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How to write copy when not focused on a niche?

Marketing, social media, advertising

CryptoGuru

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I'm reaching a book called Copywriting Secrets. In that book, there's a chapter where you have to define a F.R.E.D, which basically means your ideal customer.

But in the web design industry, I can help anyone I want. For example, I can setup online shops for retail stores, building lead gen website for construction companies, build brochure websites for lawyers, and so on.

So, when writing copy for my website or public profiles, how should I approach this? Do I use common problems that they all share and focus on that?
 
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maverick

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Each one of those is a different persona.
 

Lex DeVille

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I'm reaching a book called Copywriting Secrets. In that book, there's a chapter where you have to define a F.R.E.D, which basically means your ideal customer.

But in the web design industry, I can help anyone I want. For example, I can setup online shops for retail stores, building lead gen website for construction companies, build brochure websites for lawyers, and so on.

So, when writing copy for my website or public profiles, how should I approach this? Do I use common problems that they all share and focus on that?

You can help anyone in any industry whether you do web design, copywriting, or something else. The book is telling you to identify an ideal customer. To do that requires choosing a niche. To open one door, you close another. Be decisive. Make a choice and then be the specialist for those people.

Even though you think you can help anyone as a web designer, you can't. Given the choice, a company will choose a specialist in their industry over a generalist even if the generalist is just as good as the specialist. The difference is found in the subliminal credibility afforded for relevancy.

I need heart surgery. I can choose a great general surgeon or a great heart surgeon. Who do I choose? Who would you choose?
 

CryptoGuru

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You can help anyone in any industry whether you do web design, copywriting, or something else. The book is telling you to identify an ideal customer. To do that requires choosing a niche. To open one door, you close another. Be decisive. Make a choice and then be the specialist for those people.

Even though you think you can help anyone as a web designer, you can't. Given the choice, a company will choose a specialist in their industry over a generalist even if the generalist is just as good as the specialist. The difference is found in the subliminal credibility afforded for relevancy.

I need heart surgery. I can choose a great general surgeon or a great heart surgeon. Who do I choose? Who would you choose?
Ok so I have to let go of other niches then.

For example, if my ideal customer is in the construction company, I can't have copy that also targets people looking for e-commerce websites.

Is this the best way to go about doing this?
 
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Lex DeVille

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Ok so I have to let go of other niches then.

For example, if my ideal customer is in the construction company, I can't have copy that also targets people looking for e-commerce websites.

Is this the best way to go about doing this?

There are plenty of web agencies that do not get that specific with their marketing communications. There is no wrong way. There are just different ways. Some work better than others in different situations.

If you want to work with construction companies, then what you are really saying is you want to work with blue-collar companies. That's a higher level up from construction. Then you open yourself up to similar professional industries, so your copywriting and web design just need to fit that image.

A generalist might lose out to a niche specialist, but they can still win jobs if they present the right image for what a client needs.

If you only want to work with construction companies, then only talk about construction design and be a specialist.

If you want the opportunity to work with other clients within the blue-collar space, then be more generalized, but focus on presenting an image that would appeal to anyone within that space.
 

CryptoGuru

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There are plenty of web agencies that do not get that specific with their marketing communications. There is no wrong way. There are just different ways. Some work better than others in different situations.

If you want to work with construction companies, then what you are really saying is you want to work with blue-collar companies. That's a higher level up from construction. Then you open yourself up to similar professional industries, so your copywriting and web design just need to fit that image.

A generalist might lose out to a niche specialist, but they can still win jobs if they present the right image for what a client needs.

If you only want to work with construction companies, then only talk about construction design and be a specialist.

If you want the opportunity to work with other clients within the blue-collar space, then be more generalized, but focus on presenting an image that would appeal to anyone within that space.
Ok I see. I have to write in a way that resonates with similar people.
 

Kid

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Its a guess but there is also second bottom (this time positive!) about doing your "ideal client" exercise.

Do you want client that doesn't pay on time, pays little, is bad at communicating what he wants from you, changes his mind when you're 80% finished and is never satisfied by your work?

That is a reason why you shouldn't want to say "anyone" as your target clients.
 
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CryptoGuru

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Its a guess but there is also second bottom (this time positive!) about doing your "ideal client" exercise.

Do you want client that doesn't pay on time, pays little, is bad at communicating what he wants from you, changes his mind when you're 80% finished and is never satisfied by your work?

That is a reason why you shouldn't want to say "anyone" as your target clients.
Yes but I don't understand how to come up with the ideal customer because I don't have enough experience in the domain.

I haven't worked with enough people yet to be able to determine which ones will suck and which ones will be worthwhile.

My strategy is to sell to everyone right now, then niche down to the audience that I enjoy working with once I'm able to identify them.

Is this the right approach?
 
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Kybalion

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How do you plan to find clients?
 

Kid

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Its good that you are aware of being not experienced.
Don't let being inexperienced stop you.


My strategy is to sell to everyone right now, then niche down to the audience that I enjoy working with once I'm able to identify them.
You might find some and then focus on those who you've found.

Its called "Rice in a wall" approach, meaning when you throw a bag of rice at wall then some grains will stick.

So i would say go for it.
 
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BizyDad

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I'm reaching a book called Copywriting Secrets. In that book, there's a chapter where you have to define a F.R.E.D, which basically means your ideal customer.

But in the web design industry, I can help anyone I want. For example, I can setup online shops for retail stores, building lead gen website for construction companies, build brochure websites for lawyers, and so on.

So, when writing copy for my website or public profiles, how should I approach this? Do I use common problems that they all share and focus on that?

