If there’s one thing I’ve noticed since niching down to work with wellbeing people, it’s that we love to write. I’ve had tons of conversations about why writing is just the best, and I love these chats. Sadly, they don’t often lead to work (which, let’s be honest, is what we all want).
It’s because wellbeing people, often introverted, are deeply reflective. Like me 🙋♀️ Which fits perfectly with the beautiful process of writing.
I want to support the amazing wellbeing people out there doing all the things - writing their own copy, marketing their businesses like crazy and generally being bloody awesome.
Understanding the difference between writing and copywriting can elevate your website or content marketing from simply telling people what you do, to selling them your service in a way that helps them decide to buy from you.
Your audience wants to read your stuff. Of course they do, that’s why they follow you. But in order to turn your readers into customers, you need to be clear on your sales messaging. You need to turn your content into copywriting.
Here’s some tips on turning your delicious prose into a solid sales process - without feeling like you’re selling your soul for a sale. You’re offering a product or service that truly helps people with their wellbeing, there’s no need to feel awkward shouting it from the rooftops.
Your time and expertise is incredibly valuable - make it easy for your customers to see this, and marketing won’t feel quite so disgusting.
TIP # 1: Remove all the words you learned during your training. Your customers don't use them.
You’ve spent years learning this stuff, so it’s easy for industry-specific words to slip into your general lexicon. But your customers haven’t. Take these words out of your sales messaging.
Anything you learned from training in your field isn’t common language for your audience and will be jargon. Nobody likes jargon!
Words like; modalities, somatic, acronyms for specific interventions (DBT, CBT, TIF etc); are not common language for your audience. They don’t use them to explain what they’re looking for, so don’t bother using them to explain how you can help.
If you absolutely can’t bring yourself to remove these words, link them to a page explaining what they mean (or give a glossary of terms at the bottom of the page).
TIP # 2: Talk less about what you do and more about the results your clients could see from working with you
Writing from the heart and soul means giving your reader lots of great information about what you do and why you do it - often referred to as your ‘WHAT’ and your ‘WHY’.
People want to know this, but they need more. You need to be clear about what you do, so try reframing it to explain how it will impact your reader’s life in real and tangible ways.
Rather than saying ‘I offer 1:1 intervention for anxiety disorders’, say ‘Personalised treatment to help you manage your anxiety and live free from the overwhelm of intrusive thoughts’.
TIP # 3: Answer your reader’s question(s) right there on the page
Don’t assume someone will contact you to clarify something they don’t understand - chances are they won’t.
More often than not, they’ll seek the answer elsewhere, which could lead to them finding someone else to work with.
Use free software like answerthepublic.com or alsoasked.com to find the questions your clients are asking - in their own words. Use the terminology your customers are using (reviews and testimonials are great for finding their words). Talking like your customer will help them feel seen and understood, which is the first stage in any successful therapeutic relationship.
TIP # 4: Break up the walls of text
Blog posts, newsletters, website pages - they all contain loads of information which can be overwhelming. I get it, you want to make sure everything you put out is crammed full of useful stuff, but there’s a reason TMI (too much information) has become common language.
Too much information can be a deterrent, to the point where your customer might just walk (or click) away.
Split your writing into short paragraphs, and wherever possible stick to one message per piece. If something takes your reader off on a tangent, you’ve potentially lost them.
Break up paragraphs to make them easily scannable.
Like this.
TIP # 5: Hold your reader’s hand
Be clear on what you want the reader to do when they reach the end of your piece. Whether it’s a page of your website, a blog post, or even just a social media post. Tell them what to do when they finish, or they’ll probably do nothing.
It doesn’t have to be deep - ‘Visit My Website’ or ‘See What My Customers Say’ can work really well. Remember, reading a single piece of content won’t mean they’re ready to book a call or buy your service, so be creative. Give them a pathway to follow so when they’re ready to take the next step, they know exactly how to get there.
Copywriting isn’t the same as writing for pleasure
If, like me, writing feels like an important part of your life (in your business, or for personal reasons), you might be reluctant to hand it over to someone else.
Copywriting isn’t an exclusive club, and there are plenty of courses and guides available to help you get better at it. Just like every part of being a business owner, you can choose to do it yourself, or you can ask for help.
Writing for sales might not be for you - and that’s ok! It requires a different mindset and skillset, and it’s perfectly professional to let someone else do the heavy lifting for you. It might even give you perspectives you wouldn’t otherwise notice.
Making the switch to writing for sales isn’t for every writer, so if you’d like to chat about taking this part of your business off your plate, get in touch below. The last thing you want is to fall out of love with writing because it’s becoming a chore 💚
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