Al Tsel

Full-stack growth: strategy, copy, ads, email, automation.
Copy’s the spark. Systems are the engine. I build both.

[Al Tsel @alex_tsel]

Copy lights the fire.

Systems keep it burning.

I build full-stack growth engines:

Strategy. Copy. Ads. Email. Automation.

Built & exited an 8-figure biz doing exactly this.

Now, I help others turn cold leads into booked calendars.

DM me “ENGINE” if you're ready to plug in and scale.

[Al Tsel @alex_tsel]

If success is transferring belief…

Then funnel optimization is simply deciding where that belief gets built.

An absolute must-read 👇

[Stefan Georgi @StefanGeorgi]

Here Is An Ultra-Simplified Framework For Understanding How to Create An Optimized DTC Funnel:

1. Figure out the minimum amount of information a qualified prospect needs in order to be convinced to purchase your product or service.

2. Allocate the information across the different steps of your funnel.

3. After getting a baseline, test reallocating that information by lengthening/shortening each step OR adding/subtracting steps.

Keep testing until you find the optimal distribution.

—

If you’re short on time you can stop here. What I just expressed is the big idea.

If you want to keep going, then get comfortable, because I’ve got a lot more to say on this topic…

And frankly, this is probably the best thing about DTC Marketing I’ve ever written, so I hope you enjoy :)

—-

Still here? Okay then let’s go deeper:

Let’s say your prospect needs a lot if information in order to buy.

They need to be educated on:
-Why they are really having this problem
-Why other solutions don’t work
-Why your solution does work
-Why your brand is trustworthy
-Why your pricing makes sense
And so on.

All that information has gotta go somewhere right?

So if your funnel is:

Ads -> Product Page (PDP) -> Checkout

Then one of those steps is going to need to have a lot of copy (information) or a fairly long video (again, information).

Let’s say you decide to do most of your educating in your ads. You create a bunch of 2-7 minute long video ads that contain this information. And then you keep your PDP pretty short.

So your initial funnel is:

Long Video Ads -> Short PDP -> Checkout

That gets you to about breakeven on new customer acquisition…but you want to be profitable of course.

So what do you do next?

Maybe the next step is to do shorter meta ads that have more curiosity but less information. Instead of educating they “sell the click”.

Nice. Those shorter ads are easier to produce so you can test more of them. But, there’s a problem…

Even though the Clickthrough Rate (CTR) goes up, your conversion rate goes down, and now you’re at a negative ROAS.

What’s happening?

You probably cut out too much information.

So what do you do?

Well obviously this information could go back into your ads (here, you'd return to running longer video ads)...

But if those shorter ones have great CTR and a better CPM and all of that…

Then your next step might instead be to test a longer PDP with more information.

So in this case, your funnel is still:

Short Video Ads -> Longer PDP -> Checkout.

Notice: it's the same amount of steps here, but the distribution of information is different.

And let’s say doing this, you find that you’re now slightly above breakeven on your CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost).

What’s next?

This is where you have a few options:

1. Do CRO (Conversion Rate Optimization) on your PDP to Get Conversion Rate Up

Why? If ad costs stay the same but conversion rate goes up, your CAC goes down

2. Optimize Your Front-End and Backend For A Higher AOV

Why? If you make more money with each order, then you can afford to spend more to acquire each customer.

3. Optimize your LTV

Why? Let’s say your breakeven CAC for Day 0 acquisition is $100, but you know you’ll make an average of $200 for each customer over the lifetime of your business. In theory that means you can spend way more than $100 to acquire each customer.

4. Run More Ads
Why? Test more ads to find winners that convert prospects into customers at a lower average CAC than your current winners. If your CAC goes down then you get more new customers for the same amount of ad spend, and potentially more customers with more ad spend.

Let’s zoom in on #4 here.

First off, note how the result is similar to in #1 when you were doing CRO. In both cases, the conversion rate is going up.

