48 tips and counting

The Tip Library.

Short, specific marketing tips with a “try this” action attached to every one. Filter by channel or search for what you need.

48 tips showing

Copywriting

Lead with the problem, not the product

Nobody wakes up wanting your product. They wake up with a problem.

Open with the frustration your customer feels in their own words. Once they nod along, they'll want to know the fix — that's when you introduce yourself.

  • Bad: “We're an award-winning accountancy firm.”
  • Better: “Dreading January's tax deadline again?”

Try this: Rewrite the first line of your homepage so it names a problem, not your company.

Go deeper: How to write copy that sells →

Copywriting

Use the ‘So what?’ test on every feature

Features tell. Benefits sell. The ‘so what?’ test turns one into the other.

Read each feature aloud and ask “so what?” until you reach something the customer genuinely cares about.

  1. “Cloud-based.” So what?
  2. “Access it anywhere.” So what?
  3. “Send invoices from your phone between jobs and get paid days sooner.”

Try this: Run your top three features through the test and swap in the final answer.

Go deeper: How to write copy that sells →

CopywritingNew

Write the problem in their words

Your customers can give you your best headline.

Look through reviews, emails and sales call notes. Pay attention to how people describe the problem before they know what to buy. Their wording can make your copy feel instantly familiar.

Try this: Pick one customer phrase and use it to rewrite the first line of your sales page.

Go deeper: How to write copy that sells →

CopywritingNew

Put proof beside the promise

Give readers a reason to believe you at the moment they need it.

If you say your tool makes invoicing quicker, show a timed demo beside that claim. A specific piece of proof can answer the question already forming in your reader’s head.

Try this: Find your boldest claim and put a relevant screenshot, demo or customer quote beside it.

Go deeper: How to write copy that sells →

CopywritingNew

Tell people what happens next

A clear button makes the next step easier to take.

“Submit” leaves people guessing. “Get the free checklist” tells them what they’ll receive. If they’re booking a call, say how long it takes and what you’ll cover.

Try this: Rewrite one vague button. Add a short line beneath it that explains what happens after the click.

Go deeper: How to write copy that sells →

CopywritingNew

Answer the objection before the price

A small doubt can hold up the whole sale.

Think about what a buyer needs to believe before they’ll pay. If beginners worry your course is too advanced, show them the first exercise so they can judge for themselves.

Try this: Take one objection from a recent sales conversation and answer it above your pricing section.

Go deeper: How to write copy that sells →

Content

Make one ‘pillar’, then slice it ten ways

Stop starting from a blank page every day.

Create one substantial piece a week — a video, article or podcast. Then cut it into clips, quote graphics, a carousel, a thread and an email.

Try this: Take your best-performing piece from last month and make three new posts from it this week.

Go deeper: What kind of content should I post? →

Content

Answer the questions customers already ask

Your inbox is a content calendar in disguise.

Every question a customer emails, DMs or asks on a call is a piece of content someone else is searching for. Answer it publicly once and point people to it forever.

Try this: List the last ten questions customers asked you. That's your next ten posts.

Go deeper: What kind of content should I post? →

Email

One email, one job

Every extra link steals clicks from the one that matters.

Decide the single action you want from each email — read, reply, book, buy — and cut everything that doesn't serve it. Footers can hold the rest.

Try this: Look at your last newsletter. Count the links. Next time, use one main call to action.

Go deeper: Grow your followers and email list →

Email

Write subject lines like a text from a friend

Corporate-sounding subjects look like ads. Ads get ignored.

Short, lowercase, curious and specific usually beats Title Case announcements.

  • Instead of: “October Newsletter: Product Updates”
  • Try: “quick fix for your slow tuesday mornings”

Try this: Write five versions of your next subject line and pick the one you'd open yourself.

Go deeper: Grow your followers and email list →

EmailNew

Deliver the download first

Make the first email useful as soon as it opens.

If someone signs up for a checklist, put the download link near the top. Then give them one small task they can complete with it before introducing anything else.

Try this: Open your welcome email on your phone. Check how far you have to scroll to find the download.

Go deeper: Grow your followers and email list →

EmailNew

Send a follow-up based on interest

A click can help you choose what to explain next.

