Copywriting

Direct-response, advertising, content

I love marketing because my role requires dynamism — an understanding of the strategy and implementation of an omnichannel approach. My favorite hat to wear, though, is that of copywriter. Notably, my copywriting at Intersect Illinois has driven metrics such as 96.9% open rates and 96.1% click-through rates in an email marketing campaign. I’ve also recently provided ad copy and creative direction to an August 2024 out-of-home campaign in Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Midway International Airport. We capitalized on the heavy foot traffic of DNC travelers arriving to and departing from ORD and MDW, in order to drive significant brand awareness and generate qualified leads (the executives of companies looking to grow or expand in Illinois).

LinkedIn and Display Advertising

graphic design, copywriting, Campaign management

As a marketing manager for Intersect Illinois, I deploy a LinkedIn and display ad campaign, at least monthly, across my key industries of focus: quantum computing, AI, and microelectronics; alternative energy; and transportation and logistics. For those campaigns, I vet data points with our research team for the purpose of effective data storytelling, write the ads, (sometimes) design the assets, and deploy and manage them within each distribution platform (for example, LinkedIn Campaign Manager).

Last fiscal year, our marketing team’s display advertising contributed to 50% of our total leads that turned into projects (as in, each lead had received at least one touchpoint from us via LinkedIn or display advertising before converting). These are ads that I managed from top to bottom — design to deployment. You’ll recognize some of this copy above, as they were of the same campaign.

Sales Funnel + Conversion Rate Optimization

Landing pages + email campaigns (Welcome, Nurture, sales, Transactional)

As a copywriter, one of my proudest accomplishments has been my sales copy. As the marketing and communications manager — and often sole copywriter — for Miller Media Group, my copywriting generated up to $6 million per brand launch, a 400% increase compared to previous years’ launches.

In sales, I agree that “facts tell and stories sell” — I lean heavily into storytelling to move the reader to action (which, in Miller Media Group’s case, was to buy memberships to access our online programs). I oversaw copy from start to finish — from Facebook ads to webinar invite emails to sales sequences (open cart, downsell, and upsell messaging), as well as landing pages, looking closely at conversion rates for continued optimization. At Miller Media Group, some of our brands included The One University, Leader School, Everyday Seminary, providing tools and resources for members to grow in particular areas of life such as relationships, leadership, business, and entrepreneurship.

For more, check out a sales email here, written for Julep Beauty’s holiday campaign.

Editorial Management

Blogs + Publications

Today, you can read my blogging for Intersect Illinois on our website. Here’s a personal favorite: “TechChicago Day 2024: Quantum Takes a Leap From Silicon Valley to Chicago.”

Previously, from early 2021 to late 2022, I spent my time blogging and writing feature articles for Web3 platform Async Art. Some content required technical writing, other formats required artist interviews and storytelling, others required project release details, and others still required a little bit of everything. Read all of my blog posts for Async here.

At Miller Media Group, I acted as the editor-in-chief of our lead-generating digital publication. Overseeing 70+ remote writers from around the globe, I was the operating force and editorial eye behind the content machine driving traffic, increasing our following, generating leads, and creating brand awareness. I created the go-to-market strategy in order to take the project live, including options for subscriptions, gated content, and opportunities to repurpose long-form content for social media and paid products like detailed guides and mini-courses.

As a beauty blog writer for Seattle-based Julep Beauty, I conceptualized, pitched, wrote, and published blog posts to increase brand awareness and improve our content marketing efforts. Topics ranged from artist collaboration sneak peeks for holiday-exclusive packaging, natural beauty how-tos, and Halloween makeup tutorials.

Additionally, as the content coordinator for Best Version Media’s publication Queen Anne Neighbors, I wrote each month’s Letter From the Editor, cover story, and content calendar; in addition, I interviewed local residents and business owners for featured stories, and edited the full publication (including reader submissions and expert contributions) for print. Check out a publication here or here.

Social Media (Paid + Organic)

Strategy, Management, Community building

While on the content team at Async Art, I more than doubled our social followings over the course of a year. (I took our numbers fom 20k to 60k on Twitter, and from 5k to 10k on Instagram.) I also helped manage a Discord community of over 8k members at any given time, often supporting our customer service team on a whim, and repurposed our consumer-facing content for potential investors and B2B opportunities on LinkedIn.

At Miller Media Group, I successfully managed and grew over 10 social media channels across our multiple brands and clients, including Facebook Pages, public Facebook Groups (including one with over 100k members), private Facebook Groups, Instagram (video and textual content, including both brand accounts and individual executive accounts), and LinkedIn Company Pages. Although we were predominantly a direct-response marketing business, we leveraged social media to create brand awareness, nurture our audiences, and promote registration and open enrollment around launches.

