TOC #119: So, We Got Tattoos Together

(Apr 4, 2023) How To Make Your Copy As Unforgettable As A First Date Tattoo 🔥

“I don't know, but I'm kinda looking for some trouble tonight while Elizabeth is still here,” I said to a very unsuspecting Jayme one recent Sunday night at 7:34pm. 

Elizabeth and I had landed in Phoenix the Friday prior, gone to the Taylor Swift concert together that Saturday, and she was leaving on that Monday, so this lil Sunday night was our only option to go out together.

(Context: Elizabeth is my cousin—but you may know her as BTL's biz manager—and Jayme is my life partner that I am very codependent on college best friend.)

And because Jayme would never turn down the opportunity to go out and show a new Arizona visitor a good time around Old Town, mere minutes after my trouble request, we were headed straight for Scottsdale.

The first bar brought us prickly pear margaritas, a too-drunk girl trying way too hard to impress her new boyfriend's parents, and a bizarre game of f***-marry-kill, but not a sufficient amount of trouble.

The second bar brought us the realization that Jayme had left her ID in her other purse, so, definitely some trouble—but not the right kind.

One brief car ride home and about several killer 2015 throwback jams later, the third bar finally brought us the exact kind of trouble we were looking for:

Newsletter-worthy trouble. 

I have at least five separate stories that would make for perfect newsletter content from this night, but I promised you the one that ends in matching flame tattoos—so I'll save the rest for later. 

Now, a few things you need to know before we continue:

• I'm notorious for doing things that I consider “good for the plot.”

• At the time of this story, I had 24 tattoos.

• At the time of this story, the man in question had 1 tattoo, that he'd gotten 8ish years prior.

• I always talk to strangers—and I always skip the ‘small talk’ part.

• I had no real definition of the kind of trouble I was looking for that night; I simply felt like going out & seeing which characters we could potentially meet.

• It was a really freaking random night for us to be out at Boondocks (a bar that I've only ever been to on a packed Saturday night).

Okay, you're caught up. Back to Sunday. 

Jayme, Elizabeth, and I had been dancing, drinking, and interacting with some interesting characters all night when Rambo came up to us and asked “hey, ladies, what are we talking about?”

The three of us exchanged quick “are we going to engage with this man or not?” glances, before I answered and let him in on our conversation (about a topic that is unfortunately too inappropriate, even for this newsletter). 

We chatted with him for a bit, then he went back to his friends, and we went back to our hunt for trouble.

A little while later, on our way to the bathroom, a random dude stopped to comment on how beautiful Jayme is, so I waited while she indulged him for a (very brief) moment. 

Not wanting to interrupt his profession of love, and also not wanting to leave her behind (yet), I turned around to find someone to have a conversation with while she was busy.

And there was my new bestie Rambo, sitting on a picnic table next to a random boy I hadn't seen yet. 

I don't know what possessed me to ask this—or care—but I looked to Rambo, pointed to his right, and asked “is this your friend?” 

Random Boy replied with “no, actually, we're not friends. I've never made a single friend in my whole life. I have no friends at all,” in the most aggressively sarcastic way possible.

(Remember how I spent all of last week talking about how important it is to be unapologetically yourself, no matter what? This boy was—and still is—the total embodiment of that.)

So, obviously, I responded with “cool, wanna be enemies then?”

After a brief moment of surprise, clearly confused—and then delighted—that I was willing to match his energy, he said yes.

Fast forward a couple hours: I'm still standing there talking to him, both of us ignoring every single “norm” of dating, getting to know each other inside out, instead of the other way around—and somehow, in what felt like an instant, the exchange went from a bit, to a genuine interest. 

Not a single other person in that state existed when he was in front of me, looking into my eyes like that. 

…and then homeboy got kicked out of the bar. 

Now, I wasn't going to tell you that part of the story—I don't want you to get the wrong idea about the other main character of one of my favorite stories ever—but it doesn't make sense without it. 

So what if he had a few too many double Jack & cokes that night? Let the man live. He didn't have work the next day. 

We all left the bar—me, Elizabeth, Jayme, Rambo, and this new man—and headed straight to Philly's (Jay's favorite) for a snack, because duh. 

I'm saving the events of the Philly's trip for another newsletter (it's where Rambo's part of the story comes into play, and trust, you won't want to miss that), so we're fast forwarding again: to the moment we realize our main character is no longer with us.

The man completely disappeared. And, for a reason I still can't explain, I happened to have his phone in my hand. 

So, I walked back down the street to retrieve him, and return his phone, but he was absolutely nowhere to be found. 

Not sitting on the curb. Not down an alley. Not passed out in a bush. Not in another bar. 

Just straight up gone, evaporated into thin air.

I walked back to Philly's, gave Rambo his bestie's phone, and left with the girls, curious to find out if we'll ever know what happened to homeboy. 