If someone clicks to learn about a workshop, follow up with an email about the workshop itself. Cover a practical question, such as what they’ll need to bring or what they’ll finish by the end.

Try this: Pick one link in your welcome sequence and write a follow-up that answers the reader’s next likely question.

Go deeper: Grow your followers and email list →

EmailNew

Make the preview text earn its space

Give readers one more reason to open the email.

Use the preview text to add a detail the subject line leaves out. If your subject is “A quicker way to write proposals”, the preview could say “Copy the three sections I use every time.”

Try this: Rewrite the preview text for your next email so it adds a new detail.

Go deeper: Grow your followers and email list →

EmailNew

Ask a question they can answer quickly

A short reply can tell you what subscribers need next.

Ask about something they’re dealing with right now. “Which part takes you longest, finding an idea or writing the first draft?” is easy to answer and gives you a topic for your next email.

Try this: End your next newsletter with one two-option question. Use the replies to plan a follow-up.

Go deeper: Grow your followers and email list →

Sales

Diagnose before you prescribe

Pitching before you understand the problem feels pushy — because it is.

Open sales calls with questions. “What made you get in touch now?” and “What have you tried so far?” tell you exactly how to frame your offer.

Try this: Write three opening questions and use them on your next call before you mention price.

Go deeper: How do I get more leads or enquiries? →

Sales

Never discount — remove instead

Dropping your price tells them it was inflated in the first place.

When someone says it's too expensive, offer a smaller package rather than a cheaper one. “If budget's the issue, we could drop the monthly reporting and start at £X.” Your value stays intact.

Try this: Build a ‘lite’ version of your main offer so you have a ready answer to price pushback.

Go deeper: How do I get more leads or enquiries? →

Social

Reply fast in the first hour

Early conversation tells the algorithm your post is worth showing.

Stay around after you post. Reply to every comment with a real sentence, not just an emoji, and ask a follow-up question to keep the thread going.

Try this: Block 30 minutes after your next post purely for replying.

Go deeper: Do I need to be on every social platform? →

Social

Post the ‘obvious’ stuff

What feels basic to you is a revelation to your audience.

Experts underestimate how valuable their everyday knowledge is. The tip you'd give a client over coffee is exactly what non-experts are searching for.

Try this: Write down three things you think ‘everyone knows’ in your industry. Post one today.

Go deeper: Do I need to be on every social platform? →

SocialNew

Show the change in two slides

A before and after gives people something they can copy.

Put the original on slide one and the improved version on slide two. Highlight the exact change and explain why you made it. This works for headlines, product photos and page layouts.

Try this: Take a recent client improvement you can share and turn it into a two-slide post.

Go deeper: Do I need to be on every social platform? →

SocialNew

Give your best reply its own post

A useful comment can reach more people as a post.

Look for a reply where you explained a mistake, gave an example or helped someone choose between options. Use the original question as the opening and show how your answer works in practice.

Try this: Find one reply that helped someone. Turn it into a post with one example readers can use.

Go deeper: Do I need to be on every social platform? →

SocialNew

Ask a question people can answer

A specific question makes it easier to join in.

“Any thoughts?” asks people to do all the work. “Which homepage headline would make you click, A or B?” gives them a clear choice and a reason to explain it.

Try this: End your next post with two real options and ask readers which they’d choose and why.

Go deeper: Do I need to be on every social platform? →

SocialNew

Give a strong post a second run

One post can do several jobs.

Find a post that led to relevant enquiries or clicks. Keep the idea and change how you show it. A written tip might become a screen recording that walks people through the steps.

Try this: Pick one post that brought in a good enquiry and turn it into a short demo.

Go deeper: Do I need to be on every social platform? →

YouTube

Thumbnail first, video second

If the click isn't irresistible, the content never gets a chance.

Sketch the title and thumbnail before filming. If you can't make it compelling at the idea stage, change the idea — not the edit.

Try this: Mock up three thumbnail ideas for your next video before you press record.

Go deeper: What kind of content should I post? →

YouTube

Cut the intro entirely

Viewers decide in the first 15 seconds. Don't spend them saying hello.

