Copywriting Formulas

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This hand-drawn chart nails one of the simplest and most powerful tools in copywriting: AIDA. It’s old-school, but it’s everywhere — from ads to landing pages to email subject lines.

The 4-Step Flow That Sells

AIDA = Attention, Interest, Desire, Action.
It’s the backbone of nearly every message that moves people. The goal? Pull readers in, make them care, and get them to do something.

Why It Works

  • Forces focus on each stage of persuasion
  • Prevents “info dump” writing
  • Moves readers logically from curiosity to conversion
  • Keeps copy emotional and actionable

Examples

  • Apple ads: Bold visuals grab Attention, sleek product shots create Desire, “Buy now” pushes Action
  • Sales emails: Catchy subject line + relatable story (A/I), value proposition (D), CTA button (A)
  • YouTube ads: Hook in five seconds, show benefit, end with “Subscribe” or “Shop Now”

1. Founder Growth Levels

aymanalabdul
Ayman Al-Abdullah 🧱
@aymanalabdul
Top issues you’ll face as a founder (in order): Level 1: Not enough leads Level 2: No killer product Level 3: Too many leads (systems breaking) Level 4: Your team needs to level up Level 5: You need to level up You can’t fight the next boss Until you beat the last one

Ayman Al-Abdullah nailed it: growing a business happens in levels. You don’t get to skip ahead. Each level demands new...

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2. The Difference Between a Strategy and a Plan

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That slick chart nails a mistake almost every marketer makes: confusing plans with strategy.Strategy is how you win long-term, while...

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3. To Rules of Marketing

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This chart by Tom Pestridge nails what most marketers forget: marketing isn’t about clever tactics, it’s about human behavior. Each...

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4. What NOT to say in Marketing

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Ever stare at your copy and think, “It sounds… fine”? That’s the problem. Fine doesn’t convert. This chart from Tom...

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5. AIDA Formula Email Template

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This image is a working outline for the timeless AIDA formula: Attention, Interest, Desire, Action. It’s the easiest way to...

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6. The Value Staircase Strategy

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Ever try to sell a $2,000 product to someone who just met you? Tough. The Value Staircase shows you how...

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7. LinkedIn Attention Funnel

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Most LinkedIn posts flop because they start with “Happy Monday!” instead of grabbing attention fast. This simple visual nails a...

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8. Slide them down the “Slippery Slope”

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This stick figure slide says it all: good copy is just a slick ride straight down to action. Each line...

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9. Use the A.I.D.A. Formula for selling

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Ever wonder why some sales pages feel like a smooth slide that lands you right on the “Buy Now” button?...

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10. 70% Content and 30% Sales

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That colorful little chart says it all: 70% content, 30% sales. It’s the email marketing sweet spot. Enough value to...

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11. The Website Complexity Trap

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Namya from Supafast nails a core truth: most founders are overbuilding their websites. They think more pages look more “pro.”...

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12. How Discipline Really Works

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Most marketers wait for motivation to strike. But the pros? They rely on discipline—a system of tiny daily habits that...

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13. How to Build Build BulletProof Self-Confidence

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Sometimes the best marketing isn’t polished — it’s sketched on a napkin. Matt Gray’s hand-drawn guide to “Building Bulletproof Self-Confidence”...

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14. How to be unhappy (inverted for happiness).

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Sometimes the easiest way to find what works is to first look at what doesn't. This image nails it: how...

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15. Branding vs Marketing

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This visual nails the difference between marketing and branding using one clever analogy. Marketing gets attention. Branding earns trust. Together,...

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16. The Strategy Pyramid

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This visual nails how to turn a fuzzy idea into a real strategy. It shows how to start with Purpose,...

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17. How to Get Rich by Naval Ravikant

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Naval Ravikant’s “How to Get Rich” poster is a masterclass in thinking like a modern creator. Every lesson boils down...

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18. How Starbucks uses Psychological Triggers

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Ever wonder why you always end up with a venti instead of a tall? This image by Tom Pestridge shows...

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19. 2,2,2 Rule for Happy Marriages

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This marriage tip graphic nails a key marketing principle: consistency creates connection. The “2,2,2 Rule” is basically relationship maintenance on...

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20. How to find your Ideal Client Persona

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Ever worked with a client who drains your energy (and joy)? Ayman Al Abdul’s simple checklist makes sure that never...

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21. AppSumo's Core Values Keep Hungry, Keep Humble, Keep Weird

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AppSumo nails their company culture using just three punchy phrases: Keep Hungry, Keep Humble, Keep Weird. These aren’t just words...

