February 27, 2024 • 19 mins
Pull a seat up at The Copy Table (welcome back!). Join hosts Erin Pennings and Nicole Morton as they interview co-host Grace Fortune. We've already gotten to know a little bit about Grace's story in Episode 2, but this time we went a little bit deeper and found out about how Grace built her business and developed her secret sauce. In this episode, we get into:
- The one thing Grace lives and dies by that makes her projects consistently successful
- Grace's superpowers: problem-solving and cheerleading
- A few of Grace's favorite business tools that help her write amazing copy
- Grace's approach to problem-solving and making a name for yourself as a copywriter
The takeaway? There really is no one right way to build a copywriting business you love! Whether you need actionable tips to market your copywriting business, a push to raise your rates, or the courage to plant your flag in a new niche, we've got you covered. Over the years, we've met some extraordinary people who've helped us, and we're ready to help you avoid the pitfalls that so many copywriters find.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Welcome to the coffee Table, the podcast for copywriters who want to get new ideas and inspiration for building and scaling a business you love. In this podcast, hosts Grace Fortune, Nicole Morton, and Erin Pennings bring new topics and guests to the table every single episode.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
We're spilling the beans on how you can use your interests and expertise to define what success means to you and take steps to achieve it.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Welcome back to the copy table. Today we're turning the spotlight on Grace and taking a deep dive into her copywriting business. We're going to go behind the scenes to see how she developed her approach to copywriting, found her audience, and unlocked her secret sauce. And we can't wait to dive in as Erin and I interview her.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Yes.
Speaker 4 (00:48):
So I am excited to be asking you this, Grace.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
What is it that you truly see.
Speaker 4 (00:56):
As your secret sauce? Because I think you have so many. So what is it that you see as your secret or not so secret sauce?
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Well, thanks, guys. Yeah, Erin, I'm glad you asked that. I've always had kind of trouble answering that question because I've always felt like I'm kind of a jack of all trades. And sometimes I feel like I'm not amazing at anything, which is, I know BS. I know you guys would tell me.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
That I'm absolutely wrong, 100% bs.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
But if I had to pinpoint a couple of things that make me make my secret sauce what it is, since I help with course launch strategy, I'm very good at kind of like the trifecta that I think goes into it strategy, which encompasses launch strategy, how you're going to approach it, marketing strategy, basically how to get from point a to point z. I'm really good at mapping that out and figuring out, okay, what needs to be done at each step to make the thing happen, there's also implementation. So not only do I know how to strategize a launch, I also know how to make it run. So I know how to set up a course, like in Kajabi, for example. I know how to make a course. Know, I can make you a course in a Google Document if you wanted.
(02:07):
Like, there's so many ways that you.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Could go about it, and I can.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Help you at every step of the way. And then I'm also a pretty dang good copywriter. So basically you need all of those things in order to effectively launch a course. And not only that, but there's another little thing that you need from anybody that you get support from. You need a cheerleader, and I'm a pretty dang good cheerleader.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Yes, you are. 1010 will endorse.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
I 100% agree. If there's any room that I'm in, I want Grace there.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
And you have had me in the.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Rooms that you're in several times now, literally and figuratively.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
I get so much joy out of watching the transformation, watching somebody go from not knowing how to launch their course, getting it all set up and out into the world. I just think that there's so much potential in a launch. So if I can support somebody and help them through that, then I think that's time we'll spend. And as far as being, like, a cheerleader, it's almost like a karma kind of thing. I want people to feel supported, and I want to feel supported as well. I do. So I like to pay that forward to anybody that I come in contact with. That's just one of the values of my business.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
So, Grace, what kind of led you to this point where you found out that this is something that you not only are really good at, but that you truly love?
