Taking your copy to the countryside

 

Have you ever felt cooped up in a corporate office, staring outside at the trees, wishing you could leave the hustle and bustle of city life behind?

Waking up mid-morning, taking a coffee onto the veranda, and staring out at wide-open pastures with birds chirping?

While it’s a nice daydream to have, many of us stick it out and stay put.

Others, like our guest today, put in the tough hours to make it a reality.

It’s not all lazy sleep-ins and fresh country air, but it IS freedom from the constraints of the city, and as far as copywriting goes – it’s a whole new demographic.

We’re excited to find out the difference location can make to your writing strategies from The Rural Copywriter herself!

 

Tune in to learn:

• How Sarah Walkerden became The Rural Copywriter
• Common misconceptions about country-living
• City VS Country copy
• The secrets of writing in a “down to earth style”
• The challenges of working with rural businesses
• How Sarah’s workday changed.

Hot Copy #121: Regional Copywriting: Marketing to a rural audience with Sarah Walkerden #copywriting #hotcopy
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If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and/or comment over on iTunes, Spotify, or Stitcher. Thanks!

Oh and big hugs to Kate Crocker for her lovely testimonial.

“I love the Hot Copy Podcast. It’s engaging, funny, and informative. It covers a huge range of copywriting topics, always with practical tips.

 

Belinda and Kate also interview some legends of the biz and obviously enjoy themselves.

 

This podcast is a must for any copywriter.”

 

About Sarah

 

The Rural Copywriter helps rural and regionally based businesses (including the agricultural and equestrian industries, boost their Google rankings and win over scores of adoring customers, through effective digital marketing messaging and strategy.

Specialising in writing SEO-friendly website copy and sales funnel copywriting, Sarah also helps businesses to develop effective content marketing strategies for blogs and social media.

Fun fact: Sarah also loves the smell of leather and horse sweat!

 

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Useful links

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Facebook
• The Rural Copywriter

Hot Copy #121: Regional Copywriting: Marketing to a rural audience with Sarah Walkerden #copywriting #hotcopy
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And the joy of nailing your brand

 

Figuring out what makes you unique is a tough but essential part of marketing your copywriting services.

What if you’ve written for every type of business?
What if you’ve seen it all and written the copy?
Can oodles of experience be your USP?

The answer is yes and we’re excited to talk to a copywriter who celebrates not only her age and experience but her knack for reinvention… and how that’s shaped her copywriting business.

 

Tune in to learn:

• Life and writing experience – when you’ve seen it, done it, made it work (even when ‘it didn’t’)
• The process of reinvention and how to know if you need one
• The new dimension of imposter syndrome (aka ‘how can I possibly still be here doing this at my age?!’)
• Wrinkles and grey hair in the era of Facebook live
• Advice for grey-haired word nerds contemplating freelance copywriting
  The joy of nailing your brand

Hot Copy #120: Crinkly Copywriting: Can you still write great copy when you’re 60+? with @wrinklywriter #copywriting #hotcopy
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Share the pod love

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes, Spotify, or Stitcher. Thanks!

Oh and big hugs to kazzaround from Australia for this lovely testimonial.

An old dog learning new tricks and really enjoying this podcast. Presented so well by Kate who is engaging, entertaining and informing on all things on copywriting. This is the best podcast in a while and I can’t get enough.

About Mary

Mary Cameron is an SEO Copywriter, Kiwi with Scots roots, now living ‘la vie bretonne’ in regional France.

A writer of clear, convincing words for exacting humans for over 40 years.

Distance runner turned endurance cyclist. Saltwater enthusiast. Bossed by a ginger cat. Wife to darling husband and mother to a lovely lad. Grumpy loser of board games.

 

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Useful links

• The Wrinkly Writer
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Writer Helen Garner on the insults of age

Hot Copy #120: Crinkly Copywriting: Can you still write great copy when you’re 60+? with @wrinklywriter #copywriting #hotcopy
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Turning technical content into benefit-driven, highly converting copy

 

SaaS copy, is it a super sexy sassy form of copywriting?
No!
It’s Software as a Service copy.
Huh?
Well, you know big brands like Stripe, ConvertKit, Slack – yes, they need copywriting too.

And not just any copy.

