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Unlock the Power of Money Words: How Founders Can Write Copy That Converts
Joanna Wiebe, the OG conversion copywriter, founder of Copyhackers and co-founder of Authority Figures, breaks down why word choice isn’t just fluff—it’s profit. Follow her on X and LinkedIn, or subscribe to her Substack to catch insights heading into her next book, Money Words.
Your Copy Might Be Wrong Even When It Feels Right
You know the drill. Boardrooms, Zoom calls, staring at homepage copy or an onboarding email like it’s a Rubik’s Cube. Every word rewritten until it’s “perfect.” But here’s the kicker: perfect might actually be wrong. One bad word can nudge your users toward the wrong reaction—and cost you serious money.
Take the 2016 Brexit ballot as a totally non-tech example:
- Remain a member of the European Union
- Leave the European Union
Elementary school flashback: antonyms. Right vs. Wrong. Black vs. White. Up vs. Down. Your brain loves complementary opposites. So what’s the opposite of “leave”? Stay? Remain?
Ask people in the UK, US, Australia, Canada—they’ll all say “stay.” But the ballot said “remain.” Farrow et al’s 2018 study nailed it: remain/leave aren’t complementary antonyms. “Remain” takes extra brainpower to process, which biased results toward “Leave.”
Imagine if they’d picked words smarter. The economy—and a lot of people’s lives—might have looked very different.
Or take the $12,000-per-cycle, multi-billion-dollar US IVF industry. Most patients need 8 cycles. Insurance coverage is scarce. In 2021, a study tested support for insurance if the wording changed:
- Fertility disease
- Fertility condition
- Fertility disability
Result? “Fertility disease” got 4.6x the support of “condition.” “Disability” got 1.7x. Yet mainstream copy—MayoClinic, etc.—avoids calling infertility a disease. For patients, disease is a money word. Words matter. Money words move decisions. And decisions move money.
Why Words Move Money
Strategic word choice can:
- Drive action. 2018 study: one group played the “Wall Street Game,” the other “Community Game.” Community players cooperated 70% of the time; Wall Street? 33%. Words set the vibe.
- Make people like you. New Yorkers in 2009 responded more positively to “cancer survivors” than “cancer patients.” Sad, but true.
- Motivate smart choices. Fitbit study: framing it as “good for your health” drove compliance more than “good for organizational efficiency.”
- Sound confident. Women completing “I think” statements showed higher self-esteem than “I feel” starters (2010).
- Boost IPO performance. Easier-to-pronounce stock names perform better short-term.
So yes—words are levers. Pull them intentionally.
Here are two money words and one lose-money word to get you started. Test them in your website, ads, and emails. There’s nuance, of course—examples and conditions included.
Money Word #1: YOU
Which ad performs better?
- Ad A: [Brand] succeeds for 87% of clients
- Ad B: 87% of clients succeed with [Brand]
Ad B wins, 47% higher click-through. Why? Make the user the subject. Lead with them, not the brand.
Examples:
- Message A: Consumers who accumulate $1,500 receive $150 cash bonus.
- Message B: This program requires you to accumulate $1,500 to receive $150 cash bonus.
Even longer copy, Message A converted better. People filter 5,000+ messages/day—you want your copy to scream relevance.
Personalization studies back it up. DonorsChoose personalized emails nearly tripled donations, simply by referencing the recipient’s last name. LinkedIn ads with a user’s name/photo increased clicks, interest, and positive perception.
Caveat: go too deep into personal info, and people freak out (MIT tested this). Fix: give users agency over data. Transparency = more conversion.
The takeaway: if you don’t have a name, use “you”. Classic copywriting trick. Rosser Reeves’ M&Ms: Melts in your mouth, not in your hands. Every word addresses the user. Apple does it 23x on a MacBook Pro page.
The You Rule: start sentences with “you/your” whenever it makes sense.
- MacBook Pro lets creativity shine → Your creativity shines with MacBook Pro
- Drift on your site turns any conversation into a conversion → Your team can turn any conversation into a conversion with Drift
Why it works: you see yourself in the copy. You don’t notice the repetition—you just feel it’s about you.
Conditions for “you” to work:
- Offer must be relevant.
- Message must be positive. “You deserve to live sweat-free,” not “Stop sweating so much.”
Money Word #2: GET
“Pain before gain” is a mantra. SaaS, apps, tech websites—focus on gain. “Get” is your go-to.
Top-performing headlines in split tests start with get. Uber: Get in the driver’s seat and get paid. “Get” = immediate, tangible benefit.
- Short, readable, fast comprehension.
- Fits email subject lines.
- Suggests life gets better (depending on what follows).
Before/after:
- Where your team comes together → Get your team together
- On-demand treatment for your health → Get on-demand treatment for your health
- Holiday gift guide → Get your holiday gift guide
Caution: if your solution is perceived as risky (new category, high switching cost), reduce uncertainty first: testimonials, case studies, demos, incentives, guarantees.
Conditions for “get” to work:
- Outcome must feel low-risk.
- Prospect must believe they’ll actually get it.
- Consider emotional state—context matters (rainy weather studies, discounts vs. savings).
[LOSE] Money Word #3: AND
Some words actually cost you money. “Pay” is one. “And” is another. Small, innocent, but deadly for conversion.
Why? Cognitive load + interference. Your brain struggles to remember multiple things at once.
- X does Y = easy
- X does Y and Z = interference
Example:
- Smart and Simple Online Safety → Smart Online Safety
Less noise, more clarity. Every extra word risks a lost conversion. Rule: skip the part the reader skips. Headlines don’t need to cram 3+ benefits. Each line exists to move the reader to the next line.
When “and” is okay:
- Step-by-step instructions
- Improves flow between sentences
- Improves clarity without memory loss
Money words are tested in copy, not content.
Why Money Words Matter Now
AI can generate copy, but it hasn’t read 70+ years of linguistics & psychology. Until it does, stick these three on a Post-It:
- YOU → Make the user the hero.
- GET → Lead with gains.
- AND → Kill it unless absolutely necessary.
Master these, remove the noise, and watch your copy start converting like a pro.
