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what is copywriting

What Is Copywriting?

Copywriting / By / August 31, 2022

Did you get through all of Mad Men and still wonder, what do they mean by copy?

We get this question a lot. Honestly, at some point in every copywriter’s past, they also wondered, what exactly is copywriting?

For those of us who have turned it into a fulfilling career, copywriting is in its most basic form writing persuasive and converting copy. But it’s not that simple.

Between understanding what consumers want, Google algorithms, and getting the message across in a way that’s consistent with the brand voice – it’s a science. Furthermore, it requires constant attention to industry standards, research, and fortitude to guide clients to the right messaging for their businesses. 

The Definition Of Copywriting

A quick glimpse into your inbox and physical mailbox will give you several examples of copywriting. From neighborhood civic association underwriter letters to a yoga studio’s emails offering a free first class, copy is everywhere. 

To define it at a high level, copywriting is the act of writing persuasive and promotional marketing materials. Moreover, copywriting’s goal is to motivate readers to take some form of action. This includes calls to action like: make a purchase, click on a link, make a donation, or schedule a discovery call.

Need a copywriter in your life to ensure your website, newsletters, blogs, email marketing, and print materials are working for your business? Reach out and find out how we can take the stress of writing off your plate with effective converting copy.

Copyright Vs Copywriting 

Due to them being homophones, copyright is often confused with copywriting. But it’s important to realize they are two different things.

Copyright is a legal term that protects original works of intellectual property. Whereas copywriting is a marketing tool used to convert readers into paying customers. 

To put it in pop culture terms, have you ever been listening to the radio and realized a song sounds awfully familiar to you? There’s a good chance this new-to-you song is sampled from an old favorite. It happens a lot and isn’t a huge issue. Unless, of course, this up and coming musician didn’t get permission to use said sample. Then, there would be a copyright issue. 

The same can be said for website designs, works of fine art, literature, movie scripts, and more.

Copywriting can also risk copyright infringement if protected words or phrases are used. Furthermore, copywriters can certainly write about copyright law. But the two are entirely different terms from two different industries.

Top 5 Questions About Copywriting 

We get a lot of questions about copywriting. Here are the most common:

  • Who writes copy? 
  • What does a copywriter do?
  • Who needs copywriting? 
  • What’s the difference between a copywriter and a content writer? 
  • What’s the purpose of copy? 

1. Who Writes Copy? 

A copywriter. 

While there isn’t a certification requirement to call oneself a copywriter, there are more than a few qualities that define a quality copywriter. A successful copywriter will write in your voice, relate to your audience, and will help your business organically grow in recognition and profitability.

2. What Does A Copywriter Do? 

The first stage in writing copy is getting to know the client. Then, we must get to know their target market. It’s more than saying, I think women between the ages of 20 and 30 would like this product. 

For instance, let’s look at a female entrepreneur who has created a course to help female business owners grow their businesses. We get to know the client, the tone they want to convey, their favorite phrases, their no-go words or phrases, and so much more. This is how we define the client’s brand voice. 

Their target market identifies as female business owners ready to scale their business, but don’t have an effective plan in place.

The target audience may feel overwhelmed in what feels like a man’s world. They know their product and service inside and out. But they don’t have the knowledge or confidence to take the next step. However, taking that next step prematurely could severely damage their business. These are all examples of the target market’s pain points. 

Once we dial in the client and their target market, we define the objective. Do we want them to schedule a discovery call? Download a lead magnet? Sign up for a class?

Then, we take everything we’ve learned through mindful research and start typing away. We strategically write copy that:

  • Help the target audience find their business
  • Increase the business’s Google ranking
  • Address the target audience’s needs and wants 
  • Effectively communicate how your brand is the solution they need in their lives
  • Build credibility to show the readers they can trust the business

Plus, we have stringent processes to ensure top quality every time. 

3. Who Needs Copywriting? 

Any person, business, or organization that wants to reach a larger audience and turn readers into paying customers or donors needs a copywriter.

Many times, business owners (especially new ones) try to take on more tasks than they can handle. What’s worse is when business owners attempt to become experts in fields that are out of their wheelhouse. As I’ve seen with so many companies, this leads to legal, financial, and marketing blunders!

For instance, unless you’re a doctor, you shouldn’t give medical advice. The same goes for those without law degrees giving legal advice. Not only would the research take up all the time you should be dedicating to your business, you still won’t become an expert. And if you’ve been handling all your business’s finances and taxes solo, you’re likely missing out on huge tax breaks and receiving unfortunate letters from the IRS. 

DIYing your marketing and copywriting won’t land you in the same hot water as spewing legal advice, but it can severely affect your business. Because unless you’re ready to dedicate ALL of your time to learning the tricks of the trade, your copy won’t be nearly as effective as your business deserves. 

Did you know that poor quality copy can actually turn off potential customers? Yep. And what about the new customers you need to help your business really grow? 

Without a steadfast plan and the know-how, your marketing can easily fall flat. That’s why business owners like you hire copywriters like us. Plus, your time is a lot more effective when you do what you do best. 

4. What’s the Difference Between A Copywriter And A Content Writer? 

This is one of those tricky vs maybe not-so-tricky concepts. Essentially, a content writer provides information. And a copywriter writes persuasive and converting copy to make sales. 

However, content writing is a form of copywriting. Because while the goal of the content may be informative, you can still include persuasive language and calls to action to encourage readers to take action.

For example, content writing can include informational pages on a website. This can include blog posts, product/service pages, landing pages, and more. But with each of these formats, sly plugs to contact the business for more information have them teetering on the edge of content and copy.

Want to learn more about how content and copy can help your business gain the traction it needs? Schedule a discovery call today! (See what I did there?)

5. What’s The Purpose Of Copy? 

The goal, purpose, and objective of copy is to encourage your readers to take action. And, in turn, help your business grow.

Moreover, we reach a business’s target audience and encourage them to take action that will convert them from readers into paying customers. Because, as many business owners can tell you, simply sharing the product or service you offer isn’t always enough to make sales.

Instead, us copywriters dive deep into the why?

Why does this product or service matter?

Why would a consumer or fellow business purchase your product or service?

Why is your product or service the solution your target market has been searching for?

And then we ask why again. And again. And again.

This process allows us to empathize, sympathize, and relate to your readers on a personal level. And this is how copy can effectively make the difference between a struggling business and a thriving business. 

Looking For Your Next Copywriter?

If you’re looking for your next copywriter, you need to know what to look for. A professional with experience in your industry, with proven processes, good reviews, and overall reliability. 

But you don’t have to look very far, because FocusCopy is the solution you need. With nearly 100 clients under our belt in every industry you can imagine, we’ve got the experience and know-how your marketing needs.

Ready to grab a coffee and talk copy? Reach out today to schedule a discovery call and let’s chat business.

Focus Your Copy On Conversation & Conversion

Let’s Grab A Virtual Coffee With Us To Discover How To Boost Your Words
Schedule Discovery Call
how to overcome writer's block

How To Overcome Writer’s Block & Get Back On The Right Track

Copywriting / By / August 8, 2022

Who else has a hard time overcoming writer’s block? I know I do!

We’ve all had those days. You know the ones…You have a ton of writing on your to-do list. However, after your third (or sixth) cup of coffee, you still can’t seem to focus on the task at hand. That blinking cursor on an empty page begins to mock you. Then, each blink begins to sound like the ticking of a clock inside your head as the day continues on without making progress.

Writers love to joke that their favorite thing about deadlines is the whooshing sound it makes as it passes by. But the downside of letting writer’s block get the best of you is those deadlines push back other important projects and encourage you to procrastinate. Even if your deadlines are flexible, you should treat them as though they aren’t. But it’s completely understandable that writer’s block can have an impact on your ability to perform.

Instead of sitting around waiting for inspiration to strike or switching to social media, try these 8 tips to get you back on track in 10 minutes or less. OR skip the how to overcome writer’s block tips and get right to an effective solution with the FocusCopy team.

