I can still hear her voice in my head.

Ms. Miller, my teacher for so many AP English classes, standing at the front of the classroom in her signature chunky jewelry, shoulder pads, and spiral perm, writing the words on the chalkboard like they were gospel:

“The specific is terrific.”

We were deep in essay season, crafting arguments about To Kill a Mockingbird in hopes of landing a spot in the Honors Brit Lit class the following year. The stakes felt high, as did the pressure to sound smart. A lot of us, myself included, were writing in broad, abstract strokes, trying to impress instead of connect.

That’s when she stopped us. Told us to get out of our heads and into the details. To show, not just tell. To be precise. Concrete. Intentional.

Because specifics are what make a story stick.

I didn’t know then that I’d become a copywriter. I didn’t know I’d spend the next 17 years writing headlines, body copy, taglines, scripts, and the occasional crisis communications memo. But I did know this: when I got specific, my writing got better.

And that rule has followed me through every client pitch, every brand platform, every first draft I’ve ever agonized over.

Specificity builds trust.

In marketing, vague language is everywhere. We fall back on it when we don’t have the data, when we’re afraid of alienating someone, or we’re trying to sound “broad enough” to appeal to everyone.

But the truth is, generic copy rarely connects. It washes over your audience like elevator music—pleasant, but forgettable.

If you want your message to stick, you have to show people you understand their world. That means using language that feels real, grounded, and specific.

Examples? Terrific. Let’s get specific.

Instead of	Try
“We help brands grow.”	“We helped a regional healthcare brand double patient engagement in six months with zero media spend.”
“Streamline your workflow.”	“Automate repetitive tasks and cut your team’s weekly admin time by 12 hours.”
“Award-winning service.”	“Rated 4.9 stars on G2, with live support that responds in under 3 minutes.”

Specifics aren’t just good writing. They’re good strategy.

They help differentiate your brand.
They make claims more credible.
They give your audience something to hold onto.

And maybe more importantly, they show that you see your audience. You understand their pain points, their goals, their industry quirks. That’s what earns attention. That’s what earns trust.

So the next time you sit down to write copy—whether it’s a landing page, an email subject line, or a LinkedIn post—channel your inner Ms. Miller. Ask yourself: Can I be more specific?

Because the specific isn’t just terrific. In marketing, it’s essential.