I’ve been thinking a lot about the rule of one and how it can often be the difference between wildly effective website copy and the sites that sit collecting dust.

What is the Rule Of One?

Focusing on one big idea, one difference, one problem, one pain point, one emotion, one action.

Basically, you cut out the noise and hone in on one thing across your business, brand, and marketing. While it sounds simple, anyone who’s spent longer than five minutes on Instagram knows how difficult it can be to keep those blinders up and maintain focus.

But, when done effectively, the Rule Of One means better direction, advanced outcomes, and improved results. As a website copywriter writing website copy for creative brands, this means, more reach, revenue, and website results for my clients (the aim of the game!)

Whenever I’m writing website copy for clients, whether they’re a wedding business or social media manager, I’m constantly asking myself, “What is the one thing we need to focus on here to drive action?”

In this blog post, I’m taking you behind the scenes of my website copywriting process to show you how impactful the Rule Of One is.

The big idea that underpins your business

Every successful business has one big idea that everything is centred around. This big idea keeps you focused on your vision and mission. It keeps you in alignment. And it’s also what acts as your guiding light on those “Oh damn, what am I even doing?” days. We all have them.

Imagine having two big ideas!! Every decision you make and the path you take would conflict with one another, and you’d be constantly choosing between the two.

One big idea to underpin your entire business keeps you focused and drives results quicker.

Here are a few big ideas from my brand messaging & website copywriting clients:

One difference

You’re keen to stand out in your saturated industry. But you’re unsure if it’s even possible to cut above the noise in something as saturated as the wedding space. And if it is, how do you do it?

The answer: by honing in and highlighting your one key difference.

Of course, there are so many wonderful, unique, likeable things about you. However, if you want strangers on the internet to remember you and buy from you, these don’t matter as much as having one key brand difference.

Why? Because this gives people something to remember you by.

The modern consumer has a lot going on, and she’s exposed to thousands of ads a day. If you don’t give her a reason to remember you, she won’t.

This is why I give my clients one key, strategic difference that ensures they stand out from the competition and stick in people’s minds.

Here are a few key differences from my brand messaging & website copywriting clients:

One pain point

This is when it starts to get tricky and you trip up. How can I focus on one pain point on my website when my ideal client has so many struggles and I’m equipped to solve all of them? Hold your horses, buckaroo — yes, your ideal client has multiple pain points, and you can touch on these, but you need to focus on one.

While they will have several pain points, there is always going to be one big one: the thing that’s stopping them, upsetting them, keeping them stuck. It’s the thing they feel so deeply that they’re prepared to do whatever it takes to overcome it. It’s your job to identify this and make it the focus of your Services Page.

Your Services Page is where the sale happens (or the shop page for my product-based business pals).

It’s on this page that you show you understand their pain, empathise with them, and provide a compelling solution. But to do this effectively, you need to go into detail about their current situation, show a profound understanding of their pain and how it impacts them, and position your solution as the best way to exit this situation.

Hopping from one pain to the next or bloating your copy with too much fluff doesn’t show a depth of understanding; it suggests you don’t truly understand them or the struggle they’re facing, decreasing your trust and authority in the situation.

Similarly to your key difference, you can mention other pain points, but you need to go deep on the biggie that’s causing them the most frustration.

Pssst, wedding planner or photographer wondering what this ‘pain’ looks like in your business? I know pain can feel a bit dramatic when we’re talking wedding planning or photography, but the truth is, your ideal client is in pain. This pain looks like a hatred of being in front of the camera, anxiety about trusting someone on their big day, or tearing their hair out over organisation.
However, desire is likely to be a stronger motivator in your business, and we’ll talk about that next.

One desire

People run from pain towards desire. And every business needs to be either pain-focused or desire-focused. This doesn’t mean both won’t play an essential role in your marketing and messaging, it just means one is a stronger motivator for your ideal client, and you need to hone in on this to inspire action.

Similar to having one pain point as your key focus on your website and Services Page, you want to have one desire. This desire is how you motivate your ideal client to take action. So, once you’ve shown them you understand their pain, you need to paint the picture of what life will be like once they’ve escaped this and fulfilled their desire.

Remember, be specific! How do they feel? What do their days look like? How has their life changed? Let them immerse themselves and invest in this future before paying the money to make it their reality.

One action

Ever heard the phrase confused clients don’t buy? Well, it’s true and matters a lot when it comes to your CTA (call to action).

Your ideal client needs to be told exactly what to do. Otherwise, they won’t take action. This is why I write all my client’s websites with one key call to action in mind. (Usually, this is to book a service or buy a product.)

I also avoid having multiple calls to action under one section of website copy or piece of content because this means your ideal client has to make a decision, detracting from the frictionless and easy journey we want them to take from the Home Page to booking.

While you might be tempted to add more calls to action — more options equals more chance of action, right? Remember, this isn’t true, and people are more likely to take action when the next step is obvious and they’re guided towards it.

In theory, the Rule Of One means simplifying and streamlining. But in practice, it can feel like you’re limiting yourself and your impact.

Remember, the modern consumer needs focus and guidance, and that’s what the Rule Of One does. It ensures your website is memorable, your brand is top of mind, and your ideal client feels seen.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your website copy or losing yourself in your messaging, strip things back and implement the Rule Of One. I promise the results will prove it’s worth it!