What Is Writer’s Block?

Many of us associate writer’s block with our school days. You’re at your desk and everyone is scribbling away…except you. You understand the assignment. You just don’t know where to start! Your brain might feel foggy or like a pile of mush because while you’re capable of writing, the words just won’t come out.

Writer’s block is real. And even though your braces are gone and your handwriting has improved, writer’s block still affects people well into adulthood. Only now, writer’s block eats into your productivity and profitability. But there are a few ways to turn writer’s block around.

Need a faster, more effective solution? FocusCopy has your back.

Why Do We Get Writer’s Block? 

There are several reasons writer’s block happens. A few of these reasons are mental, which means it’s important to do everything you can to get your mind in a clear and comfortable space.

The most common reasons people experience writer’s block are:

  • Timing
  • Lack of energy
  • Fear
  • Perfectionism
  • Unclear direction

The thing about these symptoms of writer’s block is they’re usually all connected. But don’t worry because as soon as you start a routine to improve your productivity and get the hang of getting over writer’s block, it’ll become habitual.

A Guide On How To Overcome Writer’s Block

Here are 8 things you can do to get past writer’s block.

1. Start With A Big Idea

What’s your purpose for writing and what’s the purpose of the piece? If you’re writing your own biography for your website, what’s the big idea behind it? It may be to:

  • Inform readers about your credentials
  • Discuss how many companies you’ve helped
  • Tell a story about how your sales have improved over time

Whatever you’re trying to do through your writing, know what it is and jot it down!

2. Know Your Goal

Once you have the big idea down, your main goal should be clear. If you have questions, ask. Yep! Even if you’re the boss. It’s okay to ask people you admire what they think, if they can edit, or if they have any other ideas. This way, you avoid writing with no real direction.

Scribbling can help if you’re brainstorming and trying to get the juices flowing. But if you’ve been at it for too long, writing with an unclear goal leads to multiple revisions, edits, and everyone’s favorite – total rewrites! You want to avoid wasting time and money by redoing work that should be on the right track the first time around. Ask questions and be sure you’re on the same page about goals and expectations. 

3. Outline Your Copy

Before outlining your copy, you should know and stick to a deadline. Account for the time it takes to brainstorm, outline, and edit your work. From there, choose an ideal day and time to start writing, and get an outline going.

Psst…Your big idea and goal above can be part of your outlining process!

After many years of professional writing, placing my main points into bullets to start is a huge help. You can think of them as headlines for your writing, guiding you along the way. If you have any specific notes, links, or other thoughts to include, now is the time to throw those ideas in before you forget! 

This next tip is more for longer articles and blogs. So, if it helps, go ahead and write a quick introduction and conclusion including your objective and end goal, even if they aren’t perfectly written the first time around. This will make it easier as you write to remember what you should be writing about. Also, it ensures that the entire piece has a good flow from start to finish.

Need help getting started? Add a cup of FocusCopy to your writing.

4. Use The Pomodoro Technique

Have you ever heard of the Pomodoro technique? 

how to overcome writer's block

It’s a way to manage the time you have so you can get the most quality work done. It breaks up your time into 25-minute intervals and 5-minute breaks. These sections are called pomodoros. As soon as you’ve worked for about 4 or 5 of these intervals, you can take a longer break of about 15 to 20 minutes.

I love using Flow for Mac because instead of thinking about how much time I don’t have, it forces me to work within the time I do have. It’s a much less stressful way of looking at my day ahead. And it’s not just for writers! You can use it for practically whatever you need to get the job done. It’s also a pretty amazing tool to use if you burn out quickly performing one task at a time…cough any parents with kids who hate studying? Give Flow a try.

5. Move Your Body Away From The Computer

This tip on how to overcome writer’s block may sound counterintuitive. But looking at a blank page and worrying about what you’re going to write can cause more stress than necessary. It’s okay to do something else to get your mind working for 5 to 10 minutes. 

You can:

  • Go for a short walk outside
  • Stretch in the comfort of your home
  • Breathe long and slow for a few minutes
  • Declutter and clean your desk off with a sanitized wipe (a personal favorite)

Moving away from the computer has a ton of benefits, which leads us to our next tip. 

6. Put Pen To Paper (Instead Of Using The Keyboard)

I know, I know, you love your laptop and you’d rather die than let it out of your sight. Trust me! I get it. 

But there is something to be said for taking a reliable, smooth pen to a crisp clean piece of paper. In fact, it’s proven that writing strengthens your brain activity more than typing on a computer. You’re even more likely to remember key pieces of information later on. This tip is great for those who have memory or learning differences like dyslexia or attention deficit disorder (ADD).

Want to make this hack a little more fun? 

Grab some fun notebooks (no one will judge you for choosing a Batman cover) and stock up on your favorite pens – these thin gel pens from Sharpie will be the most stolen borrowed pens in your collection. 

7. Clean Up Your Desktop

You know who you are here…If you have notes or files you don’t need from one or more years ago, I’m talking to you! 

Actually cleaning your work area is one thing. But getting rid of the extra icons, pictures, and apps on your computer can also help. There’s nothing physical that you’re removing, but clearing up your desktop can feel just as rewarding. Before insisting you need everything, take a quick look and see if there are 3 items you can get rid of completely.

8. Put On White Noise Or Instrumental Music

Many people have trouble concentrating when there are other noises around. This can be the coworker humming to your left, the tapping of your own keyboard, or someone having a loud phone call an office or two away. Complete silence alone can make you feel like you’re going crazy. You’re not wrong to feel this way. If you are bothered by other noises or silence, you can use white noise or music to drown out the distraction.

You can buy noise canceling headphones, tune into your favorite playlist, or tell home devices like Alexa that you want it to play white noise for you. If you prefer a natural source for white noise, turn on a fan or the AC, use a small space heater for a low hum, or rely on an air purifier to run while you think. 

How To Overcome Writer’s Block While Saving Time & Money

You can practice most of these tips in 10 minutes or less. However, if time isn’t on your side and you need quality writing solutions fast, FocusCopy is the extra boost you need. We use a refined process to overcome writer’s block and get your copy on target and on time. Contact us to find an affordable writing solution for your business, and never worry about writer’s block again.

Focus Your Copy On Conversation & Conversion

Let’s Grab A Virtual Coffee With Us To Discover How To Boost Your Words
Schedule Discovery Call
difference between copyright and copywriting

What’s The Difference Between Copyright & Copywriting?

Copywriting / By / August 1, 2022

In-person conversations about what we do often lead to a subplot about the difference between copywriting and copyright. And no, it’s not annoying…despite how many times our parents ask about copyright law…

But there is a big difference between copywriting and copyright law. For starters, one is a term for writing copy. In our case, writing high-converting copy for female entrepreneurs who don’t have the time to write, or in some cases, just hate writing. 

And the latter is a legal term about authorship and intellectual property. 

Do the two ever become intertwined in real life, aside from sounding exactly the same? Sure. But that’s beside the point…for now. 

Need to zero in on your brand messaging to reach your ideal clients and grow your business? Get in touch with FocusCopy today!

What Is Copyright?

Whether you’re a movie buff, avid reader, fine art aficionado, or are always listening to music, you may have seen your favorite artist in the news at some point over copyright litigation. 

That’s because copyright is a type of protection for original works of intellectual property. This can include lyrics, phrases, music samplings, paintings, software, architecture, and so much more.

This may have millennials reminiscing about Vanilla Ice differentiating the Ice, Ice, Baby bass line from David Bowie and Queen’s Under Pressure. Even Houston’s hometown star Lizzo has been in the news over writing credits for her breakout song Truth Hurts. 

Is Copyright The Same As Patents & Trademarks?

Nope! While all three offer protections, they are not the same. In fact, an inventor or scientist may file for a patent to protect their inventions or discoveries. While a trademark protects words, symbols, or designs that identify and distinguish their goods and services. For instance, you wouldn’t want a competing business within the same industry to use your business name and logo, right? But if it’s an entirely irrelevant business, then it might not matter so much.

