If there's one thing that drives me bananas about the online business world...it's how people think there are "rules" they must follow in order to be successful.

Okay, so maybe you wouldn't call them rules, but if you're unsure of what I'm talking about here, I'll explain. It drives me bananas when experts proclaim that there is one true way to accomplish something. You know what I mean, stuff like: 

• "If you want to grow an audience, you must do XYZ" 
• "You need XYZ if you want your reel to go viral"
• "This is exactly what you need for a 7-figure launch"

I mean, please.

We all know that my favorite phrase is "it depends" and I think there are so many marketing approaches and asset that will look different for every business.

Take your website, for example.

There are no rules you need to follow. Sure, there are best practices for both copy and design, but your business and your growth is what dictates the strategy for what best practices you should follow (and dare I say, which you shouldn't?!). I'm joined today with website designer, Teresa Schlup, to finish up this website series by  discussing how business owners can set their own rules for their websites and ways to be strategic while doing so.

Learn more about your guest expert:
Teresa Schlup is a WordPress and Squarespace web designer who helps her clients break the "rules of web design" by creating websites that are strategically designed to work as hard as they do.

She lives in South Dakota with her husband Todd, three pups – Marley, Toony & Presley, 2 cats – Frankie & Percy, and a flock of Ninja chickens.

Learn more about your host:

Erin Ollila believes in the power of words and how a message can inform – and even transform – its intended audience. She graduated from Fairfield University with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing, and went on to co-found Spry, an award-winning online literary journal.

When Erin’s not helping her clients by writing strategic and SEO website copy, you can find her doing other marketing work, such as website audits and SEO research to improve websites in this digital world to improve user experience and boost results for business owners.

Stay in touch with Erin Ollila, SEO website copywriter:

• Learn more about Erin's done-for-you website copy services if you want to skip the work and hire a professional copywriter to do it for you https://erinollila.com/website-copy
• Reach out her on Instagram, Facebook or on LinkedIn to talk more about showing up authentically online

As always, listen to the episode and read the full show notes here: https://erinollila.com/podcast 

Reach out to continue the conversation: https://erinollila.com/podcast and https://instagram.com/erinollila

_______________________________________________________________

Curious how I set up my own podcast workflows? Grab my training AND templates for only $19. https://erinollila.thrivecart.com/wow-worthy-podcast-workflows/

Wow-Worthy Podcast Workflows will cover all of the main steps to take during:

– Prepping and Onboarding

– Recording and Editing

– Asset Creation

– Episode Promotion

– and Post-Live Activities

It’s time to make some changes on how you approach your podcasting workflows. Save time and wow your guests (and yourself!) with this system.

https://erinollila.thrivecart.com/wow-worthy-podcast-workflows/

Want to keep talking copy? Send me a text message!

Copy + Design do not = a website.

However, there is one thing that brings copy and design together. Without it, no published website will be successful.

Curious what that is?

Simple: it's strategy.

Today on the podcast, I welcome marketer Lorraine Ball to talk about the four types of questions people have in their buying journey – specifically, those questions that revolve around information, navigation, commercialization and transactions — and how we can ensure our websites answer those questions.

Learn more about your guest expert, Lorraine Ball
After spending too many years in Corporate America, Lorraine said goodbye to the bureaucracy, glass ceilings and bad coffee and channeled into her passion of helping small business owners succeed.
 
Today, this entrepreneur, author, professional speaker, and host of a weekly marketing podcast, More than a Few Words, brings creative ideas, practical tips, and decades of real-world experience to every conversation. As the founder of the Digital Toolbox Club she helps business owners use internet marketing to grow. And in her  spare time, she loves to travel, and take photos. 

Learn more about your host:

Erin Ollila believes in the power of words and how a message can inform – and even transform – its intended audience. She graduated from Fairfield University with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing, and went on to co-found Spry, an award-winning online literary journal.

When Erin’s not helping her clients by writing strategic and SEO website copy, you can find her doing other marketing work, such as website audits and SEO research to improve websites in this digital world to improve user experience and boost results for business owners.

Stay in touch with Erin Ollila, SEO website copywriter:

• Learn more about Erin's done-for-you website copy services if you want to skip the work and hire a professional copywriter to do it for you https://erinollila.com/website-copy
• Reach out her on Instagram, Facebook or on LinkedIn to talk more about showing up authentically online

As always, listen to the episode and read the full show notes here: https://erinollila.com/podcast 

Reach out to continue the conversation: https://erinollila.com/podcast and https://instagram.com/erinollila

_______________________________________________________________

Curious how I set up my own podcast workflows? Grab my training AND templates for only $19. https://erinollila.thrivecart.com/wow-worthy-podcast-workflows/

Wow-Worthy Podcast Workflows will cover all of the main steps to take during:

– Prepping and Onboarding

– Recording and Editing

– Asset Creation

– Episode Promotion

– and Post-Live Activities

It’s time to make some changes on how you approach your podcasting workflows. Save time and wow your guests (and yourself!) with this system.

https://erinollila.thrivecart.com/wow-worthy-podcast-workflows/

Want to keep talking copy? Send me a text message!

