Copywriting + Content Marketing Tips

The Enemy Card: The Insanely Compelling Section Your Persuasive Copy is Missing

“It’s really hard to write copy that actually CONNECTS.”

That’s one of the most common things I hear from my copywriting clients.

Today, I’m going to divulge one of my guaranteed strategies for creating a moment of connection with your reader.

I call it playing The Enemy Card and it’s a pretty much foolproof way to get your reader to feel something…and feel closer to you.

You can use it in so many ways (on sales pages, social media posts, emails) and the Enemy Card is so simple, absolutely anyone can play it. You don’t need a marketing degree or copywriting certifications. You just need an open mind and a few minutes of creative thinking…

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3 years of consistent content: how I did it

I’ve always had a thing for anniversaries.

I remember a classmate in high school whose parents, according to the Bridgewater mom gossip network, were still crazy in love like teenagers. And, according to the moms, the couple also took a decadent, lavish trip — sans children — every year on their anniversary.

I stopped listening when the mom squad shared their opinions on how this puppy-dog-style love affected their kids. They lost me at the “lavish anniversary trip” part.

I LOVE the idea of honoring milestones, both big and small. Taking time to reflect and celebrate an anniversary is an awesome idea, in my book.

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5 Common Blogging Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Blogging?

Is a ton of work.

Especially when you’re a busy, plate-stuffed-to-the-brim entrepreneur.

So let’s make all that effort #WORTHIT by avoiding these 5 sneaky common blogging mistakes. Keep Reading »

The 5 Critical Pieces Your Welcome Sequence Needs

I’ve heard from many of you that the thought of writing a welcome sequence for new email subscribers is hard. Daunting. Overwhelm-y.

Like there are so many pieces and you’re not sure what to do when…in what order…and what NOT to do.

And here’s the honest truth…

It’s not really that complicated. Truly!

After years of learning the proper way to write…and then learning the smart ways to break those rules…the thing I love most about copywriting now is that there’s no “right way” to do it.

Yes, there are better practices, proven persuasion strategies, and copywriting formulas to make it easier. But at the end of the day, you don’t need to be a capital-W Writer to create an insanely effective welcome sequence.

You can do it from right where you are, today.

Keep reading to learn the 5 key elements you absolutely must include for an effective welcome sequence. Keep Reading »

9 subject lines people will actually open

If you’re a nightclub owner whose goal is to be so hot, nobody can get in, you need a bouncer who will make it uber difficult to get behind that velvet rope.

But you’re not a club owner. (At least, I don’t think.) You’re a business owner.

And when it comes to your emails…

Your goal isn’t to keep people out…it’s to make it as easy as possible to come rushing in .

But unless you’re careful, your subject lines could be unintentional bouncers, keeping readers from daring to enter your emails.

Let’s dig inside my email vault and look at 9 subject lines that have worked really well in my biz — to the tune of 40-70%+ open rates.

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5 Mistakes You’re Making With Email

Over my eight years helping businesses with email marketing, I’ve learned a ton. I’ve gotten elbows-deep in dozens of clients’ email campaigns and have seen what works…along with what doesn’t.

And I’ve come across a few common mistakes that almost everyone makes when sending emails.

If your subscribers aren’t:

opening
clicking
buying from

your emails, chances are you’re making at least one — and more likely, a bunch — of these mistakes yourself.

Because you see, the problem isn’tyou, but the methods you’re using.We’re all just doing the best we can with what we know.

If you want to know better so you can do better, check out the 5 mistakes most people make with their emails and the simple action steps to fix them… Keep Reading »

Increase Email Clicks by 30%+ with this Easy Strategy

Don’t sweat the small stuff. (And it’s all small stuff.)

Remember that book??!

My parents loved it; it became like a mantra in our house.

In my work as a persuasion copywriter, I find this a pretty easy concept to embrace…

I focus on the “big-stuff” strategies that get big results…and don’t worry about things like which button color is getting 0.2% more click-throughs.

0.2% doesn’t get my pulse racing.

But a 30% increase in click-throughs???

THAT’s a result worth sweating over. (In a good way.)

And it’s exactly what my client saw when we applied one simple treatment to her email newsletter.

This technique is crazy easy and just about anyone can do it. And it’ll only take you 60ish extra seconds.

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5 Biggest Lessons from 5 Years in Business

March 14, 2014: my last official day at a j-o-b.

I remember cleaning off my desktop, shutting down my computer, saying goodbye to my coworkers and thinking:

Oh, sh*t.

I had no idea what was going to come next.

And while I certainly don’t have it all figured out (I still feel like I have no clue what I’m doing the vast majority of the time)…

I do have a multi-six-figure copywriting business where over 90% of my clients come back wanting to work together again. So I’m doing at least a couple things right, right? 😜

I’ve been reflecting over these past 5 years and distilling the lessons into a few takeaways I can stick in my back pocket. Because I don’t know about you, but I prefer to keep my focus narrow, rather than trying to juggle #allofthethings at once.

Here are the 5 biggest lessons I’ve learned that I’m taking with me into Year 6:

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7 ways to catch attention with your opening line

With dominos — as with writing — everything hinges on the start.

The first domino you need to knock over is your opening line. Unless your opening line grabs a reader, they’ll never read your juicy content.

Domino numero uno needs to pull readers in, piquing their interest juuuuust enough to keep their eyes moving down the page.

So how do you knock that domino over? With these 7 surprisingly simple strategies.

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Bring More Personality to Your Copy with the Brand Handful Method

A strong brand is one of the most underrated tools of a successful business.

It’s a powerful way to build the know-like-trust factor with your audience.

It turns your business feel real and like a three-dimensional person — and because people buy from people, this is a huge help when it comes to making sales online.

Plus, it just makes your work more FUN to incorporate tastes of the things you love. (And who doesn’t want more of that?!)

And the truth is, it’s really, really, really easy to create a strong brand through your copy. It actually takes just two steps.
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