How to Write Engaging Website Copy [Behind-the-Scenes Tutorial]

Are you working on a website (or know you need to) but are stuck because you can't seem to find the words for your copy that describes what you do and the value that you create?

Don't worry - you are not alone! Lots of super-smart consultants and coaches (who are new to business ownership AND who have been it for a while) have a hard time writing about themselves. 

In this video tutorial, I'll show you how to get into writing flow so that you can finally launch your business, have a website that reflects the depth of what you bring the table and make money doing what what you love.

Transcript

What to Expect in This Tutorial

Betsy Jordyn: Hey, it's Betsy Jordyn. I'm here today to talk to you about writing great website copy. So one of the challenges, all of us consultants face is that we are trained in corporate speak.  Corporate speak works great when you're trying to do an executive presentation or an internal presentation in an organization.  We all use those big corporate words that really mean nothing. Like how we synergize to optimize our opportunities and all that kind of stuff.  That works great in corporate, but it really sucks when it comes from a marketing standpoint. What I want to do in this Quick Win today is talk to you a little bit more about how to write copy that connects to the heart and mind of your ideal client. If you can master copywriting, I promise you you're going to stand out from all the other consultants who are talking in that third person corporate speak.

Struggling with the words to describe what you do (00:49):

I am going to share my screen and give you some more insight on copy. First things first, I want to make sure you and I are on the same page and you can relate. Because I also want to validate too, that this is a challenge for all of us, all of us consultants. If you're struggling with the words to describe what you do and the value that it creates, that it sounds like you just kind of mentally say, yep, that's me. Or if you have no idea how to best structure a website, or feel a loss for words on how to describe your products and services that interests engages your future clients, or if you just feel icky about writing about yourself, or you're fed up with a learning curve, this is where all you're going to love today's Quick Win. You are not alone. This is a challenge that we all share. 

Why Website Copy Matters (1:31):

Before I get into the tactics, I want to talk to you about why copy matters and why it's really important for you to master this.  Here's the thing, it's through your words, that your business will take physical form. It's through what you say. Yes, graphics are really important, but it's the words that matter. It's the words that convince your clients to do what you want them to do from a marketing standpoint, then all the way through how you stand up and influence them when you're within the organization.  

I'm going to get all spiritual for a moment. But if you think about it from a spiritual standpoint, even if you're from a Judeo background, a Christian background, or just are spiritual in general, in the old Testament, it says, and God said, let there be light and there was, it was through words that our world created form. If you are from a Christian perspective, there's verses in the Bible that talks about in the beginning, there was the word and the word was with God and the word was God.

What's really interesting is that the word “word” in the Greek is logos.  Logos is this term that we use to describe a logo, a symbol, or some sort of design that identifies our product and service. Even from a visual standpoint, the words actually matter.

I want to talk about Elizabeth Gilbert's quote that she talks about in “Big Magic” and related to what we're talking about here. She says, “a business idea is an energetic form, looking a human collaborator to make it manifest.” I really believe that that whole principle holds true for businesses for consulting businesses like yours.  That there is an idea that is out there for you and for you to manifest. Therefore I know this is sounding a little bit woo, but if you want to really be aligned to your purpose, you have to believe that there's a purpose that's bigger than you. And that purpose that's bigger than you is that idea that you have in your head. That's that thing that you're saying, you know what? Somebody really needs to create a business around this, or somebody really needs to help organizations like that. Or there needs to be more coaches who are out there who can help people in this way. That is evidence that there's something that's unique for you, that you're supposed to do something with.

Power of words (3:36):

Once you get the words to describe what that is, words are actually power. They contain power and they reflect your power. If you feel small, if you are playing small, or if you have that imposter syndrome, it will reflect in your words. But if you own your worth, that will show up in your words, on your website.  Then just as important and your networking events, your contracting conversations, and if your words express your power, it will be reflected in the quality of the visual branding that you'll demand.

Words only sell when the first successful sale is to yourself. Copy matters because your business matters.  Copy matters because the words that reflect your business have to contain that power in order for you to be that type of person who could hold your own and say, “No, I am not an expense to be managed. I am an investment that will generate a return.”

