I connected with Sarah a few weeks ago during an online workshop, and asked to interview her as a fellow woman in business. Sarah Marriott is a Melbourne-based freelance copywriter helping creatives get perfect-match enquiries through their website with her signature framework, The A+ Copy Method. I asked her a few questions about running a business and advice on improving your copy…
Tell me a bit about yourself and what made you start up your own business?
Ahoy there! I’m Sarah Marriott, a coffee-loving website copywriter for creative service providers who want to get perfect-match enquiries and bookings through their website. I love working with kickass designers, photographers, brand strategists, marketing professionals and creative studios. I also do whitelabelling for website designers who need client copy support, so they don’t have to fiddle with the words. I have a background in graphic design and finished art, and worked in advertising, marketing and retail for small studios, agencies, and corporate companies for nearly a decade.
I started my business during the pandemic (oh yeah, that thing!) At the time, I was working at a premium chocolate shop (I burnt out from being a designer, but that’s another story for another day). The Wonka-like doors shut, so with endless time on my hands, I decided to learn a new skill—copywriting.
I didn’t even know I could write, but I became totally obsessed and thought to myself, “You know what, I could be a freelancer copywriter”, and once I get an idea in my head, well, it’s on like Donkey Kong. So I meshed my strategy skills in graphic design and my sales skills from the shop, and boom! Sarah the copywriter, at your service. I niched into website copywriting for creative service providers in 2025, and never looked back.
What is your specific copywriting approach?
I have my own signature framework, The A+ Copy Method, that I use in my done-for-you website copywriting service. I developed this approach from my own process when I work with creatives.
I dig into their competitors and positioning, amplify their brand voice and build strategic, authoritative copy backed by marketing and buyer psychology. This creates copy that not only sounds like them, and reflects their personality, but also sells for them. I believe you need a good balance of both to make your copy work.
Because I’m also a former graphic designer, this helps me write copy with the design, structure, and flow in mind, making everything feel cohesive and intentional.
Do you have any advice for other women wanting to start their own business?
Honestly, I find the hardest thing is to just get started! We get so fixated on having it “all figured out” or things being perfect; it stops us from getting ourselves out there. It all starts with having the mindset that progress over perfection is what matters most.
Make a start, and you can refine things as you go. I started with zero connections and no knowledge of how to run a business. All I had was inspiration (lol, that doesn’t pay the bills). But I figured everything out as I went (I mean, I still don’t have everything figured out; no one does!) But I learned so much about myself down the track. If I didn’t do it that way, I would have never known what I was capable of. And I’ve definitely surprised myself with how far I’ve come.
Any woman who’s thinking of starting a business, I say do it scared. You are never stuck, and you are far more capable than you realise. As cliché as it sounds, you just have to believe in yourself and good things will happen.
What are your top 3 pieces of advice on copywriting to elevate your business?
1. Always put personality into your copy! Personality does not mean being “loud” or “obnoxious”, it’s about finding your unique voice and making sure it’s evident everywhere. Having a distinct brand voice builds undeniable trust with your audience. It makes you unique and memorable. It’s in the specific words or phrases you use, how you address your audience, and how you get your important message across. Always use a balance of your own language and your audience’s language and you’re set.
2. Treat your homepage like a tasting platter, not the whole main course. Often, I see homepages that cram in the kitchen sink (aka everything and anything). But you want it to be like a tasting platter: samples that let your dream clients quickly get a feel for what you’re all about, without overwhelming them or sending them into a food coma.
Ensure every section has a purpose, and actually direct your reader to other pages of your website that provide specific information. Your homepage copy should guide your visitor to where they need to go, not keep them stuck in one spot. If you want more easy homepage copywriting tips, I wrote a helpful blog about it. Check out ‘Before you DIY your website copy, read these 5 tips first’.
3. Don’t outsource your copy to AI. AI is limited in what it can do, and it can’t come up with anything original. AI is helpful for things like brainstorming, customer research and inspiration, but it can’t write like a human or embody proper human connection—despite how advanced it’s getting.
If you’re DIY-ing your copy, it’s better to use templates, frameworks or courses made by professionals to guide you, and that way you are always writing in your own voice. If you have the budget, getting a human copywriter to write it for you is the best choice. You will get deep strategy, expert skills, and unique copy that doesn’t sound like everyone else. The result is much better quality than anything a robot can spit out.
What are your business goals and plans for the rest of the year?
Good question! I don’t really have any massive goals or plans this year. But I have really loved focusing on other marketing methods besides Instagram. I’ve gotten more involved on LinkedIn, and relaunching my website this year has inspired me to focus on that and put more effort into blogging.
I want to start a Substack soon and also get on Pinterest. I am also hoping to eventually launch an Etsy shop selling Squarespace website templates and copy templates, so watch this space. And of course, working with more kickass creatives on their website copy (which is where my real love is!)
About Sarah Marriott:
Sarah Marriott is a Melbourne website copywriter for creative service providers who want perfect-match enquiries and bookings through their website, even when they're offline. Using her signature A+ Copy Method, she brings her background as a graphic designer-turned-word warrior to craft strategic website copy that amplifies your brand voice, shows your authority, and turns your site into a zero-cringe, trust-building sales tool you'll be stoked to share.
