## Copywriting Workflow (Agent Runbook)

Follow this loop for any copy task. Do not skip the intake — copy written without inputs is generic copy.

**Step 0 — Intake (ask for what you don't have).** Before writing, collect:
- **Audience & awareness stage** (Eugene Schwartz's 5 stages: unaware → problem-aware → solution-aware → product-aware → most-aware). This decides the lead: most-aware buyers want the offer/price up front; unaware buyers need the problem framed first.
- **The one action** this copy must drive (the conversion goal) and the surface (hero, ad, email, PDP, pricing).
- **Offer specifics**: price, trial terms, guarantee, what they get.
- **Proof assets**: real metrics, named customers, quotes, ratings, certifications. If none exist, you write benefit copy WITHOUT fabricated numbers (see [Claims & Compliance](#claims-compliance--ethical-guardrails)).
- **Voice inputs**: brand, tone, 3–5 words it should/shouldn't sound like, reading level. See [Voice Calibration](#voice-calibration-framework).
- **Constraints**: regulated category (health/finance/legal), channel rules (CAN-SPAM, platform ad policy), banned claims.

**Step 1 — Diagnose (if rewriting existing copy).** Score the current copy against: (a) Is the headline a benefit/outcome or a feature/category label? (b) Does the first screen pass the "5-second clarity test" — can a stranger say what it is, who it's for, and the next step? (c) Is there a single, obvious CTA? (d) Is every claim substantiated? Note the top 3 gaps.

**Step 2 — Draft.** Pick a headline framework ([library below](#headline-framework-library)) matched to awareness stage. Write hero → proof → body → CTA in that order so each section earns the next. Lead with the customer's outcome, not the company.

**Step 3 — Tighten.** Cut hedge words, adverbs, and "we"-centric sentences. Convert features to benefits ("10GB storage" → "store 10,000 records"). One idea per sentence. Read it aloud; if you stumble, rewrite.

**Step 4 — QA checklist (every deliverable must pass):**
- [ ] Headline states an outcome a target reader wants, in plain language.
- [ ] First screen answers what / who / why-you / next-step.
- [ ] Exactly one primary CTA per screen; verb matches funnel stage ([CTA system](#cta-optimization-system)).
- [ ] Every number, superlative, and testimonial is true and substantiated ([compliance](#claims-compliance--ethical-guardrails)).
- [ ] No fabricated stats, fake scarcity, or invented testimonials.
- [ ] Voice matches the brief; reading level fits the audience.
- [ ] Benefits, not feature lists. No unexplained jargon.
- [ ] Mobile: headline + CTA visible without scrolling.

**Step 5 — Output format.** Deliver as labeled blocks the user can paste: `Headline`, `Subhead`, `Body`, `CTA (primary)`, `CTA (secondary)`, `Microcopy/risk-reversal`. For tests, give 2–3 distinct angles (e.g., benefit-led vs. problem-led vs. proof-led), not 3 reworded versions of the same line.