#13: Heroes & Villains in Marketing - Featuring "Belonging: A German Reckons With History and Home" by Nora Krug

It goes without saying that you love your clients. But are you focused so much on the quality of your service or product that you're focusing less on the relationship? Our inspiration in this episode is a childrens' graphic novel - "Dog Man and Cat Kid" by Dav Pilkey. Join host Kate Hollis - conversion copywriter and part-time librarian - for an exploration of fiction as a way to gain actionable insight into business. Topics covered include: - What are your clients thinking about when they have to cut costs? - Are your "easy" clients getting the same attention as your other clients? - Where do boundaries get blurred between friendship and business? - Are you clear on your policies, and when are you willing to make exceptions? Purchase this title through my affiliate link on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bookshop.org.⁠ Suggest a title, or become a guest! www.katehollis.co/podcast Kate's copywriting - www.katehollis.co Follow on IG - @betterwithbookspod @kateholliswrites Book a consult - [email protected] Inquiries - [email protected]

Sales copy is necessary for businesses of ALL kinds. But how can you make an impression AND make the sale? Our inspiration in this episode is a horror novel - "The Haunting of Hill House" by Shirley Jackson. Join host Kate Hollis - conversion copywriter and part-time librarian - for an exploration of fiction as a way to gain actionable insight into business. Topics covered include: - How can you pace your narrative for the most impact? - Why does some copy make an impression, but some falls flat? - How can your reader see themselves in your copy? - Do readers experience your content on a physiological level? Purchase this title through my affiliate link on ⁠⁠⁠Bookshop.org. Suggest a title, or become a guest! www.katehollis.co/podcast Kate's copywriting - www.katehollis.co Follow on IG - @betterwithbookspod @kateholliswrites Book a consult - [email protected] Inquiries - [email protected]

There's so much pain and loss in the world right now. As a business owner - and as a human - how can you respond in a way that feels right to you? Our inspiration in this episode is a novel - "Olga Dies Dreaming" by Xochitl Gonzalez. Join host Kate Hollis - conversion copywriter and part-time librarian - for an exploration of fiction as a way to gain actionable insight into business. Topics covered include: - Is there more than one definition of integrity? - How are we impacted by the narratives and values of other people? - What does it cost us to act in a way that doesn't align with our true selves? - How can we show up during a time of crisis in the most impactful, heartfelt way? Purchase this title through my affiliate links on ⁠Amazon⁠ or ⁠My Bookshop.org storefront⁠. Another title suggested in the episode is The Way of Integrity by Martha Beck. Suggest a title, or become a guest! www.katehollis.co/podcast ⁠Book your Sales SOS session⁠ with Kate and Nichole Chapais of Stargazer Creative. Limited spots available! Kate's copywriting - www.katehollis.co Follow on IG - @betterwithbookspod @kateholliswrites Book a consult - [email protected] Inquiries - [email protected]

It's Banned Books Week - and we're talking about how banned books impact WAY more than you might think. That includes your business! Our inspiration in this episode is a dystopian novel - "Our Missing Hearts" by Celeste Ng. Join host Kate Hollis - conversion copywriter and part-time librarian - for an exploration of fiction as a way to gain actionable insight into business. Topics covered include: - What do book bans tell us our our culture and society? - Are we impacted by a culture of fear without even realizing it? - How can we use our businesses as a platform to support free speech? - How can we support authors and the creative economy? Purchase this title through my affiliate links on Amazon or My Bookshop.org storefront Suggest a title, or become a guest! www.katehollis.co/podcast Book your Sales SOS session with Kate and Nichole Chapais of Stargazer Creative. Limited spots available! Kate's copywriting - www.katehollis.co Follow on IG - @betterwithbookspod @kateholliswrites Book a consult - [email protected] Inquiries - [email protected]

Conversations around inclusion - race, gender, disability, and more - have become the norm in entrepreneurship. But why is no one talking about age? Ageism is definitely out there, and many brands unintentionally perpetuate stereotypes in their messaging. So what can you do about it? Our inspiration in this episode is a thriller novel - "The Old Woman With the Knife" by Gu Byeong-mo. Join host Kate Hollis - conversion copywriter and part-time librarian - for an exploration of fiction as a way to gain actionable insight into business. Topics covered include: - What commonly used words reinforce ageism? - How do stereotypes show up in messaging? - Is there an expectation that older entrepreneurs work with older clients? - Why does age make people uncomfortable? Purchase this title through my affiliate links on Amazon or My Bookshop.org storefront Suggest a title, or become a guest! www.katehollis.co/podcast Kate's copywriting - www.katehollis.co Follow on IG - @betterwithbookspod @kateholliswrites Book a consult - [email protected] Inquiries - [email protected]

