We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Erica Comitalo. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Erica below.

Erica, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

So much about business-building is about risk-taking—especially when you choose to niche down.

From the moment I launched my business, I knew I didn’t just want to be a copywriter. There are plenty of those. I didn’t just want to be a copywriter for creatives. There are plenty of those, too. I wanted to be a copywriter who served a specific kind of creative, allowing me to master a way to serve them in all their unique needs. But even after choosing to write for photographers only, I had to continue niching down further to create the business I have today. Only, this niche-down wasn’t about my clients. It was about what I offered to them.

In late-2020/early-2021, I decided to stop offering multiple, customizable collections. Instead, with the encouragement of a business coach I trusted, I decided to start offering just one—the signature two-day experience I offer now. And I required that every first-time client I worked with go through this process before booking any other project.

It seemed like a wild thing to do at the time. I mean, deciding to offer a single, high-ticket experience in the middle of a pandemic sounds a little nuts! Not only did it mean I’d turn away clients who couldn’t afford the experience, but it also meant that photographers had to want a very specific thing in order to work with me. Even though it felt like a recipe for disaster, I recognized that, in order to best serve my clients, I needed to approach my service as an expert. And for me, that meant presenting a single experience I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt would deliver the results my ideal clients needed. Instead of making exceptions every time a potential first-time client emailed asking if I could skip straight to blogging for them or just write an email sequence, I started saying “no.” I started saying “no” a whole lot, actually. And I was nervous it would eventually tank my business.

But I quickly found that the opposite happened.

Because I started taking every single client through that single, effective process, the copy was better than ever. And so were their results! I was able to work quicker, be more consistent, and best of all, partner exclusively with clients who really shared my vision!

Since making that change, my business hasn’t tanked. In fact, it’s tripled! And I believe this single, scary choice is the root of that success.

Erica, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

When I talk to potential clients for the first time, most of them tell me, “wow, I didn’t even know businesses like yours existed a week ago!” And that makes complete sense. Honestly, I didn’t know what a copywriter was until AFTER I started doing the work! So, let’s start there. A copywriter is someone who writes marketing content (a.k.a. copy) for a business. I’m the one who convinces first-time visitors to your website that they should hit that “Inquire Now!” button.

From the time I began this work five years ago, I’ve chosen to work exclusively with photographers and focus on using personality to help them book. Because of this, I invest a lot of effort in ideal client and brand voice discovery. Then, I turn that into the written content for the business! Unlike many other service providers, photographers’ personalities are essential in booking clients. If I want to book a florist or caterer, I don’t particularly care if I get along with them as long as the final product is incredible. However, when it comes to photography, a great relationship with the person behind the camera makes the photos better! We know that, and clients are starting to recognize it, too.

So, as a copywriter for photographers, I help you unearth a genuine brand voice that will book!

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

While I occasionally write for men, I’ve always focused my energy on writing for female photographers. This is because I see photography as an incredible tool for women who would traditionally be on the fringes of the business world (or out of it entirely) to build powerful brands. For example, for many stay-at-home moms and military wives whose lives are often too unstable to rise through the traditional corporate world, the ability to buy a camera, learn how to take photos, and build a business anywhere is life-changing! The business can travel with them, be cultivated from home, and can be done at any hour of the day. It’s a chance at autonomy, generational wealth, and creative fulfillment that many women have craved but struggled to achieve before the rise in this career path.

However, just because a woman is a talented photographer doesn’t mean she is a successful marketer. And that’s where I come in! If they have the skill, I can connect them with clients to help them find success. And to outrun the ever-present threat of burnout, I help them create content that attracts and nurtures ideal clients, taking them away from their desks and out into the world with their cameras.

I want to help women build successful, empowering careers that bring them joy, satisfaction, and a life they love. That’s what drives me to constantly chase more knowledge and better technique to deliver the best possible experience to my clients.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish I knew about accountants who specifically serve creatives! While I hired a partnered with a tax accountant from the very start to complete my annual taxes, I contracted a CFO in 2021 who has completely transformed the way I do business! Dondrea and the team at The Creative’s CFO took on my bookkeeping, taxes, and so much more. No more last-minute spreadsheet making or guessing at whether I can make a purchase. She helped me update all of my business’s legal paperwork, create the correct bank accounts for my business, and best of all build a budget that has helped my business grow exponentially. She keeps me up to date on how my business is doing financially and how I can improve. She also helped me determine a monthly salary for myself, giving me a degree of financial stability I never thought I’d have in this business! And with her help, I feel confident making necessary big investments in my business.

It’s unfortunate that worries over finances hold so many creatives back, when just a bit of guidance could help them reach their goals. Especially when business and personal finances mix, there’s so much guilt to making big investments, even necessary ones. But by separating the two and having a set account for those investments, I have the budget to grow my business!

There’s definitely a reason I’m a creative and didn’t choose a numbers job. So, having an experienced professional taking care of that side of my business has made all the difference in the world.

Contact Info:

• Website: thewritelens.com
• Instagram: @thewritelens
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/thewritelens/
• Other: Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/thewritelensforphotographers/

Image Credits
Perry Ann Photography