This is Solo2CEO Podcast, and we’re here with Michal Eisikowitz, an expert copywriter and the fire behind Michal Eisik Media, a vibrant micro-agency specializing in web copywriting and & messaging strategy for B2B tech brands.
A speech therapist by training, Michal ultimately found her voice — and passion — in her first job as a marketing intern, which sparked her journey to becoming the successful “perfectionist” copywriter she’s known to be in the industry today. And she continues to share that passion and drive for clear, compelling messaging with those around her.
Let’s learn about Michal’s career trajectory and how she built her business — and her advice for navigating your own business’s messaging and copy.
Tell me about your work and your business.
I’m a copywriter, which means I write words that drive people to take action — to click, to buy, to donate. My specialty is writing copy for B2B tech companies — copy that simplifies complicated products in an engaging, easy-to-read way.
Another arm of my business is CopyTribe — a copywriting academy that offers intensive, college-level training programs. My core target for these trainings are aspiring copywriters who are already strong writers and want to gain the skills to launch their copywriting careers. As well, we teach designers who want to broaden their expertise by offering copy along with design, or who want to be better positioned to collaborate well with copywriters.
I also offer a track for business owners who want a better understanding of copywriting — either to be able to write their own copy, or to better hire and direct a copywriter. It’s hard to hire a freelance copywriter and end up with a good outcome, if you don’t know the difference between good and terrible copy yourself.
Why is writing copy so important to a business?
In marketing, everything starts with writing — an ad, brochure, sales email…or even an important negotiation.
If you don’t feel confident about your writing, or if your writing is not effective, you’re going to feel stuck — and underperform — all too often.
What’s the most important element of copy?
Copywriting starts with strategy: Who are you serving? What exactly do you offer them? You need to be able to answer these questions. Without that clarity, even the best copywriter is not going to get you results.
It's also important to note that copywriting alone won't solve fundamental business problems. If you have a product-market fit issue or a mismatch between your offer and your audience, no amount of copywriting can fix that. It's essential to have a validated offer and clear target before investing in marketing.
Once you have a clear offer and audience, it's time to identify your ideal client’s pain points. What problem are you solving for them? Which words do they use to talk about that problem? Those are the words you want to use in your copy. Literally, steal language from their mouths.
Client objections are normal in business. Your clients may have bad experiences with similar products or services. If so, it's an opportunity to empathize with them in your messaging and position yourself as a trustworthy solution provider.
What led you to pursue a career in copywriting?
I had finished my Bachelor of Arts in the States when I got married and moved to Israel. There, I started working towards an online Master’s degree in speech-language pathology. But I needed a job in the meantime.
Through a family friend, I landed a job as a marketing intern at a publishing company. In that role, I did a lot of writing: product descriptions for books, blurbs for the back covers, release-related advertorials, and catalog descriptions, all enticing people to buy. I was essentially covering all marketing-related writing tasks for the publishing company.
I’d always been a strong writer, but this was my lightbulb moment: I realized I enjoyed writing, and that I could actually make a living from it.
And so, even after I graduated and began working in speech therapy, I found myself hanging on to my writing work. I started writing for Mishpacha Magazine and also found work as a regular in-house copywriter for the Anelis Group, a Brooklyn-based marketing agency, in addition to freelance work on the side.
How did you transition from speech therapy to copywriting?
It happened gradually.
I had slowly been chipping away at my speech therapy hours to allow more time for writing. At one point, I was working two days a week as a speech therapist, one day a week for Mishpacha, and two days a week as a copywriter…and I felt all over the place. I call it Scattered Brain Syndrome: I was constantly redirecting my energy and brainpower to three different careers — yet mastering none.
Something had to give. After much soul-searching, I decided that something would be speech therapy. Copywriting held more growth potential for me; it was a better fit for my skills and strengths. I was a pretty good speech therapist: the parents liked me, the kids liked me — but copywriting seemed like a place where I could really shine.
