Copywriting With Cathy Goodwin

by CathyG on July 23, 2010

Are you a business owner or service professional who’s starved for time … and you know you need a superstar online presence? You may wonder why you need a copywriter, especially when you already have a web designer, marketing coach, branding coach, and maybe a professional planner.

“Copywriting” is just another word for “Problem Solver.”

Even if you’ve been working with a marketing coach or branding coach, you will find that your marketing moves into high gear when you start to work with a copywriter. We don’t do theory, woo-woo or “whenever.” We get directly to the heart of the matter. In fact, some of my best clients are marketing coaches or branding coaches: they understand they need copywriting to make the rubber hit the road.

Often I work with business owners who have been struggling with a specific problem for weeks or months. For instance, they may be stuck on describing just what they do. They may know they need a website (or website makeover) but aren’t sure where to start. They may be looking for a creative way to define a niche.

My Laser Makeover sessions usually get these problems solved – once and for all – in an hour or less. (Yes, I am always surprised too!)

Once that’s out of the way, what do you do next?

Sometimes your next move will be to hire me to finish your website, sales letter or special project. Or sometimes you just return to your marketing coach with a big sigh of relief. You will both be thrilled to get this obstacle out of the way and move on to your next business project.

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DIY Copywriting: Checklist For Your Home Page

by CathyG on May 17, 2012 · 0 comments

Recently I was interviewed for a call that will be promoted as part of an upcoming telesummit. The interviewer asked me, “What are some ways we can test our own copywriting?”

For today, let’s focus on the home page of your website. Here’s a portion of a checklist I use with my own private clients:

1 – Make the most of valuable online real estate.

If you’ve got a lot of space at the top of your page, you’re wasting the equivalent of waterfront property in Los Angeles. Use this space to let visitors know what your website is about. If you’ve got a logo, keep it small.

2 – Use quotes only if they support your marketing.

It’s SO tempting to include those wonderful sayings from our favorite Great Authors. But your home page needs to position you as a Great Authority within your field.

Quotes will be especially valuable when you write ebooks. On your home page, they will distract visitors…especially if they’re not directly on point. Keep your copy simple and sparse, with lots of white space. You can’t afford to include anything that’s not absolutely essential.

3 – Add a compelling, benefit-oriented headline.

Some sites will get more results with a news-y type headline, such as, “A New Way to Sell Your Home in the 21st Century.” You have to know yoru market.

But don’t underestimate your audience’s tolerance for marketing. What seems over the top to you often seems just right to your prospects.

4 – Your home page should answer these questions, asked by your visitors:

Am I in the right place? Do you solve problems like mine with people like me? Why are you the *best* resource for me at this time?

You may choose to use video, audio and/or text to answer these questions. You will probably be able find at least fifty ways to format your message; what’s important is the content and readability of your page.

5 – Clear and easy to follow.

It’s not uncommon to find four or five different messages on one hard-working home page. Your headline, sub-headings, sidebars and content need to work harmoniously. If you’re a coach who uses one approach for multiple, diverse challenges, it’s easy to set up an umbrella concept to cover them all.

If you’d like a planning session to review your own website, you’ve got a several options. Visit http://www.CopywritingWithCathy.com/services.html

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Copywriting Tip: Avoid These 2 Message Misfires

by CathyG on May 10, 2012 · 5 comments

As I’m preparing to rebrand my own copywriting business, I’m becoming aware of even more message mistakes, made by me as well as my clients.

I found few guidelines or systematic strategies. Often we’re given advice based on someone else’s intuition, which doesn’t work. So here’s what I’m telling my own clients.

One of the biggest challenges with choosing a URL is avoiding an accidental misfire.

For instance, I fell in love with my first copywriting name, “CopyCatCopywriting.” I got lots of clients with that name. It passed the memorability test.

But what went wrong? Well, people who hadn’t seen the name in context thought I was either a plagiarist or a purveyor of swipe files. Others just heard the “cat” and thought I had a pet-related site.

My current domain name isn’t bad but it’s a little too perky to be me. Never fear, I’ve got some ideas and I’m testing them. Mainly, I’m doing what I tell my clients to do.

