money-making messaging for entrepreneurs
Case Studies
See how others are changing the world with THEIR words.
“Andrea is the female Don Draper!”
The most successful business leaders are brilliant at transforming great ideas into world-changing products and services. But most are not great at finding the right words to communicate the value of those ideas to move customers to say YES. Indeed, it’s nearly impossible for business owners to clearly see what customers love about their brands. So, most copy falls far short of authentically expressing what buyers are looking for. Even communication professionals struggle with their own sales copy.
That’s why business-development consultant Lenora Edwards works closely with these C-suite business owners—and augments her service scope with Andrea Driessen’s writing skills. Andrea translates the marketing strategies, positioning statements, and client stories that Lenora’s work surfaces into sales copy, marketing hooks, and trademark-worthy terms that speak directly to what customers want. So that her clients’ companies generate more revenue and results. And it’s all in the voice that’s genuine to each brand.
For my clients and me, Andrea is the female Don Draper. I hire her to write crystal-clear business communications—from web copy to sales scripts to e-books to LinkedIn messaging. She distills key details into powerful, convincing materials and memorable one-liners that move sales conversations forward—fast!”
–Lenora Edwards, Business Development Consultant for CEOs
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“Perfectly suited” words, phrases, and cadence for entrepreneur’s brand
Chris, an entrepreneur selling niched magazine titles to a broad range of professionals, was facing a high-stakes opportunity to broaden his market share. He asked Andrea Driessen to revamp critical business correspondence and his website, so that each piece communicates the core value of his offerings.
About the process, Chris said, “Andrea challenged my assumptions about my products, customers, and goals—and in all cases brought greater clarity to my business. Her words, phrases, and cadence are perfectly suited to my target audiences and brand. Her writing shows how she understands 1. the value of my products and services 2. what my customers really want and 3. how my products generate the results my clients expect. I continue to hire Andrea to improve my communications, because she’s so adept at communicating my value proposition in ways that drive customers to stay, engage, and pay.”
“I continue to hire Andrea to improve my communications, because she's so adept at stating my value proposition in ways that drive customers to stay, engage, and pay."
–Chris, entrepreneur
Astronaut launches a broader mission with enhanced website copy
High school teacher-turned-astronaut Dottie Metcalf-Lindenberger is on a mission: to ignite imagination, inspire new trajectories of achievement, and expand innovation through her stories from space.
To broaden that mission, Dottie has twice teamed up with Andrea Driessen. First, for support in crafting her TEDx Talk about her implausible path to become a NASA astronaut. And later, to launch her professional speaking website.
About the experience working with Andrea, Dottie shared: “I began working with Andrea through TEDx, and she helped craft my story into an impactful talk. More recently, I hired her to write copy for my new website, and help with branding. Her ideas creatively capture the messaging I need to reach my clientele, and give me new ways to connect businesses and educators to my STE(A)M outreach work.”
“[Andrea’s] ideas creatively capture the messaging I need to reach my clientele, and give me new ways to connect businesses and educators to my STE(A)M outreach work.”
–Dottie Metcalf Lindenberger, NASA astronaut & speaker
3x response rate via new one-pager
“I’ve been recruiting for 20+ years, and getting the attention of quality candidates has changed A LOT recently. With tools like LinkedIn, candidates are inundated with messages about opportunities that are often not even close to what they want. I’ve always been known as a top-quality recruiter for communicators who’d jump at the chance to speak with me, but suddenly my messages couldn’t get through the ‘noise.’ I knew I needed a different approach. I found it impossible to gain perspective on my value to the level needed to write sales messaging. That’s when I called on Andrea Driessen to help me see the forest for the trees.
Andrea wrote a one-pager to share with candidates to help generate more responses. I love the contrarian approach she took. Since the first roll out, I tripled my response rate, and was able to speak with qualified individuals immediately. In a recent search, multiple candidates told me the reason they were willing to speak with me was because of the commitment I made through the document Andrea wrote for me. The engaging wording shows job candidates that I fully understand where they’re coming from, and uses humor and irony to get and keep their attention.”
–Angee Linsey, executive recruiter and career coach
The new one-pager begins:
Thinking of saying NO to this call?
I get it: You get hit up by recruiters constantly. You’re super busy. You aren’t miserable in your job. So why take time to talk to a recruiter who specializes in communications? …
“You’re the Queen of Clarity, Andrea!”