When we write for SaaS companies we’re writing easy to understand words for potentially highly technical products.
We need to write copy that shows that this software, that you’ve never heard of, is absolutely essential for your life.

We’re digging deep into the world of SaaS today.

 

Tune in to learn:

• How Kat got started in copywriting
• When and why she decided to niche into SaaS copywriting
• What kind of copy SaaS clients regularly ask for
• How Kat found her first SaaS copywriting client
• How Kat stays up to date with SaaS trends
• Whether Kat’s clients tend to be one-off or ongoing work
• Kat’s SaaS copywriting process
• Key SaaS copywriting techniques

Hot Copy #119: Creating content that connects for SaaS businesses with @kat_ambrose #copywriting #hotcopy
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Listen to the podcast

 

Share the pod love

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and/or comment over on iTunes, Spotify, or Stitcher. Thanks!

Oh and thanks to F N AWESOME Game for this great review of the show.

“I’m not even a copywriter, just a marketer, and I can’t stop listening to this podcast! The hosts and guests are amazing and I learn volumes from each episode!

 

My three other podcasts are on hold until I listen to every episode of the Hot Copy podcast (including the ones on their website too)!

 

They say this podcast is for copywriters, but in my humble opinion, it’s also for entrepreneurs, marketers, and salespeople too because each episode is packed full of gems of information.

 

Thanks, ladies and to all the guests for this valuable podcast and copywriting gold. I absolutely love it!”

 

About Kat

Kat Ambrose is obsessed with stringing words together, especially for SaaS companies.

She’s written for companies like Stripe, Keeping, and GoLinks, just to name a few. After a few years of cutting her teeth in the agency world, she left to pursue her writing career and hasn’t looked back since.

When she’s not writing or keeping up with trends in the SaaS space, she’s out for a run, paging through a thriller, or trying to pet the nearest dog.

Fun fact: Kat and her middle brother are 364 days apart!

 

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Connect with Kat

• SaaS Copywriter – Kat Ambrose
• Twitter
• LinkedIn

Hot Copy #119: Creating content that connects for SaaS businesses with @kat_ambrose #copywriting #hotcopy
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How to boost your authority by being a podcast guest

Being a guest on a podcast is a fantastic way to increase your reach and boost your visibility and skyrocket that authority. Right? You’re a really important person who knows what they’re talking about when you’re been on a pod.

But getting on a podcast is not quite as easy as just asking the podcast host.

Today’s guest is a podcast guesting specialist and we’re digging into how to get on podcasts but so much more.

 

Tune in to learn:

• How Mai-Kee niched into podcasting pitching
• How podcasts rank against other means to boost visibility and authority
• How to get over your own fear of being a podcast guest
• How to choose the best podcast to get on
• The secret of a solid podcast pitch
• Equipment needed if you don’t want to be rejected as a podcast
• Other essentials you need in place
• How to leverage the pods we’re on to get in front of our ideal clients
• The power of intentional podcast guesting

It’s a long as Belinda got right into the chat but it’s worth it.

E118:  The secret to authority-boosting podcast pitches with Mai-Kee Tsang #copywriting #hotcopy
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If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and/or comment over on iTunes, Spotify, or Stitcher. Thanks!

 

About Mai-Kee

Mai-kee Tsang is a Podcast Guesting Mentor and Trainer who helps purpose-driven entrepreneurs to expand their reach, share their message, and grow their businesses to make a bigger impact on the world.

She does this by training her clients and their teams to build a self-sustaining podcast guesting system in their biz – so they can land brand-aligned podcast interviews without having to outsource to an external agency.

This helps to position her clients as guest experts who focus on Value-Driven Visibility™, intentional relationship building, and creating a loyal audience.

 

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Connect with Mai-Kee

• Website
• Podcasters Resource Guide
• Instagram
• From Pitch to Podcast Guest group program waitlist
• Quiet Rebels Podcast

E118:  The secret to authority-boosting podcast pitches with Mai-Kee Tsang #copywriting #hotcopy
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How to pitch for magazine editors the right way and see your story in glossy print

 

Do you want to know a secret?

Kate never actually wanted to be a copywriter. Her dream was to be a magazine writer. In fact, she was voted “Girl Most Likely To Write For Smash Hits” when she was at school.

