“Your copy isn’t delivering results. What next?”

Copywriting success depends on marketing elements beyond the copywriter’s control.

Like most copywriters, I ask clients for a testimonial after delivering the final copy. Usually, the clients are pleased with the copy and happy to comply.

Every so often, a client says, “I want to wait and see if the copy gets results.”

That’s a fair request, with a few caveats.

If the copy isn’t working, sometimes it just needs a few tweaks. Just tweaking a headline can completely transform results. It’s always a good idea to ask your copywriter for a few changes. Often the headline will make or break your copy.

But your copy is only one component of a system that delivers results. You could have the best copy in the world and still not make sales. Here’s why.

1 — Start with the design.

Copywriting is delivered by design. I like the say the copywriter is the quarterback. The designer is the offensive line, guiding readers to read the copy. An awkward design will distract your readers and discourage them from reading past the headline.

I once did an A/B split test of a landing page, which was a white rectangle on a plain…