Speaker 2 (03:35):
I'm not sure if I have answer where there was, like, one defining moment where I realized that this is what I love and what I'm good at. For me, it was just like a combination of all of the skills that I've learned throughout my work history. And frankly, as far as the cheerleader.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
Part goes, in my other jobs, I've.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Often kind of felt a little bit isolated and not really supported in my own work. So I want to make sure that nobody that I work with now feels that way.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
Right.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
I want people to feel cared for and supported and cheered on and that they have somebody in their corner that believes in what they do. So, to me, that was really important. As far as the tangible skills. As you know, I started in my business three years ago, almost three years ago now as a VA, so I learned all about how to do the technical implementation side. And I've watched my biggest client, he's a financial advisor. You've heard me talk about him.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
He's very much into the marketing aspect.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Of Dave D. Like the. The OG marketing kind of. I watched. I watched him apply those principles to his launches and helped him implement them. And that's kind of where I learned the marketing aspect and the strategy part of it from. Like I said, it's kind of an amalgamation of everything that I've done in the past couple of years, as well as principles that I believe in from my own work history. I hope that answers that question effectively.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
It really does. And I just want to take that a little bit deeper. So it led you to your business. How do you apply it within your business? Like, you're a natural cheerleader and you're really good at process and you're really good at systems, but how do you sprinkle in grace magic into your business? Because at the end of the day, and we've talked about this before, what we do is a commodity, but our business makes it special because we apply our secret sauce and we apply our experience, and we apply our frameworks and we apply our processes. So how did you gracify your business?
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Oh, gosh. Well, I mean, to be totally candid, I'm still working on that. Everything is a work in progress. Whenever I start a course launch project, I always have incorporate process into it by creating a board, whether it's in Trello or Asana or teamwork, I typically, for client facing projects where they have to go in and kind of see progress and milestones, I will set it up in whatever tool they. You know, there's a variety of them. Like ClickUp. Like I've mentioned, Asana and Trello. I'll set up, like a step by step kind of process for what they need to do on their end. And then for my own business, behind the scenes, I use ClickUp. So for every task and every deliverable, there's always going to be to dos due dates. And I'm very rigid about making.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Sure that everything is scheduled, including touch points.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
So if I know that I need to check in on the status of, let's say, a client didn't hire me to do copywriting, but I know that needs to be done. I will set a reminder for myself to check in with them and make sure that they're on track, and I make sure that every touch point that I have involves some sort of cheerleading in some way, like, hey, I wanted to check in with you. I know how awesome you are at this whole copy thing. How's everything going? Can I support you in any way? Making sure that they feel like I care about what they're doing, because I do.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
So, yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
As far as the cheerleading, yeah, I make sure that's incorporated into my interactions. It's kind of like a checklist. I'm like, do they feel supported in this interaction? And if I feel that the answer is yes, then it's okay to send out. If it doesn't, then I don't send.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
It out until it.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
But, yeah, as far as the processes, I rely very heavily on project management.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
Tools and I've templatized a lot of.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
These sort of things so that I don't have to reinvent the wheel every single time.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
That's so important.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Yeah, it is, because I could spend hours making a Trello board or making.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
An Asana board, and I don't want to do that.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
So I make sure that everything is already pre made and preset up as much as possible. So all I have to do is just copy and paste or duplicate a board and share it kind of thing. As far as marketing strategy, I read everything I can get my hands on.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
So as far as marketing strategy, again.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
I've learned a lot from OG people like Dave D and Dan Kennedy. But I've also incorporated a lot of the newer marketing strategies from people that align more with my personal values because I find that a lot of the OG marketers, they go a lot more hard on the pressure and the sales that a lot of people don't like anymore. That kind of paradigm is shifting. Marketing is getting sleazy and I don't subscribe to the whole sleazy marketing thing. So I've basically taken what I like.
Speaker 3 (08:50):
From the older methods and gotten rid.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
Of what I don't like and applied the newer stuff.
Speaker 4 (08:56):
I know we had been planning to talk about tools in another conversation. I still think that's important to do in a full episode, but I do want to find out because you've touched on them, what do you see are essential tools for running your business?
