My girlfriend gives me a masterclass in copywriting
Welcome to today’s issue of Conversion Alchemy Journal. If you received this from a friend and enjoy it, subscribe here.
My girlfriend is learning Italian (if you don't know, I'm Italian), and she hit a wall this week—right at the very first lesson on how gender works in nouns. She texted me all confused about why a book (libro) is male, and a door (porta) is female.
Makes no sense, right?
To an English-speaking person it doesn’t. But to us Italians, gender in language is a given. We don’t even think about it.
English-speaking people have no mental model for this at all. They don’t categorize nouns by gender, so it feels foreign and unnecessary. Yet, as strange as it may seem, gender helps us unpack meaning in a way that’s unique to our culture—even when, practically speaking, it’s not always useful.
This reminded me about something I’ve been thinking lately: “We don’t read words, we unpack meaning”.
There are layers of meaning built into the words we use, but not everyone will interpret them the same way. For example, when you read copy that resonates with you, something clicks. It feels personal. You think, “Yes, this is for me.” But if that meaning is misaligned with your expectations or experience, you’ll feel disconnected.
That’s why we need to be intentional with the words we choose, ensuring they pack the right punch for the right audience. The challenge? Each reader comes with their own set of experiences, emotions, and preconceived notions. So it’s up to us to do the work and guide them through those layers, helping them unpack meaning step-by-step.
This process is actually a UX design idea called “information scent.”
In UX, information scent refers to the cues or signals users follow to navigate an interface and find what they’re looking for. The stronger the scent, the easier it is for them to find their way to their goal. But if the scent is misleading, they could end up lost or frustrated. In copywriting, the same principle applies.
You need to provide a clear, consistent trail of meaning that guides the reader toward the desired action, without leading them astray.
And you have to keep the momentum going. At every stage, you have to keep reinforcing the meaning they’ve already unpacked and build on it. If the trail goes cold, the momentum breaks, and they’ll lose interest. That’s why the "scent" needs to be strong and continuous. Each new piece of information should feel like a natural next step, pulling them further along.
Think about it like this:
- When a reader is problem-aware, they know something’s off, but they might not know the solution yet. To strengthen the “scent,” we need to match their thoughts, agitate the problem, and make them feel it fully. Once they resonate with the problem, then we can start offering a solution.
- When they’re solution-aware, our job is to make the solution vivid—showing them how it fits their needs. It’s about going deeper, connecting features to benefits, and showing how their life or business will improve with the solution. This is where we agitate the solution, making it feel indispensable.
- Finally, when they’re product-aware, we need to make them feel like our product is the only real option. Here, the scent has to be strongest—showing proof, giving evidence, and guiding them to that final decision with confidence.
To help me keep the scent strong and continuous in my copy, I ask myself these two questions:
What’s the one thing they need to feel confident enough to move forward?
Is it more clarity, more emotional resonance, or more reassurance that this is the best solution for them?
Like in learning a new language, once you crack the code and unpack the meaning, the rest flows naturally. It’s the same for your audience—once they’ve unlocked the meaning behind your message, everything else falls into place.
So make it as easy as possible for them.
📚 Copywriting nuggets in the wild
Content of the week: How to hook the right audience
I loved this interview with Youtuber Cleo Abraham about her creative process. Plus Colin and Samir are amazing interviewers. Listen in particular around 28 minutes in where they talk about how in one of her videos, Cleo is able to create so many questions the viewer has needs to find an answer to that they inevitably keep watching.
As the hosts say "on YouTube your first job is to present an idea in a way that earns the audience's click. Your second job is to earn their attention.". In copywriting we might not want a click right away, but a yes, a decision to keep reading. Think decision + attention.
How can you create this combo as fast as possible?
Swipe file: Good brand marketing hits again (from Italy nonetheless)
Going back to Italian, here's a brand I stumbled on that is taking the gin market by storm, Engine gin.
Wait what? No value proposition copy? No benefits, no features? Nope, just a gas station.
It's a great example of how your brand if positioned properly, speaks for itself.
I'm not a fan of interactive websites with lots going on, but this is good. Can't deny it.
✅ Don't miss it
Last week I had a super fun, highly-caffeinated late night podcast interview on the Persuasion By the Pint podcast with Jonathan and Sean.
We looked at how I use the alchemy of copywriting, UX, and decision-making psychology to create messaging and copy that resonate.
Some highlights:
- Why I I have a "sink it drink it" beer pong tattoo on my arm, when I don't drink alcohol
- How I turned from software engineer to conversion copywriter (involves playing drums)
- How to "unpack meaning" from words and why it matters for conversion
- Why great copy can't resonate if it can't be found
- How to sell decisions, not just products
- Using AI to simulate your customers and do better research
- Plus, we geeked out on AI tools and had a blast comparing notes on conversion optimization.
🤔 Thought of the week
"Wisdom is pain plus insight."
Orion Taraban, The Value of Others
Wisdom is earned through constant work and application. You can’t become a master in isolation. Learn from feedback and from your own mistakes.
Have a great weekend!
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Chris Silvestri
Founder, Conversion Alchemy
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🙌🏻 Let’s be friends (unless you’re a stalker)
