159: The Gen X playbook for writing copy that sells high-ticket offers {Summer Remix}
Simplify and streamline your messaging and copywriting
If you're feeling like your sales aren't where they used to be or your message just isn't landing, you’re not along. Maybe you've been overthinking what to say or stuck trying to explain a premium offer in a way that doesn't sound like a mouthful of jargon.
Most small business owners (especially us Gen Xers) struggle to write sales copy with simplicity and authenticity.
The truth is, your expertise and experience can actually get in the way of writing good copy. We overthink, we use jargon, and we forget to write in the words our clients are actually using.
That’s why this week’s replay is all about how to simplify your copywriting and streamline your messaging so your copy lands more effectively and connects more deeply with your audience.
What you’ll learn in this episode
Why being an expert can make your copy harder to write (and how to fix it)
The #1 copywriting mistake small business owners make
How to use your customer’s voice so your message resonates
Why formal, “corporate” copy is holding you back
Practical ways to carve out time for writing copy, even with a busy schedule
Simple copywriting tips to help you sound like yourself and build trust
Key takeaways
Speak your customer’s language.
Ditch the “coach-speak” or therapist jargon and use the words your clients are actually saying.
Stop sounding so formal.
Your audience doesn’t want a corporate memo. They want connection, personality, and authenticity.
Make space to write.
Even one to two hours a week with a template or prompt can make a huge difference.
Practice makes it natural.
Writing conversational copy takes practice, but it gets easier (and more effective) over time.
Why this matters
The market has shifted. Buyers are more discerning than ever, but they are still buying.
Your words need to build trust, show the value of your offer, and connect on a human level.
When you streamline your message and write conversationally, you’ll not only feel more confident in your copy, you’ll also see more traction in your sales.
Episode Links:
View the invitation letter to see if the Joy of Copy Club is right for you: www.kimkiel.com/copyclub
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[00:00:00] Hey there, my sweet friend. Before we get into today's episode, I wanna share a super quick message, especially if you're feeling like your sales aren't where they used to be, or your message just isn't landing the way it used to. Maybe you've been overthinking what to say or. Stuck trying to explain a premium offer in a way that doesn't sound like a mouthful of jargon.
[00:00:26] Maybe you know it's time to raise your rates, but your words aren't reflecting the value you really deliver. And look, I get it. The market has shifted. Buyers are more discerning. Yet they are buying. But you just have to market and sell in a way that builds trust and creates genuine connection. If you're selling a high ticket service or experience, your message needs to do more than just describe what you do.
[00:00:54] It needs to position you as the. Clear premium choice, and that's why I am bringing back this gem of an episode on simplifying and streamlining your copy and messaging. It'll help you sound more like you and less like a formal proposal or bland chat, GPT output. It'll show you how to use your language your buyers are actually going to resonate with, and it'll help you find your voice again, even if writing's been a struggle lately.
[00:01:27] And heads up, if you're planning to launch or refine a high to get offer this fall, I'm working on something special for September, October that will help you dial in your premium positioning and message. Bank, strategic messaging, copy coaching, and clear guidance to help your words rise and amplify the level of your work.
[00:01:48] More details coming soon, but for now, please enjoy this powerful replay. Let's get into it.
[00:01:55] Welcome to Ill [00:02:00] Communication, copywriting Tips and Sales Strategies for Small Business. I'm your host, Kim Keel. I'm a copy coach, sales strategist, and direct response copywriter. It's my mission to help women leaders and change makers amplify their voices. Through copy. It's why I am dishing out all the juicy tips, writing prompts, and sales formulas to help you generate more leads, book more calls, and get more high value clients on repeat.
[00:02:28] Sounds pretty good. It's time to ditch the overwhelm you might be feeling and find confidence in your copywriting so you can get your message out there and attract more soulmate clients. Let's get started.
[00:02:48] Well, hello my lovely and welcome to the 43rd episode of the Ill Communication Podcast. Today I'm gonna share a few ways to simplify and streamline your messaging and copywriting. Now before they work with me, my clients and copy club members typically struggle with writing copy that really connects with their audience and ideal clients because whenever they sit down to write their sales page or emails or even their website, they get a little caught up in their own beautiful heads.
[00:03:18] You see, we overthink overcomplicate and overanalyze what we should say. And here's the thing, if you're listening to this podcast, I can guess you're probably highly intelligent. Most of my clients are very smart Gen Xers who have invested in a lot of life experience, and you also have invested in a lot of personal and professional development and experience as well.
[00:03:43] So they become experts in their field, experts in life. It's why it can be tricky to simplify your messaging because we're experts and we forget that our readers, our ideal clients, are not experts. They [00:04:00] don't understand the jargon or the science behind your service or process. That's why they're coming to you for help and support.
[00:04:09] In the live copy coaching calls inside the copy club, I find myself coaching a lot of women on how to simplify their messaging and write more compelling copy that connects more deeply with the right audience. And if this is something you struggle with, it could be because of any or all of these things that get in the way.
