific questions.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #52 of 67

Not Enough Facts

The copy has too much emotion and doesn’t
contain enough facts to properly and
effectively back up the claims.

How to fix it:

➔ Identify the strongest emotions

Delete any other emotion that doesn’t
quite hit the mark.

➔ Replace weak emotions

Inject claim-proving facts you can
prove into your copy.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #53 of 67

Too Many Knowns

The copy bores the prospect by going on and
on about problems they already know about
instead of the opportunity and solution.

How to fix it:

➔ Cut the complaints

Remove all the rambling parts in favor
of the stronger copy areas.

➔ Inject more hope

Replace with more information about
the offer itself and the benefits.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #54 of 67

Lack Of Unification
The copy is scattered and doesn’t have a
single central big idea and ample proof to
make the big idea believable.

How to fix it:

➔ Find the big idea

List all the points made, pick the
strongest, and make that the focus.

➔ Inject more proof

Find case studies and testimonials that
underscore that big idea.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #55 of 67

Unclear Mechanism
The copy fails to indicate a point of powerful
differentiation from the rest of similar offers in
the market.

How to fix it:

➔ Study the competition

Figure out what your biggest
competitors are offering.

➔ Identify your unique mechanism

Find the one thing that you do better (or
that no one’s doing at all).

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #56 of 67

Desire Incongruence
The positioning of the offer seems either too
good to be true, or too inferior for what the
prospect is looking for in an offer.

How to fix it:

➔ Explain how it’s possible

Tell people how you can afford to
deliver such an incredible offer.

➔ Show why it’s so good

Tell people why the seemingly inferior
offer is actually incredible (value-pack).

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #57 of 67

Positional Ambiguity
The copy does not make clear what specific
segment the offer is designed for, making it
seem like it targets an audience of everyone.

How to fix it:

➔ Add more audience specifics

Call people out in a more personalized
way using demographics and tone.

➔ Inject relatable benefits

Highlight the offer benefits that only
align with your specific audience.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #58 of 67

Platform Inconsistent
The copy’s tone is wildly different across ads,
emails, and sales pages, creating a terribly
confusing user experience for prospects.

How to fix it:

➔ Enforce brand guidelines

Come up with tone and voice
guidelines to ensure consistency.

➔ Create messaging templates

Spare yourself from guessing by
creating a universal messaging doc.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #59 of 67

Zero Design
The copy isn’t designed properly to be
consumed by prospects (an example would
be a sales page that looks extremely ugly).

How to fix it:

➔ Use tons of resources available

Free tools, paid tools—doesn’t matter as
long as you experiment.

➔ Know when to hire someone

Understand that it’s okay to hire some
help if you’re not much of a designer.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #60 of 67

Passive Voice
The copy contains too much passive voice
which makes the benefits hard to visualize for
the prospect.

How to fix it:

➔ Use free tools to identify passive

A good tool to use would be
Grammarly, but Hemingway also works.

➔ Rephrase passive phrases

Change up the wording as much as you
can, so your copy sounds confident.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #61 of 67

Inferior Third-Person
The copy speaks mostly in the third-person,
which makes the copy feel detached and less
personal than second-person.

How to fix it:

➔ Replace “they” with “you”

Anytime you have a chance to make
people feel special, do it.

➔ Use conversational language

When your writing aligns with normal
speaking patterns, it’s less detached.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #62 of 67

Confusing Tenses
The copy switches erratically from
first-person, second-person, and third-person
tenses, confusing the prospect.

How to fix it:

➔ Determine which tense to use

Read through your copy and determine
which tense works the best.

➔ Replace all other tenses

Eliminate the tenses you found to be
weaker, so things stay consistent.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #63 of 67

Zero Vision
The copy never future-paces the success or
teases at the desired transformation of the
prospect after they accept the offer.

How to fix it:

➔ Visualize what’s to come

Then make a list of all the things they’ll
be able to accomplish.

➔ Insert details creatively

Add your newfound points near CTAs,
benefit bullets, and headlines.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #64 of 67

Over-promises
The copy promises a transformation that the
offer can’t reasonably deliver on, resulting in
high customer dissatisfaction.