The Cuteness Factor

I’ve been playing around with “the copywriting detective.” Apparently it’s *way* too cutesy for some of my audience members.  When you get a reaction, “That’s cute!” it’s time to change, unless you’re creating a website for cheerleaders, featuring yourself waving a pompom or two. I do have a photo of myself in full Seattle Storm fan regalia, but that’s not front and center.

The Context Factor

Check out the name in Google to make sure others aren’t using it in a totally different context, bringing up all sorts of unwanted associations. Recently I was asked to comment on a site with a startling domain name. Unfortunately, this name is commonly associated with a piece of medical equipment. Sure, there’s an alternate meaning, but why handicap yourself?

What do you think? How are you avoiding message backfire? Please comment below. If you can’t see a place to comment, click on the title of this post.

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Are you branding on pixie dust or profitability?

by CathyG on May 8, 2012 · 0 comments

Copywriting helps detect marketability the way a detective’s magnifying glass and fingerprint kit will uncover clues to a crime scene. The real test of a marketing strategy is, “But can you write copy about it?”

Take branding, for instance. Many of my clients come to me with the request, “I’ve got a brand! Now all you have to do is write the copy.”

As we say in Philly, “Yeah, right.”

A brand is a shortcut for creating your uniqueness in the marketplace, relative to your competition. It’s always been that way, even before the Internet began. Yet a lot of marketers – even those with self-proclaimed wisdom and experience – get it wrong.

Here are 3 common reasons a brand will make it impossible to write good copy – which means there’s no way to leverage your brand.

(1) Romancing a metaphor.

How do I know? When I was putting together my first website, I got the idea of changing careers with the speed and directness of a rocket ship. Someone advised me to put pictures of rockets all over my site. I considered the slogan, “Your rocket launch starts here.”

Fortunately, I couldn’t find pictures of rockets and wasn’t ready to commission a portfolio of customized astronomical (and astronomically priced) art. Now I realize a an appropriate slogan might be, “Launch your next career here.”

But I also realized that people might be amused by a sight about rocket ships for about ten seconds, the first time they come. A metaphor can actually drag down a professional image, if carried to extremes.

(2) Tuning out your audience.

In my last improv classes, our instructor kept saying, “Don’t look at the floor or the back wall. Look at the audience and your fellow improvisers. That’s how you get ideas.”

Clients sometimes brand themselves on a personal quality, such as “The Audacious Accountant” or “The Maverick Curly-Haired Consultant.”  Sounds great? Yes. I’ve got first-hand experiences and stories of coaches and consultants who actually recommend branding on these qualities.

But … t have you ever tried to write sales copy for these self-oriented brands? You have to try to show your audience why they should hire someone with these qualities.  When you bring in the copywriting detective’s magnifying glass, you may even realize that a “bodacious,” “audacious” or “vivacious” professional may be just the opposite of what the client needs.

(3) Anchoring on empty adjectives.

Want me to promise copy that’s amazing, astounding, fabulous, out of this world, terrific or  … ?

If you use an adjective at all (and copywriters tend to be leery of adjectives the way my fictional detective heroes abhor coincidence), make it about the results and the client. For instance, Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero promises “Red Hot Copy.” She’ll deliver copy that sizzles and is, well, hot. That’s not an empty adjective: it’s specific, vivid and compelling.

And in conclusion …

You’ll notice I haven’t mentioned the word “logo.” Not once.

That’s because a logo will become an expensive albatross if you get it too soon. Some of the most successful people I know never bothered with a logo because they were too busy making money … and they aren’t mourning the loss of what they never had.

If you’d like to talk about your own message strategy, start with the Espresso Call: http://budurl.com/espressocall

And if you like the ideas in this post, if you feel like tossing your computer across the room after you read it, or if you’re somewhere in between, leave a comment below.

 

 

 

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Solving the mystery of the missing traffic

by CathyG on May 6, 2012 · 0 comments

A few days ago I was talking to a very nice, competent business owner “Justine” about her online marketing. She had a terrific idea, an actionable niche and a magnetic personality. She listened politely when I talked about creating copy that would convert more clients. Then she said, “But Cathy, what I really need is a web designer who can help me with SEO.”

I admit it: I was having trouble figuring out what was going on. Weren’t we just talking about making money from websites?

Justine had made a leap that was perfectly logical. She associated “web designer” with traffic. So when I was surprised, she said, “Okay,  how about an SEO specialist?”