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22. The Everest Goal Setting Framework Pyramid

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That pyramid image nails it. Big goals look huge and scary until you slice them into smaller, chewable chunks. The...

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23. 6 Question's to ask when creating an SOP

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Making an SOP shouldn’t feel like writing a novel. This 6-step list from Ayman Al Abdul nails it. It’s short,...

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24. Small, Medium and Large Pricing Psychology

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Ever noticed how you end up buying the large coffee because it’s “only” 50 cents more than the medium? That’s...

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25. Matt Gray’s social media posting schedule

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Matt Gray’s team nailed one of the biggest marketing challenges: staying consistent across platforms. This Miro board isn't just a...

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26. The Venn Diagram of Success

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This Venn diagram nails what most people forget about success: it’s not one magic skill, it’s the overlap. Talent alone...

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27. How to solve any problem with first principles

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Ever get stuck on a marketing problem that feels impossible? This flowchart nails how to think like a first-principles problem...

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28. Swiss Cheese Aviation Accident Framework

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Ever seen the Swiss Cheese Model from aviation safety? It’s a perfect metaphor for marketing fails. Each “slice” is a...

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29. Government Master Plan

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Ever heard a complex idea turned simple with a visual? David Friedberg’s “Three Legs on a Stool” analogy nails it....

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30. Noah Kagan's “LOT” Framework for Making Money

Listen - Listen to problem, ask questions. Options - Present options see what they like. Transition - Transition into asking for money.
Noah Kagan

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31. 8 qualities of a great swipe

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A great swipe isn’t just something that looks good—it’s something that makes you stop, learn, and act. The image above...

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32. 6 Copywriting Formulas

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This chart from Chase Dimond packs a mini-MBA in copywriting onto one slide. It takes the guesswork out of writing...

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33. The Anatomy of Great Newsletter Design

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If your newsletter looks messy, readers bounce. This visual from EmailLabs shows a clean blueprint every marketer should steal: headline,...

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34. Anatomy of a Successful Print Campaign

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This visual breakdown nails what makes a print ad succeed: clarity, focus, and a strong call to action. It’s not...

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35. Anatomy of an AI SaaS Landing page

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This landing page teardown maps every move that took a SaaS company from “okay” to “wow” — a 179% conversion...

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36. SpaceX algorithm to making less mistakes

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This SpaceX sign is gold. Elon Musk’s five steps aren’t just for rockets—they’re killer for fixing your marketing process too....

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37. Landing Page Formulas

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Ever get stuck staring at a blank landing page? This visual breaks down every piece into plug-and-play formulas. Each section...

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38. Anatomy of a hero section

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The first few seconds on your site decide if visitors stay or bounce. That’s why your hero section needs to...

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39. Product Market Fit Framework Exercise

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Ever wonder why some startups explode while others fizzle? This chart from Fletch breaks down eight different founder journeys to...

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40. The 8+8+8 Rule

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Most of us treat time like an endless open tab. The 8+8+8 Rule slaps a budget on it. It divides...

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41. Job interview cheat sheet

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This job interview cheat sheet is a masterclass in clarity. It takes something intimidating—interviews—and breaks it into bite-sized boxes that...

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42. Sam Altman’s (OpenAI + YCombinator) Life Advice

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Sam Altman’s life advice reads like a startup manual for humans. Every bullet could double as a business principle. The...

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43. Time Management Tips List

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This list of 15 time management tips is gold. Each one’s short, punchy, and funny enough to keep you entertained...

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44. Best hack for scheduling friend hangouts:

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45. 6 Landing page copywriting tips

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Most landing pages flop because they talk about what they do instead of why people should care. This one-pager from...

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46. The blueprint to creating a profitable SaaS business

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This handwritten blueprint nails how to build a lean, profitable SaaS business — no VC funding, no fluff, just smart...

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47. AIDA Formula low effort -> high impact

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Gus Tiffer nailed it: the most “stupidly simple” copy template might also be the most powerful. The AIDA formula has...

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48. The AIDA Slippery Slope

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Ever wonder why some copy feels like a smooth ride, while others make you bail halfway? That’s the magic of...

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49. "The Slippery Slope" and "The AIDA Formula"

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Ever feel like good sales copy just pulls you in line by line? That’s the “Slippery Slope” in action —...

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50. King of the Hill Visual Style Guide:

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Ever notice how King of the Hill doesn’t feel like a cartoon? It feels like you’re eavesdropping on real people...

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51. Who is your target audience?