But there’s more. She was also a feature editor for her uni newspaper interviewing Blur and Bob Monkhouse.

She interned at several sexy music mags in London.

And she was accepted onto a prestigious magazine journalism course. Whaaaat?

But she couldn’t afford it. So she didn’t go.

So she spent the next 10 years wandering in the wilderness of digital production… until she found copywriting.

But Kate still yearns to be a REAL Writer.

(And we’re all nodding here, right?)

Today we’re talking about writing for magazines and more specifically how to pitch them and we have a very special guest to give us the lowdown.

 

Tune in to learn:

• Where to start with magazine writing
• A peek behind-the-scenes with Rachel
• Emailing the perfect pitch
• Whether you should write an article or pitch the idea first
• The first point of contact when pitching articles
• How to hear back from potential writing jobs
• Pay rates in the world of magazine-writing
• Kill fees – what they are and how to obtain them
• Handling rejection as a writer.

Hot Copy #117: The ultimate guide to magazine pitching with @RachelsList #copywriting #hotcopy
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If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and/or comment over on iTunes, Spotify, or Stitcher. Thanks!

Oh and please leave us a review and we’ll read it out on the show!

 

About Rachel

Rachel Smith is a freelance journalist and copywriter with over 20 years’ experience (most of that in isolation by choice, ha).

She writes for magazines, websites, and corporate clients and has been published in the Sydney Morning Herald, Good Health, Woman’s Day, CHOICE, Foxtel Mag, TV Week, Inside Out, and many others.

Rachel is also the founder of Rachel’s List, a jobs board and community for writers – and she co-hosts The Content Byte podcast with fellow journo Lynne Testoni.

 

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Connect with Rachel

• Rachel’s site
• Rachel’s List
• Content Byte
• Google doc of Aussie publications still commissioning

Hot Copy #117: The ultimate guide to magazine pitching with @RachelsList #copywriting #hotcopy
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Stop getting in your own way. Start branding.

As copywriters, we get to hide behind our keyboards – writing the words that put our clients in the spotlight.

And for many of us, it’s just where we want to be.

But are we doing ourselves a disservice?

Today we’re going to be talking to Mike Kim about building a personal brand and what it can mean for us as copywriters and business owners.

His own podcast Brand You is where he talks about all those things and more..

But today, he’s all ours.

 

Tune in to learn:

• The surprising start to Mike’s career
• Whether having a personal brand means we have to be a celebrity
• The elements of a strong personal brand
• How to start building your personal brand
• How a personal brand will compete or complement your business brand
• How a copywriter can develop a personal brand that genuinely stands out in an internet of copywriters
• How to communicate core brand values through content
• Mistakes most people make when it comes to their own brand
• What we need to get over in order to have a strong personal brand

E116: Why you need a personal brand (and how to create it): With Mike Kim @MikeKimTV #copywriting #hotcopy
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Listen to the podcast

 

Share the pod love

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and/or comment over on iTunes, Spotify, or Stitcher. Thanks!

Oh and huge props Lizzie Macaulay for this review on Facebook.

“As a mum of 2 youngsters (1&3), I am usually saddled with Wiggles-filled car journeys at every turn. Discovering the Hot Copy podcast has been a game-changer in more ways than I can count. Goodbye Wiggles, hello smart, witty, professional advice that has really shaped how I approach setting up my own service in regional Queensland. We have worked through nearly the entire catalogue in the last month or so, and it is my suspicion Kate and Belinda’s tips are shaping two mini writers as well! 😉

 

Thank you both for all you do, and keep up the fantastic work!” – Lizzie Macaulay

 

About Mike

Mike Kim is a speaker and marketing strategist who specializes in brand strategy and copywriting.

He’s been hired by some of today’s most influential thought leader brands including John Maxwell, Donald Miller, Suzanne Evans, and Catalyst.

For years he was the Chief Marketing Officer of a successful multi-million dollar company near New York City.

Nowadays you’ll find him speaking at conferences, looking for the next great place to scuba dive, and sipping a glass of Macallan 15 — all while teaching everything he knows about branding, entrepreneurship, and life through his hit podcast, Brand You.

