IAM2740 – Copywriting Expert and Mental Health Advocate Helps Female Entrepreneurs Be Heard

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Transcription:

Kelsey Formost 00:00

I would tell my younger business self to niche down sooner. And this is the copywriting thing too. Like, know who you're talking to and be really, really specific with that information.

Gresham Harkless 00:42

Hello, hello, hello, this is Gretch from the I Am CEO podcast, and I have a very special guest on the show today. I have Kelsey Formost of Magic Words Copywriting. Kelsey, it's awesome to have you on the show.

Kelsey Formost 00:51

Thanks so much for having me.

Gresham Harkless 00:53

No problem. Super excited to have you on. And what I wanted to do was just read a little bit more about Kelsey so you can hear about all the awesome things that she's doing. Kelsey is a copywriting expert and mental health advocate who helps female entrepreneurs use copywriting tools to be heard, feel valued, and to make money. She is the CEO of Magic Words Copywriting, and she has a new online course on the way called Copy Class. Kelsey, are you ready to speak to the I Am CEO community?

Kelsey Formost 01:18

I'm so ready.

Gresham Harkless 01:19

Awesome. Let's do it. So I wanted to kick everything off with what I call your CEO story. What led you to get started with your business?

Kelsey Formost 01:26

Oh, man. So I got started with copywriting because I actually have a background in Entertainment. I spent 10 years as an actress and a screenwriter. I did off-Broadway stuff in New York. I have been in movies and on TV shows. And I had what I think every CEO or business owner has, which was this sort of niggling feeling that I was supposed to be doing something more, but I couldn't put a finger on what. And then at the end of 2017, I had a fancy staff writer job that was kind of my day job as I was an actor, and my entire team got laid off.

Gresham Harkless 02:06

Oh, wow.

Kelsey Formost 02:07

And I had just signed a lease on my first “big girl” apartment. I was on my own financially for the very first time, and I had a complete breakdown. And I was like, what is it when you're in those moments? Yeah, I actually get excited now. And I think that that's something that's so important for anybody who has their own business to hear: those moments of darkness are a great sign because it forces you to get super clear about what you want to do, who you are, and how you're going to serve your community.

Anyway, it was New Year's Eve. I was with my mom. It was 10pm; she was asleep. The dog was asleep on our laps. And I was just like, I really need to make some changes. I just started asking myself a bunch of questions. Long story short, I realized that what I really loved was telling people's stories and helping them feel deeply heard and seen. So I explored some career choices that would allow me to do that, and I found copywriting. I'm so glad that I did. Because copywriting—if you don't know what it is—it's not the little “C” with the circle. A lot of people think that; you're not alone if you're one of them. Copywriting is writing words that sell, so it can be used across every single business. And not only in business, but in life. Once you learn about copywriting, you'll start to see it. Like, “Oh, I can use it to convince my friends to go to the movies with me.”

Gresham Harkless 03:40

Exactly.

Kelsey Formost 03:41

It's an amazing skill and it allows me to be fulfilled creatively, but also feel like I'm really giving back to the world.

Gresham Harkless 03:50

Right. That's definitely huge. And I feel like that's a lot of what we all kind of hope to do with whatever our craft is: to be seen and heard. Just like you say. And you know, we're doing sometimes such great things, but we don't necessarily always know how to articulate that and let people know exactly what we're doing. So that's why I appreciate you making this your focus and your gift—being able to help people articulate themselves so that they can be found and heard and seen. And then, of course, make some sales.

Kelsey Formost 04:19

Shucks. Thanks.

Gresham Harkless 04:21

You're welcome. And I think too, just going into what you were talking about: I usually say it's always darkest before dawn. So those dark times and dark moments a lot of times give us that opportunity to “cut bait” with things that don't really serve us and start to really hone in on those things that do serve us the most and are our passion. That's what will a lot of times drive that needle. So I think we need those rock bottom moments in life and also in business.

Kelsey Formost 04:49

Absolutely. Because as you just said, it's in those moments that you're forced to let things go. You're forced to get clear. And once you're not spending a lot of time on stuff that doesn't serve you, all that time gets freed up. It's like this magical thing that happens. It feels really scary because, as human beings, we crave security, and yet when you have this sort of blank page, it opens the door for you to be able to create the life that you actually want versus a situation that you might be feeling stuck in.

Gresham Harkless 05:32

Yeah, absolutely. When I look back at when I got laid off, I think that because, of course, when it happened, I wasn't a happy camper at all.

Kelsey Formost 05:40

I would love to know what the actual statistics are of CEOs or business owners regarding how many of them had that moment where they got laid off and they were like, “I'm not going back to that crap.”

Gresham Harkless 05:58

Exactly! And it forces you to make sure that you have to do that. Sometimes it's those moments that you don't want, but you need them in order to propel you forward to wherever you need to be. So I know you got propelled into copywriting. Can you take us a little bit more through what you're doing to support clients, how you work with them, and then tell us a little bit more about your course?

