How I write copy that focuses on your ideal customer

UPDATED MAY 6, 2026

The first rule of copywriting

Do you know what the first rule of copywriting is?

Write for your audience.

That’s right. Everything you put out there should be focused on the people you want to read it.

So if your copy is all about you and how amazing you are… you might want to rethink that.

Because what your ideal customer really wants is to read about is what’s in it for them.

Writing for your ideal customer

Why do I say ‘customer’ — singular — when I’ll be writing for your lots of your ideal customers?

Because when I write, I have just one person in mind — one person who embodies everyone you’re targeting.

There’s a phrase we use in copywriting: if you try to speak to everyone, you end up speaking to no one. Trying to be all things to all people makes your copy bland, generic and forgettable.

Having one person in mind makes it feel more personal — like two people having a conversation. This is copy that will engage your audience and make them feel you’re speaking directly to them.

So, how do I do that?

I get to know your ideal customers

Businessman and woman shaking hands — ^{Photo by Sora Shimazaki from Pexels}

Who are your ideal customers?

You probably already have some ideas about who’s going to buy from you and why, but those ideas are just a starting point.

To write effective copy that’s going to speak to them and influence their purchasing decisions, I need to understand them on a deeper level.

Here are some of the questions that help me get started:

How old are they?
What jobs do they have?
What spending power do they have?
What kind of lifestyle do they have?
What interests them?
What’s valuable to them?
What problems/challenges do they have?
What do they most want/need?
What’s motivating them?
What’s holding them back?

Some of the answers will come from you, but the more in-depth answers usually come from researching online.

Are you writing for B2B or B2C customers?

The questions will vary for B2B and B2C customers.

B2B customers are other businesses. Their purchasing decisions will likely be more logical and economical, with an emphasis on ROI.

B2C customers are consumers. Depending on what you’re selling, their purchasing decisions could be more emotional, aspirational and driven by want rather than need.

When I’ve gathered the relevant information, I can see where you fit in and how you can help them. Then I can create a profile of your ideal customer.

I look for what your ideal customers have in common

Your ideal customers will have different experiences that shape their point of view and how they feel.

Trying to acknowledge all these perspectives will dilute the copy and make it generic. So, instead, I look for the most common and relatable viewpoints, using real-life examples where possible.

I focus on your ideal customers’ needs

We need to give your ideal customers everything they need to make an informed purchasing decision.

Black and white striped gift box with silver bow — ^{Image by Bellahu123 at Pixabay}

I’ll make sure I provide:

The product information they need
Answers to the questions they’re likely to have
Reasons to buy from you specifically and the benefits of doing so
A picture of what will change for them when they buy from you
Counter arguments for any objections they might have.

I make sure I use the right tone

Best-friend-doctor-personal-trainer-accountant — ^{Photos from Pixabay}

Your tone should be appropriate for your audience

Tone is less about what you say and more about how you say it.

For example, the way you talk to your best friend is different to the way you talk to your doctor. And the way you talk to your personal trainer is different to the way you talk to your financial adviser.

For your ideal customers, you need copy that:

Will resonate with and appeal to them
Describes their problem with a clear understanding of how it affects them
Has the right personality and ‘voice’
Will stimulate, inspire and motivate them.

I make sure I use the right words

Scrabble letters spelling WORDS — ^{Image by Skitterphoto at Pexels}

You need to talk your ideal customers’ language

By that, I mean you need to use language your ideal customers can identify with and understand.

When I write for them, I:

Use the kind of language your customers are using themselves
Avoid using ‘insider’ words and jargon
Explain any industry terminology that may be unfamiliar to them
Include the full versions of any acronyms you use.

I write with emotion

Woman with enthusiastic expression — ^{Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko from Pexels}

Your copy should make your ideal customers feel something

Harvard Business School professor, Gerald Zaltman tells us that 95% of our purchasing decisions take place in the subconscious mind.

And that the best way to reach the subconscious minds of your ideal customers is by writing with more emotion.

To do this, I:

Am clear about the emotional response you need to create
Include more emotive words in your copy
Use the same language your customers are using when you talk about their problem and your solution
Talk about things your ideal customers care about and are emotionally attached to.

I counter their objections

Man showing empty jeans pockets — ^{Image by derneuemann at Pixabay}

Objections are reasons not to buy from you

Your ideal customers may have reservations about buying what you’re offering. The trick is to intercept those reservations before they take hold by countering them with the benefits that outweigh them.

