The Unseen Power of Bullet Points in Sales Copy

Bullet points are one of the most powerful, yet strangely overlooked, tools you have in your writing toolkit. In any successful , mastering them is non-negotiable. They seem so simple, but almost nobody uses them to their full potential.

Just the other day, I was reviewing sales copy for a potential client, and I spotted a major flaw right away: no bullet points. Without them, the copy was a wall of text that was hard to read. Bullet points break things up, making your key benefits easy for readers to scan, digest, and, most importantly, imagine themselves experiencing. That visualization is where the magic happens; it does 90% of the selling for you.

Writing can sometimes feel like you’re just doing to an idea, then doing something else to it, until you finally have a finished piece. When you feel stuck, one of the best "somethings" you can do is just start writing.

I don’t really get writer's block, and it's because of a simple trick: when I feel that resistance creeping in, I write the easy stuff. I’ll type out the product guarantee, the company’s mailing address, or the website URL—anything to get my fingers moving. Bullet points are perfect for this. They offer a great starting point when you feel like you have nothing else to say.

If you want to start creating great bullet points right now, here are three things you can do immediately.

1. Start a "Swipe File" for Bullets

Whenever you come across copy that grabs your attention, save it. This collection is what writers call a "swipe file." It’s not for plagiarizing—it's a reference library of ideas. Start saving emails that make you want to read more and direct mail promotions for interesting products. Notice what they have in common.

The idea is to study the styles and structures, not to steal the words. Think of it as your personal inspiration folder. And don't forget to add your own successful copy to the file. For anyone looking to , having dedicated swipe files for headlines, emails, and sales letters is crucial. I strongly recommend creating one specifically for great bullet points.

2. Write at Least 105 Bullets

This might sound like a lot, but I’m going to give you twenty-one templates to work with. Your job is to simply write five examples for each template. Before you know it, you'll have 105 bullets to choose from. Don’t edit yourself; just write.

3. Pick Your Top 35

Once you have your big list, go through and select the best one-third. Choose the ones that really stand out—the ones that have a certain rhythm and power. By the end of this, you’ll have a much better sense of what makes a bullet point effective.

Why Bullet Points Are So Effective

Let’s be honest: people don’t read your copy, at least not at first. They skim, scan, and scroll. Your job is to give them a reason to stop. Headlines are the first hook. Subheadings are the second, guiding them through the text. The third, and arguably most effective, device for stopping a scanner in their tracks is the bullet point.

Our eyes are naturally drawn to text that looks different, especially text surrounded by white space. When you format your bullet points to be short and punchy—just a line or two—they become instantly digestible. This is your chance to get readers to picture themselves enjoying the benefits of your product. If you look at the most successful marketing campaigns, you’ll notice they all use a ton of bullet points. That’s a clue we should all be paying attention to.

21 Bullet Point Templates to Get You Started

A common mistake is using the same type of bullet point over and over. This becomes monotonous and loses its impact. A key to a great is variety. You should aim to use at least three to five different kinds of bullets in any single piece of copy. Many top copywriters will write hundreds of bullets for a single project just to find the perfect ones.

Most of these fall under a master category called the "blind" bullet, which teases the reader with a benefit without revealing the secret. This creates an open loop of curiosity that makes them want to buy the product to find the answer. The opposite is a "naked" bullet, which directly reveals information.

Here are 21 templates you can use for your own and projects:

Contradict a common belief.

• Example: Think eating salt is bad for your blood pressure? Wrong! Discover the truth in our special report.

Group related ideas under a theme.

• Example: The 7 Deadly Sins of Dieting (Number 3 is in almost every "healthy" meal plan).

Add a parenthetical statement to heighten curiosity.

• Example: What to never do with your business card. (Get this wrong, and you'll never hear from them again).

Give away a genuinely useful tip.

• Example: Use this one simple trick to eliminate unprofitable keywords from your Google Ad campaigns instantly.

Start with an interesting fact, then reveal an unexpected benefit.

• Example: 37% of your Google AdWords keywords aren't getting enough traffic for reliable data. Here's how to fix that and save money.

State a direct benefit, but support it with intriguing details.

• Example: How to effortlessly generate dozens of creative ideas and know instantly which ones are worth pursuing.

Frame it as a simple exchange: "Give me X, and I'll give you Y."

• Example: Give me 15 minutes, and I’ll show you a QuickBooks trick that saves you an hour every single day.

Connect an easy action to a valuable benefit.

• Example: If you can spare 10 minutes a day, then you can lose five pounds a month.

Tackle a controversial or debated topic in your niche.

• Example: The truth about carbohydrates—and it's probably not what you think.

Use this when you have a benefit you can prove is superior.

• Example: The single fastest, easiest way to lower your blood pressure, as documented by the American Medical Association.

The classic, but make it specific and tangible.

• Example: How to grow rose bushes that are bursting with fragrant blooms, with less time and effort.

Use specific numbers to quantify your points.

• Example: Three ways to get 10% better gas mileage with a simple screwdriver adjustment.

Imply a conspiracy or reveal an "insider" trick.

• Example: The one sneaky trick almost every auto mechanic uses to inflate your bill.

Position your solution as superior to a well-known alternative.

• Example: Better than email: a follow-up method with 100% guaranteed delivery.

State an interesting fact, often a worst-case scenario, to set up your solution.

• Example: Even people with healthy arteries are at risk of sudden cardiac arrest. Here are the steps you can take to prevent it.

Answer the question "What?" in a direct and helpful way.

• Example: What you should never touch when checking into a hotel room.

The negative version, often playing on fear.

• Example: What never to eat on an airplane (unless you enjoy being miserable).

Call out a common mistake you know your reader is likely making.

• Example: Do you make these mistakes on your business tax returns? (If so, an audit might be coming).

Hint at the hidden reason behind a surprising piece of advice.

• Example: The real reason why you should always use the lowest octane fuel in your car.

Use this to build curiosity around an unusual method or solution.

• Example: The secrets of people who never get sick.

Ask a question that exposes a knowledge gap your product can fill.

• Example: Do you know the seven deductions the IRS looks for to flag a tax return for an audit?

When you’re ready to write, sit down with a notebook and create five to ten versions of each bullet type for your product. You'll end up with a huge list to pull from, giving you plenty of options for all your and marketing efforts. Mix and match them in your final copy to keep the reader engaged and moving toward the sale.