Open on the result or the most interesting moment, then rewind to explain. Save the subscribe ask for after you've delivered value.

Try this: Re-edit your last video's opening so the payoff appears in the first five seconds.

Go deeper: What kind of content should I post? →

TikTok

Text on screen in the first second

Most people scroll with the sound off.

A bold line of on-screen text tells silent scrollers what they'll get by staying. Keep it to six words or fewer and make it specific.

Try this: Add an on-screen hook to your next three videos and compare watch time.

Go deeper: How often should I post on social media? →

TikTok

End on a loop

Rewatches are one of the strongest signals you can earn.

Write your last line so it flows naturally back into your first. Viewers often watch twice before realising — and your watch time jumps.

Try this: Script your next video backwards: write the ending to set up the opening.

Go deeper: How often should I post on social media? →

VideoNew

Show the result before the steps

Give viewers a reason to stick around.

If you’re teaching people how to tidy a homepage, open with the finished page. Point out what improved, then show the steps that got you there.

Try this: Move the strongest five seconds of your next tutorial to the start and see how the edit feels.

Go deeper: What kind of content should I post? →

VideoNew

Make the video work on mute

Viewers should be able to follow the main point without sound.

Add readable captions and label the important steps on screen. If you’re recording a tutorial, zoom in where the viewer needs to click so they can follow on a phone.

Try this: Watch your next video on your phone with the sound off. Fix the first moment that’s hard to follow.

Go deeper: What kind of content should I post? →

VideoNew

Film the part people hesitate over

A short demo can make buying feel simpler.

If customers keep asking how setup works, record the actual setup. Show what they need, where they start and what the finished result looks like. Put the video where the question comes up.

Try this: Record a one-minute answer to a common pre-sale question and place it beside the relevant FAQ.

Go deeper: What kind of content should I post? →

SEO

Answer first, elaborate after

Searchers want the answer — give it to them straight away.

Put a clear two-sentence answer directly under your heading, then expand with detail, examples and FAQs. This suits both readers and search snippets.

Try this: Pick one blog post and move the direct answer to the very top.

Go deeper: What's SEO, and do I need it? →

SEO

Win the ‘near me’ search first

For local businesses, your Google Business Profile beats your website.

Complete every field, add fresh photos monthly, and ask happy customers for reviews that mention the service and your town.

Try this: Ask your last five happy customers for a review today, with a direct link.

Go deeper: What's SEO, and do I need it? →

SEONew

Give related articles a next step

A useful article can lead readers to the page they need next.

Someone reading about the signs of a leaking roof may want to see what a roof inspection includes. Link to that service from the paragraph where an inspection makes sense.

Try this: Open one well-read article and add a relevant link where it helps the reader take the next step.

Go deeper: What's SEO, and do I need it? →

LocalNew

Show real jobs in your area

Local examples help people picture you doing their job.

With permission, show a completed job and name the town or neighbourhood. Add a sentence about the customer’s problem and how you solved it. Keep their address and personal details private.

Try this: Turn a recent job photo into a short case study for the relevant service page.

Go deeper: Start with local SEO →

LocalNew

Ask for a review at handover

Make it easy for customers to share their experience while it’s fresh.

When you finish a job, send a short thank-you with a direct review link. Invite honest feedback and suggest they describe the work in their own words.

Try this: Save a two-sentence review request and send it after your next completed job.

Go deeper: Start with local SEO →

LocalNew

Check your listing before a bank holiday

Accurate hours can save customers a wasted trip.

Review your hours, phone number and address on your business listing. If customers visit in person, add a photo of the entrance or a short note about where to park.

Try this: Check your listing on your phone as if you’re a first-time visitor. Fix the first detail that could cause confusion.

Go deeper: Start with local SEO →

Paid adsNew

Read what people actually searched

Your search terms can reveal where your budget goes.

A paid search ad can appear for queries that sound related but signal a different need. Check which searches generated clicks and which brought in sales or qualified enquiries.

Try this: Review your highest-spend search terms. Add a clearly irrelevant term as a negative after checking what it would block.

Go deeper: Organic marketing or paid ads? →

Paid adsNew

Keep the promise after the click

The landing page should pick up where the ad left off.

