You can be "woo" and sell with these practical tips
Successful coaches and online entrepreneurs know something you don’t. And if you don’t embrace it sooner rather than later, you’ll be back in a 9-5 before you can say, “Kim Kardashian”.
There’s no doubt that today’s online marketplace is overcrowded and over-hyped.
Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and LinkedIn have become a mosh pit of “Look at ME!”, while we all post selfies and behind-the-scenes glimpses into our everyday lives like movie stars.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. It’s how we build our tribes and success.
But since my return to online business in 2015, I’ve noticed a huge difference between what’s going on now versus when I left the online world behind 6 years ago to return briefly to corporate life: there’s a whole lotta “WOO” floating around, accompanied by a healthy dose of fluff and nonsense.
Since most of my clients are in the coaching space, I see it every day.
I get frequent requests from “woo” entrepreneurs for suggestions on how they can make their sales page copy sing, when it’s jam-packed with nonwords, vague terms and eye-crossing lingo.
Most of the time they don’t like what they’re told, because it’s not what they want to hear...
It’s what gets results.
I’m not what you would call a “spiritual person”. I don’t “do woo”, and I definitely don’t put up with fluffy, frilly, frou frou copy. I’m also not known to mince words or tiptoe around things.
Clients know that when they work with me, they get a strategic business partner that will help them get results.
There’s no sugar-coating it: great copy helps you market your services better so you can attract clients, make more money, grow your business and increase your impact.
Copywriting is selling with words - written or spoken, and delivering them strategically to get people to take action. It’s one of the essentials for effective online marketing.
And, just like face-to-face selling, there’s a right and wrong way to do it.
Successful online business owners and entrepreneurs understand and value what knowing how to write great copy means to their business’s bottom line.
When you’re an online entrepreneur, everything you write is copywriting, whether you’re “woo” or not. The words you use, how you use them and even their positioning on the page can make or break a sale.
Here are 4 practical, no-nonsense, fluff-free tips for selling yourself online through your copy...no matter how “woo” you wanna be.
Ditch the fluffy nonsense, jargon and non-words
Every industry has its own lingo. “Corporate speak” and “coach speak” could practically have their own dictionaries. From where I stand, I believe it’s a dilemma perpetuated by the coaches coaching coaches, coaching other coaches model. One high-profile coach says something, and it becomes the gold standard of coach lingo on web pages everywhere.
Suddenly, the internet’s filled with a bunch of junk words that mean nothing like “upleveling” and vague terms like “abundance” (this word’s actually become so over-used it almost means nothing).
Find new, creative ways to talk about what you do and the results you get for people so you can stand out and sell your products and services to the people who want them. That’s what they pay for.
Always be clear and direct
I hear all the time from entrepreneurs that writing sales emails and sales pages makes their palms sweat because they’re afraid to ask for the sale. So they mask their purpose and call-to-action in ineffective, fluffy, unclear words. Which means no one buys.
When you want people to do something, you need to tell them explicitly, clearly, and directly.
There’s no room for pussyfooting or dancing around what you want (which is hopefully results).
Done right, email marketing is the #1 revenue generator for online businesses
Problem is, most entrepreneurs don’t have a clue how to do it right, so they get mediocre results. Entrepreneurs I’ve spoken to often worry that people on their list will feel duped or unsubscribe the minute a sales email lands in their inbox.
Get over it. You WILL lose people. But the ones who stick around are truly worth holding onto and nurturing the hell out of, because they’re the people who want what you’ve got. The timing won’t be right for all of them all at the same time, but something will stick.
Don’t underestimate or shy away from knowing how to write emails that convert.
Confidence - or lack thereof - permeates everything. Be brave and bold
You might be kicking online butt on Instagram and knocking videos out like crazy, but if your written communication lacks confidence, your reader will pick up on it.
When you’re 100% confident in your skills, the results you get for clients and what you’re selling, your copy should convey that in everything you do, clearly and boldly.
Great communication that touches and connects with your humans is as essential to growing a serious online business as air is for breathing. And learning to write confident, clear copy that sells is one of the most profitable skills you’ll ever learn as a business owner.
You don’t have to be a copywriter to write great copy. You just need to understand and appreciate the value and impact that copy has on your bottom line, for better or worse.
Lisa-May Huby writes bulletproof copy for digital entrepreneurs at lisamayhuby.com. Get her 30 best tips for writing great copy so you can stop blending in online and market your services better.