Written by: Jamie Caroccio, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
You spend five hours a week writing LinkedIn posts. You gather images and graphics and start posting them. But a month passes and… all you see are a handful of likes and the occasional comment. No conversions. No sales. You know creating consistent content is important for your positioning and authority, but it’s disheartening and you start to wonder, “Is this really the best use of my time?”
If this is you, you’re not alone.
Even the most successful coaches can fall victim to these common copy mistakes.
There’s a better way.
Here are the top copy mistakes to look out for, plus exactly how to fix them.
Copy Mistake No1. They use too much industry jargon.
Often, there's a big disconnect between what YOU think your ideal client’s challenges and desires are and what THEY think their challenges and desires are.
For example, as an expert health coach, you might know that your ideal client’s hormones are out of whack. That's why they're experiencing weight gain, lack of energy, fatigue, etc.
But your ideal client is most likely not coming to you thinking, “I need help with my hormones!”
Some might, but many will probably come saying things like:
“I keep gaining weight, no matter how much I diet.”
“I don't know why I'm tired all the time.”
“I just want my energy back.”
^THAT is the critical language to use if you want your copy to resonate with your ideal audience.
You might understand the root of the problem but if they don’t and you only talk about the root in your copy, it’s going to go right over their head.
They’re not going to know you can help them or be intrigued to learn more.
The Fix: Use your ideal client’s EXACT WORDS (not yours) in your copy. And if you’re not sure – ask!
A great place to start is by looking at client testimonials. You might be surprised to find some hidden gems there! Learn more about the top 5 levels of human motivation and how to leverage it in your copy here.
Copy Mistake No 2. They use vague, generic language.
When you try to speak to everyone, you speak to no one.
The most resonating and memorable messages are ultra-specific.
The Fix: Call out the specific person you work with, their struggles and how you can help them.
Example: “I help female executives who keep getting passed over for the promotion advance in their careers.”
Get ULTRA specific.
Who is your client?
Is it ‘‘men looking to improve their lives’’?
Or is it “a middle-aged CEO balancing running a billion-dollar business with getting home in time to enjoy dinner with his family?”
How is that showing up for them?
Are they, ‘‘struggling”? <–generic.
Or are they, “falling asleep at their desk at 2 pm”? <–specific.
^Can you feel the difference in the copy there?
It’s easy to default to generic intangible concepts and phrases like ‘‘struggle’’ or ‘‘improve your life."
But you can't really see, touch or hear these things.
Try to think about what a quick snapshot of that greater concept would LOOK or FEEL.
Get. Specific.
Copy Mistake No 3. They don’t make the ask.
Every piece of copy you write should include a specific action you want the reader to take. Doing this will train your reader to take action on your copy and be more likely to engage with your content in the future.
It’s easy to forget that most readers don’t know about our sweet deal, top-ranking podcast or super valuable freebie.
The Fix: Always include a clear call to action (CTA).
This does NOT mean you have to push for the sale every time. You can share a combination of free and paid resources.
Examples:
Check out this article
Download this free resource
Hit ‘Like’ if this resonates
Reply below
Follow me for more tips
Book a consult
It’s okay to share a post with no CTA from time to time ‒ a story, motivational message, or rhetorical question ‒ but shoot for at least 90% of your posts to have a specific and clear ask.
Mistake No 4. They don’t have (or share) social proof.
If you want to position yourself as an expert, build credibility and drive excitement and demand for your services, then you need to share social proof regularly in your copy.
You may already share client testimonials but remember, it's not a one-and-done!
Just because you share a client testimonial or result once (on your website or in a post) doesn't mean you can't share it again and again.
The Fix: Ask for and use testimonials in your copy.
Build up your social proof ‘folder’ with:
Testimonials (video or written)
Specific client results
Screenshots of texts, emails, DMs and comments from happy clients
Case studies
Company names and logos, particularly from recognizable and well-respected brands
Consider adding requesting testimonials to your client process, if you aren’t already.
And once you’ve got ‘em, share ‘em!
Here's a structure to follow to showcase social proof...
Talk about:
Challenges your client faced
Why they hired you
How you helped them
Results they got (in the area you helped them in and in their life, get as specific as possible.)
Then, start sprinkling them into your copy.
Mistake No 5. They outsource their copy too soon.
"I wasted thousands of dollars on a copywriter."
"They just didn't get my voice."
"It didn't convert."
So many coaches outsource their copy before they should.
It makes sense.
Most coaches aren’t copywriters.
They’d rather focus on other parts of their business, like sales and coaching.
Here’s the thing: If YOU struggle to write your own copy or you haven’t quite figured out your voice online, hiring a copywriter too soon will only amplify those issues.
If you're not clear about what you want to say, how will you ever be happy with what someone else writes for you?
The Fix: Get clarity on these areas BEFORE you hire a copywriter:
Do you know and understand your ideal client?
What are their specific pain points and desires?
Can you effectively communicate and connect with them?
Can you clearly communicate a succinct offer in a way that's a no-brainer to them?
If you don’t have this crystal clear (and well documented), it makes communicating it to a copywriter difficult. And if you don’t communicate it to them, how will they know?
Invest the time now to establish your brand identity to save money in the long run when you ARE ready to hire a copywriter.
Even if you don't consider yourself "creative" or a "writer," you already have what you need to create effective copy, you just need the right guidance.
Hi, I’m Jamie Caroccio, Copy Coach and Copywriter. For the past 7+ years, I’ve had the pleasure of working with hundreds of coaches (business, executive, leadership, life, and more.) I’ve helped write copy for six and seven-figure campaigns at one of the top marketing agencies in the personal and professional development space. You can read more about my background and personal philosophy here.
I help clients transfer their decades of wisdom to copy on the page so they can:
Connect with more of the right people
Attract more qualified leads
Close more high-end sales
Prequalify leads *before* they get to the call
To learn how to do this in a practical, simple way, sign up to get my best tips to write better copy in just 5 minutes a day (100% free).
Here’s what one subscriber shared: “Because it’s less challenging for me to write copy now, I'm actually getting back time that I had lost daily, for years… and my copy is actually better!”
Jamie Caroccio, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Jamie Caroccio is a Copy Coach & Copywriter. She helps coaches attract more high-end clients online with copywriting that is simple, fun, and profitable. Over the past 7+ years, she’s worked with hundreds of coaches across industries (business, executive, health, leadership, and more.) She’s helped write copy for six and seven-figure campaigns at one of the top marketing agencies in the personal and professional development space. She was a guest speaker for the Be Social Change Future of Social Impact Marketing panel. She’s also the Founder of “Coffee & Copy Tips,” a free newsletter that teaches you how to write better copy in just 5 minutes a day.