Common Reasons for Writer’s Block (4:31):

Let me share with you some of the common reasons for writer's block.  One of the first reasons so many people do this, especially consultants, cause we're all head people, is we edit while you, while we write. I don't know if you've ever sat at a computer and you're trying to get an idea out and as you're trying to get an idea out, you're editing in your mind what that idea is sounding like. You do all that editing and that is one of the big reasons.  

Or a big thing that we have, consultants, coaches, all of us, is that we have this methodology.  We have this approach.  We have this Six Sigma process or this particular coaching methodology that we love.  Or this test, Myers-Briggs, or whatever it is that we bring to the table. We have this methodology.  We love our methodology. Then we become these hammers looking for that methodology. Now, like we're just trying to find people like anybody who will buy my methodology. That is a huge problem because you are making your clients come and join you in your world and the conversation that's going on in your head, rather than you join in the conversation that's going on in theirs.

The other reason there is something that happens in our brain where we actually resist our zone of genius. Anytime that you start working on your business and it feels really true, like, wow, this is really a gift that I love.  Or this is a passion I genuinely care about.  Or this is some cooky idea that I think about, but I wonder if nobody else will. That's when you're moving towards the zone of genius.  Your survival brain is going to start putting up flags because it's different, it's new, it's the unknown. There is this resistance that goes onto your zone of genius. This is why most of the time, I would say 9.99999 out of 10 times in order to move into your zone of genius, you cannot do it on your own. You cannot manage your survival brain and its resistance strategy without somebody on the outside of a view. Validating “no, that's a great idea. Yes, you should do that. This makes sense.” 

Then here's the thing. We are the brand.  If we put ourselves out there, there's that fear of being seen and that nobody's going to want what we authentically have to offer. All of these reasons create all kinds of barriers.

Then the other thing is just a new skill. When did you learn copywriting? I mean, let's be real. You learn how to speak corporate. You were honed on, you honed that skill and you were trained in that skill through years and years and years of practice.  Now you're out here and you want to start your own business and you need to create copy for your marketing pieces for your website, for your LinkedIn profile. Then eventually you want to probably write blogs and start doing all kinds of articles, maybe even a book.  You've never been trained on how to write in this particular way.

What will keep you for writing marketing copy (7:09):

If these are an issue or challenge that you might have, here's some of the strategies that your survival brain might throw up that will keep you from learning this skill or keep you from moving forward. Even in just in your business in general or moving forward with a particular tactic.

One might be this: perfection paralysis.  Oh, I just have to do more interviews. Or I need to think about this more. Or this is one of my favorites. I get this all the time. They're real world claims like, “Hey Betsy, I know that this is super awesome. And I know how much you love copy, but I live in the real world and I need to make money right now.”   

Or the flight into health. This is fascinating. I have people all the time who get on an intro call with me or Jen, and they will say, all right, I'm not getting the results that I'm looking for. I'm not getting stability. I can't take this feast or famine income cycle. I'm really struggling. And then you put an offer in front of them. And it's so interesting because all sudden they flight into health, “Oh no, I have enough clients now I don't need to do this.” All of a sudden now everything's fine. 

Or this procrastination is I got to handle this before I work on my website copy or whatever.  It’s some sort of procrastination.   Or “No, I can't really launch my business. I got to wait until my kids graduate high school.”  Or I can't really do this until magical perfection world happens. Something magically will align and the stars and will align.  

Or this confusion is like, “Oh, I don't understand. I don't understand.  I don't get it.” You put a straightforward model in front of somebody on what are the steps to starting our businesses like, “Hmm, I don't get it.” You don't get that at first you need to set your goals and you need to clarify what your strategy is. Then you need to work on this, like you're really confused now. They're not confused. It's your resistance strategy to your zone of genius and really manifesting great business idea that you have.

Or the superficial compliance, “Yeah, sureI'll do what you say. I'll watch this video. I know you have some tactics. Sure. That sounds great.” But then don't do anything.

