It’s the little things
My in-laws are celebrating their sixtieth anniversary soon.
It’s not an autocorrect mistake. It’s a very real six decades together. They’re not a cute, corny couple that will give you fortune cookie relationship advice like “never go to bed angry”. They’re pragmatic, loving, smart, grumpy, hardworking people. There’s no magic trick.
And yet.
When you look closer — a privilege I had, having lived with them for the past eight years — you see the magic emerge. It’s not hugs and kisses. It’s the tiny, insignificant minutes, and the dedication to know every fraction of each other. It’s the nuances that build trust, truth, loyalty.
There’s the impossibly perfect amount of sugar she pours in his coffee. Three spoons, not too full, not too empty. Just as he always liked it.
Or his perfect timing to pick a meaningless argument with a smirk, perfectly aware of what’s coming, just to give her an excuse to deploy her uncanny, delicious sharp comebacks.
A little thing for every minute together. Thirty one million of them.
Making things work in life, family or business requires attention to details.
It shows how much you care. And, if you do, people stick around. Perhaps for decades.
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Knock knock
Who is it?
Me, the customer. You should know exactly who I am, and I need to learn, very quickly, why you’re The One.
But our modern world is complicated and busy and full of noise. Everyone’s fighting for my attention. What makes you different? I can’t see it. One. Two. Three. Four. Five seconds.
I’m out.
Our window of opportunity to enchant a visitor is extremely narrow. Brands need all the help we can get to widen it. It’s 2025 and we can tech beyond our dreams, but marketing is still the same. Words matter. Symbols work. So do humor, timing, tone, personality.
But it’s Easter Egg season and this issue is about the little things.
Related: Every pixel is a billboard
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Small wins lead to big results
Micro copywriting is the fine art of caring about the small words on your website, architecturing and designing them in a way that facilitates and enriches the user experience.
Subverting familiarity
Everything is boring. So boring that we spend hours gorging on 10-second videos of dance challenges. It doesn’t matter if your brand’s formal or cheeky. Find common phrases and give them a tiny twist.
Example: This email’s subject line is our way to walk the talk.
Nudge’em
The Nudge Theory (Richard Thaler, 2008) is a behavioral economics concept that explains how, when we architect services in a physical or digital space, we can add tiny clues everywhere that steer people through a certain path.
Like any behavioral theory, it can get manipulative and shady, but used honestly, it’s simply a way to play with standards.
Example: “You’re $10 away from free shipping!” is friendly. You’re not asking me to buy, you’re giving me a choice. But it’s an easy one and we both win.
Priming expectations
You can use tiny bits of copy to tell your customers what they can expect from you, even before they’re buying. In other words, to thank them in advance. Be nice, likeable, and generous. This will create an environment of positive expectations.
Example: A “Psst, here’s a coupon code for you” creates complicity for your first-time visitors and it’s a nice way to ease their way to the checkout. “Sign up! It takes 60 seconds.” promises a simple and painless process and shows respect for their time.
Reducing Cognitive Load
We’re not wired to remember unimportant shit. And if we’re honest, most of our shopping -personal or professional- is not that important in the big scheme of things. Our brains store new stuff on what’s called the “working memory”, only to save it in long-term memory after practice and repetition.
Good copy works in two ways. It simplifies decision processes, because easy equals less stress, and at the same time, voice and tone consistency helps customers learn your brand. It’s a ticket to their hard drive.
Truth & Transparency
What are your customers afraid of? What are their objections?
A website is a very special kind of advertising because, just like email, it allows you to talk one to one. Write like you talk, with phrases that would answer the questions customers bring from past experiences. Warn them candidly when you know your product won’t be the best fit in certain scenarios. Proudly show your strengths but take the Pratfall road about your shortcomings.
Have reviews, and make sure they’re real. Once you break trust you lose the customer. Even if you’re Amazon.
Anticipate pitfalls
Are customer mistakes overloading your support team? That’s on you to fix. Use microcopy in all forms and fields, steps and interactions, to make sure your customers give you the data you need, how you need it.
Example: “Here’s your customer number, *|FNAME|!* in your contact page makes it extra easy for them to have the right information at the right time.
To sum up, Easter Eggs are also about what you can hide in plain sight. The sum of those efforts will help you stand out from the crowd, and win.
Related: On Copywriting That Doesn’t Suck
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Craft eggcellent copy.
Easier said than done, we know. But the principles are there.
- Help them know you and love you.
- Simplify their focus
- Guide their choices honestly in their best interest.
- Anticipate and reduce their questions.
- Give them validation to prove you rock.
That’s it. I don’t want to take too much of your time. It’s Easter. Go treasure hunt. Have fun. Follow the White Rabbit.
Find me here if you want to have a chat.
Santiago.-
