Paralegal and financial pro turned copywriter bringing boring topics to life, serving as the Resident Writing Expert for realtors, attorneys, and financial pros. Check out my emails below and enter your email address to get my freebie, "5 Ways to Make Your Copy UN-Boring"
The closest story wins.
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Dear Reader, I have a homework assignment for you. The next time you're talking with someone who knows you well—a client, a colleague, a referral partner, or a friend—ask them one question. "If someone asked what I do, what would you tell them?" Then resist the urge to interrupt. Don't clarify. Don't explain what you meant. Just listen. Their answer will tell you something interesting. Sometimes they'll describe your business exactly the way you'd hoped. More often than not, they'll reach for the closest story they have. It usually isn't wrong. It may simply be the story you've been telling for years, even though your business has changed since then. Or perhaps it's language they picked up from your website because, until now, that's been the best explanation available. People can't repeat words they've never been given. That's one of the reasons I care so much about voice clarity. It has very little to do with finding clever language. It's about giving the people around you words they can remember, understand, and repeat with confidence when you're not in the room. If you're curious what story people are carrying about your business, the Voice Clarity Workbook is a good place to start. And if you'd rather explore it together, I'd love to have that conversation. Let's find your sentence.Best, |
Judi 411 | Judi Harrington
Paralegal and financial pro turned copywriter bringing boring topics to life, serving as the Resident Writing Expert for realtors, attorneys, and financial pros. Check out my emails below and enter your email address to get my freebie, "5 Ways to Make Your Copy UN-Boring"
Dear Reader, Ask someone to describe their brand voice, and there’s a pretty good chance you’ll hear some combination of: Warm. Professional. Approachable. Well, sure. You’re surely not going to say you want to sound cold, unapproachable, and meaner than bull briar. Those words tell me how you want people to experience you. They don’t tell me what it sounds like to be in a room with you. That’s what I’m listening for. The phrase you keep coming back to. The story you tell when you’re trying...
Hi Reader, One of the challenges of running a business for a long time is that you stop noticing things. The language you use every day feels ordinary because you've been saying it for years. The problems you solve seem obvious because you've solved them hundreds of times. The questions clients ask over and over again begin to feel so familiar that it's hard to imagine someone not understanding the answer. I've come to think of that as living inside the bottle. You can't read the label from...
Hi Reader, Years ago, an insurance agency that offered both personal and commercial insurance hired me to write a client newsletter. The goal was simple. They wanted to stay in touch throughout the year so clients didn't feel like the only time they heard from their insurance agent was when it was time to renew a policy. That made perfect sense. We didn't spend much time reminding people that accidents happen or that they should review their policies. Instead, we showed what good insurance...