Speaker 2 (09:13):
Oh gosh. I live and die by my project management tool, ClickUp. I open that thing. It's open now. It's constantly open. I have it open at the start. As soon as my computer boots up, ClickUp is open. That I think is instrumental because I have the memory of a goldfish. So if I don't have those reminders, I will forget and balls will get dropped. The world will end. You know how it goes. As far as tools for copywriting, a couple of my favorite ones are I have gotten experimented with the AI stuff like Jasper chat GBT. I don't rely on them because obviously they're not very good and I just use them mostly for ideas and inspiration just to kind of clarify. But they are valuable. I also use Justin Blackman's new tool. What is it? Verbatim. Hashtag verbatim. Thank you. Verbatim.
(10:06):
Oh my gosh. If you're listening, Justin, I'm sorry. I've learned a lot from him as well. As far as getting voice know. Right, like that's.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
That's extremely valuable.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
There's a tool that I actually really like. If I'm trying to figure out a way to reward something, there's a tool called Quillbot, and it's another AI tool, and I love it, actually. It's given me so many different ideas. Again, use it for inspiration, not for finalized copy.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
Hemingway.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
Hemingway. I also use frequently, and I didn't.
Speaker 4 (10:40):
Mean to put you on the spot to be like, what do you want? But you brought up some, and it seems like they're integral to delivering your secret sauce, to delivering what it is that you do so well. So I think it's an important component. If you could have anyone walking into a room and knowing what it is that you do, what would you want them to come to you for?
Speaker 2 (11:00):
If I could literally do one thing all day, it would probably be having conversations like this and helping people plan out how they want to approach their launch. I enjoy writing copy, but it's not something that I live and die by. I don't feel like I'm going to die if I don't get right words on the page. I want to help people plan and strategize and then have them go forth and make magic happen. That I think would be my ideal spot. But there was actually a couple more tools there that I wanted touch on because they're valuable, too. As far as bookkeeping and accounting goes. I use stripe.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
I use Quickbooks.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
There's actually this one really cool tool that I've used a long time ago.
Speaker 3 (11:46):
That kind of let them talk to each other.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
It was like an integration kind of tool. I don't remember the name of it now. I'll find it and see if I can put it in the show notes, but it was really cool. They don't talk to each other natively, so if you make an invoice in.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
Stripe, it doesn't automatically go in Quickbooks.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
But there's a ton of other tools you can use for that. Like there's honeybug, Dubsado, wave, a whole bunch of other things. I mean, obviously the basics. There's the Microsoft Word suite, there's the Google suite, like Google Docs, spreadsheets, all of that kind of are. I consider those mean this is for other projects, but I actually use Adobe a lot for making pdfs. I use canva for design as well.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
I do some design work.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Those are, I would consider my essential tools.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
I want to know, touching on Erin's question, so your ideal prospect walks up to you in the room, but has that always been the case, or has your business changed over time?
Speaker 3 (12:47):
It's definitely changed.
Speaker 2 (12:49):
I would say that previously, if you would have talked to me two years ago, I would have said, yeah, I just want to write copy. But that's no longer the case. I've gotten a real passion for strategy, and frankly, I think I'm pretty good at it.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
You are very good at.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
I just. I want to keep doing that as much as I can.
Speaker 4 (13:11):
I would say strategy is when I come to you, Grace. And I'm like, man, I've got a problem. I need to talk it out. Your calmness, your ability to just think through it helps me come up with the solutions. And I cannot put enough value on the assistance and what it is that you bring to my business for that very reason. Because I don't know that strategy, that being able to see the big picture and then dive down into the tactics is not something that is particularly common. But I think that's something the three of us have in common.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
Yeah, I would agree. And it's nice because we basically have each other on speed dial. So if any one of us has a problem, the other one of us are going to have a solution, typically.
Speaker 3 (14:01):
Right.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
Even if it's just like, how do I say to my contractor that their writing isn't up to snuff? How do I word to my client that, okay, you haven't paid me, you need to pay me, right. We talk through that kind of stuff and strategize our approach. It is a really valuable skill, and I think that a lot of more people would benefit from developing that, for sure.
