This post is one million percent inspired by Rachel of Real Talk with Rachel Awtrey! This winter, she started a new series where she shares a bit of what’s going on in her life using the acronym JOYFUL. I immediately thought THIS is a way I can share behind the scenes/ real life in a new way! I’ve used what’s saving my life, beautiful things I’m noticing (which I still will probably use, maybe quarterly?) but I’ve been looking for a fresh way to talk about some behind the scenes things (because I am NOT only thinking about copy all the time) and, for now, this is it.

Here’s what it will look like. Every month (that I’m able!!) I will be sharing a little peek behind the scenes of Studio Tell using the acronym T.E.L.L. For Tell It Like It Is, of course! T will be for Talking About. E will be for something I am Energized By. The first L will be for what I’ve been Listening to. And the second L will be something I’m Looking Forward To.

(If you haven’t been around long, or don’t pay THAT close of attention to random businesses you follow on the Internet, let me just remind you that honesty and clarity are two of my Biggest Values here at Studio Tell, and have also kinda significantly impacted my everyday life aside from marketing things. You can read more about it in a post I wrote right here.)

TELL for April! Let’s get into it!

Talking about:

talking about:

Seems like almost every day of the week I’m talking to someone about AI and how it impacts business and whether it’s good or bad. I’m all for AI taking over rote tasks like transcribing audio or automating emails sometimes. And I know sometimes it’s useful for ideas, even though I’m skeptical even of that. But let me tell you—most people don’t want to buy something from a robot. And even if a client or reader can’t discern for sure if a piece of copy or other writing is AI generated, if they find out it is, their trust will plummet. I genuinely hate generative AI, with only extremely rare exceptions. But please tell me your thoughts. Should I change my mind? I don’t want to but should I be convinced somehow?

energized by:

SPRINGTIME. I am so so delighted by the green, the flowers, the promise that days are getting longer (QUITE long here in southwestern Idaho!) and will be for many weeks to come. Poppy and I wander around outside in the mornings, me with my coffee and her trying to feed our dog pieces of food from the ground. 😅 All that sunshine and warmth though? It all makes my whole day feel hopeful.

listening to:

In spite of it all, celebration is a a new playlist that I had the privilege of curating for Daughters of Promise‘s spring Commonplace issue! I’m not a master playlist maker so I’m never quite satisfied even when I finish a playlist… but this one has so many beautiful pieces and it feels poignant for this moment in time somehow. You can click here if you want to listen on Spotify, or here if you want to listen on Apple Music.

looking forward to:

I’m in some of the early stages of making an online course. 🫢 This AI-era has culminated something in me that has made me ever-so-much-more-so passionate about my philosophy of ethical, honest, less noisy, TOTALLY HUMAN marketing. Even now. Even when there is AI slop everywhere. But I personally have felt and see creative business owners everywhere dealing this fear of being left behind/ fear of not being good enough/ fear of saying things in their own voice/ fear of not knowing how to write their own copy. So *insert sarcastic voice* I’m doing what all good online business owners do and making a course to fix it!!!

Okay it’s actually not that easy, sorry. And can we think of another term besides “online course”? What I’m creating is a new …study? class? short curriculum? called Better than Perfect. It’s a series of audio lessons/mini podcast episodes, paired with printable workbooks, to help you learn how to write marketing copy for the current moment. Even though nothing will perfectly fix every part of your business, I’m pretty confident that if you feel unsure how to market your creative business at this moment in time, it will be incredibly valuable for you.

You can get on the waitlist here!!

Obviously you will get perks/discounts from being on the waitlist, but you can also just wait until all the details are announced on IG or in my Friday email or anywhere else you stalk me.