Copywriting Without Sounding Salesy: The Actually-Specific Guide
Salesiness? Never heard of her.
Everything I thought I knew about marketing ingloriously went up in flames while I was doing my damndest to sell… Pepsi.
In 6th grade, for reasons utterly unknown to me, our class debate project was focused on a highly intellectual topic: Coke vs. Pepsi.
At the time, I was under the impression that advertising = whatever the hell you wanted to say or make up about a product, so I figured I had this one in the bag. I strode confidently to the lectern and presented my argument: Pepsi has more caffeine, so it’s better!
(Also, BIG LOL because what did an 11 year old like me need to hype caffeine for?!)
Unsurprisingly, my teacher asked me for evidence to back up my claim, my sweet sweet brain shorted out, and honestly I don’t even remember what happened next because I basically blacked out from embarrassment.
But a few spins around the earth’s axis later, and that 6th grader is now a pro copywriter who knows that success in marketing is not, in fact, making stuff up just to sell whatever you’re selling. (Who knew?)
“That’s… salesy.”
This is what so many biz owners are afraid of, right? The used car salesman, snake oil, manic late-night-on-QVC-vibes.
It makes complete sense that you want to avoid that dreaded salesiness, and yet—you’ve gotta sell. And because I can’t go back in time and save that 6th grader from her spectacular debate meltdown, I’m going to break down the pitfalls of pushy content, unveil the not-so-dark arts of authentic persuasion, and prove that genuine selling 100% can be done.
Selling doesn't mean shouting, and persuasive doesn't have to mean pushy.
I know that the struggle between wanting to sound genuine and the need to sell can feel like walking a tightrope, so before we get into How To Not Be Salesy, I actually want to reframe.
There is nothing inherently wrong, shameful, sleazy, pushy, or (insert other emotions that give you the creeps) with selling.
Selling, at its essence, can just be an honest offering of passion, hard work, and genuine belief in the value you're serving up.
Restaurants don’t feel bad about putting menus on the table. You don’t feel conned when you pick up a gorgeous new piece of art for your walls. There’s no lack of integrity in either of these situations, right?
So the problem pops up not from the act of selling itself, but from how it’s done. Is pushing a product that’s inherently faulty, or leaning on manipulative tactics, unethical? Absolutely. But if you're presenting something of value, something you genuinely believe can make a difference in someone's life, then selling becomes an act of service. (Or at the very least, a neutral, non-problematic act!)
You sell to pair up a real desire with an honest solution. You sell to match a dream with how it can be done.
It’s less about “convincing” or “overcoming objections” and more about building relationships, understanding people’s needs, and offering genuine solutions.
So, the next time you pitch your offer, link to it on IG stories, or invite people to make a purchase, you’re allowed to do it without that “what if I’m SALESY?!” albatross on your shoulder.
You’re allowed to sell, and when you do it with authenticity and care, your people feel served, understood, and valued, instead of “sold to.”
Okay, so what exactly is salesy, then?
Let’s cut through all the vague fear of salesiness and actually get super specific about this.
Generally, the salesy vibes are strong when businesses:
Rely on FOMO, hype-y language ("Act now!", "Buy this before it's gone!")
Make too good to be true claims without evidence ("We're the #1 rated service in the world!" or “You’ll 10x your leads in one month!”)
Use fake scarcity tactics (Like "Only 5 left!" on a digital product that literally can’t sell out, or a countdown clock on a tripwire offer you know is completely arbitrary and automated)
Talk more about themselves than the client’s needs or the offer’s benefits (yup, selling their course using their “7-figure income” as a bigger talking point than, you know, the actual outcomes of what they’re teaching…)
Steamroll or gloss over your potential objections (instead of addressing them in a thoughtful, detailed way)
Encourage you to take big leaps that override your better judgment (like telling you to just put a high-ticket program on a credit card)
Use messaging that’s way too general (“Want more client inquiries to come pouring in? Book a call with me!”) or too focused on the biz owner and their ego/sense of exclusivity (“I only work with a select group of entrepreneurs and I’m only offering two more spots to get to work with me”)
Really miss the mark in terms of the cultural moment or current events (speaking of Pepsi, remember when Kendall Jenner solved police brutality at a protest by handing out a can of soda? YOIKES)
Try to convince you that you have a problem in the first place (“Buy this now and save it for later just in case you might need it!”)
Hide the information you most need in order to make a thoughtful decision (like the actual, brass tacks content of what the offer includes, or how much it costs)
And look, we still see these tactics a lot because 1) they’re tried and true, over marketing’s long history and 2) because they often do work!
Caveat: for the short term.
The businesses that are checking off those tactics like a damn bingo card make money, until…
→ their customers feel duped, and don’t come back for more
→ the bargain hunters move on to another deal
→ their reputation takes enough of a hit, and sales suffer.
And you, I know, are not Mattress Firm having another “Blowout sale!” or taking a page from the LOFT’s “Score 40% off today only!” playbook.
So those are the red flag examples to avoid, but a copywriter can do so much more than just avoid the red flags—here’s how.