At What Point Is Intellectual Property Protected?

According to copyright.gov, “Your work is under copyright protection the moment it is created and fixed in a tangible form that is perceptible either directly or with the aid of a machine or device.”

However, if you want to bring a copyright issue to court, then you must register your work. Whether that be a piece of fine art, your latest freestyle, or even your innovative building design – it’s never a bad idea to talk to a copyright lawyer. 

What Is Copywriting? 

Ahhh…I’m glad you asked!

In its most basic definition, copywriting is the act of writing materials to encourage a reader to take action. This can include: 

  • Attending an event
  • Making a purchase
  • Signing up for a service
  • Donating to a worthy cause
  • Liking and sharing a social media post

I’m pretty sure every generation can find examples of copywriting they’ve read that led them to take action. 

Most of what you read online these days is copywriting. I’m talking webpages, email newsletters, blogs, and those landing pages that pop up encouraging you to share your email address in exchange for something you want. Out there in the world, some copywriter (with a dog or cat at their feet) wrote those words in a strategic fashion to encourage you, the reader, to make a move. 

You may be thinking, Why would I hire someone to write? I know how to write!

We don’t doubt that! 

But ask yourself,

Do you really have the time? 

And if so, where’s all the writing you’ve been producing? 

Is it reaching your target audience effectively? 

Are you seeing results in your business? 

Or is it falling flat?

As professional copywriters, we do a ton of research and have even more processes. We strive to raise your Google ranking to be at the top of the page when someone searches for the products or services you offer. And to do that, we have to keep up with Google’s constantly changing algorithm, get into your voice so that not even your spouse or neighbor would know the difference, write effectively, and so much more. 

At the writing of this blog, we’ve just signed our 90th brand as we gear up to celebrate FocusCopy’s 3rd anniversary. Let’s grab coffee and see how we can help your business.

The Big Difference Between Copyright & Copywriting 

One is a legal term and the other is a marketing and sales resource. However, I’d have to say the biggest difference is that copywriting produces words that you may want protected through copyright law.

As mentioned above, copywriting can be copyrighted. But unless an attorney, The U.S. Copyright Office, or someone else who can benefit from us writing about copyright can benefit, it’s unlikely you’ll see us copywrite about copyright. Except, obviously, right now. 

If you want to ensure your tangible form of expression is protected, then you should speak to a copyright, intellectual property, or business attorney. Trust us, through our research – we’ve come across a ton of examples of copyright infringement.

Whereas if you need a copywriter to help you write your copy, then look no further! Through our processes, we hone in on each client’s individual voice. We learn the tones, phrases they like, phrases they hate, their goals, their vision, their mission, and so much more. The results are happy clients who are able to publish meaningful copy that truly helps their businesses reach a larger target audience. 

Want Meaningful Copy To Caffeinate Your Brand Messaging?

FocusCopy takes the writing tasks off your plate so you can focus on growing your business. Whether you just can’t find the time, hate writing, don’t feel confident in your writing, or something else – we can help. 

In just under 3 years, we’ve helped 90 business owners (and counting) publish clear and focused copy to elevate their messaging and grow their businesses. Our ever evolving processes give us the tools to document your brand voice and write so that not even your mom will raise an eyebrow. Whether you need a helping hand or want the writing completely off your to-do list, we’re here to be your strategic partner. Schedule a discovery call today and learn what we can do for your business!

Focus Your Copy On Conversation & Conversion

Let’s Grab A Virtual Coffee With Us To Discover How To Boost Your Words
Schedule Discovery Call
call to action swipe file

Build Your Call To Action Swipe File To Write High-Converting Copy

Copywriting / By / July 21, 2022

Do you ever sit down to write your business copy and have no idea where to start? 

Everyone gets writer’s block, but how are we supposed to overcome it? 

Instead of putting off writing for your business again, do what the professional copywriters do…Open up your call to action swipe file.

What’s a swipe file? It’s a collection of excellent copywriting you can use to gain inspiration. But what it is not is the license to duplicate the copy as your own. We don’t like plagiarizers (and it doesn’t look good to your target audience either). 

Why You Need A Swipe File For Your Website Copy

So why do you need a swipe file for your website copy? Apart from giving you ideas when you have no clue what to write, a swipe file gives you a starting point to think differently about your copy. Its intended purpose is to inspire or give an idea on what to do. Before we reveal our call to action swipe file, what is a call to action? 

What Is A Call To Action? 

It is what it sounds like. You are calling your intended audience – usually your target customer – to take a specific action. That action does not have to be a buying one.

Remember, there are a lot of steps that happen in the customer journey to convert a complete stranger into a raving fan. Not all of those require a monetary transaction. 

Need more than inspiration and ready to grab hold of helping copywriting hand? Schedule a discovery call today!

Your Call To Action Swipe File For Your Website Copy

To help you out, we’ve added a variety of B2B and B2C examples from various industries. When building out your own swipe file, don’t be afraid to go outside of your industry or competition. Sometimes, the most obscure sites may actually spark a brilliant copy concept. 

Subscribe Call To Actions

The money isn’t in your social media. It’s in your email list. Here are a couple of our favorite subscribe call to actions. 

call to action swipe file
(Tuft & Needle)

What we love about this call to action is the ability to tie in what they do – sell sheets and mattresses – with the copy. It’s unique, yet indicates that their email newsletter isn’t some boring newsletter. Nobody wants to clutter their inbox. 

call to action swipe file
(Hubspot)

Don’t underestimate the value of pop-ups! But definitely use them sparingly if you want to protect your user experience. This call to action is a favorite because it uses a little social proof to encourage people to subscribe to their blog. 

Sign Up Or Download

Want to provide some up front value before engaging in a more sales type conversation? Sending them to a sign up or download action is a perfect way to increase your buy-in. 

(Scalable.co)

This call to action has everything. It identifies the audience as overwhelmed entrepreneurs and business owners. It sets the expectation that for 5 days, you’ll get 20+ hours of free time back. And it gets people to sign up for the waitlist. We love waitlists because they are great ways to build your email subscriber base. 

(DigitalMarketer)

DigitalMarketer offers workshops, courses, and certifications for marketers and entrepreneurs. Because marketing is one of those things that is confusing (as there is no quick formula for success), they offer a blueprint. The headline is straightforward. The subhead is effective. But even more so, we love how they include both a “How It Works” and a “Download” button. 

Read Blog Call To Actions

Blogs are fantastic ways to increase your SEO. But they can also be used to engage with your target audience, to show them you know your stuff, and to build some credibility. But how do you get them to read your blog? 

(Amy Porterfield)

Amy Porterfield’s content strategy primarily relies on her podcast, Online Marketing Made Easy. As such, she’s divided out her episodes into several categories based on where her target audience is in their businesses. Instead of forcing her audience to sort through the topics themselves, she’s made it easy (pun intended). 

Reach your target audience with effective copy that really converts. Contact us today to learn more. 

(Keap)

The social proof and variety of content available really bolsters the click through rates. The headline alone proves that the content they are producing isn’t just from theory or a quick Google search. It’s proven through the businesses that they work with. 

Try For Free Call To Actions

Free trials help to reduce the fear of making a bad decision. It allows the customer to see the value without experiencing the risk of losing money. Here are a couple of “try for free” examples we love. 

(Spotify)

Once upon a time, the only way you could access music (without being told what to listen to) was through CDs or cassette tapes. With streaming services, the big question became: what’s the value in this? To get over the hurdle, Spotify doesn’t simply place music in the entertainment category. They equate it to living life. The word “everything” suddenly makes the opportunity for a free trial that more valuable. 

(ClickFunnels)

Not only is ClickFunnels addressing the problem they solve (converting customers), they also add in an entire section of social proof directly underneath without it being an entirely separate segment.

(Hubspot)

In three words, Hubspot is able to effectively communicate that their CRM has the power small business owners need to run their businesses without feeling overwhelmed. This is a great example of the power behind using fewer words.  