We all know the importance of having a website.  And if you didn't believe that before listening to my podcast, I sure as heck hope that I've drilled that in you by this point.

So, how do you know if the website that you have right now is working to your benefit?

Websites are not a set it and forget it type of thing.

And that's usually something I like to talk about with all of my done for you clients, before we even get started. Yes, you can do a massive amount of work to get a website foundation set, but as your business grows, adjusts, and as you get to know your own clients better, you're constantly going to be making small tweaks to get your offers out there in the world.

And this is exactly why website audits are so important.

In today's episode, I'll talk about everything that goes into a website audit, how you can DIY one, and why hiring a pro (like me!) to audit your site is the best investment you can make.

Learn more about your host:

Erin Ollila believes in the power of words and how a message can inform – and even transform – its intended audience. She graduated from Fairfield University with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing, and went on to co-found Spry, an award-winning online literary journal.

When Erin’s not helping her clients by writing strategic and SEO website copy, you can find her doing other marketing work, such as website audits and SEO research to improve websites in this digital world to improve user experience and boost results for business owners.

Stay in touch with Erin Ollila, SEO website copywriter:

• Learn more about Erin's done-for-you website copy services if you want to skip the work and hire a professional copywriter to do it for you https://erinollila.com/website-copy
• Reach out her on Instagram, Facebook or on LinkedIn to talk more about showing up authentically online

As always, listen to the episode and read the full show notes here: https://erinollila.com/podcast 

Reach out to continue the conversation: https://erinollila.com/podcast and https://instagram.com/erinollila

_______________________________________________________________

Curious how I set up my own podcast workflows? Grab my training AND templates for only $19. https://erinollila.thrivecart.com/wow-worthy-podcast-workflows/

Wow-Worthy Podcast Workflows will cover all of the main steps to take during:

– Prepping and Onboarding

– Recording and Editing

– Asset Creation

– Episode Promotion

– and Post-Live Activities

It’s time to make some changes on how you approach your podcasting workflows. Save time and wow your guests (and yourself!) with this system.

https://erinollila.thrivecart.com/wow-worthy-podcast-workflows/

Want to keep talking copy? Send me a text message!

You know your website isn't serving your business how you'd like it to, but how the heck do you know when it's time to make a major change to your site?

Similarly, if you're just starting your business, how do you decide whether you should cobble a DIY website together or hire out the work to a copywriter and website designer?

Like usual, the answer to these questions is....drumroll please....it depends!

But don't worry, this episode of the Talk Copy to Me podcast, website designer and guest expert Katie O'Brien and I will help you consider the financial and time investment that goes into a website launch or rebrand and whether you should do the work yourself or onboard a team.

Learn more about your guest expert, Katie O'Brien
Katie O’Brien is a brand and website designer specializing in elevated branding and fuss-free websites for interior designers. Her superpower and passion are building strategic digital homes that support interior designers’ business and lifestyle goals. Her streamlined 30-day process and long-term care plans go the extra mile, elevating her craft from an artful deliverable to a service that prioritizes you.

Learn more about your host:

Erin Ollila believes in the power of words and how a message can inform – and even transform – its intended audience. She graduated from Fairfield University with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing, and went on to co-found Spry, an award-winning online literary journal.

When Erin’s not helping her clients by writing strategic and SEO website copy, you can find her doing other marketing work, such as website audits and SEO research. She loves interviewing clients, especially to get voice of customer research that helps to inform marketing decisions.

Stay in touch with Erin Ollila, SEO website copywriter:

• Learn more about Erin's done-for-you website copy services if you want to skip the work and hire a professional copywriter to do it for you https://erinollila.com/website-copy
• Reach out her on Instagram, Facebook or on LinkedIn to talk more about showing up authentically online

As always, listen to the episode and read the full show notes here: https://erinollila.com/podcast 

Reach out to continue the conversation: https://erinollila.com/podcast and https://instagram.com/erinollila

_______________________________________________________________

Curious how I set up my own podcast workflows? Grab my training AND templates for only $19. https://erinollila.thrivecart.com/wow-worthy-podcast-workflows/

Wow-Worthy Podcast Workflows will cover all of the main steps to take during:

– Prepping and Onboarding

– Recording and Editing

– Asset Creation

– Episode Promotion

– and Post-Live Activities

It’s time to make some changes on how you approach your podcasting workflows. Save time and wow your guests (and yourself!) with this system.

https://erinollila.thrivecart.com/wow-worthy-podcast-workflows/

Want to keep talking copy? Send me a text message!

