Pond. Jill Pond. :: Copy Strategist

Words That Sell

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Making Your Website Your Secret Weapon

Your industry is crowded – saturated, in fact.

You’re competing with ten tons of hungry entrepreneur for the attention of your target market – it’s imperative you stand out.

How do you do it? How do you claw your way to the top o’ the pile so you can be seen?

Make your website your secret weapon.

Rewind a few months…

I was looking to partner with a marketing and sales funnel strategist for an upcoming project and so I put out the call in a large Facebook group for digital marketers.

“Hi guys – I’m looking for a funnel expert to partner up with. Drop the link to your website and I’ll be in touch.”

Within minutes, I had 80 responses. I started the arduous task of sifting through the comments while mindlessly shoving salt and vinegar chips into my face (I know you just drooled – don’t lie).

There was this one woman who PM’d me and man, she sounded PERFECT! She said all the right things and had the exact set of skills that I wanted. I asked to see her website…

She sent it.

I looked it over.

Red flags. Alarm bells. Sirens abound.

I felt betrayed.

Her website did NOT speak to any of the skills she told me she had AND it showcased an entirely different set of services that were totally unrelated to the funnel expert I was expecting.

Her website f*cked her chances of getting my business because the only thing it inspired in me was suspicion.

This woman is LYING.
She’s a beginner trying to come off as an expert.
She’s not trustworthy.

Moving right along…

I passed her by faster than a cat can vomit on the only square foot of carpet in a 10-mile radius.

When you treat your website like a lure – the most attractive, delicious, and irresistible piece of real
estate on your slice of the internet… it becomes the secret weapon that wins clients and makes you money.

Here’s why the copy and messaging on your website MUST be good.

WHEN I WAS NEW, I WON CLIENTS OVER MORE EXPERIENCED COPYWRITERS BECAUSE MY WEBSITE KICKED ASS.

When I was a copywriting kindergartener, I spent hours writing magical AF copy for my website. I didn’t really know WTF I was doing, and though I was an excellent writer, I lacked any training or experience in the art of writing actual copy.

That didn’t stop me from getting jobs. I’d see someone looking for a copywriter in a Facebook group and BOOM! I was all up in there slapping my website link up for all to see and, whaddyaknow… more often than not, I got the gig.

Why? Because people loved my website and the way it made them feel and they were convinced I could help them make their customers feel that way too.

WHEN YOUR WEBSITE DOESN’T ACCURATELY REFLECT WHO YOU SAY YOU ARE, IT MAKES POTENTIAL CLIENTS SUSPICIOUS OF YOUR EXPERTISE.

Do you show up on your website the same way you show up in person?

Do you have an easygoing confidence that clients love, but have a stick-up-the-ass About Page that’s dryer than burnt toast dipped in the crumbs of more burnt toast?

Or maybe you’re a witty snark-master who everyone jokes with, but the copy on your site has less personality than a dead, bloated worm floating aimlessly in the remains of yesterday’s rain…

Either way, when you claim to be one way and your website copy portrays you as something else, it makes people uneasy about hiring you.

Sumthin’ just ain’t right…

Don’t you want the carpet to match the drapes? Perhaps that’s the (very) wrong acronym, but you get the gist…

WHEN YOUR WEBSITE DOESN’T ACCURATELY REFLECT WHAT YOU SAY YOU DO, IT MAKES POTENTIAL CLIENTS SUSPICIOUS OF YOUR EXPERTISE.

Back to the lady with the shit website – the red flags, the alarm bells, the feeling of deception and betrayal her website inspired in the depths of my soul…

Seriously, nobody takes anybody’s word for ANYTHING these days and if your website is anything less than a glorious storefront for your business, you’re missing out.

Would you go into a store to buy designer heels that displays camping grills, fishing gear, and shotguns in their window?

If so, here’s my therapist’s number…

WHEN YOUR WEBSITE HAS MIXED MESSAGES BECAUSE YOU SKIPPED THE BRAND STRATEGY WORK, IT MAKES POTENTIAL CLIENTS SUSPICIOUS OF YOUR EXPERTISE.

Website copy born from a few janky questionnaires isn’t enough. If you want messaging and copy that tag-teams your cause (getting more clients, making more money), the groundwork must be done and done right.

Did your target market or competition influence your copy, or was it built in a vacuum that reeks of bla neutrality?

