The Copywriter Club Podcast: Building a Simple Business with Justin Wise (Episode #444)

Release Date: April 22, 2025 | Host: Kira Hug | Guest: Justin Wise

In Episode #444 of The Copywriter Club Podcast, host Kira Hug engages in an insightful conversation with Justin Wise, a renowned business consultant and founder of Simple Business. Together, they delve into the intricacies of building and maintaining a streamlined copywriting business, emphasizing the importance of simplicity, differentiation, and effective content strategies. This comprehensive summary captures the essence of their discussion, highlighting key points, notable quotes, and actionable insights.

1. Justin Wise’s Journey to Business Consulting

Background and Career Transition

Justin Wise begins by sharing his unconventional career path, transitioning from aspirations in the radio and film industry to serving as a Lutheran pastor, and eventually founding his own business consulting firm.

• Justin Wise [03:34]: “I graduated college in 2003 and I had every intent of being in the radio and film industry... It just wasn't for me.”

Faced with the practical realities of supporting a family on a modest salary, Justin pivoted towards marketing, initially assisting his church and later attracting business clients who sought his expertise in simplifying their operations.

• Justin Wise [06:36]: “Launched my first business in 2014 and bing bang boom, here we are 10 years later doing the same stuff. It's amazing.”

2. Early Successes and Evolution of Social Media Marketing

Harnessing the Power of Early Social Media

In the nascent days of social media, Justin capitalized on platforms like Facebook to help businesses amplify their messages and attract customers. His early successes stemmed from leveraging these new channels to extend reach beyond local markets.

• Justin Wise [06:43]: “Being able to say to them, hey, you can have a Facebook page and you can write stuff on the Facebook page and then more people will come into your business.”

3. The Crucial Role of Email Lists in Modern Business

Ownership and Control of Audience

Justin underscores the significance of building an email list as a strategic asset, contrasting it with the transient nature of social media platforms. He emphasizes that an email list offers ownership and direct communication with your audience, safeguarding against platform algorithm changes.

• Justin Wise [09:19]: “You own those platforms. And because you don't own those platforms, you don't own your followers on that platform.”

• Justin Wise [11:06]: “There are names that you can carry from platform to platform. That's an asset, a business asset that you own.”

Addressing Hesitations Among Copywriters

When addressing copywriters' reluctance to build extensive email lists, Justin advises that even a modest list can be invaluable for maintaining connections, staying top-of-mind, and potentially creating additional revenue streams through products or services.

• Justin Wise [12:21]: “Even if that is your model, you benefit personally tremendously by even doing something as simple as a weekly newsletter.”

4. Differentiation and Crafting Unique Offers

Identifying Your Unique Selling Proposition

Justin highlights the challenge copywriters face in differentiating themselves in a saturated market. He introduces the concept of a "difference factor," an inherent trait or service that sets a business apart.

• Justin Wise [25:24]: “Everybody has what I call a difference factor... It's inherent either in you or your business.”

Practical Exercises for Finding Your Difference Factor

Justin suggests engaging with clients, family, and friends to gather feedback on what makes you unique, thereby uncovering strengths you might overlook.

• Justin Wise [25:24]: “We've had people bring in their phones in the pool and do this exercise right from the pool, and they're getting answers within 20 minutes.”

5. Content Strategy: How to vs. Why to Content

Shifting from Instructional to Inspirational Content

A significant portion of the discussion centers on transforming content strategy from "how to" guides to "why to" narratives. Justin explains that "how to" content, while informative, can be time-consuming and may inadvertently empower competitors. In contrast, "why to" content focuses on the underlying motivations and benefits, fostering deeper connections and positioning the business as a thought leader.

• Justin Wise [34:45]: “How to content feels like we're adding value. When most people think of just add value, what they think of is, oh, then I have to do how to do content.”

• Justin Wise [40:00]: “Why to content focuses on the big picture. It's for lack of a better term, thought leadership.”

