Some call me The Photographer’s Copywriter. By some I mean me. I do actually say this. When people ask me what kind of writing I do, I tell them that I only write for photographers. It took me years to commit to that. Because I was afraid that if I got really specific, I would run out of people to work with. I was so, so, so wrong.
By getting specific, the photographers came runnin’. I created a space for them and only them. When I started talking specifically to their needs, they felt known and understood. They trusted me to help them and they were willing to wait to work with me, even if I was booked for months.
Yes, I sacrificed my opportunity to get in front of some other potential clients. But I don’t want those clients. I like photographers and I like being the expert for them. It feels good to feel knowledgeable and confident rather than intimidated and competitive.
The same is true for you. The more specific you can be, the better. If you’re not writing copy that turns some people off, that means you’re not writing copy that’s turning anyone on either.
When you write specifically, you’ll get a lot more of this:
And a lot less of this:
So if you have a certain kind of client that you like the most, write directly to them. Make jokes only they would find funny or reference their need and desires in a really pointed way. You’ll alienate some clients, sure. But you’ll draw in the ones you’re dying to book. Would you rather have a calendar full of people who think you’re OK or one full of people who can’t wait to work with you?
P.S. Here’s an easy way to implement this immediately and make your copy better TODAY …
… pull up your best-performing Instagram or Facebook posts from the past 6 months. What do they have in common? Who commented on them and what did they say? Write down these commonalities and then read through your web copy to make sure those themes are showing up loud and clear on each page.
(Why IG or FB? Because we put out a lot of content on those platforms and it’s the easiest place to test what’s working and what’s resonating with our audience. We can usually take the stats from our social media accounts to make our web copy better.)
To The Point is a video series posted to my Instagram account where I give you a quick tip to make your copy better in less than 60 seconds. If you would rather watch the video, be my guest: