Copywriting and business strategies to inspire creative thinking, attract more customers and make more money
Times are tough.
You don't need me to tell you that.
The news headlines are grim and people are struggling to pay their bills. This is no joke.
As an entrepreneur, it's our job to solve problems. To think of ways to respond to market forces and make the lives of our customers a little better, brighter, easier and happier.
No-one knows your customers better than you.
So ask yourself....
How are they feeling right now? (Are they scared, uncertain, confused, doing OK, resilient, resourceful, positive, action-orientated?)
What's keeping them up at night? (Money worries, personal and health issues, their relationship, problems at work?)
How can your business or brand improve their situation right now? (What new service or slightly tweaked service can you provide, what new product can you launch and how can you show up and serve them in a more impactful way during times of struggle?)
Here are 5 copywriting and business trends and strategies that are picking up steam as 2022 draws to an end. According to the experts, these trends are set to continue into 2023.
With these ideas under your belt or up your sleeve, whichever you prefer, you can be better prepared, think more creatively and make next year a total blinder.
Quick side note… I’ve just launched a free masterclass for new and aspiring copywriters. If the sound of transforming your freelance copywriting business or the idea of becoming your own boss who makes money with your words makes you giddy with excitement, then sign up and WATCH IT HERE .
Be your own boss and control your destiny.
1. Focus on the transformation…
… and on delivering results as fast as possible.
Your customers are looking for quick wins.
They will invest in programmes, courses and services that deliver results BUT they’re super astute and can tell if you’re making them jump through hoops/wasting their time to get to the really juicy stuff… You know, “the stuff” like the tools, strategies, processes, the big idea or game-changing factor that they paid for. That’s the stuff that will make a *real* difference in their lives.
Remember the value of your product or service doesn’t lie in how long it takes your customers to go through. The value is found in the size of the transformation of your customer's experience.
Even the big kids in the marketing game are doing this.
The OG Digital Course maestro herself Amy Porterfield, has trimmed down her signature programme, Digital Course Academy, this year. I’m sure she keeps her Californian ear to the ground when it comes to market trends so this is no accident.
Tip! Go through your offers, trim the fat, cut the fluff and tighten everything else so your customers start to see and experience tangible results as quickly as possible.
2. Double down on your SEO strategy (if paying for traffic is not an option)
In fact, whether you pay the likes of Google or YouTube to run ads to promote your business or not, understanding SEO and implementing a consistent SEO strategy in your business is a great marketing approach now and in 2023.
The SEO king Neil Patel predicts, “the companies set to grow in 2023 will have a robust SEO strategy in place”.
Tip! Use keywords in your web content - everything from your website to your social media captions. And don’t forget, to use tag titles and optimise your visual assets with clear descriptions.
3. Be nimble…
Stay open to market forces and how they impact buying decisions.
This doesn’t mean when the news channels say we’re in a recession you need to slash your prices. But stay socially conscious and pay attention to what your customers are saying and their buying behaviours.
Think about how you can support and serve them where they are right now. This is where the next tip is handy.
4. Take a highlight and turn it into the hero
If you have a premium offer, product or service that delivers massive transformation with a price tag to match… and you know (as in you have the data to back it up) that your customers want it but can’t afford it right now…
Then see if you can take an element of it and turn it into a stand-alone offer that delivers results in a shorter amount of time and at an affordable price.
This is an idea inspired by the Lipstick Index. A term coined by Esteé Lauder’s chairman, Leonard Lauder. He noticed an upward trend in lipstick sales when the economy was in a recession. And this buying trend has been seen in hair, beauty, skincare and fragrances as well.
Tip! Look at your offers and see where you can apply a little lippy. Your customers want to feel good about themselves - no matter the state of the economy - and if your products and services can promise (and deliver) a sense of instant gratification then why not explore this strategy…
Here are some ideas:
24-hour deep dive…
A 20-minute makeover…
30-day transformation…
5. Never assume to know the outcome… Always test and see
When it comes to your copy, and business in general, test everything.
Test things so much that it becomes your middle name. Yes, that’s right, I’m Nat Test Milligan.
Not sure which headline will generate higher click-through rates? Test both.
Not 100% sold on the micro copy on your product pages? Test it for 2 weeks, look at the data and make a decision.
There’s nothing wrong with being unsure but clarity comes from engagement - shout out to Marie Forleo for that killer line. And it’s true. Test your copy, marketing strategies, offers, process, test, test, test. When in doubt, test.
My business coach says "Look at the data, avoid the drama." (that’s another piece of wisdom every entrepreneur should write in their journal).
Here’s the thing…
It’s easy to get swept up in what the popular kids in your industry are doing and the latest trends on the market but you cannot go wrong when you test, look at your data and make decisions based on the facts and stats (...that rhymes. I’m a poet and didn’t know it). And when things go tits up - guess what? - no worries. Just try again.
You’re gonna make mistakes. We all do. That's the nature of life and running your own business.
There’s no one way (or right way) to be an entrepreneur. You need to figure out your own path, stay the course, be consistent, learn from you mistakes, improve your skills, take risks, pay attention to what your customers are saying, be bold, be courageous and keep doing the best you can.
You are in control. No matter what the economy is doing, you can make decisions in your business from a place of mental abundance not scarcity. There are always choices at your finger tips. Don't let the external world affect your internal world.
Till next time,
Nat x
If this post floated your boat then you might be into these: