Lois McKenzie

Up Club

You're the type of person that builds category-leading businesses, you're not here to play small. 

Your vision is BIG and will shape the world. 

The last thing you need is to be grappling with words or figuring out how to say the thing to get the right reaction. 

That's where we come in.

We are copywriters, content marketers & expert communications strategists on a mission. 

We have a knack for distilling big visions into powerful verbal identity, messaging, and communications strategy that positions you as the go-to.

We translate your industry-changing philosophies into compelling narratives. We make your greatest ideas resonate more potently than ever before.

My clients often describe us as their best-kept secret. We've built systems to draw out your winning message, and know exactly how to refine it and amplify it to reach the right people powerfully.

We are seasoned storytellers and we’re here to make growth simpler.

What we Do:

Our speciality is words. Impactful copy & messaging strategy that resonates with the right people. This includes — verbal identity, web copy, content strategy. With Up Club, you're essentially hiring a senior-level marketing team without the price tag. 

Our approach has been optimised over 16+ years, it is focused & efficient—we provide the words & strategy you need, when you need them.

Your words are potentially the most profitable marketing tool you have at your disposal. 

With the right messaging, We've helped clients secure millions in funding, sign six-figure deals, and launch wildly successful, category-leading ventures. 

If you’re ready to make a real difference and be recognised as the obvious choice in your space, reach out. 

Let's take your vision and put the right words to it to make it worth more than you can imagine.

Founder & Chief Copywriter

Elaina Ray International

Content Coach

Marketing Director

Do It Marketing

Sales Director

Copywriter

Various

I didn't always want to be a copywriter. I just wanted to write. 

Growing up my Mum had books everywhere. All over the house.

Instead of a bedside table, she had a leaning tower of books.

Cups of half-drunk tea perched perilously on the edge of whichever one had landed on top.

One slight wrong move or sharp turn with the bedcovers, and tea would spill everywhere.

Which, of course, happened often.

Because she was always lost in one of three or four or five books she was reading at any given moment (she likes to start a few at once, so "you never finish one too soon").

We had two huge bookshelves that still weren’t even enough to house all of the books

-- and of all of the furniture we bought and sold and lost and broke over the years, those two, gargantuan wooden beasts survived until the day she moved to live on a boat (that’s a whole other story but thankfully the Kindle was invented).

There were piles of books on top of the shelves, beside the shelves, next to the couch.

Even in the kitchen.

This all-consuming love-of-stories is something I got from her.

I never realised it at the time. But, this is one of the greatest gifts my Mum ever gave to us.

We didn’t have loads of money growing up.

But we had stories.

We had whole other worlds to escape to.

We didn't need much, we had books.

The perfect medicine for any kind of affliction of the soul. A literary apothecary.

And this is what stories do. This is what good narrative has the power to do.

And, that's all I ever wanted to do --tell stories.

After a couple of years in the advertising department at a local newspaper, I went off on my travels. I lived in Canada and worked in a graphic design agency writing web copy & messaging. I worked in Ibiza and Italy selling tickets to global events. Everything brought me back to writing stories & marketing messaging. 

When I got back to England I started my marketing & journalism degree, started freelance writing & ghostwriting work and never looked back.

Freelance Writer

Bolt Digital Agency

From working with myriad brands as a freelance writer to becoming the Head Copywriter at Bolt Digital Agency, my career evolved significantly over the years. 

With Bolt I had the pleasure of being back in real, fast-moving, digital agency life. It was exciting. Every brand something new and different. 

My role was to write compelling narratives for our high profile clients -- lots of VC backed start ups that secured multi-millions in funding after we were done: dating apps, luxury hotels, global fintech startups, and even granola bars. 

Each assignment was a masterclass in articulating unique brand messages, appealing to diverse audiences, and launching or scaling businesses effectively. 

As Head Copywriter at Bolt, I also hired and mentored other writers, and if you've ever taught a subject, you'll know that's the real key to deepening your expertise. Figuring out how to help someone else articulate something, and then letting go of the reins was a whole new education in copywriting. 

It was also amazing to be hiring writers from earlier on in my career -- I have such a good idea of the market on both sides of the coin that has helped me serve clients immensely.

Head Copywriter

Blackpool Gazette, Johnston Press

As a fresh-faced 17 year old who had life-long dreams of becoming a writer, a decidedly green idea of what that might actually take but filled with ambition, I found my start at the Blackpool Gazette as a junior advertising copywriter. 

I caught two buses to get to their head office and asked to speak to the editor -- if I could go back and speak to myself now! The receptionist was a little amused and didn't expect her to let me in. But, for some reason, she did. She appreciated my tenacity and instead of giving me some spicy hot story to get out and report on (which is how I'd imagined it would go in my head) she suggested I join the advertising team writing headlines. 

It wasn't quite my Vogue fantasy, but it was a start. So I took it and jumped in. 

Turns out coming up with headlines under 10 words for high-pressure advertising sales reps is a good education – a proper crash course in advertising and copywriting and I was fortunately quite good at it. 

