Reef Copywriting

Copywriting — Conversion Copy That Sells

Write landing pages, product descriptions, ads, and sales copy using proven direct-response frameworks. Sources: Digitaloft (13 frameworks), CrazyEgg, NON.agency, DesignRush (direct response examples). All outputs go to workspace/artifacts/.

Use when

• Writing landing page copy (Gumroad, product pages, ClawHub listings)
• Crafting product descriptions that convert browsers to buyers
• Writing ad copy (social, search, display)
• Improving existing copy that isn't converting
• Writing Upwork profile descriptions or service listings
• Creating CTA buttons and microcopy
• Sales page sections (hero, features, testimonials, pricing)

Don't use when

• Cold outreach emails (use cold-outreach skill — different format)
• Blog posts for SEO (different goal — traffic, not immediate conversion)
• Technical documentation (clarity > persuasion)
• Proposals (use proposal-writing skill)

Negative examples

• "Write me a cold email" → No. Use cold-outreach skill.
• "Help me with my resume" → No. Different format entirely.
• "Write a technical README" → No. Documentation, not sales.

Edge cases

• Upwork profile bio → YES. It's a mini sales page — you're selling yourself.
• ClawHub skill descriptions → YES. Descriptions should make people install.
• Email subject lines → YES. Subject lines are conversion copy (open rate = conversion).
• Discord channel descriptions → Borderline. Only if you need them to drive action.

The 6 Core Frameworks

Pick the framework that matches your copy's goal:

1. PAS — Problem, Agitate, Solve

Best for: Landing pages, product pages, pain-point-driven products.

[PROBLEM] You're losing bookings every time your phone goes to voicemail.
[AGITATE] That's 3-5 clients a week — $300-500/month walking out the door while your hands are busy.
[SOLVE] Our SMS automation catches every missed call and books them automatically. One therapist went from 15 to 22 clients/week in 30 days.

When to use: When the audience KNOWS they have a problem. Agitation makes them feel the cost of inaction.

2. AIDA — Attention, Interest, Desire, Action

Best for: Ads, email subject lines, general sales pages.

[ATTENTION] What if your agent could earn money while you sleep?
[INTEREST] The Reef orchestrates local AI models to handle tasks 24/7 — no cloud API costs.
[DESIRE] Imagine checking your dashboard and seeing 50 tasks completed overnight, at $0 compute cost.
[ACTION] Get The Reef for $29 → [CTA button]

When to use: When you need to grab cold traffic and walk them through to action.

3. FAB — Features, Advantages, Benefits

Best for: Product descriptions, feature pages, comparison sections.

[FEATURE] Automated SMS auto-responder
[ADVANTAGE] Responds to missed calls in under 5 seconds — faster than any human
[BENEFIT] Never lose a booking to voicemail again. Clients feel heard even when you're busy.

When to use: When you need to translate features into reasons people should care. Most tech products describe features but forget benefits.

4. BAB — Before, After, Bridge

Best for: Transformation-focused copy, case studies, testimonials.

[BEFORE] You're manually checking voicemails between sessions, texting clients back hours late.
[AFTER] Your phone handles it all — instant replies, automatic booking, review requests sent after each session.
[BRIDGE] Our automation system connects your phone to your calendar. Setup takes 15 minutes.

5. The 4 Ps — Promise, Picture, Proof, Push

Best for: Long-form sales pages.

[PROMISE] Double your bookings without hiring a receptionist.
[PICTURE] Imagine finishing a session and seeing 3 new bookings confirmed — all handled while you worked.
[PROOF] "I went from 15 to 22 clients a week in my first month." — Alfred, Soothing Escape Massage
[PUSH] Start your free trial today. Cancel anytime. → [CTA]

6. Star-Story-Solution

Best for: About pages, brand narratives, personal selling.

[STAR] Meet Celeste — an AI agent that lives on a Mac mini and builds automation for small businesses.
[STORY] Built by a solo developer who was tired of seeing small business owners drown in admin work.
[SOLUTION] Now Celeste powers SMS automation, booking systems, and AI workflows — starting at $149/mo.

Landing Page Structure

A high-converting landing page follows this order:

1. Hero Section

• Headline: One clear promise (10 words or fewer)
• Subhead: How you deliver on the promise (1-2 sentences)
• CTA: Primary action button
• Visual: Product screenshot, demo, or relevant image

Formula: "[Outcome] without [pain point]"

• "Automate Your Bookings Without Missing a Single Client"
• "Run Local AI Models Without Cloud API Bills"

2. Problem Section

Use PAS. Name their pain. Make it specific.

3. Solution Section

Use FAB. Show what you built and why it matters to THEM.

4. Social Proof

• Testimonials with specific results ("went from X to Y")
• Client logos (if B2B)
• Numbers ("500+ agents use this skill")
• Star ratings or review excerpts

5. How It Works

3 simple steps. Remove complexity.

Step 1: [Easy first action]
Step 2: [We do the work]
Step 3: [They get the result]

6. Pricing

Use pricing-psychology skill. Show value before price. Anchor high.

7. FAQ / Objection Handling

Address top 4-5 objections in Q&A format (see objection-handling skill).

8. Final CTA

Repeat the hero CTA. Add urgency if real.

Copy Rules (Non-Negotiable)

1. Write for scanners. Most people skim. Use headlines, bullets, bold, and short paragraphs.
2. One idea per sentence. Complex sentences kill conversion.
3. "You" > "We." The copy is about THEM, not you. Count your "you"s vs "we"s.
4. Specific > Vague. "Save 5 hours/week" beats "save time." Numbers create belief.
5. Benefits > Features. Features tell. Benefits sell. Always translate.
6. CTA = Action verb + Outcome. "Get Started" < "Start Automating Today"
7. Cut 30%. First draft is always too long. Cut ruthlessly. Every word must earn its place.
8. Read it out loud. If you stumble, rewrite. Copy should flow like conversation.

CTA Writing Guide

Platform-Specific Notes

Gumroad listings:

• Title = benefit-driven headline (not product name alone)
• First 2 lines visible in search — make them count
• Use bullet points for features/benefits
• Include "What's inside" section

ClawHub skill descriptions:

• Lead with what problem the skill solves
• "Use when / Don't use when" is visible to browsers — make it compelling
• Include a result: "Used by X agents" or "Built from Y sources"

Upwork profile:

• First 2 lines = hook (visible before "more")
• Lead with client outcomes, not your resume
• Specific numbers: "Built 50+ automations" > "experienced developer"

Key Principles

• Copy is a conversation, not a lecture
• Every piece of copy has ONE job: get them to take the NEXT step
• The headline does 80% of the work — spend 50% of your time on it
• Specificity builds trust. Vagueness breeds skepticism.
• Test > opinion. When in doubt, A/B test.