We were lucky to catch up with Holly Fisher recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Holly, thanks for sitting with us today to chat about topics that are relevant to so many. One of those topics is communication skills, because we live in an age where our ability to communicate effectively can be like a superpower. Can you share how you developed your ability to communicate well?
My earliest memories involve books. My mom read to me constantly, creating a foundational love of words that has followed me into adulthood and my career. Reading and writing are long-time passions. By age 12, I decided to be a newspaper reporter and never looked back. I earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s degree in mass communication. I worked in journalism for more than a decade.
At the heart of reporting is gathering all the necessary information, synthesizing the critical elements, and then communicating that to your readers in a way that’s concise and clear. I was fortunate to have some incredible editors and mentors who helped me develop my skills. They taught me how to write tight and extract only the most relevant information for an article.
Those skills have translated into my work as a marketing copywriter. I’m gathering information about a business and distilling those details into words that invite customers and clients into a story. Consumers are bombarded with information and marketing messages all day long. You have to communicate effectively for your message to stand out. I rely heavily on the StoryBrand Marketing Framework to help businesses clarify their marketing message. We’re uncovering the words that tell their story and communicate how they solve a problem for their customers or clients.
Even though I’ve been a professional writer for more than 25 years, I still work on my craft. I read about writing and marketing. I study other professionals’ work. I write and rewrite to get just the right words for my clients.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
If you’re not a copywriter, trying to write your own marketing message, website copy and email campaigns can feel impossible. I get it. It’s why I hired a bookkeeper and an accountant. Focus on your strengths and hire skilled professionals to save you time and frustration.
Helping my clients get the marketing tools and strategies they need to grow their business is my favorite thing. They feel such a sense of relief when we clarify their marketing message, launch a new website or send out emails that get a response.
My work starts with writing a clear brand message. As a StoryBrand Certified Guide, I use the proven and powerful 7-part StoryBrand Marketing Framework to help businesses identify the problem they solve for their customers and clients and how they can guide them to a successful outcome. We talk about their ideal customers and clients, how their business is structured and their specific offering.
Armed with that foundational messaging, I then write website content, email campaigns and lead-generation tools such as free guides, workbooks and checklists.
I also assist businesses and organizations with marketing strategy and brainstorming sessions to build their content calendar. Figuring out marketing content is a sticking point for a lot of businesses so I also created the Fuel For Your Marketing Ultimate Annual Planner. This robust tool is designed to help organizations simplify and streamline their marketing content. They can easily plan out each month thanks to all the prompts and resources in the planner.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Disciplined, resilient and grateful are three qualities that have served me well in my journey. Discipline keeps you going on the days when you don’t want to keep going. On hard days when you feel like snuggling up on the couch to watch Netflix, you pull yourself up and get to work.
Being resilient is critical because life will throw you curveballs. You need to be able to keep going even when times are challenging. Being an entrepreneur can be tough, and you can’t let those hard times get you down. Are you resilient? Can you bounce back after a fall?
In all situations, look for the good. Some days that’s easier than others, but you can always find some glimmer of gratitude. It might be as simple as a cup of coffee or the first buds of springtime flowers or as big as signing a new client or hitting a financial milestone.
Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
If you’re a small business that wants to do marketing but doesn’t know where to start, we can work well together. I love helping businesses build a marketing foundation. We begin by crafting a clear, compelling brand message and then use that to develop a website, lead generator, and email campaigns. Let’s get those foundational marketing pieces in place before worrying about social media, digital advertising or whatever the latest trend is.
My ideal clients are established businesses that want marketing guidance, want to professionalize their marketing, or want to generate more leads and sales (and it might be all three!). They should be willing to take my advice and trust the process.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://fisher-creative.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fishercreativemarketing/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FisherCreativeMarketing
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hollyannfisher/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0eADoUXHXgICTV_QlW0HFA
Image Credits
Professional photos by Cheryl DeCristofaro
