Voice of Customer Research for Startup Copywriting
Here's what I've learned after years of crafting copy that actually converts: the best startup copy isn't written by copywriters*. It's assembled from the mouths of customers who've already fallen in love with what you're building.
If you're not doing voice of customer research before you write a single word of copy, you're basically throwing darts in the dark and hoping something sticks.
Read on to find out everything you need to know about voice of customer research for startup copywriting ⬇️
*not going to lie, you will very likely need a hand from a copywriter to do the assembling though!
What is voice of customer research?
Voice of customer research – let's call it VoC because we're not here to waste syllables – is the process of collecting direct quotes from your customers and reflecting them back to your readers in your copy.
VoC is proper detective work. You're hunting for the exact words your customers use when they describe their problems, their desires, and that magical moment when your product made their life better.
The genius lies in this: when you use your customer's actual words, you sound like a mind reader. Because you literally are reading their minds – or at least the thoughts they've already shared with you.
For startups, VoC research is particularly powerful because:
You're often explaining something completely new to the world
Your audience doesn't know they need you yet (until you speak their language)
Every word counts when you're bootstrapping your marketing budget
One piece of brilliant copy can transform your entire conversion rate
The startup copywriting problem that VoC solves
You're a startup founder who's been living and breathing your product for months. You know every feature, every benefit, every revolutionary aspect of what you've built. So when it comes to writing copy, you naturally describe it in founder-speak.
⚠️ "Our AI-powered platform leverages machine learning algorithms to optimise workflow efficiency." ⚠️
Meanwhile, your actual customers describe the exact same thing as: 💬"I finally don't have to spend my Sundays doing bloody admin."
One sounds like it belongs in a corporate boardroom. The other sounds like something your best mate would say down the pub. Guess which one converts better?
This is where most startup copy falls flat. Founders get so caught up in explaining the technical brilliance of their solution that they forget to speak human. VoC research forces you to step outside your founder bubble and hear how real people actually talk about your product.
Why traditional copywriting methods fail startups
Traditional copywriting relies heavily on assumptions. You guess what your audience wants to hear based on industry best practices, competitor analysis, or – worse – what you think sounds clever.
But startups are different beasts entirely. You're not selling something people already understand. You're often creating entirely new categories, solving problems people didn't know they had, or approaching familiar problems in completely novel ways.
This is why conversion copywriting rates are much higher than traditional copywriting – because VoC-backed copy is relevant, compelling and persuasive to the very specific humans you need to persuade.
Without VoC research, you're shooting in the dark. With it, you're armed with the very stuff your audience needs to hear.
The VoC research methods that actually work for startups
Customer interviews
Nothing beats sitting down with your customers and having proper conversations. If you can swing it, customer interviews are absolutely worth the investment. Budget at least an hour per interview, plus time for setup and analysis.
The magic questions for startup founders:
"What was life like before you found us?"
"What made you decide to try our product?"
"How would you describe what we do to a friend?"
"What was the moment you knew this was working for you?"
"What would happen if you couldn't use our product anymore?"
👀 Record everything (with permission, obviously). The exact phrases customers use are pure gold for your copy.
Surveys
Surveys are brilliant for gathering insights from larger groups quickly. The trick is asking open-ended questions that encourage detailed responses, not just yes/no answers.
Questions that unlock copy gold:
"What's the biggest problem you have with [thing you solve]?"
"What would solving this problem look like for you?"
"How did you describe our product to the last person you recommended it to?"
"What almost stopped you from trying us?"
Keep surveys short but meaty. Three killer questions that get detailed answers beat fifteen questions that make people tick boxes.
Message mining
This is where you turn into a digital detective. Scour places where your customers naturally gather and talk:
Reddit threads where your audience hangs out
Facebook groups relevant to your industry
Review sites for you and your competitors
Social media comments on posts about your problem space
Customer support emails and chat logs
App store reviews (yours and competitors')
You're looking for exact phrases people use when they describe their problems and frustrations. Pay special attention to emotional language – that's where the conversion magic lives.
The comment mining goldmine
For startups without established customer bases yet, comment mining can be your lifeline. You can search Amazon reviews of books solving the same issue your product addresses, or do SEO keyword research to see how people phrase questions related to your problem space.
Look for patterns in how people describe:
Their current situation
What they've tried before
What they're hoping for
Their biggest fears or concerns
How to organise your VoC findings for maximum copy impact
Once you've gathered all this juicy customer language, you need a system for organising it. Create a simple spreadsheet with these categories:
Problems & pain points: What keeps them up at night?
Desired outcomes: What does success look like to them?
Objections & hesitations: What makes them reluctant to buy?
Language & phrases: How do they actually describe things?
Emotional triggers: What makes them excited, frustrated, or relieved?
Competitor mentions: What are they saying about alternatives?
👀 Look for recurring themes and exact phrases that pop up repeatedly. When multiple customers use similar language, that's your cue to incorporate those exact words into your copy.
How to turn VoC insights into conversion-driving copy
Here's where the magic happens. You're not just copying and pasting customer quotes into your website (though sometimes that works brilliantly). You're weaving their language into your messaging architecture.
Headlines that hit home
❌ Instead of: "Advanced Project Management Software"
Try ✅"Stop Drowning in Spreadsheets" (if customers described their problem this way)
❌ Instead of: "Streamlined Communication Platform"
Try: ✅"Finally, Email That Doesn't Make You Want to Scream" (if that's how they talked about email frustration)
Benefits that breathe
Don't just list features. Describe outcomes using your customers' actual words:
Feature: "Automated reporting dashboard"
Benefit (VoC-backed): "Get your Friday afternoons back instead of wrestling with reports"
Social proof that sings
When you quote customers, use their exact language. It sounds more authentic than polished testimonials:
"I actually look forward to Monday mornings now. Mad, right?" – Sarah, Marketing Director
Objection handling with empathy
Address hesitations using language that shows you understand their concerns:
"I know what you're thinking: 'Another tool to learn?' Trust me, I thought the same thing. But this actually makes everything simpler, not more complicated."
Common VoC research mistakes (and how to dodge them)
Asking leading questions
❌Wrong: "How much do you love our time-saving features?"
✅Right: "How has using our product changed your daily routine?"
Talking to the wrong people
Your biggest fans aren't always your best research subjects. Talk to:
Recent customers (transformation is fresh)
Hesitant prospects (understand objections)
Churned customers (learn why they left)
Non-customers in your target market (understand barriers)
Overwhelming yourself with data
Start small. Three solid customer interviews will give you more actionable insights than thirty scattered survey responses. Quality beats quantity every time.
Ignoring the emotional layer
People don't buy features – they buy feelings. Pay attention to emotional language:
"I was constantly stressed about..."
"It felt like I finally had control..."
"I couldn't believe how easy it was..."
The bottom line
Stop writing copy in a vacuum. Get out there, talk to your customers, and let them write your copy for you. 🙌
Ready to transform your startup's messaging with words that actually convert? I help ambitious founders develop messaging strategies that speak directly to their customers' hearts and minds.
Let's chat about powering up your startup's messaging – because the right words can change everything.