Speaker 4 (14:25):
How did you develop that to shine the light back onto you, Grace?
Speaker 2 (14:29):
I think observation, watching how other people.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
Approach, how other people have approached similar problems, I do consider myself to be pretty intuitive.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
So a lot of it does.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
It does come kind of naturally in a way. If I don't know answer, I'm.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Not afraid to go and Google and look things up.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
Right.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
If I genuinely don't know how to respond to something, then I'll do my research and figure out, okay, what is the best approach to this? What are the pros and cons? Are there any pros and cons to the advice that I'm giving to somebody? If I'm going to give somebody advice on how to approach something, I don't just spout it off the top of my head. I want to make sure that I'm trying to think through all of the angles. I think that's a skill that can be developed. I don't think that's something that's focused on enough is thinking through all of the angles. I'm not sure if that's a really great answer to your question, but to tell you the truth, I don't have a specific moment where I'm like, this is how I became good at strategy.
(15:29):
But just research, intuition, that's all I've.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
Got for that one.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
So I've got a tin can on a string back to past Grace three years ago. What would you like to tell her?
Speaker 3 (15:42):
Oh, my gosh.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
So I think that if I were.
Speaker 3 (15:45):
To tell myself anything over the last three years, it's that don't be afraid.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
To put your hand up and talk to people and offer support. Continue being kind. It doesn't always pay off immediately. And you shouldn't look at it as, how is this going to pay off? You can develop a name for yourself by just being present and showing up and continue doing that, and in three years, your life will be totally different.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
Right.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
When I first started my business, nobody knew who I was. Nobody knew grace fortune.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
And now a lot of people in.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
The copywriting space know who I am now. So it's all about kind of building, getting to know people, showing that you care about them.
Speaker 3 (16:39):
You're not just there to schmooze or.
Speaker 2 (16:42):
Network or land the big fish client. You are there because you care about the industry and you care about the people that you work with. So just keep on doing that. You're on the right track, is what I tell myself.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
You are on the right track.
Speaker 4 (16:56):
Grace fortune wholeheartedly agree. I remember the first time I saw you in one of the copywriter club things and how much things have changed and grown in your business in those last, it's probably been three years. It was probably right around the time you're jumping in. And it's been so fun to watch and to grow together.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Yeah, I feel like the three of.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
Us are those kids who got to know each other, like in high school, and we're just going off into the big, wide world and know, making a name for ourselves.
Speaker 3 (17:30):
I think it's really fun.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
Awesome. Any closing thoughts?
Speaker 3 (17:33):
Erin?
Speaker 4 (17:35):
I can say so much about Grace, and I will if you get me into a corner, like at a cocktail party. I'm pretty sure if you want to talk about Grace fortune, I can talk your ear off about how awesome I think you are. So I think in terms of closing thoughts, what I wish everyone knew about you is maybe a good way to end this. And I wish everyone knew how much you care how deeply seriously you take anyone else's problems and how committed you are to helping them find a solution that works for them. It doesn't mean that it's the solution that you pick for you or for someone else, but you find something that works for them and it always feels good.
(18:18):
I never hang up the phone with you or leave an engagement with you of some kind and just say, man, that was painful. You make it fun. I'm glad you're on my team, but I think everyone should know that you're on their team, too.
Speaker 2 (18:33):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (18:33):
That's so sweet.
Speaker 1 (18:35):
And my closing thoughts are, I wish people knew more about how intuitively you approach each project and how thoughtful you are in building the strategy with the necessary components without and make it sustainable and make it actionable and doable. So I love that about you and about your approach. And I think your clients and your community benefit tremendously from that.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
Thank you, guys. You guys are making me blush.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
That's the point. All right, so if people want to get a good dose of grace goodness, where do they find you?