So let’s set the record straight.

– I know dozens of online business owners (including me) who have never spent a dime on SEO specialists. They draw traffic organically, through articles, blog posts and social media. Personally, I’ve gotten clients from all over the world who found me on my website. I’ve gotten media interviews with the New York Times, USA Today Online, Money magazine, Ivanhoe Productions, KQED, the Denver Post and many other outlets … without paying a publicist or resorting to SEO. I’ve been on the Google home page for good keywords.

– If you really want to pay for SEO optimization, wait until you’ve got your conversion rates at a level where you’re comfortable. Here’s why. You don’t make money from traffic. You make money when the traffic buys something, i.e., converts from looker  to buyer.  Therefore, you can pay for traffic, but you are wasting money if you get traffic that’s not targeted or that doesn’t respond to your message.

However, be careful of some SEO promises that seem good but don’t mean a lot.

For instance, if your SEO guru promises to follow the latest rules for Google or Yahoo, ask how she knows. Then ask, “OK, what happens when Google changes the rules? Will I pay you to do this all over again?”

Another scheme (scam?) I see all the time: Someone promises to get you on the front page of Google for a certain keyword … but it’s a keyword that your target market  doesn’t use to find people who do what you do.

– Most copywriters will pay attention to keywords when they write your copy. It’s important to realize that you can’t sacrifice readability to get keywords all over the place. But you can follow some simple practices, such as using keywords early in your title and in your content.

– Clients have reported to me, “Cathy, after you wrote my website, my traffic increased!” This happens even when we don’t seek this outcome deliberately. Here’s why. Search engines pick up on navigation and consistency. Additionally, good content will draw traffic and links on its own.

- Design will increase readability if it’s simple and uncluttered. Therefore, your design will indirectly impact your rankings in Google. Designers sometimes offer to help with navigation and keywords; however, that’s really the job of whoever writes your copy. Your navigation creates a pathway through your site that reinforces your message – and message is what copywriting  is all about.

So  how does the Copywriting Detective solve the case of the missing traffic? She looks for these clues:

Clue #1: The naked website.

Nope – this isn’t about improper, inappropriate pictures of you and your significant other on a beach in the Mediterranean. We’re talking about websites that are floating around in cyberspace on their own. Typically the business owner believes that “website marketing” starts and stops when you create the website. You need to be connected to something that search engines already love: social marketing, a Squidoo lens, a blog, and/or some authority sites.

Clue #2: Empty real estate.

When I work with private clients, our first step is to make use of the most important real estate on the Internet – the area above the fold. That’s what visitors see before they scroll down. It comes from newspaper terminology, where there’s a literal fold.

That’s why the top of your website is too important to waste on empty space, a killer logo, or a welcome message.  Add a strong headline with keywords.

Clue #3: The missing content.

When I first started on the  Internet, I didn’t know anything about traffic. But I got a ton of traffic and people still buy ebooks from sites I haven’t touched in years.

What happened? I created a LOT of content. I just didn’t know any better. My website grew like kudzu with articles, pages, testimonials and more. Today I supplement with blogs – and I know they work. I’ve gotten on the front page of Google with a single blog post.

If you’d like to talk about strategy, let’s get started with an Espresso session.

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“Your Tag Line: Do Launch Your Business Without It”

by CathyG on May 3, 2012 · 2 comments

Do you need a tag line for your business? As a copywriter, I usually get one of two questions:

“Can you help me create a tag line?” or “I’m not ready to develop my website. I don’t have a tag line.”

So let’s take a look at tag lines.

A good tag line …

… is short and memorable

… doesn’t need to be explained

… focuses on the client

… conveys a benefit

… expands or explains the brand name without repeating it

Here are some examples of a direct benefit tag line: “Don’t squeeze the Charmin” “Absolutely, positively overnight” “Only her hairdresser knows for sure.”

Here are some examples of indirect benefits; they’re saying to the customer, “Hey – we’re your best choice!”

Purina: “Your pet, our passion.” Delta Airlines: “We love to fly and it shows.” Avis: “We try harder.”

A few tag lines seem to be encouraging the customer: Frito-Lay: “Betcha can’t eat just one.” L’Oreal Hair Color: “Because you’re worth it.” Nike: “Just do it.”

