Turn Leads into Clients With This Proven Copywriting Formula

by Jamie Dickson | Oct 2, 2023 | Uncategorized

Looking for a simple, effective copywriting formula that gets your content read and turns leads into clients? Keep reading! 

Most of my clients believe they’re “bad writers.” They spin their wheels trying to create creative, eye-catching copy, only to feel overwhelmed by writer’s block.

Sometimes, they don’t want to write at all! (And that’s where I come in.)  

But 9 times out of 10, they simply don’t have the tools to quickly and easily write copy that converts. 

That’s why this copywriting formula is so useful: it provides a simple framework for effective copy.

The best part? You can use it in various marketing efforts, including Instagram captions, emails, sales pages, and more. 

The words you use to market your offers can make or break your strategy. So, keep reading for one of my favorite copywriting formulas. ⤵️

How to Use A Copywriting Formula: Start with Market Research

A copywriting formula is a framework to help you quickly create effective messages. 

Before you write, though, you need to know your ideal client.

So, conduct market research to determine:

• Your ideal client’s pain points and challenges
• Their goals/hopes/desires
• The words they use to describe how their challenges make them feel
• What they’ve already tried (and why it didn’t work)
• What outcome they’re looking for

Market research is essential; business owners often make assumptions about what their ideal clients think and feel, and they’re usually wrong.

Our Ideal Client

In this blog post, we’re a home organizer whose ideal client has a massive clutter problem. From our market research, we’ve gathered:

Our ICA is a successful dentist and mom with 3 kids under 12. She has undiagnosed ADHD, and while she rocks her 9-5, she feels overwhelmed, exhausted, and defeated at home. 

She’s tried multiple organizing methods (The Home Edit, Marie Condo), and while those strategies worked a bit, she fell back into old habits after a few weeks; nothing ever stuck, and she feels like a failure. 

She’s spent hundreds of dollars on storage; her linen closet (and her garage … and her shed)  is filled with unused or unorganized Container Store bins, boxes, and baskets.

While she doesn’t have much time to watch TV, she’s a Bravo and Bachelor fan and enjoys true crime.

Our Copywriting Formula: PASO

Today, we’ll use the PASO copywriting formula to help our ideal client feel seen and heard and showcase that we can help her solve her problem. 

I love this simple copywriting formula due to its versatility. You can use it for social media captions (short-form copy), blog posts (long-form copy), and everything in between.

Let’s write an Instagram caption using this formula. ⬇️

Illustrate the Problem

First, we’ll state our ideal client’s challenge, problem, or pain point. To help our ICA feel seen and understood, we need to paint a vivid picture of what her problem looks like:

Mama, is your clutter causing major overwhelm? Do you feel like a failure every time you step into your closet?

Here, we’ve identified who our ideal client is (a mom), what her problem is (clutter), and how it’s making her feel (overwhelmed and like a failure).

Agitate

Now, we need to agitate this problem. We need to make it clear that our ICA can’t go on living like this:

Let me guess: 

✅ You haven’t seen your closet floor in months,
✅ Your kids’ playroom needs more caution tape than a Dateline episode, 
✅ And your pantry drives you to order DoorDash multiple times a week. 

You’ve tried every organizing method and strategy imaginable (Thanks, but no thanks, Marie Kondo), and you’ve spent hundreds of dollars on Container Store “solutions” only to be left with *more* clutter.

Above, we stirred the pot by showing our ICA that her problem has gotten out of hand; she’s wasting money on organizing methods, tools, and takeout and not seeing any results.

Solution

Next, we clarify that we are the solution to our ICA’s problem. (But remember, we’re just a guide – they’re the hero of their story.) 

I understand how overwhelming clutter can be. For the past 6 years, I’ve helped more than 125 moms like you tackle their clutter for *good*. 

And I know you can do it, too! You just need systems, strategies, and tools that work for your brain and unique circumstances.

We’ve clarified that we are the solution to our ICA’s problem. We showed our authority (by telling how many clients we’ve helped and how long we’ve been in business.

We also pointed out that it’s not our ICA’s fault that she’s not organized; she just hasn’t found the tools and systems that work for her unique brain (ADHD) and circumstances. 

Outcome

Finally, we need to paint a picture of what our ICA’s life will look like after we help her reach her goal:

After we work together, you’ll not only have a tidy home. You’ll have a sustainable system that will keep your home organized and clutter-free forever.

Ready to get started? Drop a “YES” below, and I’ll DM you a link to book your FREE consult.

Putting It All Together With PASO Copywriting Formula

Here’s our Instagram caption! ⤵️

_______

Easy peasy, right?

PASO Copywriting Formula Variation

My favorite way to shake up this formula is to start with the desired outcome. 

“Picture this: you’re sipping coffee in your tidy, organized kitchen while your kids are upstairs in their playroom. (Now that they can see the floor – they’re much happier playing there!) 

If you live with mounds of clutter, this might seem like a fantasy, but you’re closer to this dream than you realize!”

This is especially helpful for ICA’s who already know they have a problem. 

FREE PASO Caption Template ⤵️

Still not sure how to make this work for your business? Here’s a FREE PASO Caption template for you to make your own!

_______________

It doesn’t have to be this way, [ideal client qualifier here; ex: “mama,” “business owner,” etc.]!