The actual turning point was signing up for a $1200 business training program for copywriters. It felt like a crazy sum of money at the time, but after I finished it, I told myself: I’m going to take a risk, say goodbye to my speech therapy job for this year and go all-in on copywriting.
At the time, I had four little kids, which made the decision all the more wrenching. But with writing, I knew I’d also gain much more flexibility to work from home and set my hours — and be more available for my children.
How do you balance work and family?
I try to structure my day to allow for work, family, and socializing. The hours between 8 AM to 11 AM are sacred — that’s when my mind is sharpest and I can really accomplish deep work, without anyone bothering me. I use these first three hours of my workday to “swallow the frog,” i.e., tackle the largest, most daunting, most procrastinat-able tasks on my plate.
I believe no one should waste their most productive hours in meetings. So all my meetings are scheduled in the early afternoon or, for US clients, in the late evening, after my kids are already in bed.
This schedule affords me the luxury of focused family time when my kids need me most.
What helps you set priorities — and manage your time?
We all have so many priorities — family, work, community, religion, ourselves — and each one really should be a priority! So instead of asking, what are my priorities, the more accurate question is: what’s my priority right now?
Time is our most precious commodity, much more than money. I've become a lot better at protecting my time, and I’m learning to say “No” to more — to a collaboration, an interview, a speech, even responding to an email when I don’t want to devote any brain space to it.
I try to reframe it like this: when you say “Yes” to something, you are effectively saying “No” to something else, whether that’s your family or your work or your Torah study or yourself and your health and a good night’s sleep.
Can you apply that “Yes/No” framework to how you choose your clients?
Absolutely. It’s crucial to evaluate each opportunity through that lens: what am I saying “Yes” or “No” to — and what am I getting out of it?
Just recently, I was debating whether to work with a certain prospect who wasn’t in my target of B2B tech. I reached out to a friend who asked me: Is this going to take you somewhere? Will it move your business forward, bringing you more referrals or giving you a digital product you can sell at scale…or anything? And I realized: it was a dead-end project. We’d do a great job for the client, we might even enjoy it, but that’s it. And that gave me the clarity to say “No”.
Of course, if you need the client for revenue, don’t say “No” to those opportunities. But you don’t want to be in that position where 90% of your customers are there just for cash flow. The majority of your client base should be a stepping stone for bigger, long-term goals.
Let’s shift back to copywriting. What’s a key mistake business owners make in their copy without realizing it?
Trying to sound too fancy or sophisticated — and losing your audience in the process.
Humans are wired to conserve calories. We like simple. We don’t want to think hard. With copy, the goal is to write in a way that speaks to your target in the simplest and fewest words possible.
Take the word “utilize” for example. People think it makes them sound smarter. But there’s no value in using “utilize” over “use”. “Use” is simpler, faster, easier.
Sometimes it makes sense to use jargon, like in your field — you’re a videographer — you’d use the verbiage that videographers are used to. That would speak to them. So jargon isn’t necessarily bad, but it has to serve a purpose. There’s no value to sounding fancy for the sake of sounding fancy.
How can we simplify the language in our marketing for effective communication?
One fabulous tip for clarifying your messaging is to think: how would I explain what I do to my grandmother? Or your six-year-old. Or the guy in shul who's completely outside your work circle and doesn’t know anything about your industry. Think about how you’d explain it to them — what words would you use? And then literally take that sentence and use it (or a version of it) as your headline on your website.
We’ve heard about the hero section for a website. How important is it to your business’s website?
The top section of your website that's above the fold of the screen when you hit the homepage — that’s your hero section. We call it that because it’s like the hero of your website. It's what makes or breaks the experience. It makes people decide whether they want to keep scrolling or click away.
There are several elements to a strong hero section. There’s your hero headline — the big words that draw you in immediately. Then typically, you’ll find a smaller subhead that elaborates on the first headline, giving more detail and clarity. And then you have a call-to-action, usually some kind of button, like “Call us” or “Book a consult.”
Any tips for creating a powerful hero headline?