For inspiration:

Keep a folder of your testimonials. You’ll eventually have more than you can use on your website. You’ll also have brief thank you notes from clients who won’t write testimonials.

Keep a list of benefits you offer. Some will appear over and over again.

Don’t worry about trying to be clever. You can always just state what you do:

“Coaching For Women Who Can’t Wait To Get To Work Every Morning”

“Dog Training to turn your best friend into a low-maintenance housemate”

The best way to create a tag line is not at the beginning or a business or a rebranding. The best tag lines will  grow out of your experience. Often they’ll find *you.*

The big take-away: Don’t put your marketing – even your website – on hold while you wait for the perfect tag line. I know many business owners who found their perfect tag line after they’d already achieved success without one.

Comments? If you don’t see a place to write comments, click on the title of this post.

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Copywriting Detective Solves The Case of The Shifting Niche

by CathyG on April 30, 2012 · 0 comments

When Marla started her coaching practice, she figured she’d work mostly with women aged 47-64. To her surprise, she began attracting men in their mid-30s.

“Should I change my niche?” she wondered. “Maybe my copy should be directed to thirty-something males.”

The truth is … “Not necessarily!”

When you choose your niche, you will attract clients who don’t seem to fit.

Some prospects actually want to work with a professional who targets a different niche.  For instance, when you target successful achievers, you’ll get people who want to be coached by someone who works with achievers. You’ll get people who wish they were achievers. It’s all about wanting to identify with aspirational reference groups.

Other prospects will respond to your story and your promotion. These days, men often hire coaches who target women; they like the non-hype-y, friendly copy they see on those sites. Some men just prefer to talk to women rather than to another man.

Bottom Line: If you’re getting clients you enjoy, don’t rush to change your niche or your copy.

Red Herring Alert:

Marla almost got distracted by a red herring. She had been a successful fitness trainer. Most of her clients were in their early thirties. Therefore, she reasoned, maybe she would attract coaching clients in that age rage.

Marla may be right. However, she needs to realize that her online personality will be perceived differently when she presents herself as a coach, a fitness trainer, a licensed therapist, or a healer. Each of these roles might draw from a different pool of prospects.

For instance, it is possible that most people who hire trainers in Marla’s city are in their early thirties. Therefore, Marla’s clients come from that pool of prospects and they’ll be in their early thirties too.

On the other hand, if Marla is a licensed psychotherapist, she might have attracted young clients who prefer to work with an older therapist.

Of course I’m guessing here; I don’t know what age groups hire trainers or visit therapists. But I’d urge caution before assuming that the clients who loved you in a previous career should become your niche when you become a coach or consultant.

The best way to detect a red herring or confirm your niche is to start writing the copy. Yes… I was surprised too. It’s like turning a magnifying glass on your strategy. Some of my clients have shifted 180 degrees – in a good way – as we start strategizing their brand, message and content.

If you’d like to discuss your niche, shifting or otherwise, sign up for an Espresso consultation. http://budurl.com/espressocall We won’t just talk about finding your niche; we’ll talk about how to write copy to reach it.
This week only, you can get a specially priced one-time call to get started. http://budurl.com/fastbreakcall

And if you resonate to (or absolutely hate) the Copywriting Detective persona, please visit my FB page and tell me: http://facebook.com/copyclues

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Online Marketing: The truth behind “Not ready for a website”

by CathyG on April 27, 2012 · 0 comments

Many service business owners believe a website seems totally overwhelming. When they talk to a copywriter or marketing coach, they present complaints like, “I don’t know enough. I am just not ready. I need to collect my thoughts. I need to figure out what I want to say.”

If you can relate to these feelings, you are not alone. But it’s important to understand that you need to create a different mindset when making decisions about your website.

Feelings are important. I recommend that you discuss them with your life coach … but not your business coach. Definitely listen to your intuition, but be aware that feelings often mask your intuition rather than creating a path to awareness.

Having a web presence is a business decision. You don’t get answers by turning inward. You turn outward to find out what you need – NOW – as the next step in your business.

Therefore, I’d encourage you to begin by asking, “What do I need for my business right now?”

Maybe you say, “I need a place to send prospects when they ask for my websiite.”

