Apryl Beverly crafts compelling copy that has generated over $20 million in revenue for B2B solo entrepreneurs, small business owners and some of the country’s top brands. Known for her “tell-it-like-it-is” writing style, she has earned a variety of awards and recognitions including hitting the Amazon Best Seller’s List in 3 categories just 24 hours after releasing her first book, Shots Fired! How to Write Copy that Pierces Hearts (And Opens Wallets). Her second book, F.A.S.T. Money! The Easy Way to use Facebook Ads to Hook Smokin’ Hot Leads shot to the No. 1 spot on Amazon’s Best Seller’s List two days before its official release. Apryl’s work has also been featured in The Huffington Post, YFS Magazine, and other notable online and print publications.
Apryl brings 19 years of experience in copywriting, marketing communications and proposal writing to her role as CEO of BAAB Writing and Marketing Services.
She is also the Founder of Word Stylist™, the first woman-owned flat rate copywriting service agency catering to the unique needs of small business owners and entrepreneurs who serve diverse audiences. She is a graduate of The Ohio State University in Journalism and the University of Phoenix in Masters of Business Administration in Marketing. Visit stylemywords.co to experience her spine-tingling sentence slinging skills for yourself.
Can you briefly describe yourself and your business?
I’m Apryl Beverly, The Million-Dollar Word Stylist™, sentence slinger and president of BAAB Writing and Marketing Services LLC. I’ve been slinging’ sentences since I was old enough to pick up a crayon. I’ve worked with Allstate Insurance Company, professional athletes, leading international law firms and global brands like McDonald’s. I’ve also been called to craft compelling sales copy for clients like Ronne Brown, Mz. Skittlez, Cici, The Six Figure Chick, King Ashley Ann, xoNecole and many more. And my clients have generated over $22.6 million from the words my team and I have written. Known for my “tell-it-like-it-is” writing style, I have earned a variety of awards and recognitions including hitting the Amazon Best Seller’s List in 3 categories just 24 hours after releasing my first book, Shots Fired! How to Write Copy that Pierces Hearts (And Opens Wallets).
My second book, F.A.S.T. Money! The Easy Way to use Facebook Ads to Hook Smokin’ Hot Leads shot to the No. 1 spot on Amazon’s Best Seller’s List two days before its official release. I’m also the founder of Word Stylistz™, the first woman-owned flat rate copywriting service agency catering to the unique needs of small business owners and entrepreneurs who serve diverse audiences.I’m a graduate of The Ohio State University in Journalism and the University of Phoenix in Masters of Business Administration in Marketing. Visit stylemywords.co to experience my spine-tingling sentence slinging skills for yourself.
How did you become a copywriter?
After graduating with a journalism degree, I started working as a public relations specialist for a small firm in Cleveland, Ohio. From there, I landed a job in legal marketing where one of the senior writers took me under his wing and showed me the copywriting ropes. That was back in 2003 and I’ve been hooked ever since.
The inspiration behind leaving an office job and becoming an entrepreneur.
I started my business in 2011 while on maternity leave. My son was 4 months old when I went back to work. He ended up catching the flu his first week in daycare forcing me to request permission to stay home with him. It was that day I decided I never again wanted to ask another adult for permission to spend time with MY child.
From there, I worked my full-time job by day and worked my business by night. Within 1 year, I had saved up 6 months of income and I left corporate America behind for good.
What will you say is responsible for your success so far?
My faith. I truly believe “I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me.” I live by that and it’s the guiding force behind my success.
In your opinion, would you say that there are any unique challenges that female entrepreneurs face?
I don’t know what it feels like to be a male entrepreneur but I do believe as women we have a lot of non-business things to worry about and it can stall our success.
Top 3 strategies for copywriters/home-based businesses who are just starting out and want to land paying clients.
#1: Sell daily – post on social media, send an email, hop on a phone call, send out a link – do something to promote, market and sell your products and services daily.
#2: Be personable – people do business with other people so showcasing your personality can often be a deciding factor in someone choosing to work with you or not.
#3: Validate yourself – don’t wait for clients to share rave reviews about you or for an influencer to endorse you. Showcase your skills and validate yourself.
Top 3 tips for effectively balancing tasks & properly Manage one’s time.
#1: Set clear boundaries – decide when you’ll do business and communicate those boundaries to your audience so there’s no confusion.
#2: Write down daily tasks – I use a planner every single day. Doing so allows me to prioritize tasks and it keeps me focused.
#3: Unplug – No matter how much you work today, you’ll never get EVERYTHING done. Pace yourself and give yourself time to recharge.
What are some of the challenges you’ve faced, and how have they made you/your business stronger?
I came down with pneumonia a few years back and nearly died from an asthma attack. Business was booming and I wasn’t prioritizing myself. I had to change how I was living and in doing so, I became laser focused on how I run my agency. As a result, I’ve tripled my revenue since that challenging time.
It’s so easy to get carried away with work and not have the time to take care of one’s self. Care to share some of your self-care strategies?
I say, “no” … a LOT! It’s one of the best self-care strategies I could ever execute. I don’t have to say yes to everybody and everything. Saying “no” allows me to prioritize myself and make sure I have adequate time to unplug and recharge so my creative juices can flow freely.
What do upcoming female (copywriters) entrepreneurs need to do to be successful?
Write and believe in their abilities. Writers get better by writing but confidence comes from believing in your skills. To be successful as a female copywriter, you have to work hard at boosting both your writing skills and confidence.
The Lady Boss Series is a weekly interview series that highlights the achievements and entrepreneurial journeys of African female entrepreneurs. The idea is to showcase the Leading Ladies who are transforming Africa and the African narrative through enterprise and business.
It is an off-shoot of Leading Ladies Africa, a non-profit that promotes leadership, inclusion and diversity for women of African descent.
If you know any kick-ass women of African Descent doing phenomenal things in enterprise, email lead@leadingladiesafrica.org, and she could possibly be featured.
