The 37signals copy is refreshing because it is designed for the glancer. The reader is able to understand what is being sold instantly. What aids this is the priority given to headlines. Headlines play a central theme. Also the headlines are distinctive and this contrast with the body text leads the reader.

Part 1: Effective Language

1. Using the verb ‘Making’, brings life to the sentence. It makes the sentence go. Nouns or adjectives are lifeless. They fail to move. ‘Making’ is more potent than ‘We make’. It’s active. It is harder to discredit something that has already taken place. Further to this, 37signals is selling productivity and enjoyment. What makes this headline impressive, is the focus on widespread appeals. We all want productivity and enjoyment.

2. The inclusion of ‘Frustration-free’, will appeal to previous buyers who have experienced poor collaborating tools. This enables 37signals to instantly differentiate themselves from the pack.

3. The products are introduced immediately, allowing the reader to learn more about what 37signals has to offer. Getting to the point is so crucial, you only have a couple of seconds to entice. We should design our websites like a billboard. We should acknowledge that the reader is just passing by.

Part 2: Building Credibility

1. This part of the website focuses on building credibility and illustrating that it is widely adopted by ‘millions’, who are ‘designers, developers, freelancers’. Copy is not just about stringing sentences together. It is about proving you are credible. Good copy also acts like a mirror, which reflects the readers background. You want the copy to be reflective of the reader. 37signals accomplish this by listing their user types.

2. The reader is able to assess if the product being offered is suitable for their needs by identifying the kind of people that use 37signals. This utilises crowd behaviour and how human beings think. We naturally assume that if a lot of people have made the same decision, then it is the right one. This short cuts the decision making process.

3. Effective copy is very much about selecting potent words that have emotion connotation such as ‘loyal, rely, depend and trust’. These same words could describe a father, wife or good friend. Using such words have depth and are layered with personal associations.

4. This image has a stamp feel, creating more credibility.

5. Including popular brands adds to 37signals social proof. Placing this in the middle ensures it gets maximum coverage.

Part 3: Benefit Focused

1. This section acts as like an ‘about page’ explaining the philosophy of the company. However, it is crafted in such a way that serves the interest of the reader. Most ‘about pages’ fail to do this. Here the reader is told the benefits derived from using their products. This is a good example of putting the reader first.

Part 4: Displaying Expertise

1. In order to stand out from the noise every company needs to think about demonstrating an expertise. One needs to be an authority on a subject. 37signals display their expertise through publishing a book.

2. Leveraging established publications and associating the company with thought leaders enhances their profile.

Part 5: Wrap Up

1. It ends like a story, with a concise wrap up of what is on offer.

2. Having the call to action dotted around the site is a good way to increase the click throughs and thus conversions.

Conclusion

This is a prime example of good copy. It’s concise but sufficient and occupies the spotlight. 37signals demonstrate the importance of focusing on words to communicate rather than trying to impress users with pretty pixels. Furthermore, the contrast in small and big type creates a rhythm which does not exhaust the readers eye.

Check out the podcast interview with Jason Fried, co-founder of 37signals. He explains his thought process and why copy is more important than design.