We’re all multifaceted human beings, and while we may do one thing professionally, service providers and other small business owners have various creative interests that inspire or light them up. But yet, we’re told that we must stay in our lane and do the thing that’s most closely related to our business.

But, we don’t have to do that.

In fact, if you’re at all interested in showing up authentically online and in your business, it’s vital you bring your whole self to whatever you do.

In this episode of the Talk Copy to Me podcast, copywriter Josh Womack and I talk about pursuing creative endeavors outside of our copywriting jobs, his new book, and how other business owners can go about being creative and putting more of themselves into their work.

Learn more about your guest expert, Josh Womack:

Josh Womack is a Senior Copywriter at Progressive Insurance and author of the new book, “I’m not a copywriter, but … Lessons Learned from a Late Bloomer.” Josh lives in Cleveland, Ohio, with his wife Lauren, and his dog, Dori.

Check out his website or reach out to him on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Instagram.

Learn more about your host:

Erin Ollila believes in the power of words and how a message can inform – and even transform – its intended audience. She graduated from Fairfield University with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing, and went on to co-found Spry, an award-winning online literary journal.

When Erin’s not helping her clients by writing strategic and SEO website copy, you can find her doing other marketing work, such as website audits and SEO research. She loves interviewing clients, especially to get voice of customer research that helps to inform marketing decisions.

Stay in touch with Erin Ollila, SEO website copywriter:

• Book a Copy Coaching Power Hour if you need help kickstarting a marketing project
• Reach out her on Instagram, Facebook or on LinkedIn to talk more about showing up authentically online

As always, listen to the episode and read the full show notes here: https://erinollila.com/podcast

Reach out to continue the conversation: https://erinollila.com/podcast and https://instagram.com/erinollila

_______________________________________________________________

Curious how I set up my own podcast workflows? Grab my training AND templates for only $19. https://erinollila.thrivecart.com/wow-worthy-podcast-workflows/

Wow-Worthy Podcast Workflows will cover all of the main steps to take during:

– Prepping and Onboarding

– Recording and Editing

– Asset Creation

– Episode Promotion

– and Post-Live Activities

It’s time to make some changes on how you approach your podcasting workflows. Save time and wow your guests (and yourself!) with this system.

https://erinollila.thrivecart.com/wow-worthy-podcast-workflows/

Want to keep talking copy? Send me a text message!

Style guides. Brand messaging guides. Editorial guidelines. Copy style documents. Visual branding guides. Voice guidelines. Brand style guide. Brand strategy guides.
 
With so many names for somewhat similar things, it can be overwhelming to know what you're buying into when you invest in your marketing and messaging.
 
Today, we'll talk about style guides and what you can expect from the copy perspective and the design perspective so you can ensure the branding you're investing in meets your high standards (and serves your business into the future!)
 
As always, you can listen in to this episode and read the full show notes at https://erinollila.com/podcast
 
 Meet our experts on visual style brand guides:
Michelle Clayton is the Brand Strategist and Designer behind Let Her Fly, a studio helping successful women look like the pro they are. She strategically captures their personality and expertise in a clear, cohesive brand that feels just like them and attracts more ideal clients, so they can confidently reach their next level.

With a design degree and 30 years in the industry, Michelle’s experience ranges from non-profits to large advertising agencies. She knows first-hand the insecurity that comes from outgrowing your brand, and the positive impact the right one has on your confidence and your bottom line.

And your host, who brings her expertise on copy and messaging guidelines:
Erin Ollila believes in the power of words and how a message can inform – and even transform – its intended audience. Her work can be found all over the internet and in print, and includes interviews, ghostwriting, copywriting, and creative nonfiction. Erin is a geek for SEO and all things content marketing. She graduated from Fairfield University with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing. Reach out to her on Instagram at @ErinOllila, or visit her website erinollila.com.

