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Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels good — Fiction
Cutting Chai Stories: Write copy that feels good

Click. Click. Click.

That’s the sound of you doing anything OTHER than writing your copy.

Sales page needs to be written? Ummm, *after* my second cup of chai.
Emails are underperforming? Maybe I’ll skip the weekly email.
Blank page mocking you? Let me scroll other accounts on Instagram…

When you’re feeling stuck with your copy and are in avoid-or-ignore mode, copywriting can feel like a dark art practiced only by mysterious scribes in secret ways.

That’s when you either give up on your copy and pay for a template or a copywriter to take the whole damn thing off your plate.

Trouble is, you often end up sounding wooden or like someone else entirely — if you’re even putting copy out there at all.

But what to do when you don’t have a fancy writing degree and you haven’t the first clue what to write about? You know the words are important — your words are the primary way your audience gets a taste of you, after all — and you know that you need to use them more effectively so your audience can find you, hire you, and PAY you.

So what’s a marketing-shy, overthinking business owner like you to DO???

That’s where I, and Cutting Chai Stories, come in. I’m Jayati Vora, a recovering journalist who brings two decades of editing chops, my love of chai, and my style of storytelling to the world of marketing and copy.

In episodes of just 15 minutes or less, I’ll walk you through the basics of writing your copy yourself, in a voice that your grandma would recognize, and how to be your own brand’s wingman without slimy marketing tactics.

Cutting Chai Stories is jam-packed with highly actionable tips on writing, editing, and storytelling, with a dash of masala, so you can sell your services and products with confidence.

Episodes air on Thursdays and feature occasional interviews with business owners who’ve learned to harness the power of copy, and the marketers and copywriters who work with them.

Start connecting with your customers in your copy with my free mini course, delivered to your inbox when you sign up for my twice-weekly email newsletter, Chai in my Inbox: www.cuttingchaistories.com/subscribe

Copyright: © Jayati Vora

Latest Episodes:

S4 Ep 12: What to do in the winter of your creativity? Aug 03, 2022

Show notes

Here's the link to the Thomas Moore poem, Spring and Autumn, that I read out in the beginning of this episode: https://internetpoem.com/thomas-moore/spring-and-autumn-poem/

What if we took this idea of seasons and applied it to our content, our creativity?

There are times when ideas flow like crazy, like the monsoon deluge of rain in my hometown of Mumbai. And there are other times when everything dries up, like in winter, and what the *heck* are you going to post or write then? The tap of inspiration has been firmly turned off, but your business still has to run.

In this episode, I give you five things to try when you're in the winter season of YOUR creativity, plus one thing you can do to PREPARE for winter.

And if you enjoy this episode, would it be impossible for you to leave a review for Cutting Chai Stories on the app of your choice? It tells me what you like about the show and helps new listeners to find it. Thank you so much for your time!

S4 Ep 11: You have a copy love language Jul 28, 2022

Show notes

If you've heard of Gary Chapman's concept of five love languages -- the way we express and receive love -- then you know that frequently two people in a relationship clash because they speak DIFFERENT love languages.

Well, what if we took that concept and applied it to copy?

Imagine the way you communicate most easily, totally naturally, no stress involved.

Is that actually the way you express yourself in your marketing and your copy? What would happen if you doubled down on your copy love language?

In this episode, how to find your copy love language, lean into it, and what to do when your audience speaks a different copy love language than you.

Also, I have a FABULOUS offer going on right now. I have 9 spots for FREE coaching sessions via Zoom, 30 minutes each, to give away. You can ask me anything about copy and I'll do my best to help -- no strings, no agenda. If you want one of those spots, email me at jayati AT cuttingchaistories DOT com; it's first-come, first-served.

And if you want ME speaking MY primary copy love language, where I'm most at ease, subscribe to my email list, Chai in my Inbox, at https://www.cuttingchaistories.com/subscribe

S4 Ep 10: Of templates and other buzzkills Jul 21, 2022

Show notes

Ever filled out a Mad Libs template? Those are FUN-NY.

Put an adjective here, a common noun there, and when you read it back to the group, everything's all jumbled up in the most hilarious way.

That's pretty much the only place I think templates are a good thing. (Ok, that, and Wordpress blog themes.)

When it comes to marketing and your copy, they fall FIRMLY in the buzzkill category.

