How to Write Stuff that Doesn't Suck

Text Emily! What do you say when you don’t know quite what to say? That is the question, and today, I’m going to show you where the answer is… the secret answer key you have access to that you might not even know about. Your messaging shares who you are, guides you in how you treat others, defines what you stand for, and becomes the thing that speaks for you time and time again. Strong messaging is the most impactful writing you’ll ever do, and in this episode, we’re gonna dive into what that means!How messaging acts as a decision-making tool, not just customer-facingWhy your messaging should be at the heartbeat of every conversation How your messaging shows up behind-the-scenesWhy having an answer key is actually the SIMPLER way and lets you stop reinventing the wheelThe 5 questions that build your answer key, plus where to keep it so you'll actually use itYour messaging isn't just pretty words on your homepage. It's what shows up for you when you don't know what to say. Links & Resources: Courtney Reimer's Talking the Talk Podcast Why Podcasts Win in a Sea of AI Slop Episode (with yours truly :)) Brand Messaging GuidesQuestions to Reflect On: What do I stand for? (The values you won't flex on, the hill you’ll die on.)What do I NOT stand for? (The lines you won't cross, no matter how much money, the automatic NO)How do I treat people, especially when something goes wrong? (how do you want to show up when they ain’t happy) Who am I for, and who am I NOT for? (who are you sending packing and who is welcomed in with open arms?) What do I sound like when I'm being truly me? (write down ACTUAL personality traits here - quirky, bubbly, intelligent, incisive, silly, professional, thoughtful, intentional, kind, etc.) Bonus questions:What do I promise MYSELF as a business owner? What do I promise others as a business owner? About Me & Let's ConnectI'm a Small Business Copywriter, Podcast Host of Small Business Casual, and Marketing Strategist with 12+ years as a business owner and 8 years writing copy across 125+ industries. I help you step into becoming (and sharing) the real YOU. For fun, I love reading, writing, spending time with friends, getting 14,000 steps a day with my dog, Finch (Finchester for short), and moments of uninterrupted silence.Got a question for the show? Email me at [email protected]: Emilyaborn.comFacebook: Facebook.com/Emily.CatherineGraceLinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/EmilyAbornSubstack: Smallbusinesscasual.substack.com

Text Emily! A lot of people teach “writing” as grammar, rules, and tips. And when they share how to write content, they teach pain points, features and benefits, unique value propositions, and a bunch of marketing industry jargon. This episode is neither of those. Personally, I kinda’ think the real reason a lot of written content isn’t great out there is because 1. It’s unclear and vague 2. It doesn’t sound like an actual person wrote it for another person (or, it sounds like AI) 3. It has no life to it, no emotion or pulse behind it, no authenticity or personality. We're skipping the comma and semicolon lecture and saving pain point marketing for another day and running through written content with a memorable gut check instead! Ready to write stuff that doesn’t suck? Inside the Episode:The clarity gut check The human-to-human gut check The aliveness factor Putting it all together Connect with Me, Emily Aborn: I'm a Small Business Copywriter, Podcast Host of Small Business Casual, and Marketing Strategist with 12+ years as a business owner and 8 years writing copy across 125+ industries. I help you step into becoming (and sharing) the real YOU. For fun, I love reading, writing, spending time with friends, getting 14,000 steps a day with my dog, Finch, and moments of uninterrupted silence.Got a question for the show? Email me at [email protected]: Emilyaborn.comFacebook: Facebook.com/Emily.CatherineGraceLinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/EmilyAbornSubstack: Smallbusinesscasual.substack.com

Text Emily! My therapist read this poem to me on Wednesday afternoon. I came home and read it to my husband. I shared it with a few friends. And now, because you're probably a human being too... and you might even be having a moment, I'm sharing it with YOU. All've It was written by Matt Moberg. You can visit his website HERE. I found it and read it from Patti Digh's Substack HEREConnect with Me, Emily Aborn: I'm a Small Business Copywriter, Podcast Host of Small Business Casual, and Marketing Strategist with 12+ years as a business owner and 8 years writing copy across 125+ industries. I help you step into becoming (and sharing) the real YOU. For fun, I love reading, writing, spending time with friends, getting 14,000 steps a day with my dog, Finch, and moments of uninterrupted silence.Got a question for the show? Email me at [email protected]: Emilyaborn.comFacebook: Facebook.com/Emily.CatherineGraceLinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/EmilyAbornSubstack: Smallbusinesscasual.substack.com

