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👀 If you hate being the last to know, here’s your heads-up: I’m unveiling something big on LinkedIn Live next Wednesday. First dibs go to the folks who show up. Everyone else? You’ll hear about it later, just not first.

There's also a big reveal of something else below. 👀

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👋🏻 Welcome to issue 55. Still built on buyer psychology. Still saving inboxes everywhere from mediocre marketing. (Did someone forward this to you? Subscribe ​here​.)

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I almost didn’t write this.

Because I know it might ruffle some feathers. I’ll probably get a few unsubscribes. Maybe even a designer or two who wants to fight me.

But I’m fine with that.

Because this is something I care about deeply, and it’s costing business owners far too much.

But before I get to the part that might stir up some controversy, let’s talk about something I haven’t touched on in a while.

Once you’ve nailed your positioning and messaging, and you're finally ready to move on to the tactical stuff, it’s time to make sure your website actually reflects the business you’ve built.

Not just visually. Strategically.

You know the feeling:

That moment when you’re about to paste your URL into a DM and you pause.

Because your site doesn’t really say what you do anymore. Or it’s still speaking to an audience you’ve outgrown. Or the tone is completely different from the way you actually show up.

This has been my reality for the past 6+ months.

Every time I hop on a networking call and someone says, “I checked out your website,” I cringe a little. Because I know it doesn’t reflect where I am or what I do now.

A great site, the kind you’re proud to share, doesn’t just look good. It tells the right story, to the right people, in the right way.

And, if it doesn’t, that’s where things start to break down.

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Copy and design should elevate each other. But too often, they don’t.

When they work together, it’s magic. (Really, it’s not. It’s just strategy done right. But it looks like magic.)

Design draws the eye. Copy drives the action.

Together, they create an experience that builds trust and helps people make decisions.

And yes, first impressions matter. A polished, professional site can build credibility in seconds. It helps people feel like they’re in the right place. But staying power? That’s the copy’s job.

✅ It’s what helps people see themselves in your message.
✅ It’s what answers their unspoken questions.
✅ It’s what builds enough trust to take the next step.

Design earns attention. Copy earns trust.

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Here’s the part that pisses me off

Too many business owners spend thousands on websites that look great but don’t do their job.

They assume copy is included. Or they hand over something they pulled together themselves. Or worse, they’re given AI-generated content (sometimes without the transparency that it was written by AI) that sounds fine but doesn’t say anything meaningful.

🤖 🤮

AI can write a lot of words. But strategy? Connection? Voice? That still requires a real person who understands how people think, what makes them act, and how to guide them there.

Your copy isn’t just there to fill a page. It’s there to move someone from “maybe” to “yes.”

Here’s what happens when copy and design aren’t aligned:

• A designer asks for a headline and a short paragraph before the messaging is even clear
• The layout is locked before anyone’s figured out the buyer journey
• Templates force strategic copy into a space that wasn’t built to hold it

Then the site underperforms.

So the business owner thinks it’s a lead generation issue. Or a sales issue. Or an offer issue.

But really? It’s a copy and design issue.

They paid for a site that looks good. It just doesn’t work.

And before you come at me, designers and developers. Yes, I know you build flexible layouts. But let’s be real: copy isn’t Lego blocks. It has rhythm. Emotion. Structure. It should guide the layout, not get squeezed into it after the fact.

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What if I’ve already invested in a custom website?​
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This is where so many people get stuck.

Many clients come to me after they’ve already spent a chunk of money on design. And their sites look incredible.

But they didn’t work with a copywriter. And when we take a closer look, there are all kinds of issues they never thought to check:

• A homepage that’s easy on the eyes but confusing to visitors
• CTAs that are easy to click but don’t give people a reason to
• A voice that doesn’t sound like them, or worse, sounds like everyone else

And I get it. It’s frustrating to realize something you invested in isn’t doing what you hoped.

But that doesn’t always mean tearing it all down. Sometimes, a few key copy shifts are enough to be effective.

Unfortunately, sometimes, the only way forward is a full rebuild.

This is where strategy matters. And a strategic copywriter can help you figure out what’s working, what’s getting in the way, and how to rebuild something that actually supports your goals.

It’s not about having a polished site. It’s about having one that earns trust and drives the right people to take action.

Yes, design can increase conversions. But not on its own.

A skilled designer can:

• Guide your eye to the most important information
• Use spacing and layout to create clarity
• Help people navigate the site without getting lost
• Emphasize trust signals at the right moment
• Build visual interest that supports your message

Design absolutely plays a role in whether someone stays on your site, or clicks away. But even the best-looking CTA won’t convert if the copy doesn’t give people a reason to care.

The best-performing websites, sales pages, and lead magnets aren’t just pretty. They’re aligned. The copy and the design are doing their jobs, together.

And this goes far beyond websites

This same dynamic shows up everywhere your brand exists.

• Your LinkedIn banner: That headshot you’re using? It matters where you’re looking. Your photo can lead people’s eyes straight to your headline, if the headline is doing its job.
• Sales pages: Good pacing and layout help people scroll. But if your copy doesn’t create desire or remove friction, they’ll close the tab.
• Lead magnets: Design makes a PDF look professional. But copy is what gets someone to download it and keep reading.
• Social graphics: Yes, the right aesthetic can stop the scroll. But the message is what earns the click.

If copy and design aren’t aligned, you’re wasting one, or both.

What it looks like when it does work

After a long delay (remember when I said my new site was coming months ago?), it’s finally live.

The first project hit a snafu. And I couldn’t wait any longer. The gap between my real business and what lived online was starting to cost me—confidence and conversions.

I needed a site that felt like where I am now: clear, strategic, and bold.

Before restarting, I worked with the brilliant Sarah Hart to create a set of distinctive visual elements, because bold messaging needs bold visuals.

Then I teamed up with Andie Huber, a website designer and developer genius who made the process shockingly smooth. She got it. She understood how strategy and visual storytelling need to work together. And she built a site that reflects not just what I do, but how I do it.

We pulled off a 2-week sprint. And the result?

A site I’m actually excited to share. Not just because it looks good. But because the copy, design, structure, and strategy finally align.

Take a look at my new site and brand visuals here. (Go on, I’ll wait.) 👇🏻

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One last thing to chew on before you go

💭 Would you hire you based on your current website?

Not your referrals. Not your reputation. Just the site.

Land on your homepage like a potential client would. Then ask: Would I feel confident handing over a credit card?

If the answer’s anything less than “absolutely,” that’s your cue to dig deeper. Not to DIY. Just to get curious. Your website should earn trust, reflect your brilliance, and make it easy for the right people to say yes.

If it’s not doing that, let’s talk.

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Until next time,

Stacy

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🎙️Ever feel like you’re the one standing in your own way?

Same. That’s why I said yes to being a guest on The Unforget Yourself Show–where they “help you get over your own bullshit so you doing the fucking thing you ACTUALLY want to do”.

🎧Apple | Spotify
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