 

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Connect with Mike

• Website
• BrandYou Bootcamp
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn

E116: Why copywriters need a personal brand (and how to create one): With Mike Kim @MikeKimTV #copywriting #hotcopy
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Ex-lawyers are humans too!

Human-centered design is an approach to interactive systems development that aims to make systems usable and useful by focusing on the users, their needs and requirements, and by applying human factors and usability knowledge and techniques.

The point? To create a better experienced for real-life people.

On today’s podcast, we have a veritable whizz at all things human-centered, Anita Siek.

She’s going to explain what Human-Centred design is, how it applies to content and copywriting, and how we can use it to help our clients. Thank goodness!

 

Tune in to learn:

• Anita’s journey to where she is today
• How she grew Wordfetti and the challenges that she faced
• Human-centred copywriting and content
• Creative vs strategic copywriting
• Diverse income streams and not scaling by humans

Hot Copy #115: Human-Centred Branding with Anita Siek #copywriting #hotcopy
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If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and/or comment over on iTunes, Spotify, or Stitcher. Thanks!

“This podcast has truly changed my career. There’s zero fluff, 100% personality, and actionable advice. I’ve learned more from Hot Copy than anything else––grad school, previous jobs, online courses, etc. The hosts always talk about defining how you add value in your business and that’s exactly what they do here. Added bonus? Now, this American knows what “whinge” means.”

Oh and big hugs to ANITA ASHLOCK for her lovely testimonial.

 

About Anita

 

Anita Siek is an ex-lawyer with a background in psychology who did a 360 in her career by becoming a brand strategist and copywriter. She’s the founder and director of Wordfetti, a human-centered brand strategy and copywriting studio specialising in helping brands stand out through the power of psychology and words.

She is also the host of Brandfetti the podcast, a no-fluff weekly podcast dedicated to sharing bite-sized content marketing, verbal branding, and value-bombs on the science of words, as well as stories of brands who are creating a dent in their industry through the power of words. Some of Wordfetti’s clients include Australia’s largest insurer brand IAG, Lack of Color, Luna Bronze, Libby Trickett, and Mia Freedman.

 

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• Website
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Facebook

 

Useful links

• Brandfetti on Apple
• Brandfetti on Spotify

 

Hot Copy #115: Human-Centred Branding with Anita Siek #copywriting #hotcopy
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We are surrounded by art every day. And artists struggle with many of the challenges that us copywriters do…

• How to create a sense of perceived value around their work.
• How to market their work to audiences who will not only appreciate it but pay for it too.
• How to create a successful business without disrupting their creative process.

That’s where today’s guest comes in.

We’re talking to Ali Strachan, digging into how artists can create a successful business and how copywriters can be successful in this niche.

 

Tune in to learn:

• What an Arts Advocate does
• The big struggles artists face, and how Ali helps to overcome them
• How important strong personal branding and storytelling is for artists
• The kind of copy an arts copywriter writes
• The conflict between art and marketing: the artist and the customers
• Whether artists care about SEO, blogs, and mailing lists
• What gets Ali cross about arts marketing

E114: Arts copywriting with Ali Strachan #hotcopy #copywriting
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Listen to the podcast

 

Question for you

Have you ever written for an artist? Share your thoughts on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

 

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If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and/or comment over on iTunes, Spotify, or Stitcher. Thanks!

Thanks to thatsmekq from the UK for a fantastic review of the show.

“Really enjoying your podcast and am going to be putting a lot of these tips to use in my new marketing manager role. I listen to a lot of marketing-related podcasts and this is my new favourite. Thanks for your high-quality content. Kay (Glasgow).”

 

Who is Ali?

 

Ali Strachan helps visual artists promote their work, make an impact, and earn more from sales and commissions.

She’s a passionate, knowledgeable, and honest advocate of the arts, who supports her clients to achieve success on their creative journey.

She regularly works with arts organisations and local council to promote and educate local artists and engage them in events to give them every opportunity to build their profile within the community.

As a fellow creative, she understands the challenges artists face when building their business – and has the tools, experience, and know-how to help artists be more profitable, so they can keep doing what they love.

 

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• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn

E114: Arts copywriting with Ali Strachan #hotcopy #copywriting
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Transcript

Kate:

We are surrounded by art every day and artists struggle with many of the challenges as copywriters do, how to create a sense of perceived value around their work, how to market their work to audiences who will actually pay a decent amount for it, how to a successful business without disrupting their creative process, and that’s where today’s guest comes in.

