This may just put me out of business…
I'd have to mortgage my soul to pay you to write everything for me, Stella. Does this mean my marketing is doomed?
When you have a business that thrives or withers based on your online marketing, there are two things you need to know:
1) How to write your own copy
2) Stella wants you to win
Why? In the first place, Stella likes you. In the second place, writing about your work is the same as talking about your work, only in pixels or print. And as much as Stella wants to help you win by writing everything for you, you’ve got to know the basics about persuading people you have the map to the territory they really want to cross.
Again: writing is like talking about your business. No one is going to do it as passionately as you. And once you learn the basics, it's client attraction perfume. No joke.
Let’s start with the difference between content and sales copy.
Content is stuff that shares your point of view with the world. It gives value. Adds something to the conversation. Makes the days of your readers easier, more graceful, calmer, more organized or better in some way. Examples include: your blog, newsletter, articles, special report, social media posts.
I like to think of content as the day-in, day-out commitment you make to your readers to serve them and help them solve their latest pickle. Yes, they are “channels” for your marketing, but really the goal here is to “walk your talk” and share what you know.
Sales copy is what sings, swings, and sells. Examples include: sales letters on your website, emails persuading readers to sign up for your next preview call or register for your next group program. Sales copy, as I see it, is more of a special event. It’s like a backyard party or county fair.
There’s more planning that goes into it. More invitations go out. More promotions to get people in the tent, buying tickets and seeing the show. Yes, you can teach and give content here--in fact, I'm about to recommend it--but the goal is really to convert readers into buyers.
Once you’ve got that down, I want you to understand that when you do it right, it’s not black and white.
You can add value and teach while you promote a program. You can “seed” mentions of your next product in a series of blog posts. And when you do it right, it all flows. No one feels manipulated, sold to or handled. And you come off as being super high-touch, helpful, and “tuned in” to the marketing muses.
Lately, I’ve been noticing how many business owners write “either-or” copy. It’s “either” sales copy OR it’s content. I see great content that fails to include a “call to action” (be my facebook fan, leave a comment on my blog, sign up for a first session with me, download my special report) and sales copy that’s nothing but sell. It’s as if there’s this invisible divider between useful content and asking for action.
It’s a shame, really. Because when you combine the two, you really stand out as awesome. More clients and sales follow. So here’s my invitation to you this week, dear reader. What’s one way that you can ask for action with your content, or teach as you promote and sell? I’d love to hear what you come up with in the comments section! Mighty thanks to GoTRISI's flickr photostream for the opening shot.
In addition to Stella’s “done for you” copywriting services, I also mentor a handful of business owners who want to learn how to write their own copy for their website, marketing materials, even sales pages and entire launches. The available spots were snapped up within a week of being offered. The next available marketing mentorship starts in July, and I’m only offering 5 spots. If one of them might be yours, I invite you to schedule a "2 Heads are Better Than 1" session with me, to talk about what you want help writing, and how putting Stella in your corner can get you to your goal.
