The "You Rule": rewrite copy to put the customer first

Executive overview

Most website and email copy is written from the brand's perspective — leading with "we" and the product. Customers only care about your brand insofar as they see themselves in it.

The You Rule is simple: rewrite each sentence so it begins with "you", "your", or a variation. It instantly surfaces whether copy is customer-focused — and exposes structural weaknesses when the rewrite gets awkward.

Customers are unapologetically self-interested; make your copy reflect that.

Applying the You Rule in practice

• Take any sentence starting with "we", the brand name, or a feature label and flip it to start with "you" or "your"
• Goal: the reader should see themselves on the page, not the product or brand
• Example: "Keep track of all your projects" → "You can finally keep track of all your projects"
• Leading with a brand name in a hero section breaks the rule — visitors don't care about the brand yet
• Works on any copy format: websites, landing pages, emails, hero sections, subheads

When the rewrite reveals a deeper problem

• If the rewritten sentence sounds awkward or weak, the problem is not the You Rule — it's the original copy
• A list of features (connect with audiences, collect leads, close sales, build landing pages...) puts the burden on the reader to figure out what matters to them
• That friction costs conversions — cut the list or reframe around one clear benefit
• Use the awkwardness as a diagnostic: unclear rewrites signal unclear positioning