Kate:

Hello, and welcome to the Hot Copy podcast, a podcast for copywriters all about copywriting. My name is Kate Toon. I’m a copywriter and I’m the founder of the Clever Copywriting School, which has a shop, a directory, and membership courses, resources, and so much more. And with me as always, is the delicious Belinda Weaver… who is muted.

Belinda:

Hello everyone. I am muted. My name is Belinda and I am a copywriter as well. I have courses and groups and you can go to my website where I have tons of advice whether you want it or not.

Kate:

I love that. “Is it muted?” I think has become the phrase of 2020 I think. “Pivot. Can you unmute? Can you mute?” Anyway, let’s move on. With us today is the wonderful Ali Strachan. Hello, Ali Strachan.

Ali:

Hi, how are you?

Kate:

Have I said it right? I haven’t, have I?

Ali:

No, it’s okay. I’m all right with Ali Strachan. It makes me sound exotic.

Kate:

What is it? I always get it wrong.

Ali:

It’s Ali Strachan.

Kate:

Ali Strachan. But, my name’s Kate Toon, and you always get that wrong. Everyone gets it wrong. It’s Kate Toon, not Kate Toon, but I live with it. I’m lying. Ali Strachan, welcome. Let me read out your bio. Ali helps visual artists promote their work, make an impact, and earn more from sales and commissions. She’s a passionate, knowledgeable, and honest advocate of the arts who supports her clients to achieve success on their creative journey. She regularly works with arts organizations and local councils to promote and educate local artists and educate them in events to give them the every opportunity to build their profile within the community. As a fellow creative, she understands the challenges artists face when building their business and has the tools, experience, and knowhow to help artists be more profitable so they can keep doing what they love. Hi, Ali.

Ali:

Hi.

Kate:

Hi. It’s good to have you here, so-

Belinda:

Very happy.

Kate:

Oh yes, [inaudible] you unmuted, I was shocked then. Ali is a member of the global copywriting community and is also very lucky to be one of the chosen few on the Hot Copy Mastermind. So, we’ve got to know you very well over the last couple of months, but for other people, you’ve branded yourself as the arts advocate. What does that mean to you and to your audience?

Ali:

So, I think it comes from wanting to be a champion for the arts, but helping artists really find their voice and their confidence to keep promoting their work and putting it out there.

Belinda:

So, Ali, what kind of artists do you work with?

Ali:

So, my sweet spot is visual arts. I really love pulling apart people’s work and writing about it in a way that makes it really relatable. But, I also work with lots of musicians, but [inaudible] guess it’s like painters and photographers and sculptors, even jewelers, sometimes designers. And I also work a lot with my local council. So, my local council often runs professional development sessions and marketing sessions, and local arts organization, just one in particular, the Brisbane Multicultural Arts Center or BMAC who [inaudible] the moment to do a mentoring with it the moment and it’s fantastic work.

Kate:

It’s a bit of a mixed bag, which sounds really interesting, and I guess across all those different clients, they all face different struggles. I mean, as an artist, you go into art to be an artist, not to market yourself. What are the struggles that your clients are facing?

Ali:

Yeah, so I think underpinning it all is really a mindset, and that mindset [inaudible] comes from… Sorry, that mindset comes from seeing their work as a business and employing strategies for marketing that probably they consider to be something that other businesses do and not necessarily creative. So, that’s the first thing, and I guess joining onto that is a lack of confidence and understanding who their ideal clients are and really knowing how to find them and talk to them because I think particularly for artists themselves, they have different core audiences. So, whether you’re a musician or a fine artist or whatever, you have your buyers and your fans and your music consumers I guess, and then you’ve also got funding bodies and galleries and events organizations and things like that that you need to apply different kind of strategies to in order to speak to them and connect with them properly.

Belinda:

I bet that’s quite a concept to come to grips with for someone who maybe began their career just wanting to create, to have to suddenly think I’m not only trying to sell my work but I’m trying to appeal to these other bodies. I would never have really thought of that. What about pricing? Because copywriters, we struggle with pricing. What common issues do you see artists struggle with when it comes to the money side of things?

