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Freelance copywriters: ask what to follow and what to avoid in a client's tone reference.
In the Freelancer Client Kickoff Template Bundle's fictional Northline project, the intake gives the writer three useful directions:
• Aim for plain, warm and specific copy
• Use the client's existing product pages as the tone reference
• Avoid luxury superlatives and invented origin stories
That last line makes the creative boundary visible before the first draft.
For your next kickoff, ask the client to point to an approved passage and finish two sentences: “Follow this because…” and “Avoid this because…” Save the answers beside the reference. Make the notes specific enough to use while revising, such as vocabulary, sentence length or the amount of product detail.
Keep the client's factual sources alongside those style notes. In this example, dimensions, capacity, glaze variation and care instructions must match the approved product sheet. A tone reference guides the wording; product claims still need their own check.
Shown: the complete Ask for useful project context page from the kit's fictional completed example. All names and project details are invented for illustration.
The five-file ZIP includes an eight-page editable Word packet, matching print PDF, Excel tracker for client inputs and approval decisions, eight-page fictional example and two-page Quick Start. Designed for desktop Word and Excel; PDFs are static. Use it after the project is agreed, alongside your existing contract and approval process.
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If you're still figuring out what to build for the challenge, look at this one 💜
One line of copy does all the work. Retype the emergency, drop a new product behind the glass and it's a whole new ad. That's a template people will actually use.
Love it!
BREAK GLASS — an "In case of ___" ad template. Every product is somebody's emergency.
Retype the emergency (IN CASE OF MONDAY, HEARTBREAK, DEADLINE), drop a product PNG and a logo behind the glass, pick three colours and ship an 8-second 4:5 loop. Best for problem-to-solution...
Finally landed on a version the client is happy with.
Which 'A' letter do you think fits better?
27 voted
52%
25 voted
48%
52 votes
Closed
I choose Short but I don't know the difference but the design is great congrats 🎉
Before You Write a Single Sales Sentence, Understand Your Customer.
You can write beautiful copy, use powerful headlines, and craft the perfect call to action and yet still fail to convert.
Why? Because good copywriting starts long before you write the first word.
It starts with understanding the person you're trying to reach.
Before writing sales copy, ask yourself four questions:
1. What does my audience want?
Understand their goals, desires, and the outcomes they're looking for. People are more likely to pay attention when your message connects with something they genuinely need or care about.
2. What is stopping them from buying?
Price, uncertainty, lack of trust, competing priorities, or doubts about whether your product will work for them. Effective copy addresses relevant objections instead of pretending they don't exist.
3. What motivates them to take action?
Different customers value different things: convenience, savings, security, status, or better results. Your message should emphasize benefits that matter to your specific audience, not just the features you're proud of.
4. How much do they already know?
Someone who has never heard of your solution needs a different message from someone comparing alternatives or ready to purchase.
In copywriting, this is closely related to customer awareness: understanding what your audience knows about their problem, possible solutions, and your offer.
The same product can require completely different messages depending on who's reading them.
That's why effective copywriting isn't about finding the cleverest words. It's about finding the right message for the right person at the right moment.
Audience research helps you do that. Customer interviews, reviews, surveys, search queries, and sales conversations can reveal the language people use, the problems they face, and the questions they need answered.
The result? More relevant messaging, clearer value propositions, and copy that's better positioned to turn attention into action.
Remember: Don't write what you want your customers to hear. Write what they want to hear, what helps them to make a decision.
Need copy that speaks to your audience and communicates your value clearly? Explore my services on Contra or send me a message.
Yes. Half of bad sales copy is written for nobody in particular. Narrow the list first and the copy almost writes itself.