We've all been there. You're THISCLOSE to a sale, but your lead is hesitant to commit. A certain amount of push-and-pull is healthy ... but how can you break the cycle when it's a client you KNOW you can help? What steps can you take in your brand and sales process to minimize this happening? Our inspiration in this episode is a fantasy/romance novel - "A Touch of Darkness" by Scarlett St. Clair. Join host Kate Hollis - conversion copywriter and part-time librarian - for an exploration of fiction as a way to gain actionable insight into business. Topics covered include: - Communicating with a lead that is shopping around - Where your overall brand and visibility come into play in the sales cycle - The value of showing the human behind the brand - When overconfidence can come back to bite you Purchase this title through my affiliate links on Amazon or My Bookshop.org storefront Suggest a title, or become a guest! www.katehollis.co/podcast Kate's copywriting - www.katehollis.co Follow on IG - @betterwithbookspod @kateholliswrites Book a consult - [email protected] Inquiries - [email protected]

Showing up online. Showing up in the world. Lots of talk in the online business world about "showing up" - but what does that really mean? And do you want it to mean something else for yourself? Our inspiration in this episode is a novel - "Memphis" by Tara Stringfellow. Join host Kate Hollis - conversion copywriter and part-time librarian - for an exploration of fiction as a way to gain actionable insight into business. Topics covered include: - What are common uses for the phrase "showing up"? - Thinking about the individual and the collective - How to be in service to others - Living your values through your biz and client experience Purchase this title through my affiliate links on Amazon or My Bookshop.org storefront Suggest a title, or become a guest! www.katehollis.co/podcast Kate's copywriting - www.katehollis.co Follow on IG - @betterwithbookspod @kateholliswrites Book a consult - [email protected] Inquiries - [email protected]

Ah, the hero's journey. We see it ALL the time in marketing. But with a hero has to come a villain. And is creating one accomplishing what we want when it comes to building a brand and making sales? Our inspiration in this episode is a graphic memoir - "Belonging: A German Reckons With History and Home" by Nora Krug. Join host Kate Hollis - conversion copywriter and part-time librarian - for an exploration of fiction as a way to gain actionable insight into business. Topics covered include: - Where does the hero's journey narrative come from? - Can we really say anyone is a straightforward hero or villain? - How is your audience effected when the villain is within themselves? - Is looking to mythology a way to avoid the real and the messy? Purchase this title through my affiliate links on Amazon or My Bookshop.org storefront Suggest a title, or become a guest! www.katehollis.co/podcast Kate's copywriting - www.katehollis.co Follow on IG - @betterwithbookspod @kateholliswrites Book a consult - [email protected] Inquiries - [email protected]

We've all seen 'em. Those two letters - TW - at the beginning of a post, indicating a potentially sensitive topic. But are they helpful, or even necessary? And more importantly, what does it mean for our brand and our messaging if we use them? Our inspiration in this episode is a novel - "The Reading List" by Sarah Nisha Adams. Join host Kate Hollis - conversion copywriter and part-time librarian - for an exploration of fiction as a way to gain actionable insight into business. Topics covered include: - How does a trigger warning impact the reader's experience of your brand? - Is it overstepping to influence or control someone's reaction to your content? - When do trigger warnings serve a genuine purpose, and when are they an avoidance technique? - How can we reflect on our own feelings about our story so our audience can see themselves in it? Purchase this title through my affiliate links on Amazon or My Bookshop.org storefront Suggest a title, or become a guest! www.katehollis.co/podcast Kate's copywriting - www.katehollis.co Follow on IG - @betterwithbookspod @kateholliswrites Book a consult - [email protected] Inquiries - [email protected]

When you're selling a product or a service, you're not just selling The Thing. You're selling the feeling and experience the customer can expect in making the purchase. In the online business world, many brands sell transformation - helping people to make strides to change themselves and their lives. But what does it truly mean to change? And are you selling to it accordingly? Our inspiration in this episode is a children's book - "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane" by Kate DiCamillo. Join host Kate Hollis - conversion copywriter and part-time librarian - for an exploration of fiction as a way to gain actionable insight into business. Topics covered include: - Identifying the role of circumstances in someone's ability to achieve change - Using the Enneagram as a tool for growth -Differentiating between external behaviors and true internal transformation - Exploring if change introduces something new, or brings out things that haven't been discovered Purchase this title through my affiliate links on Amazon or My Bookshop.org storefront Kate's copywriting - www.katehollis.co Follow on IG - @betterwithbookspod @kateholliswrites Book a consult - [email protected] Inquiries - [email protected] Episode analytics