7 copy mistakes early-stage startups make

Find them. Fix them. Don’t make them again.

After coaching early-stage startups on GrowthMentor through copy reviews for 2 years, I’ve noticed some recurring patterns in how early-stage startups approach their copy. Read on to learn which copy mistakes are most common — and how you can overcome them. Plus, a worksheet to help you with your website upgrade.

[1] Startup-focused copy

It tells all about your vision and your product, but never connects to your prospects’ goals or jobs to be done.

Result: it fails to resonate, because it’s not connected to the things that matter to your prospects (pain points or goals).

Question to answer in your copy: How and why are your vision, your technology, your products' capabilities relevant to your target audience?

[2] Copy detached from overall positioning and messaging

Your website copy may be talking about features and benefits, but in a very generic, “us too!” way. Result: prospects don’t see a reason to convert. Why go with your product if there’s a more established product that does the same thing?

Question to answer in your copy: Why do your customers *really* choose to work with you? If you're just starting out, why do you believe your target audience should sign up for your product? Why is your solution better than existing solutions to their problem?

[3] Random acts of (copy)writing

An off-the-shelf template that is supposedly optimized for higher conversions + buzzwords + power words is an easy V1. But if it’s not grounded in your understanding of the market and your prospects, they’ll not going to connect the dots and convert.

Question to answer about your copy: Is it based on research or 100% assumptions-based?

[4] Generic copy

Sounds like every startup out there, because it’s:

• too high-level to reflect a specific problem

• too vague on the benefits of using the product

• not grounded in use cases of actual ICPs

• is based on assumptions about your audience

• all of the above

Result: prospects don’t see a reason to sign up or even stick around.

Question to answer in your copy: Who are you trying to attract and convert? Will they recognize their goals and struggles in your copy?

[5] Inflated promises

“Sounds too good to be true” is not something you want your prospects to say about your website, but often early-stage startups forget to address prospects’ hesitations in their copy.

Result: prospects feel skeptical and don’t even make it to a demo call.

Question to answer about your copy: Can we provide supporting evidence for our claims? If not, do we have a good reason to keep them?

[6] Feature dumps

If you can’t align your features with use cases or problems you’re solving, you’re asking your website visitors to do it for you.

(They likely won’t.)

Result: too much info, not enough relevance.

Question to answer about your copy: Does it provide enough context to show readers how they’ll be using the product and what they’ll be able to get out of it?

[7] Weak CTAs

Want to make your prospects want to take the next step? Work on your CTAs, or you may create more friction without meaning to.

Result: more friction = fewer signups.

Question to answer about your copy: Are we adding too much friction? Can we encourage more readers to move forward (by reinforcing the value of acting now or offering incentives to act now)?

Grab the worksheet to work through those 7 points and fix your copy

I help B2B SaaS startups research, de-risk, optimize and launch their copy to increase conversions.