How to write KILLER copy that turns heads & opens wallets
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I majored in design in college –not business, and not marketing. After college, I worked at a 9-5 design job for about 14 years.
I started freelancing on the side in 2015, I didn't go full-time until FIVE years later in 2020, and psst....
🤫😒😬
…I only took that leap because I got furloughed and it felt like if I didn't use that opportunity to my advantage, I'd be in that office another X number of years.
I know in those early days when I was sitting where you are, on someone's "list" reading their emails, it felt like maybe I'd never be writing them from the other side.
No one is truly an overnight success. I want you to hear that! It only seems like they are because before they got into the spotlight, no one knew about them. The definition of being in the spotlight means there's a bunch of us still in the shadows right beside it.
In those 5 years between starting and leaping, I had NO idea how to start and run my own business so I started grabbing #allthethings to learn and apply what I could:
downloaded all the freebies
watched tons of videos
read all the blog posts
subscribed to all the podcasts
joined a couple memberships
took several mini-courses
started reading –gasp– business books –a GINORMOUS leap from fiction & one I never thought I'd take! 😂
–Anything educational (and affordable) that I could get my hands on, taking snippets of advice from each one & trying to piece them all together in a way that fit ‘me’ as the business owner, a label which I never would've assigned to myself.
Wanna know how that worked out?
My ‘puzzle’ with all the different pieces looked AND sounded like a friggin' trainwreck. The kind you can’t look away from, because it’s so horrible. 😂
Why?
Because everyone I pulled content from taught something differently, through their lens, with their spin, and so of course it sounded like them (which is the way it should be!)
Piecing all of that together in one place (on my website) essentially created a patchwork of design style, written voice, etc, and I –Katelyn, the business owner– got lost in that quilted mixup of stuff I’d learned & applied.
I went through multiple branding style changes, multiple website redesigns, and varying levels of unclear messaging.
As a result, I wobbled between attracting NO ONE and attracting all the wrong kinds of clients, ––with a few great clients sprinkled into the mix by sheer accident or personal referral. 🤦🏻♀️
This wasn't a problem that was going to go away,
–and I couldn't fix it by redesigning anything.
Why is copywriting a must-have skill for entrepreneurs?
Your words matter. Period.
In fact, online-only businesses are arguably wholly dependent on your ability to effectively communicate what you offer in the right way, so a buying decision –for the right person– is EASY, because they know you’re the right person to work with or buy from.
Trust me, I’d tried to get around the whole ‘write better copy’ thing! It didn’t work. I’d venture to guess that was a large part of why it took me so long to get from point A (side hustle) to point B (full-time freelance) –but, ya don’t know what ya don’t know. Am I right?!
Understandably, advice that’s commonly shared in this entrepreneurial space is to tell people to hand off something you’re not good at. Delegate. Get a VA. Hire a team member, a copywriter or a social media manager, –etc.
So I'd looked into hiring someone to write new copy for my website, or at least my services page, and quickly realized that would be REALLY expensive, –at least it would be for someone that was worth their salt in conversion expertise.
I knew that while a one-time done-for-you service would solve my fix-it-now problem, it wasn't a cost-effective strategy for the long term.
It's a skill you MUST learn for yourself; even if you do end up hiring it out later, you still need to be able to write effective copy for your business, –all by yourself.
Because the copy is EVERYwhere…
There's NO part of our business that doesn't involve some element of written communication.
You might not think about it this way, but we’re often writing sales copy even for mundane things like:
our everyday email communication with our current & potential clients/customers,
the posts we schedule to social media,
the descriptions of our YouTube videos & podcasts,
on our own websites,
on the websites we design for our clients,
and in the pitches we send to be guests on other people’s platforms as we begin to market ourselves!
Even at holiday events when we're visiting our family/friends: they ask us: “What do you do these days for work?” –Our answer can also be our elevator pitch & that answer shouldn't be just, “Oh I'm a freelance web designer." Because the person who asked has no idea how to quantify a vague statement like that (so don't look for any referrals from Uncle Jesse, in this case!)
We can't get away from writing sales copy for our business.
I'd guess it takes up at least as much of my time as actually designing does.
So please, for the love of all things holy, –STOP…
😫 flailing around with your website words, mixing and matching what you see others doing, crossing all your fingers & toes, –just hoping it makes sense to SOMEbody out there
😬 being a digital wallflower in your industry because people don’t know what makes you different from others doing very similar work
😵💫 giving up valuable internet real estate by having a website that doesn’t sound like you OR attract the right kind of people to your products/services
Okay, fine.
How do I learn to write copy that sells?