Speaker 2 (19:16):
So you can find me on my website, gracefortune.com. You can email me grace@gracefortune.com you can find me all over socials, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn. It's gracefortune is my handle across all of them. So if you want to connect, definitely drop me a line. I'd be happy to talk things over.
Speaker 3 (19:33):
With you as well.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
Wonderful. So let's wrap this episode of the coffee table where Grace fortune and Erin Pennings and me, Nicole Morton, and we'll.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
See you next time. Bye, everyone.
Welcome to the coffee Table, the podcast for copywriters who want to get new ideas and inspiration for building and scaling a business you love. In this podcast, hosts Grace Fortune, Nicole Morton, and Erin Pennings bring new topics and guests to the table every single episode.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
We're spilling the beans on how you can use your interests and expertise to define what success means to you and take steps to achieve it.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Welcome back to the copy table. Today we're turning the spotlight on Grace and taking a deep dive into her copywriting business. We're going to go behind the scenes to see how she developed her approach to copywriting, found her audience, and unlocked her secret sauce. And we can't wait to dive in as Erin and I interview her.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Yes.
Speaker 4 (00:48):
So I am excited to be asking you this, Grace.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
What is it that you truly see.
Speaker 4 (00:56):
As your secret sauce? Because I think you have so many. So what is it that you see as your secret or not so secret sauce?
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Well, thanks, guys. Yeah, Erin, I'm glad you asked that. I've always had kind of trouble answering that question because I've always felt like I'm kind of a jack of all trades. And sometimes I feel like I'm not amazing at anything, which is, I know BS. I know you guys would tell me.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
That I'm absolutely wrong, 100% bs.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
But if I had to pinpoint a couple of things that make me make my secret sauce what it is, since I help with course launch strategy, I'm very good at kind of like the trifecta that I think goes into it strategy, which encompasses launch strategy, how you're going to approach it, marketing strategy, basically how to get from point a to point z. I'm really good at mapping that out and figuring out, okay, what needs to be done at each step to make the thing happen, there's also implementation. So not only do I know how to strategize a launch, I also know how to make it run. So I know how to set up a course, like in Kajabi, for example. I know how to make a course. Know, I can make you a course in a Google Document if you wanted.
(02:07):
Like, there's so many ways that you.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Could go about it, and I can.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Help you at every step of the way. And then I'm also a pretty dang good copywriter. So basically you need all of those things in order to effectively launch a course. And not only that, but there's another little thing that you need from anybody that you get support from. You need a cheerleader, and I'm a pretty dang good cheerleader.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Yes, you are. 1010 will endorse.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
I 100% agree. If there's any room that I'm in, I want Grace there.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
And you have had me in the.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Rooms that you're in several times now, literally and figuratively.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
I get so much joy out of watching the transformation, watching somebody go from not knowing how to launch their course, getting it all set up and out into the world. I just think that there's so much potential in a launch. So if I can support somebody and help them through that, then I think that's time we'll spend. And as far as being, like, a cheerleader, it's almost like a karma kind of thing. I want people to feel supported, and I want to feel supported as well. I do. So I like to pay that forward to anybody that I come in contact with. That's just one of the values of my business.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
So, Grace, what kind of led you to this point where you found out that this is something that you not only are really good at, but that you truly love?