As a result of my strategy and directive at Miller Media Group, organic social media generated over 30k leads for a program launch in August of 2020 (up 50% in comparison to 2019). Check it out here, or another example here or here.

Additionally, I provide personalized strategies based on client goals, such as increasing an account’s following, driving engagement, or generating sales. In the case of one artist client, an audit of her social media bio, media, and messaging led to a more than 100% increase in sales overnight — she received her first ever online sale within 24 hours of our first consultation.

Content Creation

Podcasts, video (long + short-form, liveS), static + dynamic visual assets

One of the most exciting projects I helped launch was Miller Media Group’s Becoming the One Podcast, a series to help modern-day singles find fulfillment, joy, and adventure in their single season, regardless of relationship status. For this project, I developed the pitch, coordinated production — from booking, on-set recording, and vendor communication — and stepped in as a frequent guest personality. Check out an episode in which I’m featured here or here. All episodes are available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify.

In overseeing the creation and distribution of the podcast, I developed each season’s worth of topics and recruited influencers and guest speakers, wrote each title and description, and analyzed our ROI each episode. With the help of our hosts, a virtual podcast editor, and our graphic designer, I grew our audience to 80k listeners over the course of 2 seasons by way of consistent social media distribution, effective keyword-focused titling, emphasis on great SEO, and weekly newsletter promotion. Interested in the process? Check out the original pitch here.

Finally, sitting somewhere between content and copywriting, I’m well-versed in product development for a variety of audiences and niches. This includes curriculum development for Miller Media Group’s multiple programs and clients, textbook development, and à la carte products such as ebooks, cheat sheets, and devotionals. Check out a sample here.

Creative Consulting, Web3

Digital Marketing + STRATEGY

I first minted an NFT (non-fungible token) — or what we still called, at the time, “crypto art” — in January of 2021, a few months prior to Ethereum’s incredible bull run of 2021 and 2022. As a traditional artist interested in navigating the new digital landscape, I was curious about how to use the blockchain for provenance and digital distribution. Plus, the prospect of artist royalties in perpetuity was incredible; I needed to see it to believe it.

But, without any resources for traditional artists onboarding themselves onto the blockchain, I realized I’d have to create them myself — firstly, for my own documentation, and secondly, to help others in my same position. So, I began writing about my experiences from the very beginning, sharing my thoughts on Medium and in threads on Twitter, starting in January of 2021. Some of those articles have 21K views, and many have been ranked on Google’s first page for those searching digital art and NFTs.

A few months into that same year, one of the co-founders of Async Art, Lisa Liang, discovered me on Twitter, and recruited me for their content team. I spent the following two years supporting the marketing department, interviewing fellow artists, highlighting new product releases, and managing social media channels including Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Discord. (Check out this video to see me in action!)

Since, I’ve devoted my time, apart from my artistry, to supporting small brands both Web2 and Web3-native (+ individual artists) as they enter the Web3 space. I operate as a one-woman creative agency, providing contextual insights, artwork creation, copywriting and copyediting, social media strategy and execution, pricing strategies, content creation, and more.

In 2023, I worked with a client, Hummingbird Momma, in support of the planet’s ‘super pollinators’: hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. Take a look at this press release highlighting my work for their team, in which I created the 2500-part artwork collection, as well as oversaw copywriting, design, coordination, influencer marketing, and paid and organic social media. Check out some of my favorite tokens from the collection, created in collaboration with Midjourney AI, above. (There were four categories by rarity, each entitling their collectors to discounts on hummingbird food for the main brand and physical product, USDA organic hummingbird food.)

One artist I consulted (George Mead Moore) said of my 1:1 support: “Sophie was invaluable in helping me negotiate the new world of NFTs for visual artists, what to focus on and how to frame my goals with specific and well-written comments delivered in a personal, friendly manner.” See Kudos for more.

Finally: A Note for My Artists, Makers, and Creators

I’m a writer, as you know. But (!) I’m also an artist — view my work here. With my hands in both worlds, I especially enjoy working with artists and creators — regardless of craft — to help define their story and message it strategically to reach the right audiences.

In this house, there’s no such thing as a “starving artist.” If a Jackson Pollock painting can sell for $140 million, we know that people buy art — and they’ll spend good money on it, too. The problem for most artists, however, is that we don’t know how to position ourselves, or our work, in a way that resonates with our ideal audiences. (And our egos don’t want to try, anyway.) We believe that our work will sell itself, just because we’re talented or passionate or we just plain want it bad enough. But sometimes, especially today, where everyone and their mother (including my own) is an artist, that might not actually be enough.

If you’re an artist struggling to define your story, identify your ideal audience, and message yourself in a way that actually increases awareness (which leads to acquiring new clients), I want to help you. Contact me, and let’s get you some art sales. Or, for tips on navigating the art space, starting with the right mindset, click here to subscribe to my list and check out my work on Medium — I write with you in mind.