As the founder of HR recruiting firm Big Wave, Chris Englin knew that her website and LinkedIn presence didn’t clearly communicate the depth and breadth of her firm’s business impact. Andrea Driessen’s process—which included interviews with Big Wave’s top clients—elevated her message, brand, and value proposition.
In Chris’ words:
“I just reread the new site, and I am in awe of your talent! It’s so personally rewarding and exciting to have the messaging fully reflect our service scope. You are truly a mind reader! You really understand my business and what makes me unique. Now I have a super-clear way of expressing what I do for prospects…and a new level of confidence about my work, too. Plus, I could never have conducted the client interviews—I completely trusted you to hear from my clients first hand. I also loved working with your recommended website designer.
Before we teamed up, I thought about retiring. But now I’m excited to keep matching great companies with great HR people.
You’re the Queen of Clarity, Andrea!”
“…I am in awe of your talent! It’s so personally rewarding and exciting to have the messaging fully reflect our service scope. You are truly a mind reader! You really understand my business and what makes me unique. Now I have a super-clear way of expressing what I do for prospects…and a new level of confidence about my work, too.”
–Chris Englin, Big Wave HR Recruiting
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Fast-tracked book contract, stress-lessening manuscript support, & a Kirkus star rating
It was early days in the COVID pandemic. Remote professionals—all suddenly working from home—soon realized that the ability to present effectively in virtual environments is a critical skill.
Globally-recognized leadership and communications coach Jacqueline Farrington—who coaches leaders around the world on how to use communications—indeed, their words!—to inspire people and organizations to change—had proven insights and strategies to share. She decided to write a book, but she knew she couldn’t do it all on her own.
So, she tapped Andrea Driessen’s expertise and network. Andrea helped craft a book proposal that expressed why Jacqueline’s book should be published—and why she was the person to write it. Then Andrea got the proposal directly in the hands of a prominent business book publisher. Within just a few weeks, Jacqueline secured a book deal—the opportunity to write a highly actionable guide to better presentations—virtually and in person.
Then the real work began: As Jacqueline wrote each chapter, Andrea helped guide its structure, and edited it, page by page.
The results? Kirkus Reviews granted Jacqueline’s book a rare starred review—reflecting the book’s “exceptional merit.” In their words, “In the undeniably vast crowd of books about public speaking, this one stands out for its intelligent, direct approach. An indispensable manual on all aspects of public speaking and a boon to those who may be anxious about it.”
Andrea, you saved me time, lowered my stress, were a crucial sounding board, helped me feel less alone, and helped me submit a clean, error-free manuscript. I’ll feel a woosh of release and satisfaction once I’m holding the dang thing in my hands. Thank you so much for your expertise and support through the entire journey!”
–Jacqueline Farrington , leadership + communications author and coach
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External and internal impacts from new company messaging
As the founder of FIT HR, an innovative HR consultancy, Amanda Mayo knew that her business communications needed a big refresh. Especially given her focus on elevating the brand.
As she explained:
“Communicating my firm’s distinct style, personality, and branding is very important to me, given how the business has evolved. So I decided to work with Andrea Driessen to rewrite our firm’s website, case studies, services one-pager, and some internal documents. Andrea came on board genuinely curious about our offerings—not just to ‘get copy out,’ but to deeply understand what we do. And then found the words to communicate that value externally. I’m now more confident and at peace when I talk with clients and prospects….because our new messaging fully expresses our points of difference in the marketplace. And there’s an energy and power in that.”
Internally, Amanda said that the new copy has also revalidated what makes working with clients so special for her team members. Now, FIT HR consultants say they love how their roles are showcased in the new copy, because the new messaging helps clients clearly see how integral FIT consultants are in clients’ success.
"...our new messaging fully expresses our points of difference in the marketplace. And there’s an energy and power in that.”
– Amanda Mayo, founder, FIT HR
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“Responsive, positive, inquisitive, and always helpful, no matter what we asked for”
Laura Gramling is a super-busy organizational-performance consultant who doesn’t have the bandwidth to rewrite her promotional materials. She turned to Andrea, so her website and other messaging could be updated to reflect her true value. After all the pieces were completed, Laura shared: “I appreciate how you were able to grok what my business is about, and find words to convey what I do. As we worked on revamping the text, you brought grace and a big thesaurus. As a result of our work together, I’m proud of my website—my ‘giant calling card.’ I also have reused much of the language you wrote in our sales deck.”
About the experience of teaming up with Andrea, Laura’s assistant Kathi wrote:
“You were a joy to work with. Your insights and content have definitely put Laura in her best light. You were responsive, positive, inquisitive, and always helpful, no matter what we asked for. I would love to work with you again in the future.”