Speaker 2 (03:35):
I'm not sure if I have answer where there was, like, one defining moment where I realized that this is what I love and what I'm good at. For me, it was just like a combination of all of the skills that I've learned throughout my work history. And frankly, as far as the cheerleader.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
Part goes, in my other jobs, I've.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Often kind of felt a little bit isolated and not really supported in my own work. So I want to make sure that nobody that I work with now feels that way.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
Right.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
I want people to feel cared for and supported and cheered on and that they have somebody in their corner that believes in what they do. So, to me, that was really important. As far as the tangible skills. As you know, I started in my business three years ago, almost three years ago now as a VA, so I learned all about how to do the technical implementation side. And I've watched my biggest client, he's a financial advisor. You've heard me talk about him.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
He's very much into the marketing aspect.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Of Dave D. Like the. The OG marketing kind of. I watched. I watched him apply those principles to his launches and helped him implement them. And that's kind of where I learned the marketing aspect and the strategy part of it from. Like I said, it's kind of an amalgamation of everything that I've done in the past couple of years, as well as principles that I believe in from my own work history. I hope that answers that question effectively.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
It really does. And I just want to take that a little bit deeper. So it led you to your business. How do you apply it within your business? Like, you're a natural cheerleader and you're really good at process and you're really good at systems, but how do you sprinkle in grace magic into your business? Because at the end of the day, and we've talked about this before, what we do is a commodity, but our business makes it special because we apply our secret sauce and we apply our experience, and we apply our frameworks and we apply our processes. So how did you gracify your business?
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Oh, gosh. Well, I mean, to be totally candid, I'm still working on that. Everything is a work in progress. Whenever I start a course launch project, I always have incorporate process into it by creating a board, whether it's in Trello or Asana or teamwork, I typically, for client facing projects where they have to go in and kind of see progress and milestones, I will set it up in whatever tool they. You know, there's a variety of them. Like ClickUp. Like I've mentioned, Asana and Trello. I'll set up, like a step by step kind of process for what they need to do on their end. And then for my own business, behind the scenes, I use ClickUp. So for every task and every deliverable, there's always going to be to dos due dates. And I'm very rigid about making.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Sure that everything is scheduled, including touch points.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
So if I know that I need to check in on the status of, let's say, a client didn't hire me to do copywriting, but I know that needs to be done. I will set a reminder for myself to check in with them and make sure that they're on track, and I make sure that every touch point that I have involves some sort of cheerleading in some way, like, hey, I wanted to check in with you. I know how awesome you are at this whole copy thing. How's everything going? Can I support you in any way? Making sure that they feel like I care about what they're doing, because I do.
Speaker 3 (07:17):
So, yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
As far as the cheerleading, yeah, I make sure that's incorporated into my interactions. It's kind of like a checklist. I'm like, do they feel supported in this interaction? And if I feel that the answer is yes, then it's okay to send out. If it doesn't, then I don't send.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
It out until it.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
But, yeah, as far as the processes, I rely very heavily on project management.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
Tools and I've templatized a lot of.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
These sort of things so that I don't have to reinvent the wheel every single time.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
That's so important.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Yeah, it is, because I could spend hours making a Trello board or making.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
An Asana board, and I don't want to do that.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
So I make sure that everything is already pre made and preset up as much as possible. So all I have to do is just copy and paste or duplicate a board and share it kind of thing. As far as marketing strategy, I read everything I can get my hands on.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
So as far as marketing strategy, again.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
I've learned a lot from OG people like Dave D and Dan Kennedy. But I've also incorporated a lot of the newer marketing strategies from people that align more with my personal values because I find that a lot of the OG marketers, they go a lot more hard on the pressure and the sales that a lot of people don't like anymore. That kind of paradigm is shifting. Marketing is getting sleazy and I don't subscribe to the whole sleazy marketing thing. So I've basically taken what I like.
Speaker 3 (08:50):
From the older methods and gotten rid.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
Of what I don't like and applied the newer stuff.
Speaker 4 (08:56):
I know we had been planning to talk about tools in another conversation. I still think that's important to do in a full episode, but I do want to find out because you've touched on them, what do you see are essential tools for running your business?
Speaker 2 (09:13):
Oh gosh. I live and die by my project management tool, ClickUp. I open that thing. It's open now. It's constantly open. I have it open at the start. As soon as my computer boots up, ClickUp is open. That I think is instrumental because I have the memory of a goldfish. So if I don't have those reminders, I will forget and balls will get dropped. The world will end. You know how it goes. As far as tools for copywriting, a couple of my favorite ones are I have gotten experimented with the AI stuff like Jasper chat GBT. I don't rely on them because obviously they're not very good and I just use them mostly for ideas and inspiration just to kind of clarify. But they are valuable. I also use Justin Blackman's new tool. What is it? Verbatim. Hashtag verbatim. Thank you. Verbatim.