Dig deeper: Why do you need to send them anywhere? I know people who have built a business with NO website.

Do you need a place for people to sign up for your ezine and giveaway to create a list?

Do you need a place to establish your branding?

Do you need them NOW?

If the answer is yes, then you need to create an online presence even though you don’t feel ready. You may not need a website. You can use a Squidoo lens, a Facebook page, or even your article home page at ezinearticles.com. Some business owners use Weebly when they start out.  Just be aware that as you grow, some of these options will require a huge amount of revision. You may decide it’s worth the extra effort (and it’s really not that much greater) to set up a WordPress site that will grow with  your business.

If the answer is no, then you shouldn’t create a website even though you’re champing at the bit to get a URL for your business card. It’s about opportunity cost. Spend your time and money more productively.

Go to networking events and meet people, prospects or not. Practice your elevator speech.

Study copywriting so you’ll know what to ask for when you finally get a website.

Do your research so you know what prospects want. If you don’t have this information, you can’t have a website anyway… at least not one that will do you any good.

The REAL questions relate to the outcome you seek as you create your online presence and the budget you are comfortable committing. Ready or not, you may have to move forward to create at least a temporary version of what’s most critical right now.

More help? Check out the Espresso program and get concentrated energy for your website: http://budurl.com/espressocall

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How Right Brained Copywriting Helps You Create Left Brained Brained Strategy

by CathyG on April 26, 2012 · 0 comments

Awhile back someone asked me this question: “How can a tough-talking broad write sensitive copy for conscious entrepreneurs?”

Yep, I was the broad in question.

The truth is, you need “left brain” strategy in order to write “right brained” copy. But you can use “right brained” copywriting techniques to test your “left brained” strategy.

Let’s illustrate with an example from branding strategy.

Sunday’s New York Times included an article featuring Peter Thiel, the lawyer who founded PayPal and who now teaches a course at Stanford University. Thiel’s branding strategies are decidedly left-brained, but let’s see how a copywriter (or business owner writing his own copy) can use some right-brained creative approaches to get closer to a branding strategy. (My interpretation of Thiel’s strategies are based loosely on the article and a linked collection of notes; I’m using these ideas as inspiration rather than attempting to report them accurately.)

(1) “Whatever a brand is, it means that people do not see products as interchangeable and are thus willing to pay more. … How important [to your market] is your differentiating factor?”

Reading that I’m reminded of resources I insist on using even though they’re far more expensive than alternative options. It’s not about the investment: some lower-end resources are perfect for what I need and some expensive programs aren’t worth the pixels their sales letters are written on. Besides paying a premium price, I’m willing to wait for appointments and adjust my schedule (up to a point – I won’t work with anyone who disrespects my time). I’ll bet you can identify one-of-a-kind resources that you prize yourself.

In contrast, we’ve all met coaches and consultants who try to differentiate themselves on personal qualities that (as far as their target market is concerned) don’t amount to a hill of beans. Even experienced marketers have branded themselves (or worse, urged their clients to brand) based on hair color or personal style.

Your copywriting challenge is to focus on how your unique differences will relate to your niche’s pain. Here’s one technique you can use. Write a headline: “How a [your point of differentiation] is the best resource to solve your [problem].” Then write a blog post. (We will be doing this in the forthcoming workshop.)

(2) “Tell a story about your market.” What assumptions are you making about your market? Are they accurate?

For example:

Coach A’s market story is, “New business owners want to learn from people like me, who have gone from heartache of business failure to earning in the high six figures, over a 3-year period. They will hire a coach based on the coach’s own track record, preferably verified with sales records. They view the coach’s success as social proof, saying, ‘If she can do it, I can do it!’”

Coach B’s market story is, “New business owners realize that a good coach often is a mediocre player. For instance, Pat Summitt – perhaps the most successful and most honored coach in women’s basketball – was not a superstar when she played for UT – Martin. She did get to the Olympics, but there was a lot less competition back then, and she was not a starter. So these business owners will make buying decisions based on what they believe about the coach’s effectiveness, not the coach’s own success.”

(3) “The best kind of business is thus one where you can tell a compelling story about the future.”

This intriguing idea suggests a new exercise: “Imagine that it’s 3 or 5 years from now. Tell the story of how your company went from here to there. Is your company still around? How big is it now?”