[00:04:30] Thing number one, you're not using the words your customers are saying. I often accuse my clients of using coach speak or mindset speak, or even therapist speak. They use words and phrases like, empower yourself from within or manage your mind to build resilience. But the thing is, your audience isn't lying awake in the middle of the night saying, oh gee, if only I could empower myself from within, then all of my problems would be solved.
[00:05:03] So when I'm reviewing and coaching them on their copy, I'll ask, what are your clients saying about their problems? What are their exact words? How do they describe their problems? And if they can't answer that question, then they need to go back and do a little more research into their customer's voice thing.
[00:05:22] Number two, that comes up a lot, especially for Gen Xers, is we tend to sound too formal and stiff in our copy and messaging, and it is not your fault. It's because we've had literal decades of formal education and corporate business communication drilled into us. We've been taught to write very formally, and we've had 20 to 30 years of writing this way.
[00:05:51] So when we start our own businesses and now we have to write as a personal brand or a consultant, we get trapped in this very [00:06:00] dull, very corporate, very boring business writing style. And even though we've fully embraced the digital revolution and we are starting online businesses, we haven't been raised in this new style of online writing, so we have a little unlearning to do.
[00:06:17] And the way you get out of that kind of boring, bland writing is honestly through practice and through writing and reviewing your copy before you send it so you can catch and then rewrite anything that sounds a little too formal or official. Now I'm in no way suggesting you go completely to the other side and write like a valley girl.
[00:06:39] Like, oh my God, you totally need to work with a girl boss like me. I would never write in that kind of a voice for my clients, nor would I ever recommend you write like that unless that's how you actually talk. But again, I'm guessing if you're listening to this podcast or you follow me, you don't talk like a Valley girl boss because you're probably a very smart, highly intelligent woman.
[00:07:02] As I mentioned earlier, the point is it takes some practice and some coaching to help you figure out how to write a little more conversationally. And in a way that still sounds like you and not like Lady Catherine de Berg has written all your copy in a most formal and dreadfully uninteresting manner.
[00:07:23] But with some practice and some coaching, it does become easier and more natural to write conversationally and with your own beautiful personality infused into it. And the third thing that gets in the way of Gen Xers writing compelling copy and crafting a streamlined message is this. Time finding time to sit down and do the planning and writing we need to do in our businesses.
[00:07:50] When I ask my clients what they're struggling with when it comes to writing copy, it's often just simply making themselves sit down and do it. And it's because we wear [00:08:00] so many hats in our businesses, just like we have many different hats in this season of life. We have a lot of roles and responsibilities, and quite frankly, too many things on our plate.
[00:08:11] So it's not uncommon for things like writing an email or updating your website to continually be on your to-do list and never actually get done. But when you can block time on your own or when you have a coworking session with some accountability, you'll be able to make the time. And here's the thing, if you even have just two hours a week to put your head down to write copy.
[00:08:37] You're starting with a really good template or prompt. You'd be surprised how much you can accomplish in that short amount of time, and I promise it will be time well spent. There is a huge ROI if you can put in just an hour or two of time into writing sales copy or nurture copy for your business. So my sweet friend, if you've been struggling to write your sales copy with simplicity and authenticity, you are not alone.
[00:09:03] It's something all business owners struggle with, and particularly Gen Xers because we have a few more hurdles that we have to deal with. But when you can ditch the jargon and use the words your customers are saying. When you can write in a way that sounds like you and share your personality without sounding like a stiff robot or a valley girl boss, your copy will be able to land more effectively and connect more deeply with your audience.
[00:09:28] And if you can block out even just an hour or two a week to focus on improving and writing your copy, it's going to have a powerful return on investment. Now, before I go, if this is something you wanna work on, I want you to hear this. I'm going to be opening the doors to the Joy of Copy Club for a couple of weeks to welcome new members.
[00:09:49] The Joy of Copy Club is a powerful community. Group copy coaching program where you get the time, the templates and the training to become your own effective [00:10:00] sales copywriter. And what's a little different this time is the doors are going to close for a few months during the summer, so I can focus on supporting those members who join.
[00:10:10] So if you want one of the limited spots inside Coffee Club before the doors close, then I'll encourage you to reach out to me. You can visit kim keel.com/copy club to find out more, or you can shoot me an email with any questions or to let me know you're interested. I'll drop the link in the show notes.
[00:10:26] You can easily connect with me and see if the copy club is a good fit for you. Well, my friend, that's it for today's episode on how to simplify and streamline your messaging and copy. I'll catch you next week with another tip,
[00:10:42] and that's a wrap on today's episode of Ill Communication. Hey, if you're picking up what I'm putting down, I would love if you would leave a rating and a review to let me know. And don't forget to follow the show, so you never miss out on the tips, prompts, and strategies I share in every episode. They're designed to make you an ill communicator too.
[00:11:04] As always, you can check out all the links and resources from this episode on the webpage. Just head over to kim keel.com/podcast. I'll chat with you again next week.
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