Camille Barton
How Camille found the thread that connected the different aspects of their work together.
“Before working with Sophy, I saw a thread of pleasure, play, body autonomy and practice based interventions that support care, running through my work.
Yet I had struggled to articulate the thread clearly to others and connect it to my broader goals.”
- Camille Sapara Barton
The Overview
At the time we began working together, Camille said,
“I feel it's time to get some support. I have an interested publisher for a book on embodied grief practices which all being well, will come into the world in 2024*. To prepare for this, I'd like to regenerate my website, social media and brand messaging so I can give as much clarity as possible and attract the right people; as well as promote the book.”
* you can find Camille’s book, Tending Grief, which was published by New Atlantic Books in April 2024, here.
We explored the stories at the heart of Camille’s business and life experiences in order to find - and articulate - the thread running through them all.
Service: Unlock Your Message
Date: December 2022
About the client
Camille Sapara Barton is a multi-talented person: an artist, author, facilitator, academic, consultant, curator and DJ. In many ways the challenge of our work together was to find a way to describe how these different kinds of work can come together to make something cohesive and unique.
My services were recommended to Camille by another client of mine, who is also a frequent collaborator: the brilliant eco web designer and tech specialist, Yarrow Magdalena, who runs Pink Well Studio. Yarrow was due to design a new website for Camille, so this work on messaging was part of the preparation process for creating the new design and web copy.
Camille was looking for someone who could bring the disparate threads of their work together and create an overall brand message that felt aligned.
The Goal
Before I start working with someone new, I always ask, if their copy and messaging reflected the true value they create for their clients, what difference would that make to them and their business? This was Camille’s answer:
“It would be huge. A sigh of relief. A catalyst from which things can more easily flow.”
The Process
The heart of our work together was a co-creation writing and coaching intensive for a week. But before that week began, Camille had a set of reflection questions (in a shared Google Doc) to complete, which I then read, considered and annotated with my thoughts about potential connections, stories to highlight and core messaging elements before our first call.
We then began our week together with a deep dive coaching call on the Monday, after which we continued collaborating both by writing and commenting in the shared Google Doc and going back and forth in voice messages using the Voxer app.
Over the course of the week, we gradually distilled Camille’s messaging into a framework and I created a Brand Message Playbook. This contained:
their brand promise
a description of who gets the most value from their services
three differentiators/USPs
a disruptive element of their point of view
an elevator pitch
a description of the bigger ‘why’ behind their work
their brand tone of voice
core brand values
the headline benefits of working with them
the 3 main conversation topics to focus on in podcast interviews, blogging etc.
their personal strengths
and lastly, an origin story for their business (to use in an About Page and elsewhere)
Finally, we had a wrap-up call on the Friday of our week together, to ensure that all the little details had been taken care of, and to make any final tweaks to the messaging.
The Transformation
At the end of our week together, Camille had the bones of their new web copy in the Brand Messaging Playbook - all the foundational parts of their Home Page, About Page and Services Page, plus an overall brand message that felt authentic, aligned and cohesive.
“It was such a gift to work with you. Afterwards I felt so much more prepared to put myself out there in a new way and attract the right people.”
The Bottom Line
Camille, Yarrow and I collaborated further to ensure that the brand messaging and copy was spot-on for Camille’s new website, which was then successfully launched a few weeks later.
Camille on the experience of working together
“My overall experience was wonderful.
I liked having a week to really focus on the process. I found the initial questionnaire you sent me really enjoyable and informative. I really enjoyed being able to send you voice notes on Voxer.
I felt very supported.”
A note from Sophy
Thank you Camille - it was a real pleasure to work with someone willing to be so open and transparent throughout the process, and it’s been a joy to see your work take wings in the world with the publication of your book.