The difference is that in situation #1, conversion rate is going up because of optimizations on your PDP.

In situation #4, conversion rate is going up because of optimizations to your ads.

You can do both at the same time, but I wouldn’t. I like to focus on one bottleneck at a time.

And then, here’s where this ties back to that idea of “the distribution of information in your marketing funnel”:

To run more ads, you’ll end up testing different hooks/angles/spokespeople/etc.

You’ll also end up speaking to different demos and potentially even different pain points as you scale.

So for example let’s say you sell a weight loss program.

Who could benefit from losing weight?

Overweight...

-Women
-Women 40+
-Women in their 20s and 30s
-Women dealing with hormonal issues
-Women who are menopausal
-Women who are pre or post-menopausal
-Women who are stay at home moms
-Women who are working professionals
-Women who want to find true love
-Women who are emotional eaters
-Women who deal with intense food noise
- Women who believe their weight issues are genetic
-Women who believe their weight issues are caused by the U.S. food system and our modern lifestyles
- Women who are MAHA/Crunchy
- Women who mostly shop at Walmart

The list goes on and on.

And you can have an equally lengthy list for men.

Now the truth is that you’re not going to be able to speak to ALL of these groups of women (market segments) at once…

But as you scale, you’ll likely try to hit more and more demos…

So how do you do that without overcomplicating your funnel by adding in TOO MUCH information?

Well, one of the most common solutions is to add a step to your funnel.

Can you guess which step it is?

Often it's an advertorial.

Think of an advertorial as an interstitial page that transitions from ads to product pages, while helping to maintain congruency.

They end up being elegant solutions because you can run ads to different demos, pain points, avatars, whatever…

Send the clicker to an advertorial speaking to that demo and their pain points…

Provide the information that specific demo needs on that advertorial…

And then send them to a fairly succinct PDP that doesn’t need as much customization.

So in this case it goes:

Short Video Ads -> Medium Advertorial -> Short PDP -> Checkout.

And I want you to notice something interesting here…

The total amount of information shared by adding an advertorial here is actually the same amount as in the previous two funnel structures we talked about.

To understand this, let's use a simple point system:

Let’s say anything short = 1 information point

Anything medium = 2 information points

And anything long = 3 information points

So look at this:

Long Video Ads (3) -> Short PDP (1) -> Checkout (0) = 4 information points

Short Video Ads (1) -> Longer PDP (3) -> Checkout (0) = 4 information points

Short Video Ads (1) -> Medium Advertorial (2) -> Short PDP (1) -> Checkout (0) = 4 information points.

Isn’t that fascinating??

You’re basically conveying the same amount of information in all of these funnels, you’re just distributing it differently…

And same for quiz funnels btw. Those can work to speak to different demos too.

Short Video Ads (1) -> Medium Quiz Funnel (2) -> Short PDP (1) -> Checkout (0) = 4 information points.

The distribution of information stays the same.

—-

Obviously there’s tons of nuance that could be added here.

True marketing mastery includes understanding additional factors like: Trust, Urgency and Severity of the Prospect’s Pain Point/Problem, and the Price of Your Solution, Demonstrably of your Product, etc.

But at the very least, hopefully this post got your wheels turning…

Or helps you to think of DTC marketing and funnel creation in a different light.

[Al Tsel @alex_tsel]

@AndrewWriteCopy

[Al Tsel @alex_tsel]

@StefanGeorgi @Grizzly_Jared

[Al Tsel @alex_tsel]

👇🏻

[David Deutsch @ddeutsch]

You can't go wrong as a copywriter if you assume prospects will give your words only half the attention you expect—but twice the skepticism.

[Al Tsel @alex_tsel]

Why your favorite Greek taverna is “slow” service... and proud of it...

In the U.S., a restaurant table turns 5x per dinner shift

In Greece?

Once...

Maybe 1.5, if they’re lucky...

It’s not bad service - it’s cultural

Americans eat to move on

Greeks eat to stay

You don’t just have a meal. You camp out...

