The copywriting trick I stole from stand-up comedy

There’s a secret stand-up comedians use that makes their jokes land harder.

And it’s the same trick copywriters can use to make their words stick in the reader’s brain.

It’s called the setup + misdirect.

In comedy:

• The setup is the expected path. (“I went to the gym yesterday…”)
  

• The misdirect is the surprise punchline that flips it. (“…and the treadmill is still recovering.”)

The laugh happens because your brain thought it knew where the story was going—then it didn’t.

In copywriting, this works the exact same way.

Example 1:

• Setup: “You don’t need more time in your day.”
  

• Misdirect: “You need fewer distractions stealing it.”

Example 2:

• Setup: “Most marketing books are filled with timeless advice.”
  

• Misdirect: “Unfortunately, timeless doesn’t mean useful.”

Example 3:

• Setup: “We don’t need another app to organize our to-do list.”
  

• Misdirect: “We need a way to stop adding so much to it.”

It’s not just clever wordplay.
It forces the reader’s brain to re-engage. When people expect the usual pitch and get a twist, they perk up. They remember it.

And in a world where people skim 90% of what they see, the ability to hold attention for just a few seconds longer can mean the difference between being ignored—or being unforgettable.

So next time you write:
Don’t just explain.
Set it up. Twist it. Stick the landing.

That’s how comedians win laughs.
And it’s how copywriters win attention.