Learning the art of crafting catchy 10-word headlines for high-stake clients, I discovered the heart-thumping pressure and invaluable advertising lessons of a daily print news cycle. These experiences sparked my lifelong love for concise, persuasive copy that remains both my arch nemesis and my best friend.

Junior advertising copywriter

Million-dollar verbal carpentry | Copywriting & messaging strategy that has earned our clients $8M+ in sales and $4M+ in capital.

I've turned words into a powerful business tool.

After 16 years as a copywriter (some of those earlier years in a hot advertising agency being thrown to the pit of wolves of advertising salesmen)…

I know -- and have seen first hand -- that the right messaging alone has the potential to catapult any business, brand or public figure to exactly where and who they want to be.

Actually, without it everything in business just feels harder than it needs to be.

In a world drowning in noise and artificially generated 'thought leadership', standing out is not a luxury; it's a necessity.

Your brand needs a distinct voice, one that calls out to your people and connects with them in a way nobody ever has before.

At Up Club, we've mastered the art of creating impactful messaging and communication strategies, for brands, founders and executives -- shaping your verbal identity to do what it’s supposed to. 

Sell. 

Sell your ideas. Your work. Your leadership. Your products.

The bottom line remains the same — good copywriting gets people to take action.

How much more could you do if you had the right words in the right places to get the right reaction?

The click. The follow. The funding. 
The yes without objection.

I’m here to make sure that every word works as hard as you do, whether that's raising capital, securing new clients, or launching a new product.

We're expert at writing high-impact copy & messaging that looks, feels and sounds like you, but better 😉 everywhere you or your brand are seen:

ads, emails, social media, website — helping you turn each touchpoint into a powerful sales opportunity.

Here's what we bring to the table:

▪️Messaging & Communications Strategy: Verbal identity & messaging strategy that makes you distinct and resonates with the right people for the right reasons.

▪️Web Copywriting: We ensure your website copy not only represents your brand but compels your visitors to take action.

▪️Copywriting: From ads and emails to social media & LinkedIn thought leadership, we make you sound as smart as you are.

Here's what our clients say:

"Lois is the best copywriter I’ve ever worked with. I’ve never met anyone who can turn websites into money-making machines just with words like Lois can”

James, CMO

"Hands down the best I've ever heard anyone articulate our message. You absolutely nailed it. Even I have never been able to get it this good"

-- Dan, Founder

Shoot me a DM or check out our services in the Featured section. 

Your words are worth more than you imagine, and I'm here to prove it.

Founder

We’re known for creating content that looks, feels and sounds like you. Content that builds authority, brings more eyes to your work and shines a light on your mission. Content that positions you as the expert that you are and gives you the platform you need to drive change.

In short: content that positions you as the obvious choice.
 
We're the secret ingredient to leveraging your expertise so that you can increase your impact, visibility and authority without needing to increase the time you spend online.
 
...and without your message losing its authenticity and integrity.

What we do: ghostwritten authority and thought leadership content, web copy, copywriting & strategy and LinkedIn VIP days.

Last week, a client forwarded me content from someone in my space who talks about similar things.

She'd found someone essentially reposting my IG & Threads content as their own.

And, while I deeply appreciate this person feeling protective of my IP, I don’t care who is regurgitating my ideas.

Here’s why 👇

1. Nothing is original. Nothing.

I don’t care what you say about this one. Nothing is original. Unless you spend most of your days in a teepee with a shaman blacked out to the back of your eyeballs with Ayahuasca (zero shame), the likelihood is the ideas you have are inspired by MANY things.

And they should be. 

The sign of a good writer is someone who can take old ideas, beliefs, philosophies and bring them back to life, to combine new with old, to bring ideas together, to find The Idea in a pile of other ideas.

2. She practically word-for-word copied me. But it doesn't matter. 

Even if she had an audience 400 times the size of mine (she doesn’t) it wouldn’t matter. My people are for me, her people are for her.

3. I honestly find it flattering.

(at least at this stage of my growth, ask me again a few 10s of 1000s of followers later 😆)

Maybe you won’t believe me, maybe I’m a weirdo. 

But whenever I see someone who believes in my message that much, that they will rewrite it and package it up as their own, I think: huh. I’m really doing it. I’m really leading conversations.

This is the deal you sign up for. People will hate what you say. People will love it so much they will start to say it too. The WORST thing you can make people feel is indifference. So, I'll take this over nothing.

Note: I am NOT condoning word-for-word plagiarism or ripping off someone's work and trying to sell it, and I know it fking stings when it happens. But, it is going to happen. This is just how I see it.

4. I literally have zero time to worry about it.

I wish I had more time to care 😂🥲 I just don’t. 

I’ve seen posts where I’ve thought hmmm seems a bit sus, but then I have a million other things to do so I don’t think about it anymore.

5. This is the most important one...

No matter what, people can tell.

Whether they’ve seen or read my work or not, people can tell. 

When you’re not fully embodied in your message or you’re pulling just a lil too much inspiration from someone else, it comes across.

It’s not genuine. 

I've seen spats between huge creators here on LinkedIn because their literal audience have noticed someone full on ripping off their work. 

