Podcast

October 13, 2017

42: Sarah Grear on Conversion Copywriting

Sarah Grear has personally written copy for over 200 businesses from start-ups to earning 7 figures in a single launch. As a copy conversion expert, speaker and published author her focus is on helping entrepreneurs turn online browsers into buyers with persuasive writing. 
 
Along the way Sarah has been a speaker at Social Media Week Los Angeles and featured as one of “50 Must-Follow Women Entrepreneurs in 2017” by the Huffington Post. 
 
When she’s not writing copy, Sarah is teaching entrepreneurs with her DIY online writing classes that have been taken by over 1,000 people in more than 30 countries. She supports entrepreneurs who want to amplify their voice and their sales.
 
 

0:00 Sarah Grear Introduction

In an episode all about copy, copy conversation and figuring out exactly what kind of people to hire in what kind of role, Kamila had a really enjoyable and valuable chat with Sarah Grear.

Sarah has personally written for over 200 business’ from start up’s to to seven figures in a single launch. As a copy conversion expert, speaker and published author, her focus is on helping entrepreneurs turning online browsers into buyers with persuasive writing. She’s been named one of the 15 must follow women entrepreneurs in 2015 by Huffington Post.

 

1:50 Sarah Grear’s Story

Started travel blogging as her first experience of writing online and fell in love with telling stories and engaging with people.  She believes at on some level, we are copywriters at some point. In her 20’s where she went all over the world to Thailand, Mexico and Europe, she was telling engaging stories about her experiences. Working in the Art World, by day she was installing Art for difference Museums, she was on leave at the time from the California Science Centre during a really iconic moment in  Los Angeles’ history where the Endeavour Shuttle did three loops over the city.

After reading “The Well Fed Writer” by Peter Bowman – on online writing and marketing which become her intro to writing. This was her gateway book. She started out doing this for local business owners whilst going to networking events trying out being a copywriter.

 

 

4:47 Being an Entrepreneur and a Business Owner

Sarah explains that after she quit the Museum Industry and dove in head first to be a entrepreneur thinking it would be easy, as she was so in love with the creative aspect of it and the people that she was meeting. What she didn’t grasp was being a business owner on top of an entrepreneur.

In hindsight, going into an entrepreneurial endeavour blindly, however she had no other option than to make it work. Over time, when reality kicked in that indicated she had to do other things to continue to grow the business. 

It’s easy to be an entrepreneur as you have an idea, a vision and you put it out there. it’s a whole different thing to be a business owner – it’s the no so pretty part. A business owner sits down and looks at their PNL, invoices their clients and following up on their leads. Sarah shared that she had to fall in love with that part as much as she loved sharing stories.

Kamila shares a story about a dating experience she had where she found out that there’s a difference between entrepreneur and business owner.

When Kamila started online dating, she put in her bio that she was an entrepreneur as it’s a big part of her life. All these people would talk to her and ask her what business she would want to start, and she realised she had to tell them that she had a business already. She also shared some advice on using copy correctly to market the right audience – for example, if you want to attract six figures plus, you have to market to a business owner.

 

 

10:35 How much should you outsource when it comes to copy?

Sarah believes in the crash and burn test when it comes to copy – she believes the best way to decide is while you’re still starting your business to try it and see if the market responds and your copy is working for you, keep writing. If your copy crash and burns and there are no sales, hire a copywriter. The business’ she’s seen grow the fastest have teams that are aware of what they are skilled at and what they are not.

 

12:40 Elements That Should Be Outsourced Faster versus others

When you map out a launch and you’re looking at all the different pieces that have to happen for this launch, start with the sales page if you’re going to outsource copy. A lot of the language that you establish in the sales page and the clarity of your offer, that’s what people are going to buy as that’s where the yes or the no happens.

You can take a lot of that language and put it into the promotional emails and training pages.

A copywriter’s job is take the ideas that you have and make them better and make them appealing and attractive to the consumer.

When you go to hire a copywriter, there’s a wide spectrum of clients. You want to find a copywriter who definitely has an intake process that will save you time when you meet. Once you have gone through that intake part with them, find out what their process is.

The other place that is really important to hire a copywriter is the opt in page to your free training – if you’re doing a challenge or summit.

These two examples maximise opportunity for leads and sales.

 

16:05 Biggest Things You Have Learned Around Copywriting for Coaches, Consultants and Leaders

Often people don’t give enough time to copy due to time constraints and deadlines and other activities taking precedence. All the sections that are there in copy need to serve a purpose and really create opportunity for conversions.

Conversion Hack #1: Anytime that you have a photo next to a button, it converts better. For example, if you have a section of your sales page where it’s a call to action and you want people to buy what you’re selling, have a picture above or below it and it helps with conversations. It creates a level of trust with people who land on your sales page.

 

If you’re looking at a launch, give yourself 6 weeks to get your copy together. The first thing you look at sales copy because that’s the groundwork, then opt in, then the email blast.

 

Conversion Hack #2: In terms of the page itself, one thing to keep in mind is the pyshcology of people who land on your page. People who look at an online page are grouped into Four Different Colours:

Reds: Very much about take action and will not read your sales page. They have already made their decision and will likely look for your buy button. For them, put in an anchor link at the top of your page so they can directly click through to the buy.

Blues: More of the huggy, feely and visual times of people. They will be drawn in by your photos and your bright colours which will excite them to look through your sales page. For them, have really strong photos.

Yellows: These are the fun, party people. They like humour in your copy. Use plenty of wit.

Greens: These are the people who you are writing an entire sales pitch for – they will read the sales pitch from top to bottom. They are very detailed oriented people.

These are important groups to consider for your type of audience. Once you know the colour code, you can use this for team building. For examples – Reds and Greens really work together.

Yellows are great at socialising so they would be great at customer service.

The Blues are great because they are great at project managing and ensuring that people are taken care of.

The best way to figure this out is to do a survey of some type with your team so you can give examples in context to your business. You will be able to decipher what colour they are.

 

25:20 Advice to get better at Copywriting to create sales

Coach yourself through books when getting started or finding a course with somebody who teaches copy than you know what kind of person you are hiring. Getting training for yourself is important otherwise you are doing your business a disservice.

 

26:20 Connect with Sarah Grear

Sarah has a free brand copy guide for The Kamila Gornia Show Podcast listeners. Visit – http://www.sarahgrear.com/kamila for free guide to start telling your brand story.

 

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