Most marketers start by defining their “ideal customer,” then aim every ad at that person. But sometimes, the real buyers...

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52. Hidden Rules Among Classes

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Ever wonder why the same ad hits hard for one group and totally misses another? This chart of Hidden Rules...

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53. List of psychological triggers that make people buy

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Joe Sugarman nailed what makes people buy. He listed 24 “psychological triggers” that explain why a product suddenly becomes irresistible....

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54. AIDA is still the best

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This simple doodle nails what every marketer must master: AIDA. Attention. Interest. Desire. Action. It’s not sexy or new, but...

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55. Twitter Posting Cheat Sheet

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If you ever sit staring at Twitter thinking “what do I post?”, this cheat sheet by @nevmed is your new...

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56. The Circle Of Influence

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This simple diagram nails a truth most marketers forget: worry about what you can control first. The “Circle of Influence”...

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57. Feature, Benefit, Experience.

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Ever get stuck describing your product in a way that actually sells? This 3-step framework makes it stupid simple: Feature...

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58. Emails and weekly newsletters

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Email marketing looks old-school, but it’s still the heavyweight champ of online communication. The image above breaks down exactly why:...

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59. U.S. Department of Education Crowd-source Idea

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Imagine if the U.S. Department of Education treated lesson plans like viral content challenges. The idea: crowdsource short, punchy one-minute...

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60. ATIDFA Copywriting Formula

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Oliver Kenyon just dropped a fresh twist on the classic AIDA formula called ATIDFA: Attention, Transformation, Interest, Desire, FAQ, Action....

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61. 7-Steps of a Compelling Story

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Every brand (and person) needs a story. But too many skip straight to the “success” part and forget the messy...

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62. Avoid “Toxic Positivity” Do & Don’t Chart

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This simple Instagram graphic nails emotional intelligence in marketing. It shows how tiny wording choices flip a message from dismissive...

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63. Pet to Human Years Calculator

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That old “dog years” formula is wrong—and this chart proves it. Instead of just saying “multiply by seven,” it breaks...

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64. Age Appropriate Chores List

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This “Age-Appropriate Chores” chart is secretly a masterclass in marketing. It takes one universal job—teaching kids responsibility—and breaks it into...

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65. Physical writing proofreading markup symbols

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Before Grammarly, editors had their own visual language for fixing text—proofreading marks. Each curl, caret, and circle told writers exactly...

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66. They don't want software, they want to accomplish a goal

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Aaron Orendorff nails it with this tweet. The truth: people don’t want your product. They want what your product helps...

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67. Good friends bring up hard conversations

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Ever give someone feedback and immediately regret it? That weird face in the image perfectly sums it up — the...

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68. Comfort Zone Circles

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This simple chart nails personal and professional growth: your Comfort Zone, Fear Zone, Learning Zone, and Growth Zone. It’s not...

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69. H.A.L.T. Acronym

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Ever start doom‑scrolling and make a bad marketing call just because you were tired or hangry? The H.A.L.T. method (Hungry,...

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70. Dog Groomer Price Justification Chart

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Every service provider faces the “Why are you so expensive?” question. This dog groomer found a hilarious and brilliant way...

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71. Characteristics of Pseudoscience Chart

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This chart is pure gold for marketers—it’s a checklist for BS detection. Every wild “miracle” product or “secret system” you’ve...

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72. Not everything is a priority

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This graphic nails one of the biggest marketing (and life) lessons: focus beats frenzy. You can do a thousand things,...

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73. Words to use instead of "very"

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This quick chart shows how one word swap can make your writing 10x stronger. Instead of saying “very noisy,” say...

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74. The Learning Pit

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You know that moment when you’re learning something new and feel like your brain has turned to mush? That’s the...

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75. Make ads like Ogilvy - Cheat Sheet

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David Ogilvy didn’t just make ads—he made blueprints for persuasion. His famous layout formula was based on how people naturally...

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76. Writing feature & benefits formula

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Ever struggled to turn product features into something customers actually care about? This 3-step formula nails it. It’s simple, fast,...

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77. 13-step Twitter growth playbook

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Alex Lieberman's tweet is short, clean, and magnetic. He celebrates a win, then instantly turns it into value: a 13-step...

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78. How to write a sponsorship letter / cold email framework

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Most sponsorship emails fail because they're too long and focused on “me, me, me.” This infographic breaks down a simple,...

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79. Anatomy of a Email Newsletter

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Most email newsletters fail because they try to do too much. HubSpot’s simple “Anatomy of an Email Newsletter” layout shows...

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80. How to read more

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