Get Started Call To Actions

Depending on your business, it may be ideal to sell a “starter” package to give the customer a sample of what to expect. This is typically used for those investment type products or services. For example, you could sell a starter kit that includes a variety of samples or a segment of your larger service. 

(Harry’s)

For new buyers, Harry’s presents this starter offer as a special gift. There are a couple elements that are really attractive:

  • Apparent discount
  • Low risk with free shipping
  • Samples for everything a customer needs to evaluate the product
  • Freedom to choose color
  • Easy process flow to access offer

Learn More Call To Actions

You may need to send your audience to explore different areas throughout your website. This is especially important if you have a complicated product, process, or have a page that dives deeper into a specific feature. 

(Tuft & Needle)

The imagery and the headline does it for us at first glance. But what’s more than that is that they direct their audience to either explore their different mattresses and to compare their mattresses against competitors. If you know anything about mattresses, there couldn’t be a more confusing product as there is no standardization. 

(Keap)

We’re big fans of Keap anyways since we run our business using it. But what I love about their home page is that they have many, many, many features that are transformed into benefits. Then they have specific pages that dive deeper into those benefits (hence the “learn more”). 

Call Now Or Schedule Call To Actions

In the case that your business is more consultative, these types of call to actions are ideal for your business. 

(2x)

The simplicity of this is what really sets this one apart. There is no play on words or entertaining copy. However, an identification of who they want, what they can get, and what to do. You do not have to over complicate your copy to be effective. 

Quiz Call To Actions

Instead of sending them to a download resource page, quizzes are fun and engaging ways to get your customer to stay on your site. 

(Brook Linen)

What we love about this call to action is that it’s taking what can often be a confusing topic (there are almost too many options) and simplifies it into a pathway. The goal here is clear and simple.

Where To Find Inspiration 

If you need to find inspiration, there are several ways for you to create a swipe file: 

  1. Use an already existing swipe file. Sites such as SwipeFile.com make it really easy to sort through what you’re looking for. 
  2. Use one location to store your screenshots. If there are great CTAs, we upload them into an organized folder system on Google Drive or put it on a dedicated Slack channel. 
  3. Create a framework or template for different types of copy. Don’t want to store screenshots? Create a document or spreadsheet with headline and/or call to action templates or formulas.

Need Help Creating Call To Actions Or Ready To Hand It Over To The Pros?

FocusCopy takes the pressure off entrepreneurs’ and business owners’ already heavy shoulders. We write converting copy (headlines, call to actions, and all!) that gets your message across to the right audience.

Even better, we write in your voice. Meaning not even your mom or best friend will realize you’ve outsourced your writing.

If you’re ready to stop staring at a blank screen and finally work with professional writers who know effective call to actions (and so much more), then schedule a discovery call today.

Focus Your Copy On Conversation & Conversion

Let’s Grab A Virtual Coffee With Us To Discover How To Boost Your Words
Schedule Discovery Call
Top Problems Website Designers Experience

Website Designers: There’s A Better Way For Copy

Business, Copywriting / By / July 21, 2022

You didn’t become a website designer to…

Write copy.

Analyze word choice. 

Get words out of your client’s mouths. 

Wait on copy. 

No. You became a website designer to bring an idea to life and generate a platform for businesses to grow. 

After talking to dozens of website designers and developers across the United States, we’ve learned they all struggle with one thing. And that one thing can tank a project’s success or delay project timelines. 

So before we reveal the big struggle, what are the top problems website designers face? 

Top Problems Website Designers Experience In Their Business

There are many moving parts when it comes to website design: the branding, the copy, the design, the development, and the client themselves. But there are top problems website designers experience that rise to the top. 

Lack of Client Vision 

“I want a website.” But what do you want the website to do? 

One of the most frustrating things website designers experience is when their clients lack clarity. They don’t know what they want their website to do, how they want their prospects to navigate through, or what this website can do for their business.

When clients lack vision, expectations often go unmet. That usually ends in leaving a bad taste in everyone’s mouth. And you definitely don’t want that!

Prolonged Timelines 

You might layout a perfect timeline for your clients with ample feedback windows; however, the timeline extends for several weeks (or even months) in reality. 

For example, one website designer in our network shared how they had one client whose project timeline was 3 months (a pretty standard timeline). However, two big issues extended the timeline up to 9 months – 3 times the original estimate. What happened? They let their clients write the copy themselves (even though they weren’t copywriters or experienced in writing website copy), and they were relaxed with their feedback windows. 

Unspoken Expectations

Expectations. The e-word. When there is no clear communication based on either party’s expectations for the project or relationship, it’s bound to end up in disaster. Unmet expectations usually end in a frayed relationship and poor feedback. 

If you’ve already passed the kick-off meeting and suspect that there are unspoken expectations, schedule a call with your client to understand what success looks like for them. Then you can either readjust to meet those expectations or share how you are already working towards those expectations. 

The Website Copy

We wouldn’t be writing this article if the website copy wasn’t the biggest problem website designers experience in their business. After meeting with dozens of designers across the United States, we’ve learned that there are two models: 

  1. The designer relies on their clients to provide the copy. There is no contractual agreement for the client to hire a copywriter. Usually, they write the copy themselves. It isn’t optimized for search engines and is typically way longer than needed. 
  2. The designer writes the copy themselves (and they usually hate themselves for doing that). It creates an unnecessary bottleneck in the business because copywriting isn’t your first or even second favorite part of the job. 

Instead of relying on your clients to write their copy or writing the copy yourselves, let’s connect how we can build directly into your process to create copy that reflects your client’s brand voice and resonates with their target audience. 

Schedule a discovery call with FocusCopy today to explore how we can support you. 

Options For Website Designers To Avoid Their Copy Problems

Now, we know the top problems website designers experience. But what are the options for website designers to avoid their copy problems? 

Ask The Right Questions

To find the best answers, you need to ask the right questions. Here are a couple of questions to assess whether the client can provide the copy or whether you need to enforce they use your copywriting skills (hopefully, provided by FocusCopy).

  • As for your website copy, are you writing your own copy, or are you hiring a professional copywriter? 
  • What does success look like for this website? 
  • Do you want to create meaningful engagement with your target audience on your website? 
  • How much time can you commit in [insert timeframe you want to copy] to write, edit, and deliver your copy to us? 

Stand By Your Timelines

If you’ve included it in your contracts, enforce your timelines. One thing we’ve seen help many website designers and marketers is to put into place a revision or feedback period. This not only makes this website project your client’s priority, but it allows you to better plan your resources. 

Find A Solution For Website Copy

Usually, investing in a website redesign and redevelopment is a big deal for companies. Emphasize that you wouldn’t make a big investment without actually doing it right. We have created a couple of options to help you improve your service offerings. 

Send Website Copy Templates

A blank page is your worst enemy. We’ve created a whole host of website copy templates that you can download directly from our website to help your clients fill out their copy. 

Click here to access (go to resources page).

Make Copy Completed By Professional Writers A Requirement For Your Clients

Another way to avoid the copy situation altogether is to require it as part of your website package. If you don’t have a copywriter on your team to supply the copy, you can partner with a company like FocusCopy to outsource the copy development. 

Interested in chatting with us? Schedule a call with us today to explore a potential partnership. 

Partner With The Website Copywriting Experts

As a preferred partner for website designers all across the nation, we work closely with your process to add value to your clients and streamline the most frustrating part of the design process – the copy.

Focus Your Copy On Conversation & Conversion

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Persuasion Principles To Write Converting Copy

How To Use Persuasion Principles To Write Converting Copy

Copywriting / By / July 22, 2022

There is a lot noise in the world. 

And it can be deafening. 

That’s why you as a business owner need to be more persuasive and more engaging in your conversations with your target audience to rise above the noise. 

How do you go about doing that? 

You use persuasion principles to write converting copy. 

What Are The Persuasion Principles?

