Believe it or not, your competition isn’t other businesses; it’s the attention span of your audience. When most of us have cooked our attention spans watching a few-second-long reels on TikTok on repeat, it’s a challenge to make someone stick around instead of scrolling away. Great copy can still capture your audience’s attention and help you promote your newest offer; you just need to wield your words differently.
Think about it — how did we find ourselves in the age of overconsumption when none of us remembers the last time we clicked on “Buy Now”? Or when was the last time you read an email just because it sounded like it was written for you?
Making a sale sounds simple, but it’s very hard to execute. Before you click on “Buy Now,” you have to build trust, spark curiosity, and then turn interest into action. Taking action doesn’t even register because you’re so excited about the product that will solve all your problems.
If you’re ready to scale your small business, you need to write copy that ranks, converts, and embodies your brand voice while remaining authentic.
Let’s take a look at how this sorcery works.
Know Your Audience Like You Know Your Product
The reason why your copy doesn’t connect with us is that you’re not sure who you’re talking to. Great copy starts with knowing exactly who you’re speaking to, and that’s the problem. Brands that disappear into the noise don’t understand who their audience is. They’re talking to anyone and everyone, which makes it harder for the “one” to hit “add to cart.”
Here’s how you end this vicious cycle.
The first thing you need to do is figure out what your audience is struggling with — what keeps them up at night, and how you can come in as their knight in shining armor. Before you get a sale, you have to be considered trustworthy.
But what does that look like?
SKKN by Kim
Think of Kim Kardashian’s skincare line called SKKN, which officially ended operations in 2025. From KKW Beauty to SKKN and now a promise of Skims Beauty, there’s a clear lack of understanding here.
The skincare line had many problems. There was no hero product; there was too much plastic involved to cling to claims of environmentally friendly packaging, and it was too expensive, even for the most loyal fans.
But the biggest problem wasn’t the products; it was the vague messaging that resonated with absolutely no one. It addressed no pain points or triggers — it was just words. Most importantly, they were mismatched words.
It was selling physical exfoliants in the age of gentle chemical exfoliants and hydration to people who had come a long way from damaging their skin barriers. Not to mention, Kim herself has spoken at length about her struggle with psoriasis and eczema.
Now, imagine if Kim led with this and launched the cleanser and moisturizer first as her tried-and-true routine. Her copy would focus on how these products were created in collaboration with dermatologists to keep her skin barrier intact, especially with her long filming hours and cut-through travel schedule.
This would not only appeal to her fans who have seen her struggle with her skin but also provide a solution to people who experience the same skin issues. Her audience would try the product out of loyalty, but people who aren’t fans would be intrigued if they’ve struggled with the same skincare challenges.
If you’re struggling with how to find who your audience is and what they’re working with, you can use Google Analytics, Meta, Instagram, or X (Twitter) for social listening. This helps you conduct in-depth market research and is a great way to inform your next headline.
Rhode by Hailey Bieber
Where SKKN by Kim missed the mark, Rhode seems to have nailed it. Hailey Bieber isn’t selling luxury; she’s selling the relatability of self-care.
She’s selling products she tested on screen for months, such as the lip peptide and milky toners she was seen using under her flawless makeup on her YouTube channel. By the time her brand officially launched, she was already known for having the healthiest skin in Hollywood.
The focus on hydration and nourishing your skin as the crucial step for lasting makeup is something that speaks to Gen Z and younger millennials. She’s creating products her fans actually need to achieve the look she embodies.
When Rhode launched, terms like “glazed-donut look,” “strawberry-girl makeup,” and “latte makeup” were everywhere. Hailey was literally at the center of all these trends. But how did she get there?
She talked to her fans. She didn’t use corny hooks like “get ageless skin” on Gen Z; instead, she spoke to them in a language they understood. Hailey’s biggest strength might just be how simple and on-point her copy is.
She knows exactly what generation she’s speaking to when she adopted “One of everything really good” as her brand’s main slogan. It’s exactly how Gen Z talks, and it perfectly conveys the “less is more” concept — showcasing her curated collection of products that she uses herself on camera and in real life.
Another example of effective copy is “Designed to nourish your skin barrier,” a slogan often used by Rhode. It’s not just simple and effective — it hits the nail right on the head, as Rhode launched at the tail end of the exfoliation nightmare of the early 2020s. Rhode quite literally came in to save people’s skin barriers, and that’s why Rhode became a bestseller while SKKN was a resounding failure.