This feature is a question-and-answer session with a new Blount County Chamber member. So, here we go with our 182nd installment visiting with Mary Vosika, director/owner of True Voice Copy which assists entrepreneurs by engaging their target market, attracting quality leads, and turning those leads into bigger and better sales.

Tell me more about what you do. As a Marketing Strategist and Copywriter I develop clear, effective marketing strategies, such as clear website copy, email campaigns, lead generators, articles, and blog posts that attract and engage the right prospect for my client’s target market. And then I write the copy and content to put those strategies into action so they are driving leads and sales, and increasing the bottom line.

How did you get started in this line of work? I am retired from the financial industry, and working as a self-employed Financial Advisor I was responsible for driving my own leads and generating sales from those leads. I understand what it’s like to ensure a steady stream of work and income. When I sold my practice I decided to turn my life-long love of writing into a business that could help business owners increase sales and become happier in their work.

What is your background? I have always been a writer. My mom said I was born with a pencil in one hand and paper in the other. I grew up writing murder mysteries, and in fact, I still do! But I only did that as a hobby. And during my 30-year career in Finance I kept wondering how I could turn my writing into an income source. Purely by accident, or maybe not, I found the exciting world of Direct-Response Copywriting, and I was hooked. I became a Verified Direct Response Copywriter with the American Writers and Artists, Inc., and I became a Certified Story Brand Guide through Donald Miller’s Business Made Simple academy. I’ve been studying the art of copy and content writing for the past 10 years, and I continue to study and improve my craft even today. I make it a point and a priority to write something every single day. And when I’m not working for clients I’m working on a new novel – a spy thriller that’s due to hit the market in late 2024.

Who is your mentor? My mentor and biggest supporter has always been my husband, Bret, whom I lovingly call Spouse. He has always understood how important writing is to me, and he’s done everything he can to ensure I have what I need to write. He knows my good days, and my bad days, and he’s there celebrating me or lifting me up. He brainstorms with me, and is my primary teacher when I need to better understand the world of law enforcement. After all, I don’t want my characters running around doing things that wouldn’t normally happen out there in the real world. But sometimes…just sometimes…my characters misbehave and they do what they want anyway. And that’s when Spouse shakes his head and tells me I need to get those characters under control! I really don’t know what I’d do without Spouse.

Describe your customers. I work primarily with micro- and small businesses; especially certified women-owned businesses. I also focus on professional service providers and other professionals in the financial industry. But I am also open to helping those in the food and tourism industries.

Name three things you wish you knew when you started. There are definitely certain things I wish, and maybe regret. But they are lessons learned. 1. I wish I trusted my instincts when I was ready for university, and went straight to writing instead of finance. 2. I wish I had applied for all available grants to help me get on my way. 3. I wish I knew how hard writing would be. Most people think words just fall out of my head, but that’s not true. I put the words on the page with intent and purpose, and then I rewrite, and then proof, and then edit, and then polish. And finally I have to tell myself that I’m done!

What do you enjoy about your business? I want business owners to succeed. With clear, concise messaging I can help them engage their target audience, attract quality leads, and turn those leads into bigger, better sales. And who doesn’t want more sales. As Donald Miller says, “If you confuse, you lose.” Messaging makes all the difference.