(10:06):
Oh my gosh. If you're listening, Justin, I'm sorry. I've learned a lot from him as well. As far as getting voice know. Right, like that's.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
That's extremely valuable.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
There's a tool that I actually really like. If I'm trying to figure out a way to reward something, there's a tool called Quillbot, and it's another AI tool, and I love it, actually. It's given me so many different ideas. Again, use it for inspiration, not for finalized copy.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
Hemingway.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
Hemingway. I also use frequently, and I didn't.
Speaker 4 (10:40):
Mean to put you on the spot to be like, what do you want? But you brought up some, and it seems like they're integral to delivering your secret sauce, to delivering what it is that you do so well. So I think it's an important component. If you could have anyone walking into a room and knowing what it is that you do, what would you want them to come to you for?
Speaker 2 (11:00):
If I could literally do one thing all day, it would probably be having conversations like this and helping people plan out how they want to approach their launch. I enjoy writing copy, but it's not something that I live and die by. I don't feel like I'm going to die if I don't get right words on the page. I want to help people plan and strategize and then have them go forth and make magic happen. That I think would be my ideal spot. But there was actually a couple more tools there that I wanted touch on because they're valuable, too. As far as bookkeeping and accounting goes. I use stripe.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
I use Quickbooks.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
There's actually this one really cool tool that I've used a long time ago.
Speaker 3 (11:46):
That kind of let them talk to each other.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
It was like an integration kind of tool. I don't remember the name of it now. I'll find it and see if I can put it in the show notes, but it was really cool. They don't talk to each other natively, so if you make an invoice in.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
Stripe, it doesn't automatically go in Quickbooks.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
But there's a ton of other tools you can use for that. Like there's honeybug, Dubsado, wave, a whole bunch of other things. I mean, obviously the basics. There's the Microsoft Word suite, there's the Google suite, like Google Docs, spreadsheets, all of that kind of are. I consider those mean this is for other projects, but I actually use Adobe a lot for making pdfs. I use canva for design as well.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
I do some design work.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Those are, I would consider my essential tools.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
I want to know, touching on Erin's question, so your ideal prospect walks up to you in the room, but has that always been the case, or has your business changed over time?
Speaker 3 (12:47):
It's definitely changed.
Speaker 2 (12:49):
I would say that previously, if you would have talked to me two years ago, I would have said, yeah, I just want to write copy. But that's no longer the case. I've gotten a real passion for strategy, and frankly, I think I'm pretty good at it.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
You are very good at.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
I just. I want to keep doing that as much as I can.
Speaker 4 (13:11):
I would say strategy is when I come to you, Grace. And I'm like, man, I've got a problem. I need to talk it out. Your calmness, your ability to just think through it helps me come up with the solutions. And I cannot put enough value on the assistance and what it is that you bring to my business for that very reason. Because I don't know that strategy, that being able to see the big picture and then dive down into the tactics is not something that is particularly common. But I think that's something the three of us have in common.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
Yeah, I would agree. And it's nice because we basically have each other on speed dial. So if any one of us has a problem, the other one of us are going to have a solution, typically.
Speaker 3 (14:01):
Right.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
Even if it's just like, how do I say to my contractor that their writing isn't up to snuff? How do I word to my client that, okay, you haven't paid me, you need to pay me, right. We talk through that kind of stuff and strategize our approach. It is a really valuable skill, and I think that a lot of more people would benefit from developing that, for sure.
Speaker 4 (14:25):
How did you develop that to shine the light back onto you, Grace?