Ali:

[inaudible] being a creative process, I think it’s being able to create that work and then take that step back because I think you put so much of yourself into your work when you create it, and that’s just an automatic thing, it drives you, it makes you want to connect with others. But, being able to… When it comes to pricing, then you feel like you’re pressing yourself. So, be able to take that step back and price it professionally so that you can make a profit and basically keep creating. Lots of artists think that I’m not in this to make a profit, which is fine, but then art stuff is expensive, and being able to keep creating and do things on a bigger scale, whether that’s public art or whatever, there is that element to it. So, there’s one particular example that I can think of.

Ali:

It’s a lady called Tracie Eaton. She’s quite [inaudible]. She’s had work in all of the massive Ruby [inaudible] and things here. Some of her work has gone out to some of the Oscars recipients and Golden Globes and stuff like that. But, she has a marketing background. I was talking to her one day and she was saying to me that when she first started out, if someone showed an interest in her work, she was like, “Oh, you can have it,” just like what the hell am I doing? It’s that instant… I don’t know. There’s something that overrides the whole thing [inaudible] struggle with, so definitely pricing is a big issue.

Kate:

I think that it’s the delight that someone likes what you’ve done, and that you’re appreciated, and the thing is I think as writers we can be the same way. We want to be able to write and therefore if someone’s willing to pay us to do that, that’s great, we’ll take anything just as long as we can do it. That can often cause issues later down the track because as you said, you’ve got to cover your costs, maybe a studio space, and then if you do want to digitally market yourself all the costs involved with having a website. The whole starving artist in the garret thing is a nice romantic idea, but it’s probably not that much fun in reality.

Ali:

Yeah, exactly.

Kate:

But, I can imagine. So Belinda, we were going to ask about the copy that clients need. We talked about websites there.

Belinda:

Yeah, so I mean, I would think about website copy. So, when I’m thinking, Oh, what kind of copy do they need, I would think of promotional copy but wouldn’t there also be copy that is attached to the work? What kind of copy do you help artists write?

Ali:

So, a lot of the work that I do is very tailored. I really love getting in with artists to do their foundational branding and tone of voice and that kind of stuff first, because I think that’s the thing that underpins their confidence to everything else. But of course, lots of artists are really good at expressing themselves visually but not in words. So, the work that I do is a lot about addressing the immediate needs. For example, I worked with recently who needed a bio, and he already had a decent bio, but he wanted one that was more personable. But then, he also was saying to me, “Oh well, I really struggle about talking about my work online. Just how do I have that conversation with people who want to listen to my music?” So, we also worked on his brand story, and that brand’s story underpinned some of his core themes and values that makes him him, and that was really helpful. But, the work that I do can be anything from website copy right through to exhibition proposals, or video scripts, artists statements and bios. It’s so different, depends on the person.

Kate:

You ever get to write the little blurbs that go next to the pictures in the art galleries?

Ali:

Yeah, so I think that’s something that I love doing. There was one particular artist who had a series of images about the Holocaust, very, very serious subject, and I learned a lot about that. So, basically making sure that those descriptions are engaging, they tell a little bit about the work, they also connect with the people viewing, and address those SEO elements as well, so yeah.

Kate:

I think that must be fascinating. One of my favorite jobs I ever did, it’s a stupid comparison, but was writing labels for wine, and trying to articulate the flavor of the wine with all the fragrances and the honey and a hint of [inaudible]. I imagine that it must be incredibly challenging to extract what the artist’s intention was and turn that into possible prose because sometimes it’s a feeling or a vibe. Is that a hard thing to do? You must be a good listener, right?

Ali:

Yeah. I really think it comes down to those questions you ask in the beginning, and it’s sometimes it’s not about the work itself but it about what the artist is trying to say. So, it’s a mix of that particular work, but also telling those stories that are really going to… Because I guess in the end when it comes to art, it’s the viewer that brings their own interpretation as well. So, it’s being able to leave it open enough that that can happen. So yeah, it is challenging.

Belinda:

I was going to jump in and go, “Oh, I’d love to do something like that,” and then you said Holocaust and I was like, Oh, oh maybe not quite that one. But, now you mentioned as part of those little descriptions, SEO, which surprised me a little bit, but I’m really interested to hear how artists focus on SEO. Is it a big part of what they understand about marketing or do you have to really educate them about that importance?