That's because words are oh-so-important at conveying your meaning and building a relationship with your audience.

And borrowing someone else's words, no matter how pretty, never works in the long run.

Kinda like jamming your feet into the wrong shoes and only realizing *after* hobbling away that they're a half size too small.

A step up from templates are guides and frameworks. They offer you more wiggle room to experiment, to inject some personality into the words, and make them your own.

The other big plus? They offer you a solid foundation to get started, so you don't have to start from scratch every time.

Personally, I love writing prompts too (so much so that I give you two of them in the episode, just for fun!) -- they spark new ideas in me directly from the prompt, but also giving me tangential ideas to turn into new stories.

And if you're truly confident, you can be a juggler of words, putting them together in any order. (This is rare though, so don't worry if you're not at this point.)

Finally, a promotion I'm running:

If you have a website or landing page that you'd like MY expert eyes on, I'm doing FOUR reviews of 4 webpages for FREE. How it works is, you email me at jayati AT cuttingchaistories DOT com with the URL you'd like me to review, and any comments you have on what you're wanting feedback on in particular, if anything. I'll take a look, and review four entries and make videos of my suggestions. You get to keep the videos for life, and I get to use them on my podcast and other places.

That's it! No strings, no payment, no obligations.

And if you DO use templates, email me and let me know what you use them for and what you think about them -- I love hearing from my listeners!

S4 Ep 9: What a consultant can teach you about copywriting, and how to be kind to yourself while launching Jul 14, 2022

Show notes

In today's episode, I speak with Catherine Stagg-Macey, an executive coach and mojo wing woman for mid-career professionals ready to reclaim their spark in their career. She’s spent 20 years in a corporate career wondering if there was a more fulfilling chapter. Her own journey to find work that was meaningful has formed the basis for the work she now does with others.

Here are a few choice quotes from our conversation:

I have a principle of never outsourcing stuff I don’t know. And this goes back to my consulting—we would tell our clients the same thing. Don’t outsource a problem, don’t outsource something that you don’t understand how it works. Because then you’re never gonna know, whether what you get back, is of any good, or have any value, right?

I’m still learning how I think when I write. I’m still finding my own voice, and I find, having to write the weekly email letter, having to write the sales page, forces me, in a good way, to kind of go, well, what ARE the pain points I’m trying to address, who IS the person I’m trying to talk to, who IS the ideal client that I have in mind.

You know, you’ve asked me some great questions that I couldn’t answer, around my ideal client. But it’s only through copy, I think you can create content and create a program without being that clear, but I think doing your own copy helps you, forces you to be VERY clear on that, which I think is GREAT.

Whatever kind of copywriting support you get, I think you need someone else to look at the copy. Because there is so much, and after a while you’re like, I can’t think of another email to write, I can’t think of another story. Do I have to say the benefits again, or the outcomes AGAIN. And your copywriter or freelancing buddy is going to say YES, or NO.

If you’re going to embrace your copywriter side, as an entrepreneur or a small business owner, I think you have to face your stories and assumptions you have about yourself as a storyteller. Like…who’s going to be interested in my story? Does it matter? How do I make a story about learning to do pottery link to my career rut course? How do I make that bridge? And not sound totally naf.

Copywriting is not about being “correct,” it’s an invitation into a relationship, it’s an invitation into connecting through a story, to be human with each other.

Connect with Catherine:

On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/staggmacey/

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/staggmacey/

Visit her website: https://www.conversationsattheedge.co.uk

Find out your leadership style: https://quiz.tryinteract.com/#/6011b3a9b2b16d001691e67d

Read her blog post about writing Out of Office emails: https://www.conversationsattheedge.co.uk/blog/out-of-office

S4 Ep 8: Take off your clothes to write more convincing copy Jul 07, 2022

Show notes

You believe in what you sell with a PASSION. But you can't see why your prospective clients don't seem convinced.

That's because there's a difference between telling them about something and taking them along for the ride so they can see for themselves.

And in today's episode of Cutting Chai Stories, I show you how writing with your 5 senses can immerse your readers in the moment with you -- for creative writing, for pulling together an ideal client avatar, and for writing a product description.

For each scenario, I show you how regular writing, the kind of writing you're used to seeing everywhere (and used to IGNORING, too, just like your clients ignore YOUR marketing) compares with writing that invokes the 5 senses. (And, bonus, does that whole show, not tell, bit.)