Your hero headline should communicate the end benefit to your client — what you help them achieve. Using the videographer example, you create videos that help them win clients. That’s what they get out of working with you.
If your target is actively in the market and comparing you against your competitors — other videographers, in our example — you may also want your hero section to communicate what makes you different. How are you different from the competition? You can insert this into your subhead. However, for highly aware audiences — those with a lot of experience with videographers who know exactly what they’re looking for — you might even want to weave that idea into the main headline of your website.
Whichever direction you choose with your header, you want to keep it short. The sweet spot for your main headline is 3-7 words. Your hero subhead can be 6-12 words. But if it gets to the longer end, break it up visually so it’s still easy to read and consume.
That’s an important tip for any web copy — it needs to be easily skimmable and consumable. Use short paragraphs, bullet lists, and big words to summarize the content. By breaking up text in this way, readers can quickly scan content and find the information they are looking for.
How do you know when it’s time to scale your business and hire a team?
When you have a lot of work opportunity, more than you can handle on your own — and a lot of tasks that don’t have to be done specifically by you.
In my case, I had a lot of projects on my plate. I realized that if I wanted to grow past a certain revenue number without working 23 hours a day, I needed to expand my team — or change my whole business model. I also found myself doing a lot of tasks that didn't really require me. Complex marketing projects come with a lot of project management, but it doesn’t have to be the copywriter who does all that. With that sort of support, I could more effectively use my time and write more copy for more clients.
The first person I hired was a copywriter/project manager. She was in the first cohort of my training program, so I had an up close look at her skills. Actually, all five of my current team members have been through my program. I didn't realize when I launched CopyTribe that it would create this amazing pool of talent for hiring!
What is the role of LinkedIn in growing your business?
LinkedIn exploded my business.
When I started about five years ago, posting and engaging on LinkedIn was my main lead gen strategy. I created at least two to three pieces of content a week to post — interesting, useful content related to copywriting and marketing that readers could implement immediately in their businesses. And I engaged a lot with people on LinkedIn. I worked on building my network, having conversations with people, commenting on other people's posts.
I’d estimate that 80% of my initial clients were from LinkedIn. And then it grows from there, with referrals, and word-of-mouth recommendations from existing clients.
So I’m a firm believer in the potential of LinkedIn for building your network and getting clients. You have to put in the work, creating relevant content and making time for engagement, but I’ve seen it work for me — and for my CopyTribe graduates.
Any other ways you promote yourself and your services?
There are so many platforms you can use to market your business. Personally, I focus on LinkedIn, rather than Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or Whatsapp. LinkedIn is where my target client (B2B tech) hangs out. I’ve grown my email list by now and we use that for marketing as well.
What inspired you to build a training program for beginning copywriters?
For my first five years of copywriting, I fumbled my way through, trying to learn from hodgepodge resources all over the internet, in books, in different trainings. There was no single course to prepare me, no one-place that offered a solid, clear foundation for beginning copywriters without the overwhelm. Because you can Google anything, but you’ll sit on the internet reading webpages for the next six months.
I created that course that I felt I was missing — the one that gave you the fundamentals of copy, what you needed to know to get started and get paid.
As a Jewish Orthodox woman, I also felt very passionate about giving this opportunity specifically to women like me. There are women out there with outstanding writing talent who need flexibility in their work-life — and need to be earning more. I wanted them to be able to access this amazing career opportunity.
Are you at all worried about creating your own competition, with all these new copywriters you’re training?
Not at all.
The number of businesses in the United States alone is in the tens of millions. I’d guesstimate that 70% of businesses have hired a copywriter or regularly hire copywriters, which means the opportunity in the United States alone is insane.
As long as you're talented, skilled, and willing to get out there and build a network, there's so much opportunity. It’s all about finding your sweet spot of who you want to serve and who needs you — and where your voice really shines.
Tell me more about your course offering.
