Marketing Advice?

Collette, I heart you

My goal, originally, with the front page was to keep potential clients from having to scroll... I can't remember where I picked up the idea that making them scroll on the first page was kind of a no-no, but that's why that I was there. I did change some of the text and add some very blatant links to the bottom of the front page. I used to have a section of my sidebar that contained the most recent client testimonial. Perhaps I should put that back?

Thanks you guys for all of your advice. Keep it coming! I appreciate the advice and insights and I'm sure there are other readers here who will be paying attention for their own sites as well.

Erin,

Here is an example I just came across (I was looking at people's links who'd signed up for my Twitter feed):

Robert Medak Writing & Editing

Notice how simple the opening is, and yet the ideas "Let me look at two paragraphs of your copy for free." and "can multitask and meet strenuous deadlines" are compelling.

Marcia Yudkin

Yeah, your website does need a little "oomph", but that will cost you $ and sort of defeats the purpose of your post.

How about doing some work on a royalty basis only? Send out an email to your current clients, stating you want to beat their current control and you're willing to do it on a royalty basis only. If you beat their control, you'll want $X,XXX or some decent multiple of your current fee. That way you are assuming all the risk of hiring you and you're taking it away from the client. They have nothing to lose and if your offer is compelling enough (i.e. your copy is good in your offer) you should get at least a few nibbles and potentially a client or three. You are putting your money where your mouth is and it's hard, as a business owner, to turn down an offer like that.

Cheers

Thanks for all of the great advice everyone. I'm working more on my site today (and my WSO). There should be some changes soon.

Thanks also for all of the great examples. Paul, I especially like your WSO!

Okay, I've changed my landing page, my WSO and my signature.

Better? Worse? Oh my god stop now and go work for Starbucks?

Ok. Erin.

Layout. I'm pushing 40 and I hate all this 10 point type.
Use 12 - it doesn't cost you anything. 10-13 words per
line, no more, makes for easy reading. Compare books
around the house to see for yourself; the only reason to
use mores word per line is to save paper - so if you aren't
paying for printing make your pages easy for us lazier
readers.

(actually I read a lot and that's the point - because I
do I appreciate typesetting that makes the job easier).

Your font is fine.

Once you beef-up your type and slash your column width
you'll see a need to split your paragraphs up so they don't
look like Tolstoy or similar intimidating literature-like writer -
not what you want because you don't want to cause release
of fear endorphins and trigger unpleasant memories of
treacherous thick volumes of convoluted 19th century
lit assigned in high school.

Dig?

Cheap summary: people are lazy and don't want to read
dense text. We don't want to be challenged, intellectually,
by people trying to sell us stuff either, so make your stuff
look friendly to the semi-literate.

You've actually got some SNAP! in your style and I like that,
but you've got to learn the formatting shuffle to get people
to read the stuff.

Try to find a way to turn you "I" into a "YOU" - which is kind
of tricky because the temptation is to go into chest-thumping
about how "You'll get copywriting that literally stuns your
prospects into opening their wallets and handing over all
their money like they've been mugged with a Taser-gun,"
but resist the temptation to be a pompous ass and try to
show how you can take your clients from point-A (where
they are, "Suckville") to point-B ("Awesomeville") with you
systematic, blah-blah, approach to doing 1-2-3 based
on their criteria...yada-yada.

You may not get my drift. Just be smart. Sell the jive -
the sizzle - the excitement of what you bring.

You know about "peak states" (NLP) - ok? Get in one, and
write your salesletter with wildcard sincerity and punch -
because, despite all the techniques of persuasion we talk
hither and thither about PASSION SELLS! and commitment
inspires people to want what you got!

And get that funky letter in front of people who are lookin'
for what you GOT!!

Erin have you tried approaching your local paper? Maybe it's not what you usually do, but you might be able to turn a few quick bucks by freelancing an article or two for your local paper.

Also, I think the site does lack something. Too much text. Throw in a picture or graphic to break things up a bit and keep people on your site longer.

Thanks for the advice Loren and Rconejr!

About the font: Believe it or not, it already was at 12 point font--at least according to my post page formatting bar. I bumped it up to 14 just to try it out but now it looks like the whole darn thing is in bold...which drives me nuts, but maybe its better for the reader? I also broke up a couple of paragraphs--is it just me or are people starting to react badly to paragraphs that contain more than a couple of lines?

(Incidentally I majored in English Lit and Theater in college and if I never read an ancient Greek or anything Shakespeare adjacent again I can honestly say that I won't be sad. Seriously.)

I've also been thinking about throwing in a graphic--at least a photo--on my front page. I've noticed that people tend to react more favorably if they can "see" the writer they'll be working with.

I've also been working on turning the "I's" into "You's." Ironically, the hardest part of this whole thing for me isn't a knee jerk chest thumping. It's more of a modesty, not used to going on about myself thing. I can sell other people's products and services six ways from Sunday but when it comes to talking about myself I have this knee jerk "don't be so arrogant" thing happening. Don't worry. As a copywriter, I know exactly how backwards that is

Seriously though: thanks to everyone for all of their help and encouragement. This thread has been an amazing help for me and helped me make a few new friends, which are both always fun!

You might want to think about having two websites, one for content writing and one for copywriting.

There are two reasons for this...

First, it's just a little confusing the way you jump between the two on your website.

Second, I think by offering content writing, you're not going to be taken seriously as a copywriter. Credibility issue.

Colm

Paul: Thanks It was just taken a couple of months ago, so I figured it might be a better fit.

Prettyboy: That is an excellent tip!

Thanks everyone for your help!

You don't need to spend a fortune to market your small business. Use these ten powerful marketing tips written by guest author Ann Marie Rubertone from Check It Out.

I just wanted to post a real, honest to goodness thank you to everyone who tossed in their two cents to this thread. I know I've done the post thanking thing, but I wanted to take a second to tell you guys how much you all have helped me.

I've redone a lot of my site (including a new design), have new WSOs running and have some irons in the fire now.

I know that there are a lot of requests for help put up here and sometimes the OP is never heard from again so I wanted to let you all know how much I appreciate and value your input. I'm far from "done" yet, but thanks to you guys I'm super inspired and bringing in more business.

So... Thanks Everyone! I appreciate it!