Text Emily! Even when you do all the “right” things, consistently, for over a decade… there are still no guarantees it's going to "work".  In this episode, I’m sharing all the things I’ve done “right”, what actually happened, and the things that worked the entire time while I wasn’t looking at my metrics. There are all sorts of other factors that can propel your business a whole lot more than a shiny marketing plan executed to a T. Consistency, even when perfect, isn’t a surefire thing. It’s about choosing the actions specific to YOU and your business. The ones that really matter, the make it or break it ones and giving up on the ones that don't make a lick of a difference even if you're consistent til' the cows come home. Traditional marketing consistency isn’t everything, and today, we’re gonna talk about it! Inside the Episode: A non-exhaustive list of things I was consistent with over the past 12 years that have given me a big fat zero return on investment What it says about you if the Instagram algorithm hates you, email marketing isn't working, LinkedIn is a bot-magnet, and Pinterest has been a flopHow to evaluate what's working and what's not Why collaboration, relationships, and connection might be where to focus your consistency efforts insteadHow customer service and improving your skillset can grow your businessThe power of reviews and social proof Being willing to change it upMy very BEST marketing secretMaking friends in businessAnd more!Connect with Me, Emily Aborn: I'm a Small Business Copywriter, Podcast Host of Small Business Casual, and Marketing Strategist with 12+ years as a business owner and 8 years writing copy across 125+ industries. I help you step into becoming (and sharing) the real YOU. For fun, I love reading, writing, spending time with friends, getting 14,000 steps a day with my dog, Finch, and moments of uninterrupted silence.Got a question for the show? Email me at [email protected]: Emilyaborn.comFacebook: Facebook.com/Emily.CatherineGraceLinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/EmilyAbornSubstack: Smallbusinesscasual.substack.com

Text Emily! Most of us know by now that "work-life balance" is a bit of a myth (ok, a lot of a myth). But I don't think balance is something to stop working towards. I think we've just been sold the wrong version of it. Balance isn't a glowy, sunrise-yoga, big-moment-you-arrive-at kind of thing. It's teeny tiny, quiet, and unremarkable. Often found in a single settled moment, calm hour, or normal task Tuesday. Balance is boringly anticlimactic. And yet, feels SO good when you catch glimmers of it. This episode is technically about consistency, but through the lens of loosening the vice grip of controlling every timeline and process. In This Episode: How balance is a thing you keep finding, losing, and finding againThe 3-3-3 rule for rescue dogs, and the lesson Finch taught me about my timeline vs. hisHow trust and balance get built one boring, consistent repetition at a timeThe personal project running parallel to Finch that's teaching me "it takes what it takes" Why zooming out to the big picture is important at every stageHow this all correlates to your business and marketingWhat if BORING is a sign it's actually working?About me, Emily Aborn! Your Hostess with the Mostess I'm a Small Business Copywriter, speaker, and your loyal and nerdy host of Small Business Casual. I bring 12+ years of entrepreneurial experience and have spent the last eight years writing copy across 124 industries. I help you step into becoming (and sharing) the real YOU. For fun and downtime, I love reading, writing, hiking with friends, and moments of uninterrupted silence.Got a question for the show? Email me at [email protected]: Emilyaborn.comFacebook: Facebook.com/Emily.CatherineGraceLinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/EmilyAbornSubstack: Smallbusinesscasual.substack.com