Ali:

Yeah, so a lot of the emerging artists that I work with don’t have a clue about SEO, and a lot of them don’t even have websites, particularly musicians they rely a lot on social media in order to promote their work and other platforms. Sometimes visual artists and stuff, they might have an Etsy or they might have their art in one of those big directories like Bluethumb or Art lovers, but they rely on those platforms to promote them. Those platforms have their own audiences, they don’t have… It’s not an audience that the artist has. So, it is a big educational thing, and I have been able to help people understand it. That’s what I love about doing what I do. But yeah, there are some artists that I have worked with that really understand SEO, but majority don’t.

Kate:

Well, most people don’t understand SEO if you ask me, but thank goodness because otherwise I wouldn’t have a business. One thing that we talk about on the Hot Copy Mastermind is a way of getting really clear on how you want to brand yourself as a copywriter is to think about what makes you cross about the industry that you’re in. So, I guess I’m interested to know, and I’ve seen on Instagram that you’ve started to do these little quite topical, almost [inaudible], but quite articulate thought leadership pieces around things in the arts industry that annoy you. So, what are some of the things you’ve covered so far?

Ali:

Yes, so I guess it comes back to the point that I raised before, is that lots of artists don’t have websites. So, that is a big thing. If someone’s going to go into a gallery and find your work, if they walk out of that gallery and go, “Oh, I’m going to look up that person because I really want to learn more about them,” and you don’t have a website, you can’t guarantee that your social platforms are going to be coming up for [inaudible] somebody else might have your name and a bigger brand than you do. So, that’s one big thing. And also, just the way people talk about their work online, so that lack of storytelling and that ability to really engage people within it.

Ali:

For example, an Instagram caption that might just read this is acrylic on canvas and the canvas is this big. If I’m going to view that work, I want to know more about the artist and I want to know more about what went into that. It doesn’t have to be really detailed, but I want to be able to connect with it in some way because I think we need to be able to… We see things upwards of seven times or something, right, to be able to even register enough to make a purchase decision. So, being able to keep that constant conversation open and then really engage people in you as a brand I think is really important.

Kate:

Yeah, there’s an artist that I follow who used to work for me when I worked at [inaudible]. He wasn’t an artist then, but now he’s hugely popular. He’s called Brad Robson. You should check him out, he’s on Instagram. And one of the things I love about him is the way that he engages his audience, he gets them involved in coming up with names for his images, really voting on things. He does these huge murals in foreign cities and shows the whole story from the paint right through, and so by the end when that comes out as a print, you’re just desperate to buy it.

Ali:

Yeah, that’s exactly right.

Kate:

So, that’s the sort of thing you’re helping people do, coming up with those strategies from how to hook people in right from the beginning. So, it’s not that they’re buying the painting at the end, it’s that they’re buying the whole… They’re part of an experience, you know?

Ali:

Exactly. It’s completely right, and I think especially for musicians, I think really struggle with this as well because a lot of musicians think that just by hearing a song is enough. Very few I think artists can actually just put a picture up and expect sales. It’s all about that experience. It’s so important I think with values driven and personality driven marketing and personal branding is being really important, that’s all driven by social media. So, just understanding how to find your voice and find that confidence to be able to promote yourself in that way.

Belinda:

What I’ve loved hearing so far in our chat, Ali, and I was trying to act surprised but I actually knew it because of the Hot Copy Mastermind, but that trend… How much of your work is so much more than writing, because when we first met, I knew you as an arts copywriter, but you do a lot of coaching as well. Is that a growing part of your business?

Ali:

Yeah, it definitely is. It wasn’t something that I offered to start with, but it was something that I think I’ve obviously identified that need, because like I said, I can do parts of it, but I don’t feel right just coming in and just writing a website and then having someone walk away and still feel stuck. So, I think it’s about… That’s where the arts advocate [inaudible] being able to just support them to be able to understand. Because artists don’t have the budget to continually be outsourcing their work. We’re all small businesses. I don’t have the budget to be able to continually outsource work. So, it’s about understanding that and just giving them the skills to be able to do that for themselves.