Even if you don't have that level of fandom yet, people can just tell. It never hits as hard.

So, as much as I can respect the hustle, I also know it won’t be as effective as it is when I share it.

6. All love.

I try to hold compassion. 

Maybe she’s burned out and just needs to bring her own inspiration back to life. Maybe she hired a copywriter and that person copied and she isn’t even aware. Maybe there’s other shit going on that I won’t ever know. So, whatever.

All love.

Million-dollar verbal carpentry | $10m in sales & $4m in capital over an almost 2-decade-long copywriting career, now I'm showing you how to write & think like a top conversion copywriter👇

Personal branding has literally been around since the dawn of time. It’s not a trend.

Julius Caesar
Shakespeare
Van Gogh
Cleopatra
Queen Elizabeth (really any royal family worth their salt)
Anais Nin
Charles Bukowski
Albert Einstein

The list is, quite literally, endless.

All of these people became famous because of their philosophies, world-changing ideas, message, unique quirks, personalities, reputation.

That's what personal branding is.

Literally all throughout history this is what humans have done. 

Even Jesus is an OG lmao.

It absolutely is not going anywhere and anyone saying that it is or that it's just a digital-age marketing 'trend' doesn’t understand marketing or branding.


If you're not writing specific copy, you're not selling enough.

Simple.

But "specific" doesn't mean you need to be selling 40s-inspired lawn chairs to middle-aged power tools salesmen in Florida with difficult-to-please wives named Sandra.

You can be specific about your service, about the outcomes you help people achieve, about the details, about your perspective, even, all without having to 'niche down' to a corner of the market where there's approximately 3 people.

Here's how to slap some specificity into your web copy, social posts, emails, love notes, faxes, script tattoos and wherever else you really need to make an impact without feeling like you've put your business into a choke-hold... 👇

1. Eliminate any and all vague promises and get crystal clear about the benefits and outcomes you deliver.

Instead of: "So you can feel more confident"

Try: "I help you strut into that boardroom like you own the place, command the respect you deserve, and finally stop doubting how absolutely fucking brilliant you are." (fuck optional)

Specificity injects trust and credibility into your copy faster than a politician's promise evaporates after election day.

2. Can we all agree nobody ordered a word salad? Communicate your offerings with clarity and precision.

Instead of: "Vagina Vagus Nerve Coaching For Feminine Fiercetrixes in Leadership To Show UP Through Nervous System Symbioticism" (yes, I just made that up, and yes, it hurt my brain too)

Try: "For ambitious women leaders who want to assert themselves at work shame-free, so they can lead authentically without feeling the need to conform to outdated masculine stereotypes of leadership"

3. Don't overlook your 'copy bits', like subheaders and CTAs, as a great place to change things up with a bit of personality, flair and specific benefits.

Instead of: "Apply now"

Try: "Smash that 'Enroll Now' button like it owes you money, and get ready to wake up every morning feeling like the boss you were born to be."

Generic nonspecific CTAs are about as convincing as a soggy bowl of cornflakes.

You'll notice the specific copy is often longer, and this is why long copy often performs better. 

But, not long copy for the sake of it. 

It has to be saying the right things in the right ways for the right reasons.

You don't always have to choose clear over clever.

Specific copy is often clear AND clever.

Just don't try and sound clever for the sake of it.

My stories are utterly ordinary.

I mean, who wants to hear about my Saturday afternoons spent drinking milky tea and reading with my nana? 🤣🫶🏼

But even my most ordinary stories connect me to my people because they allow me to say something different.

I can’t imagine anyone else is clamouring to LinkedIn this morning to share about a library & sideways rain in the North West of England.

Sharing more stories gets attention & builds trust — that’s all marketing needs to do.

Advertising IS storytelling. If you can tell good stories you can create good marketing.

The stories that stick to your ribs and change the way you see the world are the ones that make the most interesting brand building. And you’ve likely got a whole arsenal of them.

People love to read an ordinary, relatable story and go: “omg me too!!!”

If you’ve tried telling stories in business and you’re one of the many people who says something like, “but I don’t have stories to tell”

Try this:

01/ Do one main core memory inventory — pick categories if it makes it easier. Like “business” or “family life” then list all of the core memories that come to mind under each category.

02/ Keep a daily story inventory with dates. Instead of this being like a journal, choose something that happened to you that day and document it in detail. One of mine this week was about a green sweater I for some reason have some sort of deep, ADHD emotional bond with and cannot, for the life of me, let it go. Even though it’s full of holes and makes me look like I slept under a park bench. Will I use it? Who knows. 

These are just some of the things I practice noticing.

03/ Pick a storyteller you like, fiction authors great for this but it could easily be someone online, and copy word-for-word some of their stories every morning. Notice how they bring a character or place to life. The idea is obviously NOT to use this, but to practice your storytelling chops.

04/ If writing your own stories feels too personal, write about others. Choose famous examples that give context to things you'd love your ideal clients to know or realise.

05/ And finally, notice the story behind every purchase you make. Because there always is one.

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