Finding the balance: copywriting techniques for honest, persuasive copy that sells
The baseline for not being salesy is avoiding being a total unethical creep, so checkkk—you’ve got that covered.
The bar for selling in an authentic, genuine way is higher, though, and it does take skill to do it as successfully as possible.
As a copywriter, I’m not just vibing and writing. My job is to see through the eyes of both a biz and its audience and then to understand, empathize, and connect—and sell.
And here are some of the skills in my toolbag to do just that.
Empathy Mapping:
By putting myself in the shoes of your customer (with lots of structured research and a dash of intuition), I’m focused on anticipating questions, concerns, and needs. That means I can proactively weave all of that intel throughout your website, helping your people feel seen and understood from the jump.
Take this example from my client Numbers by Jen. We knew that readers would have Qs like “Can I afford biz bookkeeping? Do I really need someone to do this for me if I’m just a solopreneur? What if I’m not trying to scale scale scale?”, and even just this small section does a TON of work in validating and answering those questions.
Storytelling:
A well-told story (even just a few storytelling elements sprinkled around!) is a classically human way to connect with someone. Instead of just listing features or benefits, I keep an eye on where I can weave a narrative that resonates on an emotional level, making the message memorable and impactful.
For my Disney-loving dietitian client Sydney from Simply You Nutrition, I decided to start a sales page dealing with a vulnerable topic (food/body image) in an unexpected, story-driven way. Instead of talking AT her clients, we made them the central character in a story they can totally relate to.
Honesty & Transparency:
Overselling or making unrealistic promises is a trust-killer. Instead, ethical copy simply highlights the genuine value of a product or service, admitting its limitations when necessary—which actually increases credibility.
Remember ye olde “If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is” adage? Yup, so the opposite is what we’re going for.
Think beauty brands that are super clear about what a product can and can’t do, or any done-for-you service provider reminding people that testimonials often showcase exceptional (not “everyone achieves this!”) results.
I was recently browsing brow tints (as one does) and loved how Bae Brow was upfront about the product’s can/can’ts on this chart. (Not my copy, just appreciating the clarity as an example!)
Social Proof:
Real feedback from real people beats “People love working with us!” any day.
But it’s waaaaay more than just “[your name] was so great to work with!” I love working my copywriter magic on testimonials, using your clients’ exact words but making some light edits so that the testimonial has a clearer and more impactful structure.
Depending on the situation, I’ll even turn a testimonial into a case study for more oomph! Like this one for my client Maddie at Maddie Tudor Consulting, that includes a start-to-finish narrative (with data!) along with the testimonial.
Clear and Concise Messaging:
Sometimes (okay, often!) being straightforward, using relatively simple language, and getting to the point is the way to go. Jargon can make readers feel like you’re trying to hide behind something, and too many details can get overwhelming.
When I wrote for Dr. Rodney Coe of ClearView Retina, I focused on putting myself in his patients’ shoes. Were they going to find it reassuring to have to wade through terms like fluorescein angiography and choroidopathy and optical coherence tomography when they’re totally overwhelmed by the thought of losing their vision? Helllll frickin no. So my challenge as the copywriter was to break down, distill, and translate into a message that was accessible and clear to first time patients.
Connecting to the Benefits:
You know when you’re trying to buy a computer that you can just, ya know, run your nice little online business on, but all of the marketing is like "Our laptop has a 10-core processor, 32GB RAM, and a 1TB SSD!"? Mmmmmkay, thanks buddy, this means nothing to me.
That’s basically the opposite of what you’re trying to do in your marketing. A great copywriter figures out what the client is actually looking for (in this laptop example, it’s probably reliability over the best! ever! graphics! card!) and then tailors the copy accordingly.
I loved getting to put this into action for my client Dream Day Dressing Rooms, a pop-up bridal suite rental company. Their soon-to-be-married couples don’t need to know every technical detail under the sun about the actual furniture at first—they want to know about the difference it’ll actually make on their wedding day.
And in this snippet of copy, you’ll see how we led with just that:
Clear List of Features:
At the same time, though, you eventually do need to be clear on the features and next steps.
It’s all on the table here in this sales page for my client Penney Leadership. No secrets, no vague promises, no hidden investment—everything you get, how much it costs, and options for what to do next are all super clear. This builds trust, especially right before a call to action!
And one more surefire way to avoid feeling salesy? Hire a copywriter.
I’m serious! Most of us really struggle to see what makes us great *and* put it into words that would feel genuine coming out of our own mouths or keyboards. (I mean, maybe not your old colleague Chad who tried to put himself up for promotion every damn year but hey, that’s a different story.) It makes complete sense that ~tooting your own horn~ doesn’t feel natural.
That’s why I’m here as your literal professional hype woman. My brand messaging + custom web copy process is designed to take all of the pressure off. I ask you lots of questions, reflect ideas back to you, and ultimately wrap it all up in words that make you feel like “ohhhh my god I sound… so incredibly legit. That’s… me?!”
YES. That’s you. And you deserve clear, powerful words that make your brilliance undeniable.