I think you missed the point of the book.

Can you really help anyone you want?

I mean, say I've got a 15,000 sku site. I need full logistics integration, real-time shipping quotes, and high level analytics & affiliate tracking. I'd like my website to print pic tickets. Plus I'll definitely want to keep my inventory tracking for my Amazon & eBay listings synchronized with my website inventory.

With little to no experience in this field, can you really help someone like me?

If so, then what's your rate?

If not, then decide right now to stop saying you can help "everyone".

Also one thing you may not realize is that the construction company, the lawyer, and so on all want lead generating websites.

Almost nobody "wants" a brochure site.

My strategy is to sell to everyone right now, then niche down to the audience that I enjoy working with once I'm able to identify them.

Is this the right approach?

What is the problem you are trying to solve? A website that converts more leads?

Then talk about the things that you do in a website that helps people convert more leads, and find more people who have that problem.

Until you really know what you're doing, do yourself a favor and stay away from large e-commerce sites. Migration can be a beast.

Alternatively, if you're really attracted to e-commerce, then become a Shopify expert, and don't worry about doing brochure sites or lead generation sites.

Oh, and one more thing. You don't need to build yourself a website in order to sell websites. Don't get too hung up on it.

My company's first website was a blank red page with the logo in the middle. I'm not sure it even had a phone number (maybe it did). My company's second website was a horribly keyword stuffed wall of text with a lot of columns of bulleted lists. It said the words "website design" at least 50 times (not exaggerating). My company's current website has an animal sticking its tongue out at you (for no reason, my partner just thinks it's funny.)

In 11 years of selling websites, only three people have ever commented on these things. Two of them were married to website designers. Both of them became clients. Go figure...

Don't overthink your website.

Focus on solving other people's problems and you'll be fine.

Hope that helps.
 

CryptoGuru

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I think you missed the point of the book.

Can you really help anyone you want?

I mean, say I've got a 15,000 sku site. I need full logistics integration, real-time shipping quotes, and high level analytics & affiliate tracking. I'd like my website to print pic tickets. Plus I'll definitely want to keep my inventory tracking for my Amazon & eBay listings synchronized with my website inventory.

With little to no experience in this field, can you really help someone like me?

If so, then what's your rate?

If not, then decide right now to stop saying you can help "everyone".

Also one thing you may not realize is that the construction company, the lawyer, and so on all want lead generating websites.

Almost nobody "wants" a brochure site.



What is the problem you are trying to solve? A website that converts more leads?

Then talk about the things that you do in a website that helps people convert more leads, and find more people who have that problem.

Until you really know what you're doing, do yourself a favor and stay away from large e-commerce sites. Migration can be a beast.

Alternatively, if you're really attracted to e-commerce, then become a Shopify expert, and don't worry about doing brochure sites or lead generation sites.

Oh, and one more thing. You don't need to build yourself a website in order to sell websites. Don't get too hung up on it.

My company's first website was a blank red page with the logo in the middle. I'm not sure it even had a phone number (maybe it did). My company's second website was a horribly keyword stuffed wall of text with a lot of columns of bulleted lists. It said the words "website design" at least 50 times (not exaggerating). My company's current website has an animal sticking its tongue out at you (for no reason, my partner just thinks it's funny.)

In 11 years of selling websites, only three people have ever commented on these things. Two of them were married to website designers. Both of them became clients. Go figure...

Don't overthink your website.

Focus on solving other people's problems and you'll be fine.

Hope that helps.
Websites are really simple these days. At my job, I set up a few websites with 2million skus on my own easily. A few Wordpress plugins is all that's required.

I was saying that I don't have experience running a web design business, not with web design itself. I'm used to building anything that's thrown at me and not have to worry about what kind of value I'm providing or who the client is.

Most of the small businesses I talked to wanted brochure websites and wanted nothing to do with lead generation. As a matter of fact, your own websites are brochures. You probably have an animal's tongue sticking out and some contact information.

When it comes to websites, I can build anything that the clients wants, that's why it's hard to know how to niche down.
 

Madame Peccato

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When it comes to websites, I can build anything that the clients wants, that's why it's hard to know how to niche down.

Start as a generalist. Help as many people as possible. Take note of which projects you like, and which ones you dislike. You have to dig deeper to find your niche, you can't magically will it to appear.

To make an analogy, let's take painting. Picasso is one of the great painters we've had. He's famous for cubism, but he didn't start that way. He had to paint and paint and paint, until he found his inner voice. His first paintings were copies, or uninspired, or both.

The same happen with writing. And making music.

You can apply the same thought to just about anything in life. Start doing. Your interior voice will tell you "I hate doing this, please stop" or "I love this, it comes easy and natural to me".

It won't take long, I promise. Just start helping whoever you can. You'll find your niche soon enough.
 
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CryptoGuru

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Start as a generalist. Help as many people as possible. Take note of which projects you like, and which ones you dislike. You have to dig deeper to find your niche, you can't magically will it to appear.

To make an analogy, let's take painting. Picasso is one of the great painters we've had. He's famous for cubism, but he didn't start that way. He had to paint and paint and paint, until he found his inner voice. His first paintings were copies, or uninspired, or both.

The same happen with writing. And making music.

You can apply the same thought to just about anything in life. Start doing. Your interior voice will tell you "I hate doing this, please stop" or "I love this, it comes easy and natural to me".

It won't take long, I promise. Just start helping whoever you can. You'll find your niche soon enough.
That's my strategy. Once I work with enough clients, I will probably find out which types suck and which ones are fun to work with.
 

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