Text Emily! As a copywriter, I was recently asked by a business advisor what MY "UVP" (Unique Value Proposition) is."Well, I don't have one!" I replied. Me. A copywriter! The person who helps clients find their UVP all the time. If you don't have one either, don't know what it is, don't worry. We're not the problem. The problem is that everyone is out there telling you the SAME way to find what makes you different. They encourage you to use a dry, fill-in-the-blank formula that somehow makes everyone sound exactly the same. In this episode, we're throwing that formula out the window, and I'm sharing two FUN ways to find what makes YOU one-of-a-kind. In This Episode: How the standard UVP "formula" falls flat and keeps it surface level The 5 Whys Exercise (adapted to help YOU find your message) Two examples Using the rules you break to find your differentiatorThe 6 rules I happily ignore And more! The 5 Whys, Step by Step: Start with what you do. "I'm a ___."Ask: why does that matter?Take that answer and ask why again, "Great, now, why does that matter?"Keep going, about five times total.Around why three or four, the surface answers run dry and the real true-to-you thing shines through. Weave your newfound truth into your homepage, your bio, a piece of content, and how you introduce yourself. About me, Emily Aborn! Your Hostess with the Mostess I'm a Small Business Copywriter, speaker, and your loyal and nerdy host of Small Business Casual. I bring 12+ years of entrepreneurial experience and have spent the last eight years writing copy across 124 industries. I help you step into becoming (and sharing) the real YOU. For fun and downtime, I love reading, writing, hiking with friends, and moments of uninterrupted silence.Got a question for the show? Email me at [email protected]: Emilyaborn.comFacebook: Facebook.com/Emily.CatherineGraceLinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/EmilyAbornSubstack: Smallbusinesscasual.substack.com

Text Emily! "Stay in your lane" usually gets taught as a branding rule: don't confuse your audience about what you actually do. While it's true, it's only half the story. The other side of the coin is that staying in your lane also protects YOU. Your energy, boundaries, time, margins, and creativity. It's self-preservation. In this episode, I talk about how your lane is a nice, cozy container that helps you do your very best work. In This EpisodeWhy "stay in your lane" is only half-taughtThe client project that ate my week (and how I was the one who brought it on!)The energy, boundary, and time cost of veering out of your laneHow to stop and pause instead of taking on moreThe generous, community-building side of staying in your lane: making the referralWhat to do when you want to expand your lane and offer new thingsConnect with Me, Emily Aborn: I'm a Small Business Copywriter, Podcast Host of Small Business Casual, and Marketing Strategist with 12+ years as a business owner and 8 years writing copy across 125+ industries. I help you step into becoming (and sharing) the real YOU. For fun, I love reading, writing, spending time with friends, getting 14,000 steps a day with my dog, Finch, and moments of uninterrupted silence.Got a question for the show? Email me at [email protected]: Emilyaborn.comFacebook: Facebook.com/Emily.CatherineGraceLinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/EmilyAbornSubstack: Smallbusinesscasual.substack.com

Text Emily! Think your stories aren't worth telling? Think again! In this episode, my guest Sara Lohse helps us to find the stories in our ordinary lives that are hiding in plain sight. She shares how everyday moments can become compelling stories that build connection, make content memorable, and help guide people to new insights and inspiration. Our conversation explores how to uncover the threads inside the "mundane" and why the best stories are almost always the ones that seem too small to matter (at first).In the episode: The tattoo that was meant to be an airplane... but... turned out a little upside down and how it changed Sara's life, nudging her into entrepreneurshipWhy audiences don't need more information and stats, they need more stories. Your stories. Why your story doesn't need to be dramatic, traumatic, or feature any rock bottoms to be worth telling Examples of how to find threads and patterns that lead to compelling and memorable stories How to create a memorable impression and lasting connection with every story you tell Do's and don'ts of good storytelling And more!Quotes: “A podcast isn't a place for information; it's a place for stories.”“Our stories are already written. They're just a telling of what we've experienced.”“Why are we just kind of coasting through our lives when we could be just intentionally experiencing it?”“You don't need a huge trauma story to have a story worth telling.”“Start with the lesson, then find the story.“The best stories are the ones that feel almost too small to matter at first.”About Sara LohseSara Lohse is an award-winning author, podcast strategist, and storyteller who helps business owners and consultants create impact through thought leadership and podcasting. As the founder of Branded Media, she's guided by one core belief: everything happens for a story.Book: openthisbook.com/FREE Storytelling Download: favoritedaughtermedia.com/openthisjournal/Instagram: instagram.com/stickwithbrandedFacebook: facebook.com/sara.nicole.lohseLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/saralohse/About me, Emily Aborn! Your Hostess with the Mostess I'm a Small Business Copywriter, speaker, and your loyal and nerdy host of Small Business Casual. I bring 12+ years of entrepreneurial experience and have spent the last eight years writing copy across 124 industries. I help you step into becoming (and sharing) the real YOU. For fun and downtime, I love reading, writing, hiking with friends, and moments of uninterrupted silence.Got a question for the show? Email me at [email protected]: Emilyaborn.comFacebook: Facebook.com/Emily.CatherineGraceLinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/EmilyAbornSubstack: Smallbusinesscasual.substack.com