Did you consider what makes you different from your competitors and leverage that to position yourself strategically in the crowded market you’re trying to dominate?

These are just the basics, but you’d be surprised at how many people make it ALL ABOUT THEMSELVES and lose the opportunity to win over the customer because the copy misses the mark.

I don’t blame them, though – I didn’t know these things before I became a copywriter. That’s why it’s good to hire an expert – so you don’t have to waste your time with the stuff you’re not paid to do.

WHEN YOUR WEBSITE HAS BAD, SUCKY COPY, IT MAKES POTENTIAL CLIENTS SUSPICIOUS OF YOUR EXPERTISE.

I feel like I shouldn’t even explain this but I will.

The copy on your website is your sales guy or gal. If they’re wearing dirty, wrinkled clothes that smell like onion soup served up in an ashtray, the customer is gonna be like, HELLS NO.

If they show up speaking a language the customer doesn’t understand… Buh-byeEEEE.

If they’re indifferent and not passionate in their sales pitch… Not today, not ever.

Make your website your secret weapon.

Do the work, hire the copywriter (ahem), and suit up to play the game.

You deserve more than a bland, boring, poorly written website that fails to capture leads and help close sales.

Want to know how to write an About Page that doesn’t suck?
Head on over to my site HERE and scroll on down to the bottom to opt dafuq in.

Want to chat about hiring me to do the dirty work for you?
Contact me HERE to get started.

Catch you on the flip side and here’s to kicking website shame to the curb FOREVER!

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The Guts of Your Biz: Web Copy

Woman sitting with coffee. Guts over fear.

You’re not just another billboard on the side of the road, and if you want to be seen, you have to be seen. And just as wherever you go, there you are, action begets outcome.
The sales process begins with words and good web copy will hold your vibe and close-talk to your ideal client. The words and phrases on your site have one purpose… to make you money, and guess what? You can make fat stacks with anti-boring words; pretty words, quirky words, any words, as long as they’re the right words.
You won’t catch 007 in his jammies here. Here, he is Bond. James Bond, true to his essence and stripped to the bone.

About Page

Blast some serious balls with an About Page that weeps brilliance and shows your guts. Custom fit, built from scratch and designed to showcase your mad skilz.
This page is the cornerstone of your site and where you catch your clients The secret? It’s not about you, but you in relation to them.

Home Page

Lions, not lambs. The essence of your product must strut its stuff and dominate those who challenge its supremacy. Mark your turf with a Home Page that leads the pack. Or flock. Or, whatever.
When a prospect lands here, they should know within seconds what you do. Name their problems and list your solutions. Sell, sell, sell.

Services Page

List your services here. Duh. Make them sound cool. Yup.

Blog Posts

If you suck at writing, let the wordsmith do it. There are approximately 10 gabillionzillion blogs out there. If you want to be seen, step up to the ledge, get ready to fall, and I’ll make you fly.

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Tips & Tricks For Creating An About Page (That Doesn’t Suck Ass)

Typing on the computer
Don’t be that guy. Try something new. It’s hard not to sound cliché when telling people why their About Page should be special. Your About Page is the most important page on your…bla bla bla.

BORE-RING

Your About Page must showcase your authentic self. (I’m gonna hurl if I hear “authentic” one more time.)

CLEE-SHAY-HAY

Your About Page tells the story of…more bla bla bla.

KILL ME NOW!

In all fairness, the About Page does tell a story, but I’m bored of boring stories, and I don’t give a flying rat’s ass about your love of growing tomatoes unless you chop that shit up and make me some salsa.

Telling a story should be more than getting from A to Z.

Linear is overrated. Try F to Z to A to G. Mix that shit up. Use caution because this is easier said than done – if you’re not organized about it, you’ll end up with a patchwork quilt that looks like vomit.

YOU: “What do you suggest, Pond. Jill Pond? How do I write an About Page?”

ME: “Well, Timmy, I’m glad you asked! Below you’ll find the complete guide to writing an informative yet compelling About Page. One that doesn’t suck balls.”

YOU: “Oh, thank god. I hate sucking balls.”

ME: “Right?”

So…where to start? Start with F. A is boring, so pick a starting point that isn’t the beginning.