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A one-word, trademark-worthy marketing hook
Speaker and customer-loyalty expert Bryan Rutberg had drafted an e-book. The intent: leverage the words in the piece as a lead magnet. But as someone naturally too close to the content, he needed an outside perspective to speak directly to the needs of those leads. And align key elements of the e-book to his highest-value offerings, so prospects would be persuaded to schedule discovery calls.
Andrea Driessen took a broad look at both the e-book and Bryan’s website. She got crystal clear on what Bryan most wanted to achieve. As a speaker bureau veteran, Andrea also considered similar experts on customer loyalty and customer love. These other authorities use catchy, easy-to-remember phrases that encapsulate their intellectual property. And they are Bryan’s direct competitors.
Connecting all the dots—Bryan’s distinct expertise, the thought leader marketplace he’s in, the idea of customer love—Andrea coined a new one-word marketing hook for Bryan, the term “lustomer.” In just 8 letters, it compellingly communicates intrigue, curiosity, and a desire to know: What are lustomers, and how do I get them?! And she edited Bryan’s e-book so that it’s built around the “10 Ways to Transform Customers into Lustomers.”
BAM: Bryan went from being a speaker-trainer-author-with-25-years-of-experience-working-with-companies-like-Microsoft to THE expert who helps transform customers into lustomers—and drive more revenue. Plus, lustomer.com was available an easy-to-spell, one-word URL, and qualified as a trademarkable term.
Andrea finds the heart of my message, and adds clarity and cleverness. So my consulting and speaking clients quickly see how I’ll help them.”
–Bryan Rutberg, Founder and Principal, 3 C Comms
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An easy-to-remember term for a speaker’s IP—& traction at 2 TEDx’s
Bennett Bratt, founder of Team Elements and the author of The Team Discovered, is a subject matter expert on team effectiveness. He wanted to clearly articulate his core value, leverage this messaging to further grow his company and influence, and:
- Clarify, codify, and communicate the core takeaways of his intellectual property
- Find more markets via which he can be paid for sharing that IP
- Develop an effective pitch to speak at a TEDx event
- Shape a catchy, trademark-worthy term for (the unwieldy) “small social eco system”
Solutions:
Andrea dug into all of Ben’s writings…his book, his website, his manifesto, his sales documents. She ran competitive intelligence on other thought leaders’ IP and terminology. Then she distilled thousands of Ben’s words and documents—the most relevant elements of his genius—into short, powerful copy. And she identified a memorable phrase that encapsulates Ben’s value into one, easy-to-recall term.
Results:
ONE—For Ben’s IP, Andrea coined “SOCIAL TRUST” (in place of small social ecosystem). As this term appears to be likely trademarkable, Ben is seeking a ® designation.
This expression both explains the value of such a group, AND what the group does.
TWO—Andrea also wrote super-short summaries of Ben’s work, so he has pithy pitches to share with TEDx speaker curation teams and any event planner looking for a timely, relevant keynote:
SHORTEST: Social trusts can forge a less-divisive, more trusting society
SHORTER: American society can become less divisive and more trusting—it can even flourish—in our small social trusts.
SHORT: Humans are surrounded by groups, and are members of many—PTAs, HOAs, work teams. Yet they report that only 5-20% are effective. We think that’s inevitable. But it’s not. American society can become less divisive and more trusting—it can even flourish—via our small social trusts.
THREE—Andrea then personally introduced Ben to key decision makers at 2 TEDx’s. From these, Ben got an audition (granted only to a tiny slice of applicants), and he continues to be under consideration at the second TEDx.
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Liberating support, total trust
Zovig is a top-tier executive coach. She’d poured her heart into designing a zesty inaugural retreat to expand her reach and help women transform their leadership skills. But she lacked the right words to express its value. So she reached out to Andrea Driessen for support.
The results? In Zovig’s words: “Leadership Essence was a smash! I couldn’t have dreamed of a better first round of this program.” As for her messaging collaboration with Andrea? “In a word, working with Andrea was freeing. She helped me create copy to support my women’s leadership program promotion and strengthen my website content and LinkedIn profile. She even threw in some extra goodies to reinforce a few talks I do. She magically turned everything I gave her into concise ideas with real punch, then worked with me to refine them to get them just right. I felt total trust in her expertise and talent, and she made working together so easy and fun. I look forward to working with her again!”