Robert B. Cialdini, author of Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, developed these persuasion strategies to influence people to do, think, or say certain things. They’re easy strategies to use in your business writing that help customers understand exactly how valuable your services are. With the right persuasion tactics, you can give your potential leads clear vision for how you can improve their lives. 

Before you get into a mindset of persuasion is simply manipulation, I want to reframe that thought. 

With your copy, I don’t want you to force anyone or manipulate anyone to purchase your offering if it isn’t solving a real problem (whatever that problem will be). For example, we offer copywriting services. However, if a person is dead set on not producing any copy (for whatever reason), I am not going to manipulate or force them into something they are not interested in. That’s sleazy and is not the intent of this article. Instead, we’re just using these principles to frame your work in the best possible light.

Reciprocity

Reciprocity is one of my favorite persuasion principles. Maybe it’s my people-pleasing tendencies, but I love giving something back if someone has given me something. Reciprocity is “a relation of mutual dependence or action or influence” (WordHippo).

BNI is a referral networking organization that exemplifies this persuasion principle really well. They rely on the principle of “Giver’s Gain”. In other words, if I give you referrals, I will receive referrals in return. In my personal experience with BNI, this rings true every single time I pass qualified referrals to another member. 

Commitment & Consistency

This may top reciprocity as my favorite principle. From an early age, I remember being frustrated when people would say “yes” and then say “no” when a better option came along. As a result, I developed a mentality that my “yeses” will be 100%. There is no turning back. No returns or takebacks. When you commit and remain consistent, you build credibility with the other party. 

In simple terms, this is best displayed when you make your vows to your spouse to love them through sickness and health. But it could also show in your public pursuit of a conspiracy theory (even if the evidence stacks against it). 

Social Proof

Social proof might sound like a foreign concept, but we all know it by a more familiar term – peer pressure. When you employ social proof in your writing, you’re using the age old tactic of “C’mon! Everyone else is doing it!” 

While we’ve all heard we shouldn’t jump off a cliff (even if all our friends are doing it), social proof is surprisingly effective. 

Likability

You know what they say… It’s critical to build your know, like, and trust factor with your audience. And that’s because people buy from people they know, like, and trust. 

Recently, I talked with a salesperson who retired from a company after 30 years. His clients stuck with him over decades not because he had the best product or even the best price. It was because if there was ever an issue or if they ever had a question, they could pick up the phone and talk with my friend. 

 After my friend retired, the company’s relationship with the client strayed. It got to a point where the client called my friend directly to help solve the problem. Turns out, the new salesmen at the company approached the relationship as a transactional one. 

If you can, approach every client relationship (prospective or otherwise) with a relational perspective. Be likable. Get to know them. Build a friendship. 

Authority

Let’s say you don’t have a likable personality, don’t have social proof, don’t want to give back, and lack consistency. Even then, we have a persuasion principle for you!

Establishing authority is a great persuasion tool for all business models. Even if your business was founded this year, you have one employee on staff, and you’ve never made a large sale, you can still establish your authority in your industry. It might not be easy, but it’s possible!

It’s like resume building right out of college. You’re not going to lie, but you’re going to focus on your business’s strengths.

Scarcity

We’ve all done it. We’ve all been at a super sale of our favorite stores and bought something we shouldn’t have. What drove each of us to temporarily go insane and ignore our carefully constructed budgets? Was it the “Don’t miss out! This sale is ending soon” signs that elevated your heart rate? Perhaps seeing that thing you wanted so badly sitting on an empty shelf put you in a panic. 

We’ve all bought into the idea of scarcity. The thought might have crossed your mind that if you didn’t grab it right that second, you might never find such a good deal again. Finding a way to frame your own products or services in this mindset will create an urgency for clients to take action and will ultimately close deals.

Persuasion Principles Applied In Copywriting 

So now that you know about the persuasion principles, how do you actually go about applying them in your copywriting? 

Reciprocity in Copywriting

“So, what’s it in for me?”

Buyers today expect to receive something in return for their business. It isn’t a case of giving payment and receiving what you asked for anymore. You, as a business, must do more. Think, “How can I reward loyal customers? How can I show clients that our partnership will be mutually beneficial?” 

The easiest way to do this is to create some sort of high-value offer like a guide, template, or cheatsheet. Something that your audience will find valuable without requiring even more from them. 

For example, we created a bunch of resources over the last year. One, in particular, has been really effective for us in giving value away for free. It’s our How To Answer The 6 Most Important Questions On Your Home Page Guide. If you look further down this page, you’ll find what you can discover inside the guide without having to fill out your contact information. 

Download this free guide here.

Here are a couple more ideas for how to write out this reciprocity principle. 

Ashlyn Writes
Jenna Kutcher
ClickUp
Persuasion Principles To Write Converting Copy
PandaDoc
Amy Porterfield

Commitment & Consistency in Copywriting

At FocusCopy, we exist to build up and support female entrepreneurs. Now, we don’t exclusively work with female entrepreneurs; however, we want to find opportunities to help those women, create custom offerings to grow their businesses, and generally cheer them on as they grow their ventures. 

We are committed to our mission, and we make that commitment known in our writing. If you read any of our blogs or even just peruse our website, this mission is consistently visible. Make your commitments known to your audience!

You can demonstrate your consistency through helpful statistics. Do you know how much money you save your clients in the long term? Do you have 100% customer satisfaction? If there is solid evidence that your business can achieve a consistent result, let your customers know. 

Amy Porterfield

Social Proof in Copywriting

No one likes to feel like an outsider – especially when being an insider has so many benefits! Call out all the ways your potential customers would “miss out” if they didn’t decide to work with you or buy your product. More importantly, highlight all the benefits that are waiting for them if they decide to say yes. 

Show off glowing reviews from favorite past customers, highlight impressive brands you’ve worked with, and lean on the tangible data that proves just how good you are at solving your customers’ problems. Social proof is all about making a customer wish they had worked with you sooner. 

Savvy Chic Design
Keap
AWAI

Likability in Copywriting

You can be more likable in your writing by being more personal and vulnerable. The About Page on your website is an awesome place to tell your story and build connections with potential customers. But you can be personal in any and all of your business copy. 

If you’re worried this might make your copy seem unprofessional or too touchy-feely, try looking at it another way. You’re just a human being talking to another human being. You want to help solve your customers’ problems and make their lives easier. Being professional does not mean acting like a corporate robot, so don’t be afraid to show a little bit of who you are in your writing.

ClickUp

Authority in Copywriting

If you have credentials – whether those are awards, certifications, etc. – list those. For example, you may boast that you’ve worked with over 75 brands across 4 countries, are endorsed by some hotshot celebrity, or have completed your Ph.D. Maybe your product is super high quality and blows your competition out of the water in every demo. Before you start writing, create an outline that puts your greatest strengths front and center.

Keap
Hubspot
ClickUp

Scarcity in Copywriting

When you put pressure on your target audience through limited time offers, deadlines, or limited availability, you increase the value of your products or services in the minds of your customers. That’s why we saw a shortage of toilet paper at the beginning of the COVID pandemic. People thought they wouldn’t be able to get toilet paper, so they cleared the shelves of every grocery store. 

If you’re selling services, you only have a finite amount of your time to sell. Remind your customers that your time is limited and valuable. 

Learn How We Persuade Your Potential Clients

If you don’t have time or struggle to write your own copy, we’re here to help. Whether you need a persuasive website, newsletter, or blog, we can turn your copy into a powerful sales tool for your business.

Contact us today for a free discovery call and get back to running your business.

Focus Your Copy On Conversation & Conversion

Let’s Grab A Virtual Coffee With Us To Discover How To Boost Your Words
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content marketing skills

5 Content Marketing Skills For Business Owners To Master In 2022

Copywriting / By / July 21, 2022

As a business owner, I know you already juggle numerous responsibilities – including content marketing. You might be your business’s marketing director, copywriter, and social media manager on top of everything else you do. But, no matter how talented a writer you might be, every content marketer needs a variety of skills to convert prospects into customers.