Just think for a minute, do you struggle with writer's block?  If so, you're totally normal. I want to make sure I offer the validation first, like makes total sense.  But why do you think you're struggling with writer's block?  Do you exhibit any of those resistance strategies? 

If you do, what can you do to overcome them? Because you really do need to get those business ideas out there.  Because if you don't do it, somebody else will.  You're going to be one of those people saying, “Wow, I had this really great idea for my business or a book idea, but I didn't write it.” Somebody else did. You don't want that to happen to you.

My number one strategy for writing (9:36):

I'm going to give you the tip for today and try to make this actionable. I'm going to give you my number one strategy for writing amazing copy. This is the best one. If you can get this, you're going to write amazing website copy. You're going to write tons of incredible articles. You're going to have a really powerful, differentiated business strategy.

That is this dialing into the heart and mind of your ideal clients. Not just anybody, not whoever you can serve. I know you could serve everybody. I know the entire world out there can benefit from your consulting or coaching.  But it's really around those who you're passionate about serving. You can serve everybody, but there's only some that you will love working with more and that they will love you more.

The more you create that match between who you love and who loves you, the better your track record is going to be.  The better your referral source will be.  The more effective your business will be. 

To give you some clues on who this person is: passion, isn't what you love. It's what you can't stand. One of the things that you can look at is when you look at there's a problem, and you just say, “this just can't be, this makes me nutty.” “When things are happening like this, this is what I can't stand.”  I use the Popeye moment: because Popeye's all chill and he's fine until something interferes with his beloved Olive Oyl. Then it's like, “That's all I can't stand. I can't stands no more.”

What are the situations that break your heart and frustrate you?  For Jen and I, it makes us nutty when smart purpose-driven people do not build the consulting businesses that they're capable of.  Especially it makes me nuts when they go and work beneath themselves as a subcontractor where they're making less money.  In many cases, as an hourly worker, when you haven’t been an hourly worker in decades.  They're doing work on behalf of people that would have reported to them.  It makes me crazy because they're not positioned properly.  They can't speak truth to power and they can't make the difference that they can make in the world.

Find a source of your copy from your stories (11:39):

A lot of the things that make you crazy are the things that are in your own stories. One of my clients, he's very focused on in the organization because he had a grandfather who died at a young age and he got this really deep conviction. Very, very early on that time is finite. And he hates when people waste time. For him, seeing inefficiency in an organization where people are working over the weekend, rather than spending time on what they love doing and their family.  All of that kind of stuff makes him nuts.  What is it that drives you crazy?  Build your business around that.  That's where your brand will stand out.

You really want to be clear on all of the demographics of your ideal clients.  You really want to dial, more importantly, into the psychographics.  The conversation that's going on inside their heads: what they want, what they need to feel their aspirations. This is the number one thing that is going to get you over any fear you have about growing your business.  Because this is what unleashes your passion. This is what creates your why.  When you have your why driving you, you stop worrying about whether or not you're afraid.  Whether or not you have what it takes, when you turn the spotlight from you onto your ideal client, everything changes.

Context that unleashes your strengths (12:54):

Here are my final thoughts. As someone with superpowers only becomes a hero, once their strengths are directed towards helping others. There's a context that unleashes their power.  I urge you to think today, what is that context that unleashes your strengths?

Here's what I want you to do. I want you to get out of your head and get into your ideal client's head. If you could make this one single shift, it will completely transform your business.  

Support to get out of your head (13:21):

We do all kinds of things to help get you out of your head. We have a lot of support around the messaging and the positioning. We have courses that will give you all kinds of resources on how you can dial in your ideal clients. We have hacks to get into the voice of the customer that we are using with our clients is offering tremendous success - copy that starts writing itself. If you're interested in any of that kind of support, definitely let us know.

But in the meantime, start paying attention to the situations that ignite you into action: where you feel like your compassion is engaged and where you feel like your strengths are released. That is a clue about the business that only you are supposed to manifest.

Hopefully, this was helpful. If you have any additional questions, feel free to drop me an email [email protected]. Thank you so much for being with me today. Talk to you soon.