If you’re tired of _________, ____________, and __________ [use these blanks to identify the problem you solve], keep reading!

Let me guess: you feel _________, ________, and ________ [how your client feels about their problem] when it comes to __________ [the problem]. It’s preventing you from ___________, and you’re SO over it.

I get it! And I can help. 👇

[Explain your offer here; be sure to list the BENEFITS, not the FEATURES of the offer.]

Just think – by this time next [week, month, year, etc.], you could be ____________________ [what life will look like for your client after you help her solve her problem.]

Ready to get started? DM me the word ___________ [word related to your offer].

How to Write An Instagram Caption that Pops

Let’s Wrap This  Up

Copywriting doesn’t have to be complicated; a simple formula can help you create effective messages that turn leads into clients and customers. 

So remember the PASO formula:

1. Illustrate the Problem 
2. Agitate the Problem 
3. Showcase yourself as the Solution 
4. Illustrate the Outcome

And if you’re thinking: “This sounds great, but I don’t have time to write Instagram captions and run a business. 
I get it, and I can help. Reach out today to learn more about my caption writing services.

My 2023 Social Media Boundaries

by Jamie Dickson | Feb 16, 2023 | Uncategorized

I’ve been thinking a lot about social media boundaries.

Why? Because Instagram is weird. And in early 2022, I started to feel … weird … about my presence on it. I spent a lot of time on the platform, and while I loved connecting with like-minded business owners, showing up every day with my business goals, successes, downfalls, to-do lists, struggles (not to mention my family) felt, well, strange.

And that makes sense, because research shows that social media can (and likely does) have a negative impact on our mental health. Remember that whistleblowing Wall Street Journal article that reported Facebook knows just how toxic its family of apps are for mental health?

Well, I finally started to feel the effects of that toxicity last year. And as I waded through my feelings about it, two words kept coming to mind: “Tired” and “boundaries.”

I was tired of the daily obligation to “show up,” and I felt a pull to set firmer boundaries–on social media and in business. I suddenly felt anxious about something that before came so naturally to me.

Around this time, I was also diagnosed with ADHD and Level 1 Autism. And while the verdict is still out on that last diagnosis (I’m seeking a second opinion), I knew I needed break.

So, instead of reaching for a scalpel (like I would normally do) I grabbed the butcher knife: I stopped posting to Instagram (except for the occasional dog photo) and I completely cut out services that had me living on the app (Instagram management and Instagram content planning).

Basically, I went from full time content manager, writer, and strategist to (very) part time content writer. 

That was 8 months ago. And now that I’m ready to start using Instagram for my business again, I need to come up with social media and business boundaries that work for me and my family. 

This is an accountability exercise for me, but I hope it also helps you think about what social media boundaries you should implement, too! 

So, keep reading to learn 3 Instagram boundaries I plan to implement moving forward.

Here for the Time Limits

Did you know that the average person spends 8 months of their life on Instagram, according to an October, 2022 article from BusinessDIT ? I’d argue that it’s significantly more for some users. 

Before 2022, I spent too much time not only posting to Instagram, but also checking it. I’m embarrassed to say this, but it became a compulsion. 

I don’t know how many hours I spent on my phone, but I can tell you it wasn’t healthy. 

This time around, I plan to set time limits. I want to also make it a goal to not check social media after 8 p.m. Help me stick to it, please!

Kids on My Socials? Nope.

While every family is different, and while every parent has varying values when it comes to what they put online, I’ve decided to no longer share my kids publicly online.

For one, there are a ton of creeps.

Secondly, I’ve done a lot of research on informed consent and how children cannot possibly fathom what it means to have their images and stories shared online day in and day out. 

It’s hard to truly conceptualize what it means to go viral, and while that’s never been a goal of mine, that doesn’t mean it can’t happen. I don’t want my kids being introduced to that many strangers at this young of an age. 

I do have a “friends only” list for Instagram stories, but I honestly don’t know that I’ll share them there, either. 

This article from Family Education shares the potential pitfalls and dangers of sharing your kids online. Check it out here.

(And if you feel comfortable sharing your kids online, hear me out: this is not a judgment. I’m just sharing what I personally feel comfortable with!)

Follower Count? Who’s She?

When I first started my business, I was *very* focused on growing my Instagram following. The more the merrier was my motto! 

Since I took a break in summer of 2022, I removed hundreds of followers and have paid much closer attention to who follows me. 

So while other accounts are aiming for growth, right now, I’d like to limit my following to less than 2K. 

I know it sounds crazy! And I might shift priorities in the future. But right now, I want a small, genuine community of followers that I can actually connect with.

Social Media Boundaries: Final Thoughts

So why did I share this with you? I want you to feel empowered to create your own boundaries so that you can feel good about your online presence and the time you spend on social media.

Because like it or not, it does have an effect on our mental health, our ability to create real relationships, and more.

Since I scaled back from Instagram and business, I’ve read more books, taken on more hobbies, and have spent more time with my family. 

I have LOVED the last few months, and I don’t want that to change. 

So my hope is that these boundaries give me the best of both worlds: a way to connect with you on social media without sacrificing my personal time and privacy. 

So, please hold me accountable. If you see me spending too much time on the platform, call me out!

Next month, I’ll share my social media goals for the next few months, so stay tuned!

And tell me: what are your social media boundaries? Let’s talk about it!