I hate talking about myself. How can I write my marketing copy?
Even if you do something well and get paid well for it and other people talk about how much they like your work, it can still be really hard to sell your own products or services. Maybe you hate talking about yourself because marketing seems self-centered. Maybe you’re an introvert. Maybe you’re a reluctant social media person. Maybe the thought of it is just exhausting.
Whatever it is, the fact remains: you’ve got to get your marketing copy written—especially if you’re on a deadline for a web project or need to get an email out. So let’s talk through some ideas to help you write your copy, even if you hate talking about yourself.
Mindset: I have good stuff to offer
I know “mindset” is pretty buzzy right now, but it’s the first and most important step when you’re marketing your own work. Forget everything that makes your lip curl about the marketing you’ve seen other business owners engage in. That’s not for you.
What is for you is...you. Putting some thought into yourself as a business owner and the reasons you’re attracted to the work you do is going to shift the focus from “you: superhuman!” to “you: human.”
Sit down with a pen and paper and write down one sentence for each of these prompts:
I started this business because…
I’m good at…
I like helping people…
I am…
Like the many life coaches I’ve known, I’m not going to tell you how to answer these. There’s no right way to start or run a business and no right way to think about it.
The important thing is that you come up with positive things you have to contribute, whether it’s a particular skill, a specific motivation, or a positive temperament, you can tell people about it in a way that’s appealing and real. With this in mind, your marketing goes from spotlighting yourself to simply reporting what you know to be true about you and your work. Period. Marketing shouldn’t be about bragging. It’s about getting in touch with the things you think are great about you and your work and offering them to other people.
Get others to brainstorm for you
This might be my favorite content-writing hack. If you’ve been in business for even a short time, you probably have customers or clients who have enjoyed working with you.
Pick some of the people who you loved working with and ask for a few moments on the phone with them (an email is dependent on them finding time to respond). Make it clear that you’re asking because you’re looking to expand the way you see your work so you can market to others more clearly.
Once you’re on the phone, ask them to describe your work or your product and what it was like to do business with you. Take notes, but not word-for-word. Just write down notable words and phrases that positively describe your work.
Maybe they say you’re positive, energetic, conscientious, knowledgeable, and creative. There you are! A bevy of words to choose from when you’re writing a Home or About page. Take those concepts and use them to describe your work.
If you’re uncomfortable with this, you can even phrase it like this: “My clients describe me as energetic and creative, which is a huge compliment for someone who loves this work as much as I do.”
Remember, they’re not doing the work for you, they’re just giving you the inspiration (and confidence) you need to get going on your copy. (During the conversation you can also ask permission to get a testimonial from them, in which case you might do better to send an email so they can phrase it themselves.
Sometimes done is better than good
I know most people say “sometimes done is better than perfect,” but I like this in some circumstances because, let’s be honest, sometimes our best falls way short. I believe it can be a good practice to put it out there anyway.
If you write something...not great for your first website but—time’s up!—the designer needs the content pronto, it can be liberating to send it on its way knowing that you can continue to look it over and change it as your business and writing skills evolve. And as you get more comfortable sharing all the great things about you and your work.
