The First Law of Copywriting: Why Every Rule Has Its Exception
The Copywriter Column #220
Summary
This post challenges the blind adherence to copywriting "rules" and introduces a first-principles approach to writing effective copy. By understanding that all copy exists to create understanding that drives action, writers can learn when to follow conventional wisdom and when to break it. Through three core principles—context determines correctness, clarity beats cleverness, and trust precedes transaction—copywriters can move beyond formulaic writing to create messages that truly connect with their specific audience.
Every Copywriting Rule Has an Exception
The most dangerous thing in copywriting isn't breaking the rules – it's following them blindly.
Every copywriting course, every Twitter X thread, every "5 tips to 10x your conversions" post hammers the same rules into your brain.
Benefits over features.
Short sentences sell.
One CTA per page.
And you know what? Most of the time, they're right.
I’ve even hammered home these same points myself.
But here's the thing, most of the time isn't all of the time. And if you're not careful, those rules become handcuffs.
In all the years I’ve been writing copy, I've noticed something: The best copywriters aren't the ones who follow all the rules. They're the ones who know when to break them.
The Problem with Copywriting Dogma
Imagine you're writing a landing page for a new SaaS tool. Your copywriting bible says "benefits over features," so you write:
"Save 10 hours a week!"
"Boost your productivity!"
"Work smarter, not harder!"
Congrats. You just wrote the same copy as every other SaaS landing page on the internet. 🫠
When everyone follows the same rules, everyone sounds the same. And when everyone sounds the same, no one stands out.
But it gets worse. Sometimes following the "rules" doesn't just make you boring—it makes you ineffective.
Take that benefits-over-features rule. Solid advice for selling a $47 course to beginners. But what about selling a $50,000 enterprise software package to CTOs?
Those CTOs don't want to hear about "boosting productivity." They want API documentation. Integration capabilities. Security protocols. The boring stuff that proves you know what you're talking about.
The features are the benefits.
The First Principles Approach
So if the rules aren't really rules, what are they?
They're shortcuts.
Training wheels.
Starting points for people who don't yet understand the deeper game.
The real question isn't "What are the rules?" It's "What are the rules trying to accomplish?"
And that brings us to the first principle of copywriting:
All copy exists to create understanding that drives action.
Everything else – every "rule," every framework, every formula – is just a tool to help you achieve that goal.
Once you get this, the entire copywriting universe opens up. Because now you're not asking "Should I use benefits or features?" You're asking, "What will help my specific reader understand why they should act?"
Sometimes that's benefits.
Sometimes it's features.
3 Universal Principles That Govern All Copywriting Rules
If you want to know when to follow the rules and when to break them, you need to understand the principles behind them.
Here are the only three that matter:
Principle 1: Context Determines Correctness
Your audience changes everything.
Writing for developers? They want to see the code.
Writing for busy moms? They want to know it's fast.
Writing for luxury buyers? They want to feel special.
Same product. Different context. Different copy.
I see too many copywriters trying to force-fit their audience into their favorite framework. That's backward. The audience determines the approach, not the other way around.
A surgeon shopping for medical equipment doesn't want to hear "You'll save lives easier!" They want "2mm precision cutting capability with real-time feedback sensors."
The technical specs aren't boring details. They're credibility signals.
Meanwhile, someone buying a meditation app needs the exact opposite. They don't care about the algorithm behind the breathing exercises. They care about feeling less anxious.
Context is king.
Principle 2: Clarity Beats Cleverness
This one hurts because we all want to be clever.
We want to write that perfect turn of phrase that makes people go "Ooh, that's good." We want to be the copywriter other copywriters quote.
But if your reader has to work to understand you, you've already lost.
Clear copy converts. Clever copy gets likes on LinkedIn.
Choose accordingly.
This doesn't mean boring copy. It means every word serves the reader, not your ego. It means killing your darlings when they get in the way of the message.
It means asking "Will this help them understand?" before "Will this impress them?"
Principle 3: Trust Precedes Transaction
People don't buy from brands they don't trust. Obvious, right?
But here's what's not obvious: Different audiences need different types of proof to trust you.
A funded startup can lead with big promises because their funding is social proof. A unknown brand selling the same thing? They need to prove competence first.
Sometimes features build trust. Sometimes benefits build trust. Sometimes a simple "we get you" builds trust.
The rule isn't "always do X." The rule is "do whatever builds trust with THIS audience."
A Framework for Breaking Rules Intelligently
So, how do you actually apply this? Before you write a single word and decide which "rules" to follow, ask yourself three questions:
1. WHO is my reader and what do they value?
Not demographics. Psychographics. What keeps them up at night? What makes them feel smart? What are they afraid of looking stupid about?
2. WHAT stage of awareness are they at?
Eugene Schwartz stuff. Are they problem-aware? Solution-aware? Just browsing? The more aware they are, the less education you need. The less aware, the more context required.
3. WHY would this rule help or hinder understanding?
This is where the magic happens. For every "rule" you're tempted to follow, ask why it would work HERE, for THIS audience, at THIS moment.
Can't answer?
Then you're following rules blindly.
Real-World Applications
Let's get practical. Here's how this plays out with three "unbreakable" rules:
Long vs. Short Copy
The Rule:
"Keep it short. People don't read."
The Reality:
People don't read boring copy. Length is irrelevant if every word earns its place.
Selling a $27 ebook? Yeah, keep it snappy.
Selling a $10,000 coaching program? You better explain every detail.
First principle:
Match message depth to decision complexity.
The bigger the commitment, the more information they need. Not because long copy "works better," but because big decisions require more trust-building.
One vs. Multiple CTAs
The Rule:
"One page, one CTA. Don't confuse them."
The Reality:
Sometimes people need options.
If someone's comparing solutions, give them a "See pricing" AND a "Book a demo" option. Different stages of readiness need different next steps.
First principle:
Guide, don't restrict.
Your job is to help them take the next logical step, whatever that is for them. Sometimes that means multiple paths.
Features vs. Benefits
The Rule:
"Always lead with benefits."
The Reality:
We covered this already, but it bears repeating.
Developer tools? Features first.
Lifestyle products? Benefits first.
Enterprise software? Both, strategically woven together.
First principle:
Speak their language, not yours.
The Meta-Rule
After all this rule-breaking talk, here's the only rule that actually matters:
Serve your reader.
That's it.
Every other rule is just a tool. Use it when it helps. Discard it when it doesn't.
The moment you put rules above readers, you've lost the plot. The moment you write to impress other copywriters instead of helping customers, you've failed.
Your reader doesn't care if you follow the rules. They care if you solve their problem.
So What Now?
Here's my challenge to you:
Think about one "sacred" copywriting rule you always follow. Maybe it's "benefits over features." Maybe it's "social proof above the fold." Maybe it's "always write in second person."
Now ask yourself: Does this rule serve your specific audience, or are you following it because "that's how it's done"?
If you can't explain WHY the rule helps your reader understand and act, you're following it blindly.
And blind copywriters don't convert.
Look, I'm not saying throw out everything you've learned. The rules exist for a reason—they work more often than not. But "more often than not" isn't good enough when you're trying to stand out in a sea of sameness.
Understanding first principles doesn't make you a rebel. It makes you effective. It lets you use the rules when they help and break them when they don't.
That's not chaos.
That's craft.
And it's the difference between a copywriter who follows formulas and one who drives results.
Which one do you want to be?
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