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.
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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
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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
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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 - kate@katehollis.co
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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
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Inquiries - kate@betterwithbookspodcast.com
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
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Book a consult - kate@katehollis.co
Inquiries - kate@betterwithbookspodcast.com
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
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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
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Book a consult - kate@katehollis.co
Inquiries - kate@betterwithbookspodcast.com
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 - kate@katehollis.co
Inquiries - kate@betterwithbookspodcast.com
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 - kate@katehollis.co
Inquiries - kate@betterwithbookspodcast.com
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Having original ideas is critical for success as an entrepreneur. After all, our livelihood depends on someone choosing our business over another one offering something similar.
But is originality is straightforward concept? What happens if we're inspired by someone else's work, or vice versa?
Our inspiration in this episode is a suspense novel - "The Plot" by Jean Hanff Korelitz.
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 to proceed when a competitor has an offer you'd like to replicate
- When false perceptions - both our own and others' - get in the way
- What to do when you think someone has taken your original idea
- Learning and growing from moments of insecurity
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 - kate@katehollis.co
Inquiries - kate@betterwithbookspodcast.com
For many entrepreneurs, achieving growth is a major goal. It's also a widespread focus of many online programs and thought leaders.
But is growing and scaling your business always the right move? And is it one of the most important markers of success ... especially when it comes at a cost to other areas of your life?
Our inspiration in this episode is a novel - "Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club" by J. Ryan Stradal.
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:
- The unseen impacts of growing and scaling a business in a capitalist culture
- The role of white privilege, mental health, disabilities, and caregiver responsibilities in our work
- When to question if your biz is working for you - even if it's performing well
- How important it is to pause and question predominant messaging in the entrepreneur world
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 - kate@katehollis.co
Inquiries - kate@betterwithbookspodcast.com
Who doesn't love a good laugh, right? Some of the most popular and memorable brands out there take this idea and run with it - using humor to effectively engage their audiences and sell their products.
But what kinds of humor are there, and can they all be used successfully in marketing? What does it look like when it works well ... and when it doesn't?
Our inspiration in this episode is a graphic novel and satire- "Bubble" by Jordan Morris & Sarah Morgan.
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 to use satire and parody to make a statement
- Examples of brands who do this really well
-Ways to use humor to inspire trust and confidence
-The downsides of using snark in your messaging
Purchase this title through my affiliate links on Amazon or My Bookshop.org storefront
And check out my friend Judi Harrington's book, mentioned in this episode: on Amazon and " target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">Bookshop.org.
Kate's copywriting - www.katehollis.co
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Social media plays a central role in many of our lives and businesses. But in a crowded digital space, it's easy for lines to get blurred and to assume that others use and experience social media in the same ways we do ourselves.
Where is that line, and how can we be thoughtful in how we use our content and sales strategy to engage with others in this space?
Our inspiration in this episode is a mystery novel - "A Better Man" by Louise Penny.
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:
-The concept of social media accounts as private space
-What are cognitive biases and where do they show up in our work
-How to use your social media content to sell without being overly promotional
-Developing the mental muscle to pick up on small details and inspiration in works of fiction
Purchase this title through my affiliate links on Amazon or My Bookshop.org storefront
Or start with the first book in the series, "Still Life" - on Amazon or " target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">Bookshop.org.
Kate's copywriting - www.katehollis.co
Follow on IG - @betterwithbookspod @kateholliswrites
Book a consult - kate@katehollis.co
Inquiries - kate@betterwithbookspodcast.com
Time is precious when you're an entrepreneur. So whether you're working or enjoying leisure time, chances are whatever you're doing has a specific, practical purpose. But what do we lose in the process? Allowing ourselves moments of enchantment and pure joy.
Our inspiration in this episode is a fantasy novel - "The House in the Cerulean Sea" by TJ Klune.
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:
-The perspective shift you get from hanging out with children
-What happens when you let yourself embrace the wonderfully weird
-Unconventional ideas for client gifting and content topics
-How to walk the line between whimsical and irreverent
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 - kate@katehollis.co
Inquiries - kate@betterwithbookspodcast.com
We're often told to keep our copy short and sweet - to just get to the point. And that works ... sometimes. But NOT for everyone in your audience. Done right, longer-form content is just as (if not more) effective than copy without a strong narrative structure and gradual build.
Our inspiration is a romance novel - "Part of Your World" by Abby Jimenez.
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 typical sales strategies are written by and for the male perspective
-That longer, thoughtful content fosters trust and rapport
-When a formulaic approach is actually a good thing
-That women's perception and buying power are not to be underestimated
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 - kate@katehollis.co
Inquiries - kate@betterwithbookspodcast.com
How often have you read "I'm going to let you in on a secret" or "what's your secret sauce?" in mainstream marketing?
Once I started paying attention, I started noticing the word 'secret" ALL over the place. In this episode, we're talking about what it means to invoke secrecy in your messaging - and if it's accomplishing what you think it is.
Our inspiration is a novel - "The Chicken Sisters" by KJ Dell'Antonia.
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:
-When secrets aren't actually secrets
-The importance of transparency
-Being aware of unintended consequences of certain word choices
-What is trauma-informed marketing
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 - kate@katehollis.co
Inquiries - kate@betterwithbookspodcast.com
When creating your offers, where do you find yourself drawn first -- to create and innovate, or to respond to a need in the market?
In this episode, we're talking about how to find the right balance between creating offers that excite you AND that are data-driven.
Our inspiration is a novel - "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow" by Gabrielle Zevin.
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:
-The complexities of having co-founders who are also friends
-The impact of disabilities and mental health on entrepreneurs
-Different approaches to offer creation
-Balancing creativity with the realities of running a business
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
Inquiries - kate@betterwithbookspodcast.com
Personality is paramount in the word of online business. But does it reflect who we truly are?
In this episode we're discussing how to navigate personality in business - our own AND our clients'. Our inspiration is a work of historical fiction - "Our Woman in Moscow" by Beatriz Williams.
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:
-Using the Enneagram as a framework for growth
-Foundations for brand identity
-Self awareness in sales messaging
-Using characters to explore our ideal client profile
Purchase the titles through my affiliate links:
Amazon - Our Woman in Moscow:
Amazon - Wisdom of the Enneagram
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Reading to benefit your business usually means reading books ABOUT business.
This podcast will inspire you to think -- and read! -- differently.
In this episode we're discussing how to broaden our perspective so that we find rich, meaningful learnings from books of ALL kinds.
Our inspiration for this first episode is a fantasy novel - "The Ten Thousand Doors of January" by Alix Harrow.
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:
-The line we draw between business and the rest of our lives
-Learning based in curiosity and discovery
-Shifting perspective to view works of fiction as relevant to our work as entrepreneurs
- Allowing more magic and playfulness into how we live and work
Purchase the book through my affiliate links at Amazon and Bookshop.org.
Kate's copywriting - www. katehollis.co
Follow on IG - @betterwithbookspod @kateholliswrites
Inquiries - kate@betterwithbookspodcast.com