As a content marketer, you need to create content to improve sales. No matter how creative or witty your writing is, it’s not worth your very valuable time if it doesn’t profit your company. Improving the following skills will allow great writers everywhere to become great content marketers. 

5 Skills Every Content Marketer Needs To Convert Customers

Whether you’re writing for one small business or a large franchise, every content marketer can benefit from developing the following skills. So, even if you’re the busiest of business owners, make time to improve your content marketing skills and save yourself time, money, and headaches in the long run.

Looking for a team of writers who can consistently communicate in your brand’s voice? Sign up for a virtual cup of coffee with FocusCopy so we can talk about your marketing goals. 

Editing Skills

Even very talented writers still have to work on their editing skills. Make no mistake – editing is not just looking for spelling or grammar mistakes. Anybody can use Grammarly to help with that! While those errors can make a page look unprofessional, editing serves a larger purpose.

When editing a piece of business writing, you want to read and re-read the document. Is your document as clear as it can possibly be? Without clarity, you risk confusing your customers and ultimately discouraging them from working with you. 

Think about how you can use as few words as possible to get your point across. Shakespeare once wrote, “Brevity is the soul of wit.” If you want to truly impress your customers, don’t weigh down your web pages or newsletters with clunky vocabulary words or long sentences. Your readers are busy, and you’re fighting for their attention. So, get to the point! 

There’s an endless amount of content to create to promote your business, so you’ll want to train yourself to write quickly. After all, you have a business to run! So, learning to edit quickly is equally as vital as learning to write quickly.

Search Engine Optimization Skills

Most people have never even heard of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Regardless, SEO dramatically impacts who learns about your business. When your websites and blogs are optimized for search engines like Google, your website will appear higher on search engine rankings.

If you want your website to ever reach your target audience, you’ll need to brush up on your SEO skills. Even a basic understanding of SEO can dramatically influence the traffic to your website. 

Once you understand SEO, you can make small changes to your website that will dramatically affect your Google ranking. You can research keywords to create strong titles, adjust your sentences for readability, and even include helpful transition words. 

Does brushing up on your SEO skills sound like learning a foreign language? At FocusCopy, SEO is second nature to our copywriters. Schedule a meeting with FocusCopy today. 

Research & Interviewing Skills

As your business’s copywriter, you’ll have to cover a variety of topics. While you certainly know a lot about your business, you might have to write about totally foreign topics. This is completely common for the average content marketer who might write for multi-million dollar businesses one day and for a local mom-and-pop shop the next. 

You’ll want to brush up on your research skills so you can answer any questions you might have while writing. One way to find reliable answers to your questions is to interview an expert. Improving your interviewing skills will allow you to effectively collect data for your copy. 

Time Management & Organization Skills

As a content marketer, you know how difficult it is to stick to a schedule. Writing is often draining, and anyone who has stayed up the night before an essay is due knows what I mean. 

A growing business needs a lot of copy – newsletters, emails, blogs, website pages, and more. And it’s important to keep a consistent schedule. You don’t want your customers to forget about you until you manage to send out a newsletter six months after the last one. 

Creating a content calendar and sticking to it will help keep your business at the forefront of your audience’s attention. Work backward! First, plan how often you want to post a new blog or touch base through an email. After that, break down your goals into daily tasks. If you want to post a blog once a week, start drafting that blog five days (or more) before your publication date. 

Set realistic timelines and schedule enough time to consistently meet your goals. It’s okay if you have to reevaluate and change your calendar! The point is to find a schedule that works for you and your business. 

At FocusCopy, we use a project management software called ClickUp that helps us juggle all the tasks we have to do in a day. You can even use ClickUp to improve your time management and organization skills for all the parts of your life, professional and personal.

Data & Analytics Skills

After you have published your work, it’s important not to stop there. You need to evaluate what works for your business and what doesn’t.

Really, analyzing your data should be the easiest part of content marketing! But, most people don’t want to commit to the extra effort. Regardless, even if you worked really hard on a blog, it might need further tweaking. You might not be hitting the right notes with your audience, or you need to choose more popular keywords. 

Analyzing the performance of your content also helps you to make strategic decisions for future content. You can stop making the same mistakes and prevent yourself from wasting even more time in the future. 

FocusCopy Has The Content Marketing Skills To Grow Your Business

Even if you excel as a content marketer, creating every word of copy for your business is time-consuming and tiring. If you feel burnt out writing your business’s copy, FocusCopy is here to help.

Don’t spend hours of your life writing copy when you know you have a million other responsibilities. We want to grow your business with copy that accurately represents your brand and converts customers. Contact FocusCopy today to get back to running your business.

Focus Your Copy On Conversation & Conversion

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Experiencing Burnout? How to Navigate Your Marketing Strategy When You Need To Take A Step Back

Experiencing Burnout? How to Navigate Your Marketing Strategy When You Need To Take A Step Back

Copywriting / By / January 31, 2022

Friend, can I be frank with you? 

I have never experienced burnout before until Q3 2021. 

You see, it was inevitable. 

I kept pressing forth with miniscule breaks to survive the pandemic. I didn’t want FocusCopy – my first company – to be a casualty. Then even more detrimental, I took on everyone’s emotional burdens this year.

Thanks to the Law of Attraction, I was attracting more disaster and emotional weight than I knew what to do with.

From the numerous suicides, deaths, hospitalizations, illenesses, failure, and exhaustion… I took on all the pain. 

For a minute, it seemed like the world was crashing down.

If that’s you right now in the holiday season, you’re not alone. There is more burnout going around – especially with entrepreneurs – than anything else.

And when there is burnout, the first thing to go is the one thing that drains your energy.

Is that thing for you marketing?

Burnout Is Real & Serious

Before we get into the nitty gritty of navigating your marketing strategy when you need to take a step back, I want to free you to take a step back. Your mental health is imperative. If you need help, reach out to a counselor or mentor.

As a leader of your company, you need to take care of yourself first. 

Your team needs you to be at the top of your game.

I recently scheduled what I hope to be quarterly one-on-ones with each member of my team to see what they need to better succeed, how they want to adjust their roles, and how I can better support them. One question I asked was, if you were in my position, what would you do differently? 

One of my copywriters immediately said, “I’d take a week-long vacation.” 

Gut punch.

If burnout, having 4 people in one day telling me I need to take care of myself first, and the stresses of being a business owner in this day wasn’t enough, then that statement tipped the scale. 

(Thank you Caroline for your wisdom!)

1. Figure Out What Fills You

The first thing you need to do is figure out what fills you up. Get inspired again! You started your business for a reason. For me, I love marketing (content and email especially) and passing referrals. 

For so long, however, I was stuck in editing and dealing with client “fires”. Once I figured out that editing was an essential task but it wasn’t filling me, I hired a fantastic editor. Now, I’m free to do what fills me up.

With that being said, what part of your job do you love and feel fulfilled while or after doing? 

Consider reevaluating the tasks you delegate. This may sound crazy, but you can even decide to retake ownership of previously delegated tasks. 

Yes, that’s adding to your plate. But hear me out… 

This would be a part of restructuring delegations. You’ll take this task on because you love it, but will ask your team to cover new tasks that you really don’t enjoy. 

Take this blog for instance. I employ a team of copywriters. I don’t need to write this myself, but for me, writing clears my mind and rejuvenates my creativity. So this is one task that I added back on my plate. 

Need help coming up with a marketing plan that converts and works with your busy schedule? FocusCopy is ready to partner with you and bring your business to the next level. Schedule a meeting with me today!

2. Evaluate What’s Most Critical

As you may discover, you may not be able to give up everything that doesn’t fill your cup. Trust me, I’ve tried. There are some critical things that you can’t neglect – sales, accounting, delivery, etc. 

Write down what’s critical in your business that cannot be outsourced or delegated. 

Some examples may include:

  • Speaking engagements
  • Social media marketing
  • Email marketing 
  • Blogging

These are the tasks that most often require you to show your face. 

