When you’re an entrepreneur, you’re always writing something, right?
Some big or bite-sized bit of copy or content for your clients. Like an email blast. A blog post. A new opt-in page. Or a 7-email follow-up sequence. Whatever.
And while you want everything you send to your peeps to be engaging, powerful and infused with an enthralling energy and charm, there are times when it’s just not happening. You’re just not feeling it. You know what you want to say, but you can’t muster up any creative juice when it comes to writing it.
Hey, it’s okay. We all have times when we so want to connect with our clients by sharing some bit of brilliance, but that brilliance is hard to access and every word feels like a bunch of blah, blah, blah. After all, no one can feel “on fire” for their message all the time.
But if you’re not turned on by what you’re sharing, I can guarantee you your reader won’t be turned on by it either. Because the energy and enthusiasm you have for your message (or the lack thereof) will come through your words and infuse your copy. And it will influence how your clients respond to what you write.
A quick but ever-so-slightly relevant aside:
Several years ago, I watched a TV show called Numbers. It was about 2 brothers, one who was a hard working, super-serious FBI agent (played by Rob Morrow) and the other younger brother was a math genius who had been a math prodigy as a child (played by the adorable David Krumholtz).
In almost every episode, there’s a scene where the math genius brother gives a wildly impassioned presentation to five or six FBI agents during which he explains the math formula he used to catch the bad guys and solve the crime.
Now, these FBI agents can’t even begin to follow the complex math formula this young genius used to come to his case-solving conclusion, but they are riveted as he explains it, because he’s communicating his theory with such joy, enthusiasm and nerdy glee.
Enthusiasm and passion are contagious, infectious and magnetic. It’s hard to ignore someone who’s on fire and filled with enthusiasm. You want a piece of it, even if you don’t understand it.
So, if you want your copy to pop with power and pizazz, if you want it to mesmerize your reader, you need to pump up your passion.
But how can you do that?
How can you transform a piece of energetically limp and lifeless copy so it has some snap, crackle, and a pop of passion… even if you’re not feeling it?
Well, as you might suspect, the best time to infuse your copy with a big espresso shot of passion and energy is before you sit down to write your first draft. You want to connect with your passion and purpose before you write one word so every sentence comes from your inner fire and desire to connect with your clients.
But sometimes, that’s just not possible.
Or, you’ve already written some copy that’s pretty good, but it’s lacking a certain zip.
If that’s the case, try one of the following tips:
Tip #1
Find something, anything, about your message or copy that sparks your genuine enthusiasm, interest or passion. How does your message relate to something you care about or something you’re pissed off about?
(Anger is a close cousin to passion, so if you can connect to some aspect of your message that makes you mad, use it!)
For instance, let’s say you’re writing copy about how to organize a kitchen drawer. Boring! You’ve organized a million kitchen drawers and you’re really good at it. You even sell a cool tool that practically makes kitchen drawers organize themselves.
But you just can’t get excited about this piece of copy you’re writing.
“Find something, anything, about your message or copy that sparks your genuine enthusiasm, interest or passion. How does your message relate to something you care about or something you’re pissed off about?”
Until, you remember.
That day when you were teaching your 7-year old niece how to cook macaroni and cheese. You told her to get the wooden spoon in the drawer next to the stove, and when she did, she cut herself on a misplaced carving knife. Oh, no! Who threw that knife into the wrong drawer? Your niece ended up with 3 stitches in her right index finger. And the macaroni and cheese was ruined. All because of a disorganized kitchen drawer.
While this is an absurd example, you get the idea. Use your memory or your awareness to find an angle or perspective that can fuel your message with more passion, urgency or purpose.
Tip #2
Another way to use your memory to pump up your passion is to remember why you’re in business in the first place. Tap into your greater vision and your desire to serve others.
Connect to the “you” who loves your work, loves your clients and loves sharing your gifts and insight. Dig down and tap into that part of you, and write or rewrite from that heartfelt place.
Look, you can’t always be brimming with passionate enthusiasm when you write. So use these tips when you feel bored by your own message, when every word feels like a monumental effort and you’re thinking “what’s the point?”
If you’re willing to take the time to tap into your love and passion for your clients and what you do, and if you spend a bit of time to rewrite what’s not working, you can create a pretty powerful piece of copy.
What’s helped you when you’re writing from a less-than-inspired place? Do you have your own secret ways to pump up your passion? Share them by leaving a comment below and we’ll create a cool list of tips together.
Nancy Tierney is a writer and copywriting coach who gives entrepreneurs the simple steps and creative guidance they need to create their own powerful marketing copy so they are never at a loss for the right words to attract the right clients.
With over 30 years of experience in marketing, sales and public relations, Nancy has written sales pages, websites, emails and social media profiles for some of the most highly respected coaches, consultants and marketing gurus on the Internet scene today.
If you’re ready to take your copy from blah to blistering and get hip to the hottest copywriting tips, tweaks and insider secrets, join Nancy at the next The Copywriting Cabaret. You could receive a free copywriting makeover!