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The hidden "architecture" rules that decide if prospects say yes

Last week I ended up in a YouTube rabbit hole. The video featured Steven Harris, a New York based architect known for blending modernist design with livable comfort. He walked through the five non negotiables he uses when designing his own home. On the surface, it had nothing to do with messaging. But this is the kind of outside perspective I like to steal from, because the most useful lessons rarely come from within our own industry.

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Harris wasn’t talking about square footage or fixtures. He was focused on principles: how you enter a space, how you move through it, how it connects to its surroundings, how it supports daily life, and how it balances scale. In other words, the foundation before the details. And that struck me, because most teams treat conversion like detail work, not architecture.

The default playbook still looks like a bag of tactics: shorten the form, move the button, A/B test the headline.

Small tweaks chasing small wins.

The equivalent of fussing over doorknobs.

What gets ignored is the architecture underneath. Just like Harris’ non negotiables guide the design of a home, conversion (especially related to messaging and copy) needs its own principles, the ones that actually determine whether someone says yes.

Five non-negotiables every message needs to hit

1. Refine the entry experience

Harris carefully stages how someone approaches and enters a home: the path, the door, the first reveal. In messaging, the opening headline and intro copy are that doorway. They should mirror the problem or desire the visitor brings with them. Get this wrong and they leave before ever stepping inside.

2. Create a strong link to context

Harris blurs the line between indoors and outdoors so the house feels part of its environment. In messaging, you have to recognize that prospects don’t arrive fresh. They bring existing tools, competitor promises, and internal politics. Great copy bridges that context instead of ignoring it.

3. Consider the flow of movement

In Harris’ homes, movement is purposeful, no wasted hallways, every room serves a function. In copy, every section should carry readers forward. That applies to website navigation, email sequences, and the funnel as a whole. Headlines set expectations, subheads build clarity, CTAs signal the next step. If people stall or loop back, the flow is broken.

4. Understand your buyers’ lifestyle

Harris designs spaces around how people actually live: dining tables that double as work areas, guest rooms linked through the garden. In messaging, you write for how buyers actually work. A CMO isn’t hunting for feature lists, they’re looking for credibility in the boardroom, cleaner sales handoffs, and differentiation from competitors. Copy that ignores those realities may look neat but won’t feel relevant.

5. Balance proportion and scale

Harris uses proportion to make large spaces feel intimate, for example lowering ceiling heights or arranging seating for closeness. In messaging, proportion means weighing the company’s story and founder’s POV against the buyer’s needs and motivations. Lean too far into your own story and you lose relevance; lean too far into granular detail and you lose differentiation. The right balance creates an experience that feels natural, clear in the moment, and obvious in hindsight.

Most CRO advice optimizes the doorknob. But if the approach, flow, or proportions are off, the door never opens.

When we think about conversion rate optimization we shouldn’t only think about “getting a yes”, but also about designing the environment and experience for prospects to say yes.

That design includes your copy.

Start architecting it.

🧠 Thought for the week: Small tweaks can improve a house. But principles make it a home.

DISCOVERY

Ever wonder why most messaging falls flat before a single word hits the page?

I sat down with 97th Floor to unpack the real reason, and how AI, done right, can sharpen your customer insights instead of dulling them. We covered the traps teams fall into, the research-first approach that actually works, and a few frameworks I use to turn raw feedback into copy that converts.

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If you want to see how the sausage gets made (and why research is 70% of the work), listen in here: How to Turn Customer Insight into High-Converting Copy with AI ↗​

RESONANCE

Takuan Soho, The Unfettered Mind

Have a great weekend!

Cheers,

Chris

Chris Silvestri Founder & conversion alchemist

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