Reach out to continue the conversation: https://erinollila.com/podcast and https://instagram.com/erinollila

_______________________________________________________________

Curious how I set up my own podcast workflows? Grab my training AND templates for only $19. https://erinollila.thrivecart.com/wow-worthy-podcast-workflows/

Wow-Worthy Podcast Workflows will cover all of the main steps to take during:

– Prepping and Onboarding

– Recording and Editing

– Asset Creation

– Episode Promotion

– and Post-Live Activities

It’s time to make some changes on how you approach your podcasting workflows. Save time and wow your guests (and yourself!) with this system.

https://erinollila.thrivecart.com/wow-worthy-podcast-workflows/

Want to keep talking copy? Send me a text message!

If you're interested in brand messaging — what we've been talking about on the podcast for the past couple of months — voice of customer (VOC) research is something you're also likely quite curious about.
 
But what is VOC research, how do you get it, and more importantly, how do you use it in your business?
 
In this episode, I interview brand voice expert Melissa Payne and we cover everything you're wondering about voice of customer research and how it relates to all the brand messaging work you've been doing in your business.
 
 Mentioned in this episode on voice of customer research:

• The series on Customer Experience we just did on the podcast
• Melissa shared the most recent French provincial recipe she's tried.Chicken breast with orange tarragon sauce
  Lyonnaise potatoes
  and creamed leeks
  (If you're having trouble accessing the links, make sure to come over to erinollila.com/podcast for clickable links)

Get to know Melissa better
Melissa Payne (she/her) is maybe the most meta copywriter in the universe: a copywriter for copywriters. As a brand voice, quiz strategist, she helps copywriters and introverted women in business create wild brand love with evergreen quizzes, email sequences and jaw-meet-floor Brand Voice Maps that uncage your true brand voice.
 
She moonlights as a VOC researcher for other cool copywriters and they love it. Melissa has worked with A-list copywriters like Prerna and Mayank Malik of Content Bistro, Eman Ismail and Bree Weber. For more on Melissa Payne, and to learn more about her ethical stance, Brand Voice Cartography and Obsession Oracle quiz packages, stop by her website: storyscoutdigital.com.
 
Learn more about Erin Ollila
 
As always, you can read the full show notes at erinollila.com/podcast

Reach out to continue the conversation: https://erinollila.com/podcast and https://instagram.com/erinollila

_______________________________________________________________

Curious how I set up my own podcast workflows? Grab my training AND templates for only $19. https://erinollila.thrivecart.com/wow-worthy-podcast-workflows/

Wow-Worthy Podcast Workflows will cover all of the main steps to take during:

– Prepping and Onboarding

– Recording and Editing

– Asset Creation

– Episode Promotion

– and Post-Live Activities

It’s time to make some changes on how you approach your podcasting workflows. Save time and wow your guests (and yourself!) with this system.

https://erinollila.thrivecart.com/wow-worthy-podcast-workflows/

Want to keep talking copy? Send me a text message!

How many times have you sat down to create content quickly and instead spent endless hours adjusting the style, voice, personality, and vibe until the words actually sound like you? My guess is that you've been there and done that and spent a long time there...too long.

Creating content or repurposing content you already have shouldn't be that hard. 

But staring at a blank page without your brand messaging nailed down means you're starting from scratch every single time you create any type of marketing asset. And that, my friends, is a ton of wasted time.

And business owners simply don't have time to waste time. Period.

In this episode of the Talk Copy to Me podcast, I talk with Emily Aborn, a freelance content writer and host of the She Built This podcast. We dive into the importance of a brand messaging guide, how they help writers nail their clients' voices, and most importantly, how to create and repurpose content based on the messaging "rules" you create.

Guest Bio:

Emily Aborn is a Freelance Content Writer and Owner Founder of She Built This.

She gets ideas out of brains and onto the page by creating compelling content and copy that helps women entrepreneurs reach their dreams AND their dream clients. 

She lives in New Hampshire with her husband, Jason, and their dog, Clyde. She's into hiking, reading books, all the word and nerdy brain games she can get her hands on, and of course... writing.

Learn more about your host:

Erin Ollila believes in the power of words and how a message can inform – and even transform – its intended audience. She graduated from Fairfield University with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing, and went on to co-found Spry,  an award-winning online literary journal.

When Erin's not helping her clients by writing strategic and SEO website copy, she’s encouraging them to spend time creating content if they don't have much or repurposing content that they already have.  And most importantly, she hopes this episode helps you understand how to do that in your own business.

Reach out to continue the conversation: https://erinollila.com/podcast and https://instagram.com/erinollila

Want to keep talking copy? Send me a text message!

How do you know what to say to your clients? How do you know how to speak to leads on social media or what to write in your email newsletters?

Well, I don't want to oversimplify this for you. But I do have an easy answer. 

The best way to feel confident in all of your marketing and messaging is by investing in a brand messaging guide that clearly lays out your mission, your vision, your values, your voice, your tone, how you speak to your audience, and the other key factors that go into all of your brand messaging.