But that doesn’t mean you have to take on all the subtasks yourself. Ask for help coming up with ideas, drafting social media posts, or even asking an employee to hold you accountable for things that you need to get done. 

Just because you own the business, it doesn’t mean you have to run it alone. 

I hope you have a great team like mine that you can rely on to make magic happen. But don’t forget their potential is probably more capable of helping you with your own tasks than you realize. And if you haven’t reached the point in your business to hire employees, there’s a plethora of services you can outsource to get things done. 

Don’t sell yourself (or your sanity) short by trying to do it all and be everyone’s everything.

3. Delegate, Delegate, Delegate

But especially when it comes to content creation, can you outsource or delegate those tasks? 

For example, you could delegate your speech writing to an intern or copywriting firm. Your graphic designer could put together your slides for you. At this point, you’ve skipped all the subtasks for a speaking engagement. Now, all you have to do is practice through your presentation. 

What about email marketing? Write all the documentation with email templates, tasks, and instructions for your team. They can either write your emails inside or outsource to an email service provider. Depending on your preferences, your team can either schedule those emails themselves or you can schedule them (already designed and ready to go).

Depending on the type of social media marketing you’re conducting, you can either delegate either all or most of those tasks. For video that requires your voice or face, have your team come up with the ideas, script the video, source the music, and edit your videos.

Ready to delegate your copywriting to the experts and get back to what matters most? Contact FocusCopy to schedule your free consultation.

4. Cut Costs If You Need To

With delegation, you can drastically increase your costs. If that’s the case, look at your team. Do they have free time to take on other tasks? 

The other day, I was recently reminded of my team member’s previous work experience. It was just the experience I needed to offboard some work that was draining all my energy.

Guess what I did the next morning? 

I rewarded myself and my dog George by taking a longer morning walk than usual – enjoying our Houston “winters”. If it wasn’t for moving that task off my plate, I would’ve walked quickly and checked my phone for emails from clients too many times to really take in the beauty of my morning walk.

Sometimes cutting costs means reevaluating your work flow. 

While that may feel like an overwhelming time suck, it could mean a much more productive and happy you moving forward. So look at your tasks management tool and consider what can be moved around. Give your team the opportunity to show their potential rather than assuming you’re the only one who can handle certain tasks. 

After all, didn’t you start your business to truly start enjoying life while providing for your family? 

When you take the time to step back and rearrange a few things, your quality of life and business success may very well increase along with your newfound inspiration and reinvigorated ambitious drive.

Ready To Navigate Away From Burnout Towards Optimized Content?

Outsource your most time consuming and creative energy draining marketing task to the copy pros at FocusCopy.

We know writing copy can be frustrating. With our combined experience, we have a process that works. And in following that process, we consistently write copy for our clients that truly converts.

Ready to hand over the writing, lighten your load, bid burnout adieu, and watch your business grow? Let’s grab a cup of coffee, streamline your goals, and structure the right process for your business. Schedule your consultation today!

Focus Your Copy On Conversation & Conversion

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Consistency In Your Copywriting

The Key To Consistency In Your Copywriting

Copywriting / By / July 22, 2022

The key to good copywriting is consistency. But how do you guarantee consistency in your copywriting when multiple people write for a business?

All copy should follow your brand’s messaging, keep a strong brand voice, and speak to your target audience.

How To Write Consistent Copy That Converts

Many CEOs and founders of small businesses start off writing their company’s branding material. However, as your business grows, new responsibilities might pull you in all sorts of directions. As more tasks are added to your already busy schedule, writing tends to be the first thing to go out the window. But without writing copy, you’re doing your business and all the hard work you’ve put into it a disservice. Bottom line? Most businesses cannot rely on one writer for all their needs. And that is especially true for growing businesses who can’t afford to lose momentum.

You’re left with two options:

  1. Continue writing all of your business’s copy. Feel overwhelmed, behind, and frustrated with the quality of work produced under pressure.
  2. Hire someone else to take on your writing responsibilities. Feel relieved, ahead of the game, and excited to do the work that matters most to you.

We get it – letting someone else speak on behalf of your company is stressful. But, you can ensure your copy stays consistent by providing your team with the following tools and strategies. After all, how do you think we write copy for several different businesses across various industries daily?

Create Your Brand Messaging

Your brand messaging is the underlying message your company is always sending to your audience. It’s the obvious (or not so obvious) reasons your product or service will improve your customers’ lives. 

In your brand messaging, you want to communicate:

  • Why your business is different
  • What your business does
  • What sets your business apart from the competition
  • How you will improve your customers’ lives
  • What the customer will accomplish because of this product or service

Your Core Message

At FocusCopy, we use our brand messaging to keep a consistent voice in all our writing. Our brand messaging can be broken down into one core message:

Whether you don’t have time to write or hate writing, FocusCopy records your brand voice and creates copy that speaks to your target audience’s needs with your voice. 

If you’re hiring copywriters to take over your company’s copywriting, work together to create consistent brand messaging. Your writers can use this brand messaging throughout your business copy. Get as specific as you can! Having a core message statement they can reference will help your copywriters “stay in character” when they’re writing for your brand. You can even develop a longer brand messaging guide that explores your brand messaging in detail.

Ready to make a move towards consistent content? Schedule a meeting with FocusCopy today.

Define Your Brand Voice

Your brand voice is the personality that shines through your business’s copy. Maybe your brand voice is synonymous with your voice. You, after all, know your business better than anyone. Maybe you’re a very casual writer, and you appeal to your target audience through humor. Or, maybe a serious tone is more appropriate for your industry. 

Regardless, you don’t want your copy to jump from humorous to sardonic to serious to irreverent. You want your audience to recognize your tone as a part of your brand. 

Think about Coca-Cola. While they’ve developed their brand, their voice has largely stayed positive, friendly, and down-to-earth. This consistency in your copywriting creates a familiarity with the brand, and customers know what to expect from Coca-Cola and their products.

Think about the adjectives you want people to use when they describe your business. Trustworthy? Compassionate? Cutting edge? What do you want your customers to feel when they interact with you and your business? 

When working with copywriters, it’s important to communicate the voice you want to convey. Maybe there are some statements you love (or hate) to use in your copy – let your team know!  Start brainstorming, and think of strategies. These strategies will help you effectively communicate the voice you are looking to capture. 

Identify Your Target Audience

While appealing to an audience of all ages and backgrounds sounds profitable, a broad audience will only make your business copy sound more generic and bland. 

Ultimately, trying to engage everyone means your business will engage no one. Narrowing your target audience allows your business to focus on the people that would be best served by your products or services. Your business will also have the opportunity to show some of your values and personality.

It’s vital that your copywriting team understands the customer base you want to reach. Knowing a brand’s target audience affects how a copywriter structures an entire blog, website, or newsletter. Communicate with your copywriters and discuss your ideal target audience.

Are you having trouble finding the time to write copy? We understand, and we’re ready to help. Contact FocusCopy today to start producing high-converting copy.

Customer Profiles

One way you can identify your target audience is by creating customer profiles. These profiles will help you and your copywriting team. You’ll understand who those target customers are, their motivations, and how to position an offer to them. 

Customer profiles can get incredibly specific and might include a variety of characteristics. This can include age, gender, marital status, location, stage of life, occupation, job title, income, and personality. You might also brainstorm your customers’ goals and values or what objections they might have to making a purchase.

One customer profile might symbolize your most common type of customer. But, you don’t have to feel limited by your current customer base. Are you interested in working with a particular type of customer? What does your dream client look like? Creating customer profiles is an opportunity to reevaluate your marketing and branding strategies. These profiles will allow you to brainstorm methods for reaching your ideal customers. 

Create Your Full Package With FocusCopy

At FocusCopy, we understand that your business is your pride and joy. Through consistent and customer-converting copy, we want to help you reach your target audience. 