Forbes identifies four types of sales objections:

Lack of need —> do I really need this?
Lack of urgency —> do I really need this now?
Lack of trust —> do I really trust this company?
Lack of money —> can I really afford this?

Let’s look at each of those in a little more detail.

Lack of need

Your ideal customer has to need what you’re offering.

To convince them, I focus on:

Your value proposition
The benefits for them
Outcomes and results.

Lack of urgency

Your ideal customer has to need what you’re offering right now. Not in six months’ time when they think they might be ready.

To convince them, I’ll show them:

What they’re missing out on if they wait
How their competitors are getting ahead by acting now
What the near future could look like for them if they act now.

Lack of trust

Your ideal customer has to trust you can do what you say.

To convince them, we can show them:

Stories of how you’ve helped other businesses
You have a thorough understanding of their business and their problems
Social proof, such as client interviews, testimonials and reviews.

Lack of money

Your ideal customer has to be able to afford what you’re offering.

Lack of money is one of the biggest and most common objections you’ll face — and it can also be the objection that’s most difficult to counter.

It might not be clear if your prospect doesn’t have the money or just doesn’t want to spend it, so you could try negotiating by showing them how the:

Benefits will outweigh the cost
Results/returns will be quick enough to offset the outlay.

You could also have some entry level or reduced scope options in your offering for those with smaller budgets.

I show them some proof

Speech bubble containing 5 gold stars — ^{Image created by Jenny Lucas}

Show them the experiences of other customers

One of the best ways to convince your ideal customer that what you’re offering is perfect for them is to show them how other customers have benefitted from it.

Depending on your offering, this could be in the form of:

Testimonials or reviews
Case studies
Customer interviews
Product demonstrations.

I make your copy easy to consume

Woman eating potato crisps — ^{Photo by Andres Ayrton from Pexels}

Your copy should be easy to read and understand

Your ideal customers don’t want to have to read something ten times when once should be enough.

To make your copy more manageable, I:

Break it into short, manageable paragraphs
Use short, simple sentences that make clear points
Phrase your sentences plainly and articulately
Am clear and specific, avoiding ambiguity
Am concise, avoiding wordiness and waffle.

I change we and our to you and your

Your copy should be all about your customer

If your copy is all we this and our that, you’re probably talking about yourself too much. This can make you sound self-centred

To resonate with your ideal customers, your copy should be talking directly to them, using you and your.

How customer-focused is your copy?

You can check how customer-focused your website copy is by using the Customer Focus Calculator.

When you arrive on the site, enter your website URL and company name.

The tool will do its thing, then give you a percentage breakdown of how much you focus on your customer versus how much you focus on yourself and your business.

If you have it right, your customer focus should outweigh your self focus by a large margin.

How I fix self-centred copy

Here are some examples of how I change self-centred copy to customer-focused copy.

❌ We’re a professional company with expertise in online communications.

✅ To enhance your online presence you need a professional company with expertise in online communications.

❌ We sell a wide range of quality, cut-price, kitchen and bathroom tiles from our showroom in Nottingham.

✅ When you visit our Nottingham showroom you’ll find a wide range of quality, cut-price tiles for your kitchen or bathroom.

❌ We promise that our mobile phone offers are exclusive to us and are not available anywhere else.

✅ If you buy your mobile phone from us, you’re guaranteed an exclusive deal that you won’t find available anywhere else.

❌ We’re pleased to offer membership to our gym, which features some of the best health and fitness facilities in the area.

✅ When you become a member of the gym, you’ll have access to some of the best health and fitness facilities in the area.

I make them feel good about their purchase

Man with credit card, about to purchase something online — ^{Photo by Sora Shimazaki from Pexels}

Your ideal customers should feel good about buying from you

If your ideal customer going to say yes to buying from you or working with you, you need to make them feel good about their decision.

I would never make them feel like they’re coming to you because they’ve failed or that they don’t know what they’re doing. Nobody wants to feel like that.

Instead, I use positive, inspiring and energising language, then finish with an empowering call to action.

Do you need help with copywriting?

If you’re struggling to find your customer focus, you’re not alone — and it’s probably because you’re too close to your business.

Seeing things from your customers’ point of view requires a level of objectivity that many business owners find difficult to achieve.

This is where hiring a professional copywriter can help.

I’m Jenny Lucas, a freelance copywriter based in Leicester, at the heart of the UK.

I’ve been writing customer-focused copy for businesses since 2011 and I know how to research exactly what your customers need.

If you’d like to find out more about working with me:

Take a look at my website
Read blog articles I’ve written for other clients
Get in touch using my contact form.

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