The next morning, during the post-night-out brunch recap, we all started to worry about whether or not he made it home in one piece—and I remembered that he'd given me his number. 

“What happened to you last night?” I texted. 

Then, another text, just in case: “Report back.”

Less than 20 minutes later, he responded that he just got his phone back, that he was, in fact, alive, and told me how grateful he was that I'd chosen to speak to him again after the previous night. 

Then less than 20 minutes after that, he was inviting me to get tacos, and asking me what sets my soul on fire. 

(My kinda man, skipping the formalities and getting straight to the good stuff, fueled by his curiosity.)

“Funny you ask that; I actually have a tattoo that symbolizes the phrase ‘soul on fire’ on my hip,” I replied.

“Tattoos on a woman are extremely attractive,” he said back.

“Get a tattoo with me,” I said.

“What should we get???” he replied. “Let's get it on the wrist or something.”

“A flame?” I asked.

“Flame. Yes a flame FOR SURE,” he answered.

And the next day, we marched right into Golden Rule Tattoo (as completely sober consenting adults), AirDropped the tattoo artist a cute little flame outline from Pinterest, and the rest is… well, not quite history just yet. 😏 

My 25th tattoo; his 2nd. Right on his wrist, as a memory of what sets his soul on fire—and of the girl from across the country he met in a bar on a random Sunday night, rendered unforgettable thanks to a couple convenient drops of permanent ink and a whole lot of immediate chemistry.

How To Make Your Copy As Unforgettable As A First Date Tattoo 🔥

Even if the story ended there, it would still be among my most cherished. 

I can't think of a single thing more iconic than someone being willing to get a tattoo—in such a prominent spot—that will forever remind them of me. 

Luckily, though, it doesn't end with the tattoo. Not even close. But the rest of that story is reserved for the two of us. Sorry 😉 

But, hey, who knows, maybe there'll be a reason to give you an update another time. 😏

However, what I will tell you is: a few days after that, we did end up getting our tacos. With pretty much his entire family, who I *also* loved instantly.

(When he told his mom he was bringing me to dinner, and how we met, and what we did on our first date, her response was “ok babe” and then “lol that's funny that you did that,” so, naturally, I'm obsessed with her + can't wait to see her again.)

(Janice, if you're reading this, heyyyy!)

Now, impulsive tattoos and intriguing boys aside—let's talk about the real story here: how to make your copy as unforgettable as this man and I will be to each other 💁🏻‍♀️

#1 - Be aggressively yourself. 

You know how I feel about this. I spent all of last week telling you how beneficial it is to simply let yourself BE, and stop worrying about what other people want you to be. 

When you're focused on staying true to yourself, and your goals, and your values as a brand, it'll be so much easier for you to write copy that reflects the kind of business you actually want to run, and attract the people you actually want to work with. 

People can effortlessly recognize authenticity—and that's one of the best ways to ensure your copy is unforgettable to the right people. 

(Here's an example of a BTL client website that does this!)

#2 - Don't be afraid to do what others haven't yet. 

This is especially important when you're just starting out. 

It's easy to look to other business owners that are doing the things you want to do, and try to emulate them, because you're not sure what else to do—and maybe because you're a little bit apprehensive to put yourself out there. 

When you don't see other people saying things you want to say, or acting the way you act, especially in a professional setting, it can be scary to go out on a limb and try something that others haven't yet. 

But remember—you'll never know until you take a chance + try. 

So, instead of writing what you feel like you have to write, because everyone else is writing a version of that, say what you want to say.

(Here's an example of a BTL client website that does this!)

#3 - Be as direct as possible. 

The best copy leaves 0 room for confusion. When you're as direct as possible, you're drastically improving your chances of encouraging your readers to take your desired action, because they don't have to wonder what you mean, or guess about what to do next.

Other websites with ambiguous copy, general industry terms & phrases, fluffy sentences that sound smart but actually mean nothing? Those are forgettable.

But simple, clear, direct copy that spells it out for your readers, and says exactly what they're thinking? That's the key to unforgettable, conversion-friendly copy. 

(Here's an example of a BTL client website that does this!)

Consider this your permission to skip the formalities. Speaking from experience, it usually works out for the best. 💁🏻‍♀️

Love u mean it,

—Sara

Here are a few ways I can help you with your website copy:

My Wicked Easy Website Copy Template. Use my exact website copywriting formula that has helped hundreds of BTL clients get amazing results—and learn at your own pace with this template-slash-guide-slash-video-training beast of a website copywriting education hybrid.

1:1 Website Copy Audits. While I don't currently have the capacity to take on any new website copywriting projects this quarter or next, I do still have time to audit yours and help you make sure it's perfect!

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If we haven’t had the chance to *virtually* meet yet, hi! I’m Sara Noel—website copywriter and marketing mentor for creatives, copywriters, and all-around cool people. If you like my content and you want even more BTL in your life, here are a few ways you can connect with me:

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