One of my all-time favorite business practices / best strategy for finding copy ideas is found inside the weekly email that I usually send out on Fridays. All week, I take note of what headlines or bits of copy make me click or just in general intrigue me or catch my eye (the whole goal of copy and especially headlines!), screenshot them, and include them in my email.

For this blog post, I’m offering you a little window into what you can get weekly in the email— and also expanding a bit on the copy ideas and noteworthy headlines that I originally included in a handful of emails from this winter. Need some copy ideas? This is the blog post for you!

“A Joy To Fail At”

Ashlee Gadd is one of my favorite writers. This piece on her Substack was so meaningful to me as I was walking through the earliest days of pregnancy and worrying about whether I would be able to carry a baby or not. The thing I love about the headline is just its short poignancy and how it makes something positive (joy!) out of something we usually hate (failure).

Here’s the copy idea for you: How can you use something that seems contradictory to better convey your message?

“5 Things That ARE Working On Instagram Right Now”

Jenna Kutcher’s podcast episode from November 8th demonstrates one of the most tried-and-true styles of headlines. She tells you exactly what is inside the podcast (five things) and ends with a timeframe (right now) so we know exactly the value we’re going to get from listening. It’s a standard style of headline, but it genuinely works and I love seeing an online business owner demonstrate how success can come from simplicity.

Here’s the copy idea for you: Where can you implement some tried-and-true headline structures this week?

These next two are from the incredibly talented Bri Summers of Brighten Made, one of the best whimsy and color inspired designers that I follow. 

“A branding experience… that makes women feel warm, hopeful, seen, and heard.”

I snapped a screenshot of this headline from Bri’s email. I love how specific the feelings are that she mentions here. “Warm, hopeful, seen, and heard”?! So inviting! Naming exact feelings that you believe your brand/offer/product/service can bring to the worlds of your clients is a powerful way to connect with them.

Here’s the copy idea for you: How can you be as specific as possible with the copy you use to introduce your brand?

“The Parallels Between Motherhood and Owning a Business”

Some of my favorite pieces of copy are the ones that compare two things that are not otherwise alike. This Instagram thread is a perfect example. By comparing motherhood and owning a business, it also speaks directly to a target audience (moms who also own businesses!). Comparisons are especially effective for longer form copy, such as blog posts, or a “let’s talk about this” section on a sales page.

Here’s the copy idea for you: How can you better communicate by making unlikely comparisons?

“Start Liking Your Life”

This podcast headline intrigues me because I DO like my life, mostly… but also it made me want to listen to the episode? The headline assumes (probably accurately) that most of us don’t 100% like our lives, but I think it’s attractive because it signals the beginning of something. We all need a fresh starts pretty often, so a headline offering one is immediately going to connect.

Here’s the copy idea for you: How can you write copy that offers a new beginning?

“First + foremost, I wanna say that I’m not the business coach for everyone…”

This sub-headline from my business coach Evie McLeod immediately caught my attention when I saw it on her business coaching page. See how she’s unafraid to say that she isn’t for everyone? Doesn’t that make you trust her a little more? Businesses who try to be for everyone will often end up working for no one.

Here’s the copy idea for you: How can your copy clearly say who you are and are not the best fit for?

“Making nests and wearing vests”

I’ve loved Kristen LaValley’s Wintering series on Substack for the past couple of years, and when I saw this post as an email in my inbox, I opened it immediately. Yes, the “Volume 8” is appealing to someone who has followed a series, but the headline stands out immediately. I love how it rhymes and is just a playful invitation to open up! Sometimes we take copy too seriously, I’m convinced, and just need to make a little poem for our headline.

Here’s the copy idea for you: How can you be more playful in your copy?

That’s a wrap on the copy ideas for now! If you picked up other ideas from these headlines, drop them in the comments below.