My program is divided into two segments: The Confident Copywriter and The Profitable Freelancer. The first segment focuses on the fundamentals of copywriting — the concrete how-tos of doing the research, writing a website, writing an email series. The second segment teaches students how to build a profitable freelance business. This includes managing clients, setting your prices, managing admin, generating leads, and marketing yourself.
Students can choose to take just the first portion if they're not interested in freelancing.
What motivates people to finish your program?
People need accountability. Without it, they sign up for course after course with the best of intentions but never finish any of them. (I’m guilty of this myself!) They just fizzle out, without getting any value. And without any change to their business — or life.
That’s why I’ve intentionally designed CopyTribe to be an interactive, live mentorship program. This means members *have* to apply what they’ve learned. They need to sit down and write the copy — which gets reviewed by experts to make sure it meets a pretty rigorous set of standards. And if they pass each one of these copy challenges — which about 90% of our members do — they’ll get a shiny badge they can put on their website or LinkedIn profile certifying them as a copywriter.
For aspiring copywriters, that badge is the carrot at the end of the road.
For business owners, their motivation lies in the expert review. They’re writing their own assets throughout the program, and this is their opportunity to get the eyes of sought-after copywriters on their own materials, telling them exactly how to sharpen and improve them. They understand the value this holds for their business.
So to sum it up, my goal with CopyTribe is twofold:
⇒ Teach the foundations of copywriting in a clear, easy-to-digest, non-overwhelming way, AND
⇒ Ensure the material is integrated through careful review with personalized feedback and critique for improvement.
Tell me about CopyStarter? How is it different from your signature training program — and who is it for?
CopyStarter is an online, self-paced course that has no interaction, feedback, community, or networking. It’s for a very self-motivated person who wants to get started with copywriting — and doesn’t need accountability; they don’t need anyone on top of them, motivating them and setting deadlines. It’s for people who want to get their feet wet in copywriting at a lower price point.
We chose the name to make it clear to customers what they can expect — we’re starting them off with this course. This eliminates overpromising and ensures they make an informed decision.
How can you help your business connect with customers and stand out from competitors?
Most great businesses have an origin story — and that can be a powerful asset. Stories have a way of sticking in our brains and making us remember things more clearly than other information. Sharing what inspired the business owner to create their service or solve a problem helps establish a more emotional connection with customers. This kind of story should feature prominently in a business's “About Page” or “Homepage”.
Other than an origin story, you can also tell a story about the driving force behind the business, such as a motivation that excites the owner and makes them enjoy their work.
How do you advise clients regarding the structure of their websites and contacts?
When it comes to creating a website, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, you want to include a clear call to action, such as "Call Us" or "Contact Us," to encourage potential clients to get in touch. But it's important to remember that not everyone will call right away. Many people will check out your website and then come back to it later, after talking to friends or doing more research.
Because of this, your website needs to provide a lot of information that can help potential clients make informed decisions. Your website should explain exactly how you can help, who you've helped in the past, and what those clients have to say about working with you. You should also describe the different kinds of services you offer and provide a clear process for how those services work.
It is essential to highlight what makes you different from other firms. Potential clients will be comparing your firm to others, so you need to give them a reason to choose you, such as your years of experience, your track record of success, or your unique approach to working with clients.
How do you go about the idea of “underpromise and overdeliver”?
I do just that — underpromise and overdeliver. 😊 It’s tempting to promise a lot (especially if you genuinely deliver a lot). But it’s never worth it. Speak less, do more. Surprised, delighted clients — those are the people who become your greatest brand ambassadors, who talk about you to everyone they meet.
Also, social proof can be really helpful in this situation. Instead of making claims yourself, let other people talk about their experience with your service. It allows clients to draw their conclusions while still sticking to the underpromise-and-overdeliver philosophy.
Before we end this podcast, if someone is interested in working with you and wants to know how to find you online, how would they contact you?
I’d love to connect with them! They can visit my website at https://www.michaleisikowitz.com/or find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaleisikowitz/.
It has been great chatting with Michal. We covered so many informative and valuable nuggets about copywriting, its importance in marketing strategies, and your business as a whole.