Get to know me …

Interviewing is just about my favorite marketing strategy – whether as a host of a guest. So just imagine that you were interviewing me.

How did you become a Copywriter and Online Marketing Strategist?

To get to my current business, helping business owners grow their business online, I had a twofold journey.

First, following a lifelong interest in marketing, I got a Ph.D. in business, specializing in marketing, at UC Berkeley. For over 20 years I taught marketing and published my research in North American business schools.

As a result, I studied and met with executives from dozens of industries. I learned and taught the core principles that continue to serve my clients and me today.

Then … I stopped teaching and started practicing.

I went on the Internet around 2001, just after 9/11. My first website was oriented to career change and relocation, as I had just published a self-help book on the psychological aspects of moving (New Harbinger Publishers, 1999). The book sold out its printing and you can buy it online today at http://www.RelocationStrategy.com.

While learning to market my career site, I studied copywriting with Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero. She encouraged me to focus on copywriting and asked me to coach participants who attended her live and virtual boot camps. Copywriting gives me a way to combine my lifelong interests in writing and marketing.

Copywriter is where the rubber meets the road.  I call it the “litmus test” of your marketing strategy: you know if it’s going to be a “go” if the copy practically writes itself. On the other hand, if your strategy needs tweaking or you need to fine-tune your niche, we’ll almost always find a solution in less than an hour. Often I can can help clients who have been stuck for months or years, even when they’re working with a business  coach. When we start writing, the obstacle evaporates.

Today I work with discriminating clients who want their website content to be as professional as their business definition.

All my copywriting begins with strategy, because I ask questions that aren’t the same as those asked by marketing coaches and business consultants. A good place to get started is the Espresso Consultation – a quick jolt of energy that’s added to your marketing.

What types of clients do you work with?

My clients are solo-preneurs and independent professionals, such as (but not limited to) coaches, speakers, trainers, home stagers, organizers, dog trainers, virtual assistants, accountants, lawyers, psychotherapists, and financial planners.

If you’re just getting started, my mission is to save you from fast-talking webmasters and web developers who promise short-term solutions that look great but end up costing a bundle as your business grows. Sometimes their focus on appearance can actually work against you.

Depending on your business stage, you will get

– a simple website that will  grow easily as your business grows
– coaching to clarify your niche, your USP and/or message strategy
– ongoing support as you develop your marketing strategy and materials
– customized laser coaching to get past whatever’s keeping you stuck

If you’ve been in business awhile, your online presence may not have caught up to your professional growth. Often you decide to change direction and you need a new message, USP, website and content strategy.

And once you start hitting the big numbers, it’s no longer a good use of your time to write your own sales letters … especially when I can give you 48-hour turnaround with your copy delivered in HTML, all ready to roll.

What if you haven’t worked with someone in my field before?

Chances are I’m familiar with your field, but frankly, it doesn’t matter, for three reasons.

– We are directing your marketing to prospective clients, who will not respond to jargon. I’m very experienced at translating complex concepts into everyday language (and figuring out what’s important to your client, not to you). For example, lawyers love to talk about “matters,” but their clients have problems, issues and disasters.

– Too often, your competitors tend to use the same strategies. Their websites all look alike. My clients find they stand out from the crowd and don’t get confused with the competition.

– Given my background and experience, you’d expect me to pick up complex business ideas easily. Think of borrowing some PhD Power without going back to school.  Clients often tell me, “You got it!”

How are you different from other copywriters?

Although many business owners see copywriting as a generic skill set, you will find great differences from one service to another. I work exclusively with solo-preneurs and independent professionals who want to get more clients and grow their business on the Internet. With lots of training in copywriting online marketing, I’ve achieved the ultimate honor  – named to Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero’s 50 Coolest Marketers of the Year list 4 times).

My clients benefit from a complete online marketing service, so there’s no need to hire me and then go looking for web designers, content managers, branding consultants, and other esoteric resources (many of whom are needed only by large corporate businesses). If I can’t provide the service myself, I can find an expert. (and often I can negotiate a better deal because they know me and I know my stuff).