You talk. You laugh. You order drinks two hours in...

No one brings the check unless you ask!

Terrible for turnover. Great for the soul.

And a solid reminder:

People aren’t a faceless global mass - no matter how much the globalists want us to be...

We behave differently. We buy differently...

What works in New York falls flat in Nafplio

Know your market. Know your culture.

Write for Americans?
- Get to the point
- Sell fast
- Close faster

Write for Greeks?
- Slow it down
- Build trust
- Tell a damn story

Pacing is culture. Conversion is context.

Great copy knows the difference

[Al Tsel @alex_tsel]

@TheCopyTitan Simple yet essential step to stop looking like a clown...

[Al Tsel @alex_tsel]

The average 18–30 y/o stares at screens 7–9 hours a day…

Over 3 of those on their phone, scrolling like a zombie!

Meanwhile:

>>> Learn a new skill = earn up to 25% more in a year

>>> Skill-building boosts productivity by up to 39%

>>> 30 mins a day puts you ahead of 90% of people

Don’t tell me you “don’t have time.”

You’re not too busy…

You’re just choosing dopamine over transformation

[Al Tsel @alex_tsel]

Most headlines flop because they say what everyone else is saying.

Here are three weird ways to twist the same idea into something that hits harder:

OG headline:

“How to Lose Weight Without Starving”

Now let’s crank it:

Enemy lens

→ “Why Diet Culture Lied to You... and What Actually Works” (Call out the villain. Instant tension.)

Hyper-specific lens

→ “Drop 7lbs in 14 Days—While Eating Pasta” (Numbers + unexpected combo = scroll-stopper.)

Identity lens

→ “Busy Moms Are Losing Weight Without Skipping Family Dinners” (Speak directly to a who, not a crowd.)

Same core idea. Different angles. More impact.

Your headline’s job? Stop the scroll or die trying...

[Al Tsel @alex_tsel]

Being just a copywriter in 2025?

That’s like being a candle maker after the lightbulb dropped.

Cool skill…
Dead career

AI’s not coming for your job.

It already took it - and it’s spitting out decent copy in seconds.

Meanwhile, you’re still pitching 5 emails in 2 weeks like it’s 2014.

Wake up!

Clients want:
→ Sales
→ Speed
→ Scale

Not your “creative process.”

So evolve!

Become a full-stack marketer…

- Control the list
- Build the funnel
- Drive the dollars

Because if all you offer is words?

You’re one prompt away from being irrelevant…

[Al Tsel @alex_tsel]

Here's the easiest way to make money online:

Step 1: Create a product or service
Step 2: Tell people about it

That’s it.

Your offer doesn’t need to be groundbreaking.

Just fix one or two gaps your competitors ignore.

And your message doesn’t need to be totally original.

Just say it in your voice.

Most people overcomplicate this. Don’t

[Al Tsel @alex_tsel]

Don't expect premium prices when you're seen as the bargain bin...

Perception is everything - position yourself like you’re worth it

[Al Tsel @alex_tsel]

If you want an easier way into copywriting, start with email copy...

It’s short. It’s focused.

Plus, it’s everywhere - every business with a list needs someone who can sell without sounding like a desperate fool.

Here’s what email copy teaches you:

- How to grab attention fast

- How to write with clarity, urgency, and flow

- How to move someone from curiosity to click

But if you want real, deep mastery, you study full direct response packages.

That means learning how to:

- Create offers that people can’t refuse

- Structure long copy that keeps pulling readers down the page

- Handle objections before they even pop up

- Lead a stranger from “Why would I care?” to “Take my money”

Emails are sprints. Full packages are marathons.

One gets you moving fast. One builds the muscles that make everything else feel light.

It depends on what you want:

Fast entry, or deeper foundations you can build a career on...

