When business owners reach out to me, it’s often because their messaging feels out of alignment; they’re searching for clarity on what to say and how to say it in a way that connects with their ideal clients.

Earlier this year, I found myself in a similar position.

A lot had changed in my life and business since I created my previous messaging at the end of 2020, and that messaging had become so misaligned that it was impacting the way I showed up (or avoided showing up) online.

So over the past few months, I’ve taken myself through my own messaging strategy process — digging into deep questions about my brand, interviewing my clients, and researching my market. And the results can be seen across my recently refreshed website!

Today, I’m taking you behind the scenes of that messaging makeover, with a peek at some of my favorite lines and the strategy behind them. Let’s dive into all the wordy-nerdy details.

Why it was time for new messaging

It’s worth mentioning that I didn’t necessarily have to change my copy or messaging. There was nothing obviously wrong with what I’d written a few years ago, and I was still connecting with some incredible clients in the meantime.

But for me, making this shift felt important for several reasons:

My ideal client has changed. While I previously focused on solopreneurs (and still love working with them today), I’ve found that my process and packages tend to be best suited for founders of small-to-midsize businesses with a handful of team members. These business owners are busy but intentional. They care about creating relationships with their clients and customers. And they know the value of investing in deep strategy and support rather than DIYing their way through.

My offerings have changed. In the past, I specialized in website copy, using my signature research-based messaging process as the foundation for every project. More recently, I’ve realized that this messaging process is impactful in its own right — and that from there, my clients and I can create copy for not only their websites, but also their marketing channels, client experiences, and entire brand ecosystems. This shift has led to more long-term client relationships and retainer partnerships, and I’ve found that I truly love supporting my clients for the long haul as their businesses grow and evolve.

My voice has changed. Since the last iteration of my messaging, I’ve become a mom, navigated postpartum trauma and depression, and adjusted to a lifelong birth injury that I’m still actively rehabbing more than two years later. I expected parenthood to change me, but this change went deeper than I could have imagined. I can even hear the difference in my voice in podcast interviews from before and after this point in time; I now speak more slowly, calmly, and carefully because of what this beautiful and challenging season has taught me.  All that to say, the energetic, aspirational messaging written by pre-baby me just didn’t fit anymore, and I was ready to show up authentically again.

The messaging strategy process

This was the first time I’ve taken myself through my signature messaging strategy process, and I’m now convinced every service provider should go through their own process at least once.

By interviewing myself and my clients to uncover my brand’s unique value and voice, I was able to break through my creative blocks and finally bring my new message to life. I even asked my husband to analyze a few other copywriters’ websites so that I could strategically position my brand in the marketplace without getting stuck in comparison.

I pulled all that research into the same 30+ page messaging guide I create for my clients, and even came up with a few new pieces that I plan to include in all future messaging guides, such as brand pillars and a first-person and third-person bio to use across different platforms.

What’s new: A look inside my new messaging

For those who love digging into the details as much as I do, here are a few of my favorite shifts with this new message.

Brand voice & values

My refreshed brand voice is warm, steady, thoughtful, and sincere. I wanted my messaging to feel like a heart-to-heart conversation over tea, making everyone who interacts with my brand feel seen, heard, and understood.

My brand values are inclusivity, honesty, intentionality, and partnership — and it was important to me to clearly communicate these on my About page so potential clients could confirm that our values line up.

Positioning

My internal and external research revealed that while some copywriters offer lightning-fast turnaround times or punchy, personality-packed copy, it’s rare to find someone who will dedicate weeks of research to uncover your brand’s unique voice and value so that you can connect with your clients on a deeper level than ever before.

I also discovered that out of more than 100 successful projects, 65% of my work comes from repeat clients — people who choose to collaborate on their copywriting projects again and again.

With that in mind, I set out to double down on my in-depth process and long-term client partnerships, communicating the value to my clients with lines like:

• Welcome to a different kind of copywriting studio — where every message is rooted in research, crafted for connection, and driven by a deep care for you and your people.

• Rooted in research. Crafted for connection.

• I help human-first brands turn their misaligned messaging into research-based copy that reliably connects and converts — so they can attract the right clients across their entire brand ecosystem.

• A thoughtful copywriting partnership tailored to you and your people.

• I’m Kelsey — your copywriting partner for the long haul.

• If you’ve spent years second-guessing your copy and wondering how to truly connect … it’s time to go deeper.

One-liner

My old one-liner was, “Helping wholehearted entrepreneurs turn website visitors into dream clients with interview-inspired copy.” This time around, I wanted to communicate my shift to serving small-to-midsize businesses, and also emphasize the practical results they experience as a result of our work together.

Based on interviews with my clients and my own brand voice discovery work, I landed on my new one-liner: “A research-based copywriting studio guiding small and mighty brands to deeper clarity, real connection, and more of the right clients.”

I love that this line speaks to three important results of messaging work: clarity on your brand and message, deeper connection with your clients, and the ability to attract not just more clients, but more of the right ones.

Mission Statement

My clients don’t fit into a tidy niche; they’re creative service providers, attorneys, digital product creators, gourmet popcorn makers … the list goes on. 

But one thing they all have in common with each other (and with me) is genuine care for the people they serve. They want to make sales, but not at the expense of authentic and lasting relationships with their clients and customers. They want to build a real connection with their people and attract more of the kinds of people they love.

Cultivating this connection is at the heart of everything I do as a writer; I believe telling our stories can break down walls and help us build more meaningful relationships. That passion and purpose fueled my new mission statement: Connecting brands with the people they love.

Tagline

At the end of this process, I still felt the need for a line my clients could rally around — something that felt deeply aligned with their values and visions for their own brands. “Research-based copywriting” could sound too technical without the right language to warm it up.

Finally, I landed on a new tagline: Messaging made human.

Because my clients know that success isn’t about hustling harder or being the loudest voice in the room, but by creating a meaningful, human connection with the people they serve.

And because as excited as I am about the potential of generative AI and how we can use it as one of many tools in our work, I also know there’s no replacement for sitting down with another human to dig deep into the heart of your business, or having real conversations with your clients about why they loved working with you.

That’s why we pour hours of research into every project, and why I haven’t replaced our three-hour kickoff call with a questionnaire. At the end of the day, this work is about doubling down on what makes your brand human and using that language to connect with your people on a deeper level.

For me, this line was the piece that tied it all together.

Ready for a more aligned message of your own?

With messaging that feels like “me” again, I’m finding that it’s easier and more enjoyable to show up online and tell people about the work I do. 

Instead of hiding behind an old version of myself, I’m finally embracing this new season of life and business — a shift that can only lead to more aligned client partnerships going forward.

And at the end of the day, that’s exactly why I love walking my clients through this process, too.

Whether you’re excited to level up your message or you feel your brand has lost its way, I really have been there — and it would be a joy to guide you to more aligned sales, renewed clarity and confidence in your brand, and a deeper connection with your clients at every touchpoint. 

If you’re interested in collaborating on your copy and messaging strategy, I’d love to chat with you. Book a free consultation to start the conversation.

Special thanks to Sarah Peterson at Braevin for refreshing my website design so beautifully.