biz tips + tools Archives

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 »

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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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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My Simple Pre-Writing Practice for Focused, Heartfelt Words

For a long time, I thought stress was the cost of getting things done.

You need to do something, so you feel stress…

And when the pain of that stress gets too high, you get moving and shizz gets done.

But what I realized recently…

Is that it’s possible to get things done without the high cost of stress.

I know. Bonkers, right? But it’s true.

One of the best practices I’ve discovered in my quest to feel less stress and more joy in running a business is my simple writing prayer. It takes about 30 seconds to do and it instantly soothes my stress and helps me find a sense of purpose in writing. Keep Reading »

7 Ways to Motivate Yourself to Write

Some days (or weeks…or months) the last thing you want to do is write.

Words don’t come easily, ideas get stuck in your head, and nothing sounds right. You’d rather pluck out your beautiful little eyeballs with a hairpin than try to bang out one more blog post.

I get it.

BUT…

Writing is how we DO THINGS in online marketing. From emails to sales pages to website copy, your words keep your business running.

Over the years, I’ve developed 7 go-to strategies to keep me moving on days that I really don’t feel like writing. (Yes, I totally get them, too!)

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Double your productivity, without doubling your time

I recently read an idea that set of fireworks in my head.

It can completely change the way you approach your time, your projects, and your marketing (and get you a bunch of stuff fo’ FREE.)

I discovered this genius nugget when I read the book Rich Dad, Poor Dad — which is kind of a beginner’s guide to money management. Or, I should say, a beginner’s guide to alternative punk rock money management…because it goes against some of the traditional advice in favor of more entrepreneurial ideas.

One idea I absolutely love is that when it comes to investments, you always want to get something for free.

Let me explain — and give you 6 ways you can use this proven money-making strategy in your business…

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6 Ways I Mix Business with Pleasure

This spring and summer, work had been feeling a lot likework.

And I’m okay with that. I’m not one of those people who thinks every day should feel like a chocolate-covered rainbow with puppies on top.

But the tasks on my list felt like such an effort.Less like finishing a good, challenging workout and more like running a marathon on a humid 100-degree day.

Ever felt like that?

I got inspiration from an unexpected place and realized I had been doing “work” wrong for most of my life.

I’m happy to report I’ve found 6 awesome tactics to up my pleasure quotient. Read on if you’ve been stuck in work quicksand, too. Keep Reading »

How to Name Your Program with the Golden Trio Naming Method

I’m not a naming savant.

Naming programs, modules, webinars, strategies, you name it, is actually my very least favorite task as a copywriter.

The Golden Trio Naming Method works precisely because I’m NOT a natural.

I had to find a way to make it really easy when my clients came to me in need or the perfect name for their thing. That’s when I developed this simple three-step naming strategy that works every time.

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