Text Emily! Time feels a little weird lately, doesn't it? Being alive right now feels like a tilt-a-whirl.Between adopting our rescue pup (anyone else only got two brain cells left?),  juggling a house, a business, and a zillion things at once, I've been living in a low hum of "gahhhhhhh!" A friend reminded me: this is a season, not a life sentence.In this episode, I'm sharing the seven things I'm actually experimenting with to feel a little less scrambled, without adding more pressure to the pile:Redefine "on track" Follow the energy and the breadcrumbsFocus on micro-consistencyLower your Minimum Viable Doses (MVD)Shrink the horizonDo a brain dumpKeep one daily anchor ritualAbout me, Emily Aborn! Your Hostess with the Mostess I'm a Small Business Copywriter, speaker, and your loyal and nerdy host of Small Business Casual. I bring 12+ years of entrepreneurial experience and have spent the last eight years writing copy across 124 industries. I help you step into becoming (and sharing) the real YOU. For fun and downtime, I love reading, writing, hiking with friends, and moments of uninterrupted silence.Got a question for the show? Email me at [email protected]: Emilyaborn.comFacebook: Facebook.com/Emily.CatherineGraceLinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/EmilyAbornSubstack: Smallbusinesscasual.substack.com

Text Emily! Your brand is telling a story whether you meant it to or not. The question is whether or not it's telling the right one.In this episode, I sit down with the brilliant designer behind my own timeless branding, Jess Mercier, to talk about brands that tell a story. You'll also learn how Jess's own rambly intuition-led road brought her to where she is, and the work she does, today.If you've ever wondered what separates a logo from a real brand identity, or you're scared to be seen in your own business, this conversation is for you...In This Episode:Why Jess quit art school and what eventually brought her back to creative workQuieting the inner critic and imposter syndromeHow your past is part of, and informs, your present workThe difference between designing a logo and building a brand identityThe biggest branding mistake people make when they DIY it or rush the processAnd more!A Little About Our CollaborationJess is the mastermind behind the branding for my copywriting business, and she and I work closely together on copy, website, and design projects every chance we get! We get into how that collaboration works and how we help clients as a team, so if you've ever wondered what it looks like when a copywriter and a designer join forces, you'll get a peek behind the curtain.About Jess MercierJess Malli Mercier is the owner and creative behind JMM Artist Designer, a branding strategist, artist, and designer known for blending artistic vision with intuitive design. She attended Massachusetts College of Art in Boston, concentrating in color theory and abstract painting, before finding her passion in creating brands. Her style is clean and modern, with a deep commitment to bringing out the individuality of every client.Jess moved to Houston from Massachusetts eight years ago with her husband and two daughters. She's a big advocate for women in business, a large-scale abstract painter, a thrift store junkie, and a hunter of hidden culinary gems. She believes we're all made of energy, and that what we put into the universe connects us to the people we're meant to help.Connect with JessWebsite: www.jmmartistdesigner.comEmail: [email protected]: facebook.com/jmmartistdesignerInstagram: instagram.com/jmmartistdesignerAbout me, Emily Aborn! Your Hostess with the Mostess I'm a Small Business Copywriter, speaker, and your loyal and nerdy host of Small Business Casual. I bring 12+ years of entrepreneurial experience and have spent the last eight years writing copy across 122 industries. I help you step into becoming (and sharing) the real YOU. For fun and downtime, I love reading, writing, hiking with friends, and moments of uninterrupted silence.Got a question for the show? Email me at [email protected]: Emilyaborn.comFacebook: Facebook.com/Emily.CatherineGraceLinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/EmilyAbornSubstack: Smallbusinesscasual.substack.com