I work totally by the project. I don’t work by the hour, page or piece. You know what you’re getting ahead of time and you get comprehensive materials that support your strategy, not piecemeal productions.

Finally, I offer a rare combination of quality and speed. I’m happy to work with tight deadlines, usually with no additional charge when I can complete the job during normal business days.

What type of client gains the greatest benefit from working with you?

My services are designed for decisive entrepreneurs like you who want to take action immediately. They want to grow their business online and they don’t want to wait forever to get started. They’ve talked to successful online marketers and they realize that copywriting is the single most important skill they need to learn or outsource. Once they realize what they want, they don’t hesitate: they say, “Let’s do it!”

These business owners are eager to learn new styles and approaches to marketing. They want an internet-savvy strategist to create content for their websites, sales letters and other marketing materials. They enjoy my direct “New York energy” and “tough love” approach to consulting.

Experienced clients will advise you to call me early in your process – BEFORE you call designers, content planners, logo developers and SEO specialists. Those resources can be critical but they can’t do anything until your copy is ready. When you call me later, you often have to retrace your steps, which can be time-consuming and costly.

Who will you NOT work with?

My services are not designed for those who are experiencing financial desperation. If you’re not ready for these services, I’d encourage you to find a way to build your business fund before doing anything else.

I don’t offer tweaking to your existing copy, because it takes longer to tweak your copy than to start over. If you’re happy with what you have, you can ask your original copywriter to make tweaks. You can hire me to coach you so you can fix the copy yourself.

I don’t work with MLM and certain health care professionals because they require specialized styles.

OK, now let’s talk about what kind of results I can expect.

Your results will depend on which program you choose, your market and your own motivation and inspiration. Generally, you can expect to:

 Stop feeling overwhelmed about online marketing and get a step-by-step plan to take charge of your marketing

Benefit from “speeding bullet” copywriting (and working with a copywriter who gets an adrenalin rush from tight deadlines)

Get crystal clear on your niche and your “Fab Factor:” what makes you “fabulous” compared to the competition

Make easier connections with prospects (so you spend less time on the phone explaining what you do)

Get a web page you will be proud to share with your prospects

Get a sales letter that motivates visitors to sign up and take action (and represents you accurately without hype)

How fast can I expect results?

Your results depend on many factors: your activity level, your industry and your own goals. For some business owners, a new website will lead to more queries and more clients almost immediately. Others will see results after implementing other actions, such as social marketing and blogging. Still others will supplement with live, face-to-face interaction.

When we work together I will suggest some directions for you to take in these areas.

I’m sold! How do we start?

We get started in 3 ways.

If you’re not sure what direction to take, we will begin with an Espresso Consultation.

If you’re sure you want a simple no-frills website delivered fast, we start with an Express Website.

If you want a full service website, a sales letter or a special project, complete the form on my contact page and we will take it from there.

I have just a few more questions? Can I call you?

Yes, if you need a couple of questions answered, just email me at CopywritingWithCathy@gmail.com.  Before calling, please take a few minutes to visit my services page to see if any of these offers seem to be a good fit. I’ll be happy to chat when you share your project details, your budget and your time frame. If you’re not sure, we will need to book an Espresso call to figure out what will best boost your business.

If you’re interested in an Express website or an Espresso call, we probably don’t need to talk. I work with clients all over the world and we rarely need to get on the phone before we start talking strategy.

What do you do when you are NOT copywriting?

You’ll find me exploring my current city of Philadelphia, which I love. I’m even a volunteer guide with the AIA – American Institute of Architects – so I’ve learned a lot about the city’s history and architecture. If you come here for a VIP service,  I’ll show you around.

Additionally, I am a fitness fanatic who actually enjoys the gym. I follow WNBA basketball (still loyal to the Storm after 6 years in Seattle). I take classes in improv and ceramics and prefer live events – theater and classical music – to movies. I don’t own a television set.  I share my home with 2 cats and a dog, who tells her story at http://www.CanineUrbanPrincess.com