[Al Tsel @alex_tsel]

The psychology behind great sales copy is simple…

People don’t buy because it makes sense…

They buy because it feels right…

They buy because your words lit something up inside them:

Desire, urgency, ego, FOMO, fear, whatever…

Then they use logic to justify the decision after they’ve already made it emotionally.

So if your sales message sounds like a product manual?

You’ve already lost.

What works?

- Stir up the craving
- Poke the pain they’re avoiding
- Paint the picture of life after they buy
- Remove every excuse not to act now
- Make “yes” feel easier than breathing

Sales isn’t about facts.

It’s about feelings - delivered with precision.

And when you master that?

You don’t write copy…

You pull psychological triggers that make people need to buy…

[Al Tsel @alex_tsel]

Another gem from the guru diarrhea vault:

“Just be authentic.”

Cool!

So is your cousin Kevin...

And he’s broke, high on vibes, and 3 months behind on rent.

Your job isn’t to “share your truth.” Your job is to sell.

Authenticity is great when it’s weaponized.

But without clarity, structure, or persuasion?

It’s just a diary entry.

Let me show you what that looks like:

❌ "I just want to be real with you guys today... I've been struggling with self-doubt lately, and it's been hard to show up for my audience."

✅ "For 3 weeks, I battled imposter syndrome so bad I couldn’t hit ‘publish.’ What fixed it? This one mindset shift that made my last post go viral."

❌ "I don’t even care about the algorithm anymore. I’m just gonna speak my truth."

✅ "The algorithm didn’t bury you. Your content did. Here's how I fixed mine and tripled engagement in 10 days."

See the difference?

Authentic doesn't mean unfiltered. It means “I’m real, but I respect your time.”

So stop bleeding on the page with no purpose...

Bleed with intent. Bleed to persuade.

Otherwise?

You're not writing copy.

You're writing in your feelings like it’s 2 AM and Drake just dropped a new album...

Want to be authentic and make money?

Here’s the cheat code:

Be real. Be clear. Be useful.

In that order...

[Al Tsel @alex_tsel]

One of the worst things newbie copywriters still believe in…

“Write like you talk.”

Nope.

Only write like you talk if you are:

Charming. Persuasive. And able to sell steak to a vegan…

But most people?

They ramble. They hedge. They bore.

They talk in half-thoughts, filler words, and endless “you know what I mean?” fluff.

Copy needs rhythm. Intent. Flow.

This advice only works if your mouth naturally speaks in headlines and hooks.

Otherwise?

It reads like small talk from a guy trying to sell you crypto at a family BBQ…

[Al Tsel @alex_tsel]

@TheCopyTitan Happy Easter, Svet!

May your day be filled with love and peace

[Al Tsel @alex_tsel]

Okay, reality check time…

Your funnel?

Probably isn’t broken.
It’s just stupid.

Yeah, I said it.

If I have to click five times…

Fill out a novel-length form…

Decode your “clever” copy…

And scroll past 17 offers just to buy one thing?

You deserve the ghost town in your Stripe account.

People don’t want to work to give you money.

They want it easy. Fast. Stupid simple...

Every second of friction?

Kills conversions

- Slow-ass page? Lost sale

- Confusing headline? Gone

- Weak CTA under 14 testimonials and your life story? Bye.

This is war… And friction is the enemy.

Your job?

Slash it like a maniac with a machete:

Big button
Bold ask
One job per page
No BS…

Make buying feel like clicking “Next Episode” on Netflix.

Because if your checkout flow feels like solving a Rubik’s Cube underwater?

You don’t need a better product.

You need a mercy killing.

Fix the friction.

Or stay broke with a beautiful funnel nobody finishes

[Al Tsel @alex_tsel]

@bryan_johnson The Curious Case of Bryan Johnson…

[Al Tsel @alex_tsel]

@StefanGeorgi I’ve got a friend who didn’t post a single political take during all 4 years of Biden.

Trump wins and now he’s posting three deranged rants a day 🤯

I used to think “Trump Derangement Syndrome” was just a meme…

It’s so real they might as well add it to the DSM