And yes, I give you a bit of homework that involves taking off your clothes to write better, more compelling copy (not sleazy at ALL, get your mind out of the gutter!).

Best of all, I put together a Google Doc for you with all that lovely text for those three examples so you can compare them side-by-side AND get a behind-the-scenes look at WHY I chose those words, those phrases, and what effect they can have on the reader (aka you). Make a copy of this free resource now so that you can put this technique into action and start putting better marketing and copy into the world (which sorely needs it).

Get your copy of this resource here so you can start writing the most convincing copy of your life: https://cuttingchaistories.com/5senses/

If you're unfamiliar with the "show, don't tell" dictum, I cover it in greater detail in Season 2 Episode 17 of Cutting Chai Stories, so back and listen to that.

And finally, if you weren't totally bored by this, if you didn't find it a waste of your time, would you consider leaving a review for the show? It helps others like you to find Cutting Chai Stories, and it would personally mean a great deal to me. Thank you!

S4 Ep 7: Benefits vs. Features (and how to supercharge them) Jun 30, 2022

Show notes

Welcome to the third and final installation of the mini series on what to prep before you write a SINGLE word of copy. This series is ESPECIALLY important for sales pages, so if you’re planning to launch a course or group program or a new product, listen up.

Over the past two episodes, we covered two other elements to prep before you start to write your copy, and those were Voice of Customer and Core Transformation.

Today we’re going to talk about benefits versus features.

Chances are that if you’ve been in the online business space for more than a minute, you’ve heard people say, talk about the benefits of your product, not the features.

But what does that MEAN?????

Well I like to think of features as the NOUNS.

So, if you’re selling an online course with live coaching calls and a 300-page workbook, the FEATURES might include:

--8 weeks of prerecorded calls that can be consumed in video, audio or transcript format

--Starts September 1, new videos released every week

--You have lifetime access, so you can watch at your own pace

--Live calls every Sunday at 2 p.m. Eastern in our private Facebook group

--Each participant will be mailed a 300-page workbook in physical and e-book format, which contains all the exercises and resources you’ll need to follow along

--Price, refund policy, size of cohort if that’s relevant, length of videos, length of coaching calls, etc

So that’s all the important information that you’ll need to know. Coz if you’re never available on Sundays at 2 p.m. and the live coaching is crucial to the success of the course, maybe you won’t purchase it this round. Or if you’re in a different time zone and want to know if they’ll be recorded so you can watch them at a time that’s more convenient to you, this list of features will be important to answer your questions.

So they’re pretty vital to know, right? The list of features?

So why is everyone pooh-poohing them all the time?

What’s WRONG with listing all the features?

The short answer is—nothing.

We want and NEED to know the nitty-gritties to help us make a decision.

But whether the calls are held at 2 p.m. Eastern or 2 p.m. Pacific is not the make-or-break factor when you’re just encountering this program.

First you wanna know if this can help you with the particular problem you’re having. And the timing and length of the calls isn’t going to tell you that. For that, you need the benefits.

Listen to the episode to understand the difference between benefits and features, with real-life and made-up examples for services and products.

PLUS how to supercharge your benefits so that potential clients can see that your offer is exactly right for them.

Also mentioned in the show are Cathy Heller and her podcast, Don't Keep Your Day Job, as well as Harry Dry's website marketingexamples.com. Both are invaluable sources of information for me, I highly recommend you check them out.

Finally, the content of this mini series on what to prep before writing a single word of copy (ESPECIALLY your sales or landing page) came about as a result of a question by an email subscriber.

I take conversations with my subscribers seriously and respond to each one. Want input into subsequent episodes? Have a question you haven't seen answered anywhere else or that you want my take on? Sign up for Chai in my Inbox at https://www.cuttingchaistories.com/subscribe and then hit reply to any of my emails to say hello!

S4 Ep 6: Why should someone buy from YOU and not your competitor? (Part 2 of the "what to prep" mini series) Jun 16, 2022

Show notes

If you're just joining in, this is the second episode in a three-part mini series answering the question: What do I need to prep BEFORE I write a single word of copy?

Last week's episode on Voice of Customer was the first; if you missed it, you can catch up here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s4-ep-5-what-to-prep-before-writing-a-single-word-hint-voc/id1504011822?i=1000565705402

Today we're talking about nailing our core transformations. Your product or service may have several benefits and even more features, but what's the ONE change that your customers will experience when they buy it?