We’re not fortune telling or planning, just exercising some imagination. It’s a good way to see whether your brand will grow with you. Of course you may get derailed or you may realize along the way that (a) you’re not interested in growing this way or (b) the world has changed so much it doesn’t make sense anymore.

Want to learn more?  Ask me about my espresso consulting session.

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To Market Yourself With Compelling Blog Content, Read The News

by CathyG on April 23, 2012 · 2 comments

Coaches, consultants and other service-based business owners need to create blog content with 3 goals:

- Communicate fresh ideas

- Promote your expertise

- Attract search engine attention to your post so you get more traffic

Of course it’s hard to keep coming up with ideas, especially since you also have to keep seeing clients, running your social marketing and continue countless other challenges. You’ve probably shared your own philosophy, beliefs and background, over and over. I don’t know about you, but I’ve wracked my brain more than once to come up with a show-stopping blog post that wouldn’t be over the top.

One never-ending source of content might be delivered to your door step each day – your Wall Street Journal, New York Times, or local newspaper. These days many people become annoyed with the news. Some even go on a news fast; I once heard someone point out that the human mind was not designed to cope with dozens of emotionally draining stories, when we can’t do anything about any of them.

True, the front page often includes stories about unending war, the sinking economy or heart-rending murder. You can choose to put a positive spin on those stories or show how you can help people in difficult circumstances. Alternatively, you can choose to bypass those negative stories to read about fashion, theater, music, psychology, health or sports.

When you build your blog post from news stories, you gain advantages of

– a fresh, out of the box topic

– traffic because audiences often are looking for the topic

– an opportunity to create a broader, more significant context for your services.

Here are some examples of how a coach might use two examples from last Sunday’s New York Times.

Example 1

This story comes from the sports section of the Times. Even if you are not a sports fan, you can be inspired by the frequent human interest stories. Last Sunday’s section featured a story about Trevor Pryce’s frustrated retirement from the New York Jets.  You can read the story here.

Trevor Pryce retired at age 38, still healthy, not hurting for money. He wrote this column for the Times, saying how much he misses football and how he can’t find something with equal purpose. He describes himself as “secure and utterly bored.”

For your blog, you wouldn’t just summarize the article; you’d use the story as a starting point.

A career coach or retirement coach can write about

- finding a new career after retirement. If Trevor Pryce were your client, how would you coach him?

- preparing for retirement that’s voluntary or otherwise. How can your clients be sure they won’t  feel frustrated in retirement?

Example #2:

The Times Opinion section included an article, “Is Therapy Forever?” by Jonathan Alpert. Alpert, himself a psychotherapist, points out that long-term therapy often just doesn’t work. He writes that “therapists who practice more traditional psychotherapy treat patients for an average of 22 sessions before concluding that progress isn’t being made…”  He adds that, “Many patients need an aggressive therapist who prods them to face what they find uncomfortable: change. They need a therapist’s opinion, advice and structured action plans.”

A coach could create a  blog post contrasting coaching vs. therapy, noting that coaching focuses on specific goals rather than just drifting (if that is true for you). At the same time you have to be careful because as a coach, you sometimes have to recommend therapy for your clients. You might be controversial and edgy.

Alternatively, you could follow Alpert’s model of criticizing some of his fellow practitioners. Recently a coach wrote a blog post questioning the traditional coaching model, where the coach just asks questions and doesn’t provide guidance or opinion.

These stories just happen to be examples that seem especially relevant to coaching. Of course, any business owner could follow this idea. A lawyer will find dozens of stories for any field, whether it’s crime, divorce, immigration, or  aging. A nutritionist can find a gold mine of articles in the health section. Relationship coaches will find material in any discussion of divorce or romance.

If you’d like to bounce around some ideas for your own content, let’s set up an Espresso Session call: a fast shot of marketing will add massive energy to your business. Learn more here.

What do YOU think? Comment on this post below (if you don’t see a place to comment, click on the title of the post):

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Creating your compelling online presence with brand, personality and URL

Many of us get stalled on new programs – or new  businesses – by something that seems really simple: a URL. That’s the name of your site; mine is CopywritingWithCathy.com But here’s the reality. Your URL, brand and online personality work together – but they’re not the same. Let’s start with personality – often the [...]

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