Success Story Interview:
Guillermo Rubio
The Best Copywriters Don't Write Better
— They Think Better
For nearly 20 years, Guillermo Rubio has helped some of direct response's biggest companies create launches, email campaigns, and marketing strategies that generate impressive results. He's also become one of AWAI's most respected instructors and one of the industry's leading voices on AI-assisted copywriting. But if you ask Guillermo what separates exceptional copywriters from average ones, his answer has very little to do with writing.
In this conversation with AWAI Executive Director Katie Yeakle, Guillermo explains why copywriting is really "copy thinking." Great copy, he says, begins long before anyone types a headline or writes a lead. It starts by understanding the customer, the offer, the marketing strategy, and—most importantly—the context surrounding every project.
Throughout the interview, he shares the mental models, systems, and questions he uses to consistently uncover the right message before worrying about the words themselves.
Guillermo also reflects on his own journey—from discovering AWAI through a direct-mail promotion while working as a barista, to learning from legendary marketers like Clayton Makepeace and Mark Ford, to becoming an AI educator and trusted strategic partner for top direct-response companies.
Along the way, one trait has remained constant: an insatiable curiosity. Whether he's studying marketing, chemistry, farming, or another industry entirely, Guillermo believes every new idea expands his ability to solve problems creatively—and ultimately write more persuasive copy.
What You'll Learn
- Why Guillermo believes copywriting should really be called "copy thinking."
- How understanding context helps you determine what to say before deciding how to say it.
- Why AI is an incredibly powerful tool—but can never replace strategic thinking.
- Guillermo's practical workflow for using AI to research, brainstorm, outline, draft, and edit more efficiently.
- The importance of understanding where every piece of copy fits within the customer's overall journey.
- How systems and frameworks make complex writing projects faster, clearer, and more repeatable.
- Why studying disciplines outside marketing can dramatically improve your creative thinking.
- The surprising role curiosity has played in Guillermo's success—and why he still considers himself a lifelong student.
- His advice for every writer: stop searching for better words and start asking better questions.
Whether you're just beginning your copywriting career or looking to sharpen your strategic skills, Guillermo's message is both timeless and reassuring. Technology will continue to evolve, tools will continue to change, but writers who know how to think deeply about people, problems, and persuasion will always be valuable. That's the skill worth developing—and the one this conversation encourages you to practice every day.
Recommended Resources:
- The AWAI Method™ for Becoming a Skilled, In-Demand Copywriter
- AI Bootcamp for Writers
- How to Write High Impact Emails
The AWAI Method™ for Becoming a Skilled, In-Demand Copywriter
The AWAI Method™ combines the most up-to-date strategies, insights, and teaching methods with the tried-and-true copywriting fundamentals so you can take on ANY project — not just sales letters. Learn More »
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