YES: “Selling vacuums door-to-door wasn’t an avocation that called to me, but there I was, spilling water onto an old lady’s carpet to demonstrate the out-of-this-world suction power of the Amazing Fairfax vacuum cleaner. It was a pivotal moment and I suddenly knew that crawling on a stranger’s carpet in a polyester suit was a stinging insult to my intellect. I would not be mediocre anymore.”

NO: “I grew up in Denver, where I rode a horse to school, in the snow, uphill both ways. This sparked my love for travel and I’ve been doing it ever since.”

BARF.

Let me start you on a different path to telling people about yo’ fine-ass self.

Try This:

Be That Kid. Let’s talk about me and my That Kid. Start out with something surprising and unconventional that provokes emotion. From humor to heartstrings; make them feel something. What voice will you use to make them want you?

For Example:
“Were you That Kid, growing up? The weird one? Yeah, that was me, but this isn’t your typical band-camp story, nope, it’s about finding the balls to be myself and embracing my own brand of peculiar exclusivity.”

Who’s your That Kid?

Mine is weirdo kid turned unconventional adult (who is awesome). I found power in “embracing my own peculiar brand of exclusivity”, which is relevant to my clients because it’s how I’m going to help them overcome their problems. That Kid is the hero, the baller, the champion.

Make them want to read more. No matter how tempted you are, DO NOT be cliché. Aim to speak your client’s native tongue; don’t cuss unless granny cusses. Brevity is good; the client is anxious to talk about more important topics, like…the client.

Tell The Client About The Client

Enough about me, let’s talk about you! I love discussing the nuances of my ME, and so does everyone else. Close-talk to your customer about their trials and tribulations. Their struggle is real and you feel their pain.

Standing out is imperative. You’re lost in a herd of competitors, trying to be seen. Be the black sheep. Or green, or yellow – they have to see you if you want to sell them your services.

You’re the expert. Be sure they know that you know what they’re struggling with (The Problem) and that you know how to help (The Solution).

You want to sell your services in a straight-forward, yet riveting manner, but writing appealing copy free of cliché phrases and words is no easy task. This is my thing. Creating beautiful and clever ways to say boring things is my Michael Phelps to your 200 meter fly.

Tell them exactly what you do as it pertains to their needs, and exactly how you’ll help them with The Problem.

For Example:
I write unconventional copy for brands who require a certain je ne sais quoi, or, indefinable and elusive quality to their copy. Your products and services will sell when the words seduce your customers.

More About Me As It Relates To You

This is a good place to pull out the bedazzler and snazz up your jean jacket from 8th grade. Tell a story about you as it relates to them. This is important. Don’t be tempted to prattle on about Whiskers the cat or that time you broke your arm in 5 places – this is precious real estate and you want words that make them heart you so hard.

For Example:
“I’m not preaching to the choir, nope, I spent years trying to shove my weirdness into a box and I accomplished nothing but wasted years that I’ll never get back, and stifling all that made my ME. Still with me? Good. The box must go. So… what happened?”

…my “what happened” is all about the customer.

Tell them again, how and why you’re qualified to help, and what you’re going to do to solve The Problem.

Another Example:
“I write copy and create imagery for avant-garde brands that want words that sell. Let’s dig in, find YOU and put YOU on the page to create copy that would kill if it didn’t have a conscience.”

You’re in this together and now it’s game time. You know the rules, you’ve trained hard, and you’re ready to win. Throw the pitch and lob it on in there so they can hit it out of the gat-dayum park. This is your BIG call to action.

“BUY NOW” “LET’S DO THIS” “GET ‘ER DONE” “GET STARTED”

(seriously… you can click here)

At the bottom of your About Page, take some liberties and show off a bit. Your accomplishments, your experience, and maybe a sentence or 2 about you and your personal life. Brevity is good.

For Example:
“As featured in Cat n’ Paws Magazine.”

“When my children aren’t driving me to drink, we enjoy long walks on the beach and eating copious amounts of sugar.”

Are you ready?

Carve out an hour (or 5), put your pen to paper, and tell us About You. If the thinking about your About Page gives you hives, don’t worry. If you don’t have time, not a problem.

What’s that? You suck at writing?

That’s OK – I love this shit. Let’s talk and let me write a page about you that shows your guts and blasts some serious balls.

“Yes, Please. Write My About Page, Pond, Jill Pond.”

(No, really. You can actually click here.)

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