If your ad offers a free boiler quote in Leeds, the page should lead with that offer. Sending visitors to a general homepage makes them hunt for the thing they clicked to get.

Try this: Open your top ad and its landing page. Check whether the same offer appears in both headlines.

Go deeper: Organic marketing or paid ads? →

Paid adsNew

Find the ads that bring good leads

A cheap enquiry only helps if it can turn into a sale.

Review the leads your campaigns generate. Mark which ones fit your service, location and budget. Then compare the cost per qualified lead across campaigns before deciding where to spend more.

Try this: Review your last 20 leads. Mark which you’d happily pay to get again and trace them to their campaigns.

Go deeper: Organic marketing or paid ads? →

Paid adsNew

Test one reason to buy at a time

A focused test tells you which selling point helped.

Compare two messages, such as faster delivery and easier setup. Keep the offer, audience and page consistent. Judge the result by the action you want people to take after the click.

Try this: Choose two selling points and write one ad around each. Decide how you’ll judge the test before it starts.

Go deeper: Organic marketing or paid ads? →

WebsitesNew

Make your homepage pass the five-second test

A new visitor should grasp the basics at a glance.

The first screen should show what you offer, who it’s for and what to do next. If visitors have to scroll to find the service you sell, bring that detail into the headline.

Try this: Show someone your homepage for five seconds. Ask them what you sell and who it’s for.

Go deeper: Do I need a website or just social media? →

WebsitesNew

Try your own enquiry form on a phone

One awkward field can put off a ready buyer.

Complete the form as a customer would. Look for fields that are hard to type into or ask for information you can collect later. Check that the confirmation tells people when to expect a reply.

Try this: Submit a test enquiry from your phone. Remove one unnecessary field and check the confirmation.

Go deeper: Do I need a website or just social media? →

WebsitesNew

Put the answer where the doubt appears

Visitors should find the detail when they need it.

If delivery cost comes up when people compare prices, put it beside the price. If clients ask what a consultation involves, explain it next to the booking button.

Try this: Pick one common buying question and answer it beside the decision it affects.

Go deeper: Do I need a website or just social media? →

Conversion

Put proof next to the button

Doubt peaks right before someone clicks buy.

Place a short testimonial, guarantee or trust badge directly beside your main call to action — not tucked away at the bottom of the page.

Try this: Add one testimonial right next to your main sign-up or buy button.

Go deeper: How do I get more leads or enquiries? →

Conversion

Test the offer before the colour

Button colour tests rarely move the needle. Offers do.

Prioritise tests by impact: the offer and price first, then the headline, then the page layout. Tweak small details last.

Try this: Brainstorm one stronger version of your offer — a bonus, a guarantee or a bundle.

Go deeper: How do I get more leads or enquiries? →

AI toolsNew

Give AI a brief it can use

Specific inputs make the first draft easier to work with.

Tell the tool who the reader is, what they’re struggling with and what you want them to do. Add a short sample of your writing so it can follow your tone.

Try this: Start your next prompt with four lines labelled Reader, Problem, Action and Writing Sample.

Go deeper: Using AI tools well →

AI toolsNew

Ask AI to flag unsupported claims

A polished sentence can still contain a claim you can’t prove.

Give the tool your draft and the facts you can verify. Ask it to flag claims the facts don’t support, including numbers, customer outcomes and comparisons. Check each flag against your source material.

Try this: Run your next sales email through this check before you schedule it.

Go deeper: Using AI tools well →

AI toolsNew

Get three angles before you draft

The best writing starts with a reason to care.

Ask AI for three ways to sell the same offer, each based on a different customer problem. Choose the angle that matches what you hear in sales conversations, then draft from there.

Try this: Ask for an angle about time, cost and frustration. Pick the one your customers mention most.

Go deeper: Using AI tools well →

MeasurementNew

Track which enquiries turn into sales

Your best source of enquiries may differ from your best source of customers.

Log where each lead came from, what they asked for and whether they bought. Include the sale value if you can. After a month, compare sources by sales and revenue as well as enquiry count.

Try this: Add Source, Outcome and Sale Value columns to your enquiry tracker and fill them in for your next ten leads.

Go deeper: How do I know if my marketing is working? →

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