Listen for two examples of a product and a service, plus three exercises that'll take you through crafting a brand transformation of your own.

There's one more episode to go in this mini series; subscribe so you don't miss it!

And if you liked it, if you found it useful, come hang out with me in my email newsletter, Chai in my Inbox. I send it out twice a week, with copy inspiration, writing tips, and funny stories from my life. You can sign up through this link to get a free checklist of the 12 things to do before you send your next email: https://www.cuttingchaistories.com/12emailcomponents

S4 Ep 5: What to prep before writing a single word (Hint: VOC) Jun 08, 2022

Show notes

There are a BUNCH of ducks you need to have in a row before you can start writing your copy (if you want it to be successful, that is). The list is too long to cover in its entirety in one episode, so this is the first of a short series about what to prep before writing your very first word.

Today's episode of Cutting Chai Stories with Jayati Vora focuses on "Voice of Customer."

What is it? Why is it important? And how do you as a fledgling marketer figure out what the voice of YOUR customer (even before you have a single one).

Thank you Yana, Angela, and The Cupcake Carriage for asking me this question and sparking the idea for this episode!

If you want to see real-life examples of marketing in the wild, hear zany stories from my life and the business and copy lessons I draw from them, and generally be in touch more often, sign up for my twice-a-week email newsletter, Chai in my Inbox. No spam, easy unsubscribe, and a shot of my signature masala every Monday and Thursday.

Subscribe here: https://www.cuttingchaistories.com/subcribe

S4 Ep 4: Reena Parekh on how to win at Instagram by discovering your voice Jun 02, 2022

Show notes

In the very first guest interview of this season, I speak to pre- and post-partum fitness coach Reena Parekh, who is killing it on Instagram. She doesn't think of herself as a writer, she doesn't use templates, and she abandoned the "rules" ages ago. How does she do it?

Key takeaways of this episode:

Have a purpose. Reconnect with who you're doing this FOR.
Representation matters.
When you become human, you become more relatable to people.
It's all interconnected; our businesses are political.
You have to be willing to have hard conversations, because when you're putting yourself out there, you're opening the door.
Even the best creators take a break.
Writing is a skill.
The more you share what feels right to you, the more it will resonate with people.

Best aha moments:

“I had this pivotal moment when I was going through my feed, and I realized everybody I followed was a young fitness professional who was white, thin, able-bodied…they all had that kind of similar lifestyle—it looked nothing like mine.”

“That was when I realized I had to diversify my feed. I had to find more people that looked like me, that kind of lived a life that I lived, aligned with my values and my beliefs – that’s when I started talking about why representation matters.”

“When we start sounding like everybody else, and talking about the same things as everybody else, you just become part of the noise.”

“The more that I started to share what felt right to me, that aligned with who I am and my values and my beliefs, the easier the words flow. And the more I find that resonates with others.”

“We have to know what we’re putting out there, WHY are we doing it, what is the purpose, what is the impact that you wanna make, how do you wanna use your voice on social media? We have been given platforms to use our voices—that is a gift.”

About Reena:

Reena Parekh is a business owner, pre- and postpartum fitness specialist, speaker and mental health advocate. She is a proponent of change in this space, encouraging her clients and community to embrace their bodies and pushback against postpartum bounce back culture.

Connect with Reena:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/itsreenaparekh

Baby2Barbell™️ Core + Pelvic Floor Basics: https://www.reenaparekh.com/b2blevel1

Free Resources: https://www.reenaparekh.com/free-resources

S4 Ep 3: But Jayati, what do I write ABOUT??? May 26, 2022

Show notes

If you're stumped at the thought of using stories in your marketing, and what's holding you back is the thought that you have nothing exciting enough, nothing worthy enough of sharing, well, I'm about to banish that thought by reading you an email about the most boring thing I could imagine, to the most boring outcome.

Listen to this episode for a demonstration of how to use stories in your marketing -- and, this is key -- make them RELEVANT and INTERESTING to your audience.

Subscribe so you never miss an episode!

And if you listen to this and think, I need more of this in my life, I am taking 1:1 clients for copy coaching, and storytelling is a HUGE part of the work. To see if we're a good fit, email me at jayati AT cuttingchaistories DOT com.

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