Kelsey Formost 06:24

Absolutely. So copywriting, like I said, is every business's secret weapon. You can apply it literally everywhere. The act of copywriting is writing words that convince somebody to take an action. That action can be subscribing to an email list, buying a product or service, following you on social media, or reading a blog. Any action you want a reader or a customer to take, you can use copywriting tools to guide them.

There are a few hacks on how to do this. One is: write like you talk. A lot of people think they have to fancy up their writing to appear professional and buttoned up, and it just makes you sound like a walking LinkedIn profile. And nobody wants to buy from a walking LinkedIn profile.

Gresham Harkless 07:21

Very true.

Kelsey Formost 07:22

So if you're having trouble with that, just pretend like you're talking to your best friend. Or, if you're still having trouble, pretend like you're talking to a third grader, because that forces you to be super clear. You can explain big concepts to a third grader. Those are just some little tangible tips you guys can take away.

As for what I do: People can work with me one-on-one where I will actually write the thing for them. If they're like, “Please, I don't want to DIY this. Take my email funnel, take my website, make it pretty, and then give it back to me.” Another way I work is consulting, where I will live-write with someone. I call it “over the shoulder,” where we open a Google Doc and write in real time so they can see the edits and we craft it together.The last way is through my upcoming copy class. It's going live in October and it covers the philosophy of copywriting—why it works. Hint: People care more about themselves! They don't care about you and what you're offering; they want to know how you can solve their problems.

Gresham Harkless 08:56

Right.

Kelsey Formost 08:56

We all do it. So we talk about the philosophy to train your brain to think that way. I give basic tips that apply across the board, and then I get into the nitty-gritty of how to write a website step-by-step for people who hate writing. By the way, you do not have to be a writer to use copywriting. If you stare at the “blinking cursor of death,” this is for you. I also take people through email funnels, which are the most effective sales tools you can possibly invest in learning.

Gresham Harkless 10:00

Nice. I definitely appreciate that. I think I read something where it’s like “to sell is human.” You don't really realize that you use those communication skills in every aspect of life—whether it's getting your kids to eat their vegetables or convincing a friend to see a movie. I wanted to ask you for your “secret sauce.” What sets you or your organization apart?

Kelsey Formost 10:42

Empathy. I think that empathy is the most amazing tool for life and for business. If you can put yourself in somebody else's shoes and really understand how to connect with them—digging deep to understand if they are feeling vulnerable or fearful of scarcity—that is the most valuable secret sauce. Identifying with your community and helping them from a place of real empathy.

Gresham Harkless 11:22

Absolutely. Switching gears a bit, do you have any other “CEO hacks” or things that make you more effective and efficient?

Kelsey Formost 11:32

Yes. This applies to every business. This is a nerdy statistic: businesses that invest in content marketing and copywriting actually see three times the profit of businesses that don't. So if you don't have a content strategy yet, go get one because it can triple your profits. That is no “small potatoes.”

Gresham Harkless 12:07

Nice. Now I wanted to ask you for a “CEO nugget.” What would you tell your younger business self?

Kelsey Formost 12:18

I would tell my younger business self to niche down sooner. Know who you're talking to and be really, really specific with that information.

Gresham Harkless 12:37

Nice. Now my absolute favorite question: Kelsey, what does being a CEO mean to you?

Kelsey Formost 12:49

Being a CEO means helping the world in the best way that I can. When you are the CEO of your own life, you get to make all the decisions on how you spend your time and energy. That means you are giving your best self at all times. You don't have to be listening to someone else's idea of what you should or should not be doing. You get to have that gut check for yourself with every single decision, every single day.

Gresham Harkless 13:26

I appreciate that definition. I always say if you're running your own race, you can't lose. If you're staying true to who you are, it's very hard to lose.

Kelsey Formost 13:42

Oh my gosh, completely. Part of my bio is that I'm a mental health advocate, and I think copywriting really relates to that. It’s not just saying what you think you “should” say; it’s getting down to who you are and how you are showing up to serve the world. We can all get bogged down with “comparisonitis”—looking at someone on Instagram with 100,000 followers and wondering why it’s working for them and not us. Learning to separate that, turning down the noise of the internet, and just taking the next right step is where the wins come.

Gresham Harkless 14:41

Absolutely. Writing is a very therapeutic way to do that. Kelsey, I truly appreciate all the awesome things you're doing. I want to “pass you the mic” to see if there's anything else you want to share and how people can get a hold of you.

Kelsey Formost 15:03

I'll just end by saying that wherever you are in your business, know that you're doing great. You're tuning in to this because you're trying to learn how to better show up for yourself and your customers. So pat yourself on the back! If you want to know more about me, please visit my website, kelseyformost.com. It's not a stage name, it's my real name! I would love to hear from you. Send me a DM or an email. There are lots of free resources on my website, so check it out.

Gresham Harkless 16:09

Awesome. Thank you so much again, Kelsey. We will have those links in the show notes. Thank you for all you're doing, and I hope you have a great rest of the day.