Real-World Application and Results

Justin shares a case study of a guitar teacher who shifted from "how to" tutorials to "why to" content. This transition not only increased subscriber engagement by 50% but also made content creation more enjoyable and efficient.

• Justin Wise [40:00]: “He switched to Y2 content... his subscriptions are up 50%, his subscriptions are up 50%. It takes me a third of the time to produce Y2 content.”

6. Streamlining Content Creation and Distribution

Repurposing Over Creation

Emphasizing efficiency, Justin advocates for repurposing existing content across multiple platforms rather than constantly creating new material. This approach maximizes reach while minimizing effort.

• Justin Wise [29:19]: “Pick one platform. It doesn't matter what... Dominate. Don't dabble.”

• Justin Wise [34:12]: “I'm taking what I know has worked in the past, repurposing it. Because I can guarantee you... repurposing is key.”

Utilizing Templates and AI Tools

Justin discusses leveraging templates and AI, such as ChatGPT, to expedite the content creation process. By training AI on past successful content, he has significantly reduced the time required to draft emails while maintaining quality.

• Justin Wise [47:37]: “I have fallen in love with ChatGPT... I've trained my ChatGPT on six years worth of emails.”

7. Building a Self-Running Business

Focusing on Core Competencies

To create a business that essentially runs itself, Justin advises identifying the pivotal aspect— the "face"—of your business that delivers the highest value. Once established, other tasks can be delegated or eliminated to maintain focus and efficiency.

• Justin Wise [53:06]: “Find out, what is your face? What is the portrait? What is the one thing that you do that adds 80% of the value to your business.”

Eliminating Non-Essential Activities

Justin shares experiences of cutting out activities that do not directly contribute to business goals, such as maintaining a free community that wasn't converting into clients. This discipline ensures resources are allocated effectively towards high-impact areas.

• Justin Wise [56:59]: “We killed that free community... it's a series of those types of decisions and businesses that frankly, most people just won't ever do.”

8. Enhancing Writing Processes through AI Integration

Optimizing the Writing Workflow

Justin elaborates on his evolved writing process, where he combines traditional methods like writing a "shitty first draft" with AI assistance to enhance efficiency and quality. By training an AI model on his previous emails, he streamlines the drafting process, reducing time from 30 minutes to 10-15 minutes per email.

• Justin Wise [47:37]: “I use what Anne Lamott calls shitty first draft... I get it down and just crank something out.”

• Justin Wise [50:18]: “He's trained as close as AI can be trained to talk like me, to write like me... that’s literally trained off of all the emails that I wrote for many, many years.”

9. Conclusion and Key Takeaways

Emphasizing Simplicity and Focus

Kira Hug wraps up the conversation by reiterating Justin’s core advice: "Dominate. Don't dabble." By concentrating efforts on a single platform, refining content strategies to focus on "why to" narratives, and leveraging tools for efficient content creation, copywriters and business owners can build sustainable and effective businesses.

Notable Quotes:

• Justin Wise [09:19]: “You own those platforms. And because you don't own those platforms, you don't own your followers on that platform.”

• Justin Wise [25:24]: “It's not something you have to manufacture. It's inherent either in you or your business.”

• Justin Wise [34:45]: “How to content feels like we're adding value... Why to content motivates instead of teaches.”

• Justin Wise [53:06]: “What is the one thing that you do that adds 80% of the value to your business.”

• Justin Wise [56:59]: “You have to identify what that thing is, number one.”

Final Thoughts:

Justin Wise’s insights provide a roadmap for copywriters and business owners aiming to simplify their operations, differentiate themselves in a competitive market, and implement effective content strategies. By focusing on owned assets like email lists, embracing "why to" content, and leveraging technology for efficiency, entrepreneurs can cultivate businesses that not only thrive but also sustain themselves with reduced strain and increased focus.

For those eager to delve deeper into Justin Wise’s methodologies and access his resources, you can join his newsletter at getdifferent.co or connect with him on LinkedIn and Twitter.

If you found this summary helpful, consider subscribing to The Copywriter Club Podcast for more expert insights and strategies to elevate your writing and business endeavors.