“[Andrea] magically turned everything I gave her into concise ideas with real punch, then worked with me to refine them to get them just right. I felt total trust in her expertise and talent, and she made working together so easy and fun.”
–Executive Coach Zovig Garboushian
A pithy USP to help consultancy swim in its own blue ocean
Problem:
A utility-scale energy consultancy knew that its competitive advantages were not clearly expressed in their marketing materials. The copy was more TerraPro-focused than client-focused. As a result, they knew they were leaving money on the table.
The original Unique Selling Propositions read:
1-Relationships
We invest in developing stakeholder relations. We think and act like owners on the projects we work on.
2-Knowledge
Our history in the cross-technology and utility markets (experience) allow us to develop best practices that work in any market. “If you can work in California, you can work anywhere.”
3-Results
We’re inherent problem solvers. We’ll deal with the stuff – your problem child- that you don’t have the time or resources to solve. We’ll find and implement a solution so that you can do what you do best.
Solution:
Andrea reviewed the full scope of TerraPro’s marketing materials, and talked at length with the team to clearly understand the outcomes that this premier consultancy achieves with clients. In doing so, she unearthed a set of buyer-focused approaches and a fourth USP.
Ultimately, this new wording became integral in TerraPro’s website, client pitch decks, and PR materials. The firm views the updated messaging as foundational to how they now communicate their unique value to prospects, and is winning more business as a result.
The final copy read:
Why TerraPro as your turnkey partner?
1-Best of the best practices
Our one-of-a-kind due-diligence risk assessment roadmap ensures you navigate social, and political issues with competence and integrity. And our deep awareness of the project-development lifecycle harnesses best practices—from project inception through financing and completion, and across multiple markets. So you save time, guesswork, and headaches.
2-You, at the center
Bringing an owner’s mindset to every project, we represent you at every turn. Our deep, trusting industry relationships become your relationships. And together we fast-track projects to save you money, mayhem, and mistakes. Known for our clear communication and 5+ decades of experience, we stay ahead of the latest market and tech trends. You’ll be confident and calm, knowing your entire project is in the hands of experts who keep your needs at the center.
3-Cross-market know-how
As leaders in the energy business, we know that knowledge, like a battery, is power. Our long history and deep experience in the cross-technology and utility markets—including high-level fatal-law analysis, risk assessment, and mitigation—represent the industry’s most comprehensive, integrated expertise in the utility-scale marketplace.
4-Time-saving solutions
As creative problem solvers, we have eyes both on your end game and at every step of a project. That resource-zapping “problem child”? We’ve got you. That head-scratching legal snag? Consider it handled. The risk-mitigation issue you don’t want to slog through? We’re ON it.
A new website that clearly captures a brand’s essence
Lakshmi’s website didn’t clearly express her powerful, one-of-a-kind consulting approach. Her positioning in the crowded marketplace of executive coaches diluted her significant value. After working with Andrea Driessen, Lakshmi has a website that resonates with her target audience. She’s now fully confident in sending prospects to the site as an important step in the sales process, because it’s a clear representation of her value and service set.
Andrea worked her magic on my positioning statements, and I am very pleased with the end results: smart, focused statements that genuinely capture the client experience I provide. She also supported updating my client testimonials, and dug into my website copy to make sure that the messages were not only precise, but also grammatically correct. I’m now proud of the site, because it captures the essence of what I do for my clients. I definitely recommend Andrea as a partner in honing your messaging!”
From terrified to confident: A speaker’s journey in delivering a high-stakes talk
Kimberlee Centera, in her words, was both excited and terrified. She’d been invited to deliver a SUE Talk [similar to TED Talks]. Indeed, it was for her a career milestone! While she’d spoken at some trade conferences, she was not a professional speaker. Her talk draft lacked clarity and crispness. And she was deeply worried she wouldn’t be ready in time. Kimberlee knew that she had to nail the presentation, so she could leverage the talk into additional opportunities and career credibility.
In short, she needed help with her words—with scripting and presenting. But the clock was ticking.
Through a referral, she connected to Andrea Driessen. Andrea gave detailed guidance on word choice, flow, and format. She coached Kimberlee virtually over the course of 6 weeks on body language, presence, tonality, and memorization techniques.
By event day, Kimberlee was ready. Her script had become a gripping story that had her audience rapt.
Andrea was indispensable in guiding me throughout the entire process, from crafting my story, through presentation, and delivery style. The techniques she taught me gave me the calm and confidence to deliver a compelling and memorable presentation. Her advice and guidance absolutely made all the difference.”
–Kimberlee Centera
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