Speaker 2 (14:29):
I think observation, watching how other people.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
Approach, how other people have approached similar problems, I do consider myself to be pretty intuitive.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
So a lot of it does.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
It does come kind of naturally in a way. If I don't know answer, I'm.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Not afraid to go and Google and look things up.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
Right.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
If I genuinely don't know how to respond to something, then I'll do my research and figure out, okay, what is the best approach to this? What are the pros and cons? Are there any pros and cons to the advice that I'm giving to somebody? If I'm going to give somebody advice on how to approach something, I don't just spout it off the top of my head. I want to make sure that I'm trying to think through all of the angles. I think that's a skill that can be developed. I don't think that's something that's focused on enough is thinking through all of the angles. I'm not sure if that's a really great answer to your question, but to tell you the truth, I don't have a specific moment where I'm like, this is how I became good at strategy.
(15:29):
But just research, intuition, that's all I've.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
Got for that one.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
So I've got a tin can on a string back to past Grace three years ago. What would you like to tell her?
Speaker 3 (15:42):
Oh, my gosh.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
So I think that if I were.
Speaker 3 (15:45):
To tell myself anything over the last three years, it's that don't be afraid.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
To put your hand up and talk to people and offer support. Continue being kind. It doesn't always pay off immediately. And you shouldn't look at it as, how is this going to pay off? You can develop a name for yourself by just being present and showing up and continue doing that, and in three years, your life will be totally different.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
Right.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
When I first started my business, nobody knew who I was. Nobody knew grace fortune.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
And now a lot of people in.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
The copywriting space know who I am now. So it's all about kind of building, getting to know people, showing that you care about them.
Speaker 3 (16:39):
You're not just there to schmooze or.
Speaker 2 (16:42):
Network or land the big fish client. You are there because you care about the industry and you care about the people that you work with. So just keep on doing that. You're on the right track, is what I tell myself.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
You are on the right track.
Speaker 4 (16:56):
Grace fortune wholeheartedly agree. I remember the first time I saw you in one of the copywriter club things and how much things have changed and grown in your business in those last, it's probably been three years. It was probably right around the time you're jumping in. And it's been so fun to watch and to grow together.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Yeah, I feel like the three of.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
Us are those kids who got to know each other, like in high school, and we're just going off into the big, wide world and know, making a name for ourselves.
Speaker 3 (17:30):
I think it's really fun.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
Awesome. Any closing thoughts?
Speaker 3 (17:33):
Erin?
Speaker 4 (17:35):
I can say so much about Grace, and I will if you get me into a corner, like at a cocktail party. I'm pretty sure if you want to talk about Grace fortune, I can talk your ear off about how awesome I think you are. So I think in terms of closing thoughts, what I wish everyone knew about you is maybe a good way to end this. And I wish everyone knew how much you care how deeply seriously you take anyone else's problems and how committed you are to helping them find a solution that works for them. It doesn't mean that it's the solution that you pick for you or for someone else, but you find something that works for them and it always feels good.
(18:18):
I never hang up the phone with you or leave an engagement with you of some kind and just say, man, that was painful. You make it fun. I'm glad you're on my team, but I think everyone should know that you're on their team, too.
Speaker 2 (18:33):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (18:33):
That's so sweet.
Speaker 1 (18:35):
And my closing thoughts are, I wish people knew more about how intuitively you approach each project and how thoughtful you are in building the strategy with the necessary components without and make it sustainable and make it actionable and doable. So I love that about you and about your approach. And I think your clients and your community benefit tremendously from that.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
Thank you, guys. You guys are making me blush.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
That's the point. All right, so if people want to get a good dose of grace goodness, where do they find you?
Speaker 2 (19:16):
So you can find me on my website, gracefortune.com. You can email me grace@gracefortune.com you can find me all over socials, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn. It's gracefortune is my handle across all of them. So if you want to connect, definitely drop me a line. I'd be happy to talk things over.
Speaker 3 (19:33):
With you as well.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
Wonderful. So let's wrap this episode of the coffee table where Grace fortune and Erin Pennings and me, Nicole Morton, and we'll.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
See you next time. Bye, everyone.
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