How to fix it:

➔ Be realistic with your promises

Only use the ones you know you can
deliver on each and every time.

➔ Tie in with future pacing

Help solidify these promises with a
clear expectation for the future.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #65 of 67

Not “Psychic” Enough

The copy doesn’t properly acknowledge a
prospect’s skepticism and overcome that
before the prospect becomes skeptical.

How to fix it:

➔ Make a list of objections

Determine what prospects could
possibly be skeptical about.

➔ Review your offer

Pinpoint the exact ways your offer
resolves each objection.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #66 of 67

Wild Overpromises
The copy promises a transformation that the
offer can’t reasonably deliver on, resulting in
high post-sale attrition rates.

How to fix it:

➔ Focus on realistic promises

Assess your offer and realistically base
promises off of that—nothing else.

➔ Check in regularly
Every 2-3 months, check to see that
you’re still delivering and adjust.

danieldoan.net
😞 Copywriting Mistake #67 of 67

Mundane Mechanism
The copy does a bad job at positioning the
mechanism, so the prospect believes they can
get the same thing elsewhere for less.

How to fix it:

➔ Identify the mechanism

Get your unique mechanism in focus
and run with it across your copy.

➔ Make offer breakdowns count

Make sure the copy around your CTAs
and bullet points is extra detailed.

danieldoan.net
How do we avoid these mistakes?
Dig deeper to better understand your ideal customer.
Survey Your Buyers
Keep the questions short and
don’t send more than a handful
at a time. Give them compelling
incentives to participate.

danieldoan.net
Dig Into Analytics
Study your customer data and
come up with hypotheses that
you can test and prove (or
disprove) with repeated split
tests.

danieldoan.net
Interview Customers
Go one-on-one with your
customer base and ask them to
narrate their thought processes
as they navigate through your
website and/or offer.

danieldoan.net
Tap Into
Communities
Figure out where they like to
hang out in online communities
such as reddit and Facebook
Groups. Then, observe their
behavior.

danieldoan.net
Study Industry
Reports
Find the right research
resources in your vertical to
better understand your
audience. White papers and
“state of the market” reports are
perfect for this.

danieldoan.net
Video Call
Customers
Ask your ideal customers to hop
on a video call and grill them a
bit on what made them choose
your offer over other
alternatives.

danieldoan.net
Create Your Own
Community
Start a community online that
caters to your ideal customer,
then interact with them and
figure out what makes them tick.

danieldoan.net
Map The User
Journey
Take a look at all the
touch-points at which
customers have contact with
your business and make sure its
mapped correctly to ensure
message-journey fit.

danieldoan.net
Use Heatmaps
Leverage the power of heat
mapping software to understand
where drop off points might be
and fix any loose ends.

danieldoan.net
Listen To Sales Calls
Tap into these to gain specific
insight into what’s not going right
for your customers and how
your company can better serve
them.

danieldoan.net
Tap Into Your Email
List
Ask your email list subscribers
what’s bothering them and get
into a conversation with them to
ask more questions.

danieldoan.net
Study AOV and LTV
List your top three most
profitable customers and your
top three least profitable ones.
Identify the differences in order
to disqualify leads who are a
poor fit.

danieldoan.net
Look At Your
Competition
Study your position, relative to
the market. Figure out what their
core value propositions are. Find
the gaps in the market.

danieldoan.net
Read Support
Ticket Logs
Sometimes the best data is
found inside customer support
tickets. Dig through tickets to
find what customers are
struggling with.

danieldoan.net
Scope Out Market
Alternatives
Find out what other ways might
your customer be solving the
problem that your offer solves in
a faster or better way. Then,
meet them at the problem
unaware state they’re in.

danieldoan.net
Re-evaluate
Positioning
Figure out what “job” the
customer is trying to get done
with your offer and ask yourself if
your offer is targeting the correct
use case.

danieldoan.net
 Thank you!
Looking for more ways to improve your copy, or want me to write for you?
Get access to more resources on my website below.

www.danieldoan.net