With a brand messaging guide, you'll gain the confidence to know how to approach all of your marketing now and into the future. You'll also have a tool that helps any employees or contractors you work with nail your messaging so your brand is always consistent — and consistent brands make for trustworthy brands.

Curious about what actually goes in a brand messaging guide? Here's what this episode covers:

• Why brand messaging guides are important for all businesses
• Why brand messaging doesn't get the credit they truly deserve
• What type of research needs to happen in order to prepare to create a brand messaging guide
• How brand messaging guides influence all the other marketing strategies and assets you create
• Who you can share your brand messaging guide with and why it helps them do their job better
• The 10 most important elements all brand messaging guides need
• What drives those 10 elements so you understand exactly what goes into each section (The meat of the episode happens right here!)
• How brand messaging can help make you make business and marketing decisions 

Stay in touch with Erin Ollila, SEO website copywriter:

• Book a Copy Coaching Power Hour if you want to strategize your brand messaging guide instead of doing it completely on your own
• Learn more about my VIP intensives. Hint hint: I can complete a brand messaging guide for you in one intensive!
• Reach out on Instagram, Facebook or on LinkedIn to talk more about brand messaging with me!

Reach out to continue the conversation: https://erinollila.com/podcast and https://instagram.com/erinollila

_______________________________________________________________

Curious how I set up my own podcast workflows? Grab my training AND templates for only $19. https://erinollila.thrivecart.com/wow-worthy-podcast-workflows/

Wow-Worthy Podcast Workflows will cover all of the main steps to take during:

– Prepping and Onboarding

– Recording and Editing

– Asset Creation

– Episode Promotion

– and Post-Live Activities

It’s time to make some changes on how you approach your podcasting workflows. Save time and wow your guests (and yourself!) with this system.

https://erinollila.thrivecart.com/wow-worthy-podcast-workflows/

Want to keep talking copy? Send me a text message!

Case study marketing offers an excellent return on investment. It's one way to show our clients our expertise, while also showcasing the breadth of work we can accomplish. Case studies are perfect for business owners who are modest (to a fault!) and don't love selling themselves as a personal brand or showcasing their expertise in other ways. Best yet — there are so many ways to approach case studies, which helps in this online marketing world where so many people are doing the same things over and over and over again.

Today, I'm talking with Brittany Herzberg, an SEO copywriter about how she approaches storified case study marketing. We both share a passion for strong SEO and solid testimonials, and I wanted showcase how two professionals who do the same thing for their clients (case studies!) approach the process similarly...and even more important, differently. If you're focusing on improving your customer experience or updating your systems to make clients feel more at ease, creating case studies should be the very next item on your to do list.

Here's exactly what we covered when we discussed turning testimonials into case study marketing assets:

• How Brittany’s efforts to make friends as a child also served her well in the online business world
• The importance of building out testimonials into bigger pieces of marketing content, specifically case studies
• What a case study is and why business owners should invest in them.
• Brittany’s approach to storified case studies
• How case studies can show off your expertise without you having to boast and brag as a business owner
• The trouble with writing your own case studies (and how to potentially overcome them)
• The benefits of hiring an expert “outsider” to write the case studies for you. (Call us!)
• How to determine what makes the best testimonials (and use them in your case study marketing
• Whether or not sourcing information from your case studies can be templatizable
• Where to use case studies on the website
• Why case studies are good for client acquisition and also for SEO

Learn more about Brittany

Brittany Herzberg is who holistic health and wellness pros call when they want to show up as the answer to a Googled question and find clients that feel like friends. After building a thriving massage practice—she realized most of her clients chose to book because of her website. That combined with her 15+ years in the healthcare field has shown her that clients search for—& book with—providers they connect with.

She believes the first step to building a practice full of your dream clients—is to enlist the help of your website words. As an SEO copywriter, she knows how important it is to showcase your personality, highlight the client experience, & strategically use your clients' words. You can usually find her sitting on the floor—parked next to her dog, Jac—with an iced oat milk latte in-hand.

Learn more about your host:
Erin Ollila believes in the power of words and how a message can inform – and even transform – its intended audience. Her favorite response to almost any marketing question is "It depends!", but she'll always explain why and how you can make the best decision for your business. 

When she's not helping her clients by writing strategic and SEO website copy, she's encouraging them to focus creating case study marketing assets that can serve them in the long term. She graduated from Fairfield University with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing, and went on to co-found Spry, an award-winning online literary journal.

Oh, and don’t forget to check out Erin’s Test

Want to keep talking copy? Send me a text message!