Feeling writer’s block around your web copy may be a symptom of a deeper block.
I've had the same conversation dozens of times with agency leaders who have been struggling to rewrite their web copy:
Them: "Can you help us with our copy? We hate what we have, but we’re just not making progress with it."
Me: "Of course. Tell me more about your ideal clients. What are the problems you solve? And what's the unique way you solve them?"
Them: "Well, we work with a huge range of clients; it’s hard to pinpoint the ideal ones."
Me: "That’s the problem: if your positioning isn’t clear, you’re forced to be vague with your messaging. No wonder you can’t sum it up with snappy copy.”
You cannot craft converting copy when you don’t know who you’re talking to.
Yet, the twist is that agencies with clear positioning also struggle with crafting converting copy!
After all, you might be clear on your ideal client, but so are your direct competitors.
Your clients choose you over them because of a blend of factors - the tangible outcomes you offer, but also the less tangible stuff - shared values, worldviews, your people and personality.
You need to weave that into the mix with your web copy, and explain it in 100 characters, or less.
(Not to mention then optimise the copy for tone, user experience, conversions and SEO).
It’s a delicate balance.
And it’s way, way harder when you’re writing about your own work because your overthinking gets in the way.
Messaging is messy because it’s informed by messy human emotions as much as it’s informed by research and best-practice.
That’s the deeper reason why your copy isn’t flowing, even if you’ve worked with a mentor, even if you’ve hired a copywriter or (like many of my clients) even been a copywriter yourself.
This is why I start every copy project, not with a brief but by helping clients unpick the mess.
I ask a lot of questions, do a lot of listening and a lot of reflecting back.
We pull apart all the strands of what makes an agency different (from positioning to personality) and then weave it back together in a way that makes sense to them, their team and their ideal clients.
And only then do we articulate that in beautiful, strategically optimised copy.
The outcome is a site that converts, but it’s also deeper confidence.
It’s way, way easier to sell when you can clearly explain why your work matters, and when others can clearly explain it for you.
The first step is aligning yourself and your leadership team. Exactly what my Epiphany Session is designed to do.