No matter your time or budget, we have “Done With You”, “Done For You”, and “Do It Yourself” plans that will revamp your business and copy. With professional, consistent copywriters, you can be sure your business copy will still sound like you. Pass on your business writing responsibilities, refocus, and get back to running your business. Schedule a call to discuss your copywriting needs and goals over a cozy cup of coffee. We can’t wait to meet you!

Focus Your Copy On Conversation & Conversion

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AI For Copywriting

AI For Copywriting: What’s The Sitch?

Copywriting / By / January 3, 2022

From Sci-Fi movies and novels to virtual assistants like Apple’s Siri on our phones, we’ve all encountered AI in some shape or form. 

The technology is rapidly evolving, and it won’t take long until AI is increasingly ingrained into our everyday lives. 

What Is AI?

AI, which stands for Artificial Intelligence, is a field of computer science that focuses on teaching computers and machines to think like humans. Basically, AI encompasses systems or machines that replicate human intelligence. And, different types of AI have different capabilities. 

Some AI, like Sophia (the world’s first robot citizen), are able to communicate and have conversations. Others, like IBM’s Watson seen on Jeopardy! back in 2011, help organizations run more efficiently.  

It’s true – there have been significant leaps in this area of technology in recent years. However, today, AI is a tool for improving our day-to-day lives. 

For example, if a business uses a Chatbot to talk with customers, then they’re implementing AI. Drive a Tesla? Well, your vehicle is part robot, so to speak. 

And now, we’re even seeing AI used for things like communicating. Within the application and research of AI is a subfield called Natural Language Processing (NLG). 

NLG enables computers to read, analyze, and understand written words within their context in the same way humans do. Basically, the goal of NLG is to teach an AI to comprehend language and output natural-sounding language as well. 

How Is AI Being Used For Copywriting?

In the past couple of years, AI for content and copywriting has become a popular service. For one, creating content day after day requires a lot of mental energy. 

So, for writers dealing with writer’s block or needing help brainstorming, AI copywriting tools can assist with the ideation process. 

When To Use AI For Copywriting

AI copywriting programs are valuable tools for business owners, marketers, big brand name companies, and even human writers. And, AI copywriters promise to increase the value they offer as the technology advances. 

Specifically, AI copywriters are quite capable of producing short paid SEM ads, simpler blog articles, or complementing your SEO efforts with targeted keywords. However, you may also find a use for AI copywriting depending on your business objectives. 

Perhaps the most important factor when choosing whether to use an AI copywriter would be to compare your short and long-term goals. 

You’re Pressed For Time

AI copywriters can be an indispensable tool for entrepreneurs leading busy, hectic lives. It can help create a large amount of marketing copy in a very short amount of time. 

Likewise, if you’re a marketing agency with a high content output, investing in AI services can support you with multiple quick-turnaround deadlines. Since AI writers can get the ball rolling on a blog or campaign almost instantly, you cut down on time spent brainstorming ideas. 

Larger companies like eBay and Chase utilize AI copywriters to produce web ads in bulk. Usually, these are very short ads that are quite basic. 

While a human could write these ads, using an AI writer is cost-effective for big corporations. Furthermore, it also allows human writers to focus on more important projects. 

Need to create thoughtful and meaningful high-converting copy, but don’t have the time? Reach out to FocusCopy to learn how the experts can help strategize and create copy that will help your business grow.

You Aren’t Concerned With The Voice

Is your primary goal to produce more content without devoting a lot of time to the tone and voice of every piece? Adding AI copywriters to your arsenal can significantly scale your output. 

However, we should let you know that every piece of content you use AI to produce won’t be nearly the same level of quality you could expect from a professional writer. 

You’ll more than likely run into awkward phrasing, ambiguous language, and content that feels less thoughtful. I don’t want to lean into a cliche and say that it will sound “less human,” but, at its core, the language produced by AI does feel that way. 

At times it can feel stiff. Other times, it can feel quite lazy – like a very basic first draft of a piece.  

In terms of how it sounds, you’ll want to be sure your goals are defined and that AI can help you achieve those goals – not hinder them. 

It’s Not Public Facing

When the work you’re producing isn’t meant to be seen by a lot of people, AI can help streamline the creative process. But if you intend for the copy to be public facing, you may be editing more than intended to make it sound like it came from a human.

You’re A Better Editor Than You Are A Writer

AI writing programs actually seem to do quite well writing grammatically sound content. But that doesn’t mean it’s always accurate. For example, here are a few sentences about cosmetics we generated using AI: 

  • Join us as we make you kind of pretty inside and out.
  • Our products are even safe to use on sensitive facial skin, like if you have rosacea or any other type of sensitive skin.
  • We just want you to be pretty and not have your bank account empty.

The problem with these sentences is that they lack concrete, specific language. And too often, they simply don’t make sense and miss the mark. So, if you’re an adept editor and can quickly edit to get the sound and grammar right, AI could significantly speed up your drafting process. 

Limitations Of Using AI For Content Marketing & Copywriting 

More often than you might expect, AI is capable of producing great ideas and even great copy. 

However, its limitations start to become clear when you want highly authentic, thoughtful, and meaningful content. 

For example, long-form content is just one area where an AI might struggle to produce quality results. AI programs usually include reputable sources for their articles and won’t plagiarize existing content. However, if you want your content to have thoughtful commentary, communicate intricate details, and convince readers to take action, AI may fall short. Think B2B copywriting, complex blog topics, landing pages, white papers, case studies, etc. 

It’s helpful to read the mission statement or taglines AI companies are using on their website: 

  • Jarvis.AI: “We’re a group of friends living in Austin, Texas on a mission to help you break through writer’s block with the help of artificial intelligence.” 
  • Copy.ai: “Introducing the end of writer’s block.” 

A common thread between AI companies and users of their services is that AI copywriters are tools to enhance and augment a copywriter’s work, not replace it completely. 

Remember, AI-produced content can feel stiff and flat. The copy isn’t always personable or emotionally engaging. 

An AI’s language abilities will get better over time as it reads more and is exposed to more content. However, writing copy with emotional depth and creativity will probably be a big hurdle to get over.

AI Copywriter vs Human Copywriters 

So, let’s talk about the other important differences between using AI versus partnering with professional copywriters. 

But first, the biggest difference lies in how the work is produced and the process itself. 

When you partner with a real team of copywriters, you’re getting more than quality copy alone. You’re working with individuals who have your goals on their minds. For instance, FocusCopy is always thinking of ways to help our clients grow their business or tackle the obstacles that are in their way. 

A good copywriter strives to understand your vision and brand. They ask questions to learn more. They want to get to know your audience as much as possible and really understand the big “why”. 

In short, it’s a collaborative partnership! 

Ready to partner with the experts to build your brand, convert customers, and grow your successful business? Contact us at FocusCopy today!

AI Copywriters And Human Copywriters Working Together 

When human copywriters partner with AI copywriting services to produce work, the result is often stronger. Moreover, writers experience less burnout, and marketing strategies improve. 

AI can produce a larger body of work at a much faster rate. This frees up time for a human copywriter to dedicate more thought and time to the bigger picture. This includes tasks such as:

  • What content topics to produce
  • Researching competitors
  • Studying well-performing copy
  • Brainstorming new ideas
  • Producing higher-quality content
  • And so much more!

Furthermore, a human copywriter can analyze funnels and strategies falling short and tweak the process to find what works. 

Let’s Get The Focus Back To Your Marketing Strategies 

Ever feel like you’re alone on your entrepreneurial journey? Building a business takes a lot of time, commitment, and effort! But the team at FocusCopy wants to help you achieve each one of your ambitious goals. Learn how we can provide support with real copy that converts. The FocusCopy team’s process includes writing in your voice to establish your brand consistently to help your business grow and be successful. Schedule a call today to learn more!

Focus Your Copy On Conversation & Conversion

Let’s Grab A Virtual Coffee With Us To Discover How To Boost Your Words
Schedule Discovery Call

FocusCopy caffeinates your brand messaging so it energizes your target audience to take action. 

(281) 916-4949 | info@FocusCopy.com

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