Hello Reader!

Wanna hear something embarrassing?

Once I asked the Alice Cooper band to take a picture OF me. Not WITH me, y'all. OF ME!!! 👇 🤣 😬

Why the faux pas?

Well, I didn't know who they were. I only knew they were other English-speaking people taking pictures of Saint Basil's Cathedral.

Talk about a missed opportunity, all because... wait for it, wait for it... I didn't know my audience!

(And you know I'm about to liken this to content marketing, because that's what we do).

So, may I introduce what I like to call "The Alice Cooper Principle:"

🎸1. Know your audience. 🎸

Spotting Alice Cooper in Moscow would’ve turned a tourist snapshot into a once-in-a-lifetime moment (and I’d have the photographic evidence to prove it)!

In content: You gotta do your homework (aka audience research). You have to know who your audience is, so you know how to speak to them (like act all star-struck or whatever).

🎸 2. Context creates value 🎸

Without context, it's easy to treat every interaction the same.

With the right context, you capture something unique and memorable that matters. You communicate in a way that’s exciting and interesting. And that leads to relationships that matter.

🎸 3. Missed opportunities 🎸

Failing to understand who you’re talking to means you might walk away with a photo (of yourself), but not free tickets to the show later that night.

If you don’t know how to talk to your audience, they’re going to scroll right past, delete your email, move on with their lives without any interest or attachment to you or your brand.

So, next time you create a piece of context, remember that cute pic OF me in Moscow and apply The Alice Cooper Principle.

Thanks for being here,

Ashley R. Cummings

P.S. Did someone forward you this email? Cool! You can become a subscriber, too. Click the link, sign up, enjoy!

Join Our "Become Irreplaceable" Challenge

Worried AI (or another writer) is going to take your job?

Join the 25-Day "Become Irreplaceable" Challenge (launching in Oct).

Together with a small group of top industry writers, we'll implement one 5-minute daily action item that will help you solidify your business.

Don't miss out. October is coming soon!

Join the challenge

Expert Interview | Michal Eisik

1. Tell me more about yourself and your career journey.

I started in speech therapy and journalism — two fields that taught me the power of clarity, empathy, and saying just enough. I worked as an agency copywriter for 5 years before going out on my own, then 10Xed my business in 18 months thanks to consistent LinkedIn-ing and a strong website.

Today, I run Michal Eisik Media, a boutique copywriting agency that helps B2B tech brands turn their messaging from a (buyer-repelling) liability to a competitive advantage — with website copy that’s crisp, conversational, and impossible to ignore.

I also help freelancers build thriving businesses through 3 live mentorship programs and an array of products. CopyTribe is our flagship course — a 7-month university-level copywriting & marketing certification program.

2. What’s the most outstanding piece of advice you’d give someone about website copywriting?

Web copy lives and dies by readability. You can have the most strategic, persuasive messaging in the world… but if it’s in a chunky wall of text or buried in a confusing layout, nobody is gonna read it.

Great website copy is structured with visuals and layouts in mind. The best way to do this is to wireframe your copy. Wireframes can be impressive and useful without complicated software — we use Gdocs and clients love it. They hand it to their designer just like that. (Fun fact: our bestselling product is a Mama Wireframe Template that we use internally for every web page we write. Saves us 3+ hours every project.)

Bottom line: your words matter. But so does how they show up on the screen.

3. What’s one mistake you see B2B businesses make on their websites (in regards to copy)?

Playing it safe with copy that sounds like everybody else.

So many businesses default to buzzwordy, bloated messaging — “goodbye spreadsheets, hello efficiency.” 🙄 Not because they love jargon. But because they see the big-name players doing it and think that’s what credibility looks like.

If you’re not the Goliath in your industry, you can’t afford to blend in. Your messaging needs to sound fresher, clearer, and more differentiated than the category leaders. Use vivid, simple, customer-first language. That’s how you stand out, get remembered, and stay on the shortlist.

Must-Read Industry Content

Real quick:

Why do I include these every week?

Content is changing SO much, and it's not enough to only be good at writing.

Plus, old playbooks are failing. What used to work no longer does. It's critical to know what is happening weekly in our industry.

That's why I curate the "what you need to know this week" stuff.

1/ 7 ways journalists are using social media

2/ The New Content Era Needs Builders, Not Bystanders

3/ Content is now a red ocean (here's what to do next)

Become a Content Connect VIP, Get a Free Contract Template

Ever had a client ask you to send you a contract and you're like..."contract? oh yeah. um...okay, sure. will send."

And then you panic and scramble, and quickly have Chat-GPT write you a garbage contract and hope no one will notice?

You don't have to do that anymore!

One benefit of the Content Connect VIP program ($7/month) is access to ALL our resources, including our customizable lawyer-created Contractor Agreement (valued at $169).

Upgrade your membership and enjoy all our benefits. (For example, this week our VIPs got access to a free Clearscope report.)