TOC #102: Is It Getting Hot In Here?
(Dec 06, 2022) How To Make The First Move When The Tension Is There
Is it getting hot in here, or is it just the tension between you and the medium ugly seemingly single guy at the airport…? 😏
Security was a breeze, your flight’s on time, there was no one in the Starbucks line, and the new issue of Cosmo was waiting for you at the Hudson News counter.
You’ve got your Flipz in one hand, your SmartWater in the other, your devices at full charge in your tote, your headphones safely in your pocket, and your 14 extra pairs of underwear in your carry-on, just in case.
You start walking to your gate, and realize it’s in the newly-renovated section of the terminal, with the big, comfy chairs and the prime outlet real estate.
“Score!” you think to yourself.
And then you see him.
He’s leaning against the wall of windows, one AirPod in, scrolling through his phone, backpack leaned against his leg, with his coat draped over it.
You give him a quick, discreet (you hope) scan: medium ugly, Red Sox t-shirt, full sleeve of tattoos on one arm, backwards hat.
(He’s a short king, obviously. But you don’t count that against him. It IS Boston, after all.)
“Ooh, double score!” you think, as you try to figure out how to make the first move…
How To Make The First Move When The Tension Is There
There’s an unspoken rule about traveling alone, seeing someone your age, seemingly also alone, at the airport.
You’re supposed to fall in love, obviously. It's the meet-cute to end all meet-cutes.
(My intern, Paige, used to call these cute-meets, which is the most adorable thing ever. I miss you, Paige.)
You know it, they know it. It’s practically a given.
So, how do you make it happen?
I don’t know. This is a marketing newsletter. I’m not here to give dating advice.
What I *am* here for, though, is to tell you how to make the first move—on your homepage, specifically—to ensure your audience ends up falling for you.
See, if you want your homepage to do its job, you've got to treat it like a roadmap.
🔁 Keep going this way if you like what you see.
↗️ Turn here if you want 1:1 services.
⬅️ Take a left if you want free resources.
➡️ Turn right if you want to read the blog.
▶️ Keep reading if you want help with what to do next.
See where I’m going with this? At every “turn”—aka every new section—of your homepage, there should be an option for the reader to get off the route & take a more specialized path.
So, here’s where the “hey, you, do you feel this tension? fall in love with me now!” part comes in:
For the “I want you baby” level leads:
Cut to the chase & tell them what they’ll get when they work with you, and direct them to your contact form to inquire.
For the “I feel like I’ve known you forever and a day… what are we?” level leads:
Direct them to your services with an overview of what you offer, why they need it, and a clear call to action to get the details.
For the “I had fun last night, but I’m not sure what I’m looking for” level leads:
Tell them about yourself and why they need you / what you can provide them with a Mini About, and a DTR CTA to learn more about why you’re the best option.
For the “I’m staring at you from across the airport terminal and am curious about you” level leads:
Send them to your blog, where they’ll have their access to a hub of information all about you, your industry, and everything they’d ever want to know about your expertise.
For the “you’re just my type, and if I wanted a relationship, I’d be so into you, but I’m not ready yet” level leads:
Suggest they download a freebie—not to be confused with a quickie (no wife shit for fuckboys)—so they can get a taste for the value you provide & you can stay top of mind via their inbox, so they don’t forget about you when and if they ARE ever ready.
Need help with your homepage?
There are 4 ways I can support you with that:
Speaking of #4… my books will be reopening in a couple weeks, but I'm not gonna lie to you: I have limited availability for 1:1 website copywriting projects this year.
So, if you know you'd like to work together in 2023, inquire via the waitlist to let me know that you're interested in collaborating, and you'll be my top priority when my books are open again.
I've also decided to completely copy my friend Theresa (who, by the way, is another website copywriter I highly recommend reaching out to if you're looking for 1:1 web copy services this year!) and start a Wishlist, in addition to the Waitlist.
By adding your name to the wishlist, you're signaling to me that “hey, Sara, I want to work with you at some point, but now's not quite the right time” - whether that be due to budget, timeline, project type, etc.
Your place on the Wishlist lets me know you're interested, so I can update you periodically about availability and give you first dibs at new project slots. I'll be using this list to email you when I have available space for website copywriting, website copy audits, and launch copywriting (aka sales pages / email marketing).
& that's the official update! Thanks for reading—chat on Tues!
Love u mean it,
—Sara
P.S. Want to become an inbox pro in 2023?! Join the waitlist for my LIVE course for biz owners who want to master their email marketing. 😏 Spaces are limited to ensure everyone gets enough hands-on time with me, so you'll def want to make sure you're on that list!
Hi, I’m Sara Noel—website copywriter and marketing mentor for creatives, copywriters, and all-around cool people. Thanks for reading this edition of the Tuesday Table of Contents! If you like my content and you want even more BTL in your life, here are a few ways you can connect with me:
Check out my services. I write website copy, sales pages, email sequences, blog posts, and brand messaging guides for entrepreneurs of all kinds! Maybe you’re my next favorite client. ;)
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Sign up for my web copy course. Actually, it’s not *only* about website copywriting—I also teach modules on copywriting basics, developing your target audience, search engine optimization, blogging, and email marketing.
Enlist me as your mentor. I have an entire in-depth blog post about my one-on-one consulting process for new and aspiring copywriters, if you’re interested in having a big-sis-style mentor to help you grow your freelance copywriting business & get results.
To get in touch with me directly, send me a DM or email sara@betweenthelinescopy.com. Have a great day!