I wanted to learn from a pro too, and luckily there are a few options for different budgets!
The options I’ll share with you today are less-patchwork-than-expertly-crafted content from a pros I’m happy to fan-girl.
I’ll admit too, that because I’m a fan-girl I’m somewhat biased on these options because I’m also a customer of these experts, myself. I’m not just an affiliate for Option 1, I’m also a past student & customer too, but I cannot thank her enough for the progress she helped me make in my own business. So biased? Yeah, probably ––but that’s because there’s a proven track record of success and I can draw a direct line from that success back to what I learned from her.
That said, let’s dive into these options! Shall we?
OPTION ❶ -
Buy a template from an actual expert & educator!
One of the hardest things you can do is write copy or create designs for YOUR OWN business. I couldn’t really say why, except that maybe it’s a lot harder to see the forest for the trees when we already own or manage the forest, but everyone agrees that’s true. –Both the expert and the green.
So if you’re struggling to write the words for your business, then it’s time to DO something about it, because this will NOT get easier with time unless you can learn what you need to fix, first.
Ashlyn Carter is one of my all-time favorite copywriting experts, best known for her personality-packed writing style (and how I learned to get better at my own copywriting). She’s a long-time online business owner, educator, and copywriting expert, and she has tons of fantastic tips, examples & know-how shared on her Copy Bar template shop.
If you can only tackle ONE thing for your creative dreams before 2023 … try your hand at getting better at this skill. 📓
Step inside an expertly drafted template to conversion-ready, personality-packed copy swipe files for your homepage & beyond so you can💰
lock in more conversions & know how to prove your results
hacks to help ya stand out from the eleventy-million other businesses in your niche
learn how to intrigue your audience & convey your value effectively without feeling salesy or sleezy while ya do it
It's paramount that your ideal clients & customers see THEMSELVES & THEIR buying styles reflected in your marketing copy.
Once you understand how to match YOUR message to what people are saying, you’ll rev up your digital home's conversion rate. 🖥️✏️ Because if YOU can put words to their current mood better than THEY can, ––ding-ding-ding! You’ll win more fans/clients/customers, the RIGHT way!
Want more from Ashlyn?
Her course, Copywriting for Creatives*–one I invested in MYSELF– only opens 1-2x a year because she pours her heart & soul into it and the community.
It’s an investment in your business, a tax write-off {i.e.: business expense}, and if you complete the course and apply what you learn, you’ll make that money back in a heartbeat.
If you’re the type that needs more hands-on support, coaching calls, and deep dives to learn how to get good enough at writing your own copy that you don’t NEED the templates anymore… then CfC is what I recommend for you too.
Doors are only open about once a year!
And yes, if you’re wondering those are affiliate links, but I am a PROUD Copy Bar affiliate, Ashlyn fan –and Copywriting for Creatives alumn (that’s her conversion copy course!). I’m confident that without Ashlyn’s help, my business would not be where it is today!
OPTION ❷ -
Binge Ashlyn’s expert content (blogs, podcasts, or videos)
––I know, I know! You’re probably like, “Okay so who’s this ‘Ashlyn’ lady & what makes her an expert?”
A super-quick rundown:
she was on the marketing team for GIANT companies like Delta –yes, as in the international airline!
she is oft-mentioned by other very successful 6-and-7-figure entrepreneurs & credited for their success because they finally figured out how to write copy that converts
she’s been featured in places like Forbes and Southern Living, and by people like Jenna Kutcher and Amy Porterfield –just to name a few.
Ashlyn has a literal wealth of knowledge to share and does so on her blog and YouTube channel, both of which are filled to the brim with free & actionable tips that you can start using right away.
OPTION ❸ -
Read a couple of good books!
✔ Donald Miller’s book, Building A Story Brand
I’d read this book, Building a Story Brand, and LOVED his approach. Donald helps you understand the basic concepts of good copywriting in his book with LOTS of examples and it’s not a boring read. His company also offers paid workshops (in-person and digital, last I checked) if you need more hands-on learning experience. I have 2 copies of this book and recommend it to my clients often; I have the audiobook and the paperback copy!
✔ Ash Ambirge’s book, The Middle Finger Project
One of my all-time favorite business books, because Ash is hysterical! As you can predict from the title, she has a mouth on her! But she also has a great story and sharing that story the book also becomes great motivation and inspiration. I literally have 3 copies of this 1 book: audiobook, Kindle, and hardback too –just so I can see it on my shelf. I also recommend this book all the time because it’s hysterical, relatable, and full of great tips!
That’s all for now!
What will you decide to do? Let me know in the comments! 😃