Belinda:

I bet that really diversifies your business as well, which is great. It makes you much more an integral part of their business growth and development rather than just that one on one, “Oh, I wrote you some stuff and see you later,” which I love.

Ali:

Yeah.

Belinda:

So, for anyone listening who is really starting to get intrigued by this idea of writing for artists and working for artists, what advice would you give them?

Ali:

So, my initial advice would be to get out and network and talk to artists face to face, get an idea of the sorts of programs they are involved in galleries but also public spaces, and really get to know them. But also, your local galleries and arts organizations, just follow along and build up relationships with those people because they’re going to be your best educators within the industry. And then, get in and have a look at the different types of grants that are available, the awards and things like that because with arts, there’s so many different ways of promoting yourself, and a lot of them aren’t just the traditional ways of doing things online. So, there’s lots of publications and awards and stuff that really align with different sorts of disciplines. So, just getting an idea of what’s out there in the industry so that you can align those things with the different artists that you work with.

Kate:

Fantastic. Well, it all sounds very exciting. What have you got coming up, Ali, and where can people find out more about you?

Ali:

So, at the moment I’m working with my local artists, helping connect them with funding opportunities and create work. And you can find more information about that from my Facebook and Instagram accounts, so I’m @alistrachanwrites on those accounts. And you can also find me on my website, which is www.alistrachan.com.

Kate:

Okay, well thanks so much Ali, for sharing your knowledge on the show. Now, regular listeners will know that at this time we read out a review of the show and today we’re giving a shout out to That’s [inaudible] from the UK. I’ve probably not said that right. Really enjoying your podcast and I’m going to be putting on lots of these tips to use it in my new marketing manager role. I listen to a lot of marketing related podcasts and this is my new favorite. Thank you for your high quality content from [Kay] in Glasgow.

Kate:

Thank you very much and thanks to you for listening. If you liked the show, don’t forget to leave a rating review on iTunes, a rating or review on iTunes, Spotify, on Stitcher, or wherever you heard the podcast. It will help others find us and make us happy. You can also head to the HotCopyPodcast.com and leave your comment on the blog post for this episode. So, thank you again, Ali.

Belinda:

Thank you.

Ali:

Thank you very much.

Kate:

And thank you Belinda.

Belinda:

Great, thank you.

Kate:

And until next time, happy writing.

 

The post E114: Copywriting for the arts with Ali Strachan appeared first on A copywriting podcast for copywriters.

A peek behind the screens of two busy business owners

 

Did you notice we missed an episode?

You’ve probably got bigger things to worry about right now. Like the C-word. We’re talking about COVID19, of course.

The truth is, we’ve been a bit scrambled too.

Lockdown with memberships, communities, courses, launches AND managing the kid’s online learning.

It’s a bit bloody much. Belinda is surviving on wine and 80s music.

We wanted to talk about that and what we’re doing to stay sane. We also got some questions about writing copy during this time.

We don’t know how useful this will be but we’re talking about it anyway.

Tune in to learn:

We’re revealing our lives right now including:

• How different lockdown is to school holidays
• How we’re managing our workload, relationships, homeschooling and screen time.
• Where our heads are at and how we’re managing our mindset
• Our coping strategies as time goes on
• Avoiding overdone content topics
• Whether you should be giving stuff away for free right now
• Guilty COVID pleasures

E113: The one about COVID19 #hotcopy #copywriting
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Share the pod love

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and/or comment over on iTunes, Spotify or Stitcher. Thanks!

Oh and big hugs to Mejsh87 from Australia for this lovely review.

“Am loving the podcast episodes and can’t wait to get through them all and implement the learnings! Just finished #62 and as always it was super practical and interesting with a touch of humour and lightheartedness. Thanks ladies and keep up the great work – it’s appreciated!!”

 

 

E113: The one about COVID19 #hotcopy #copywriting
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Turning a submission for work into a marketing powerhouse

 

Some industries have a very straight-forward process to buy. I have a problem. I research alternatives. I choose one. I give them some money and I get something in return.

All very simple.

Other industries have a much more complex process. Very big (and expensive) projects often begin with a tendering process. Writing tenders for civil engineering and construction industries might seem like a dry idea to some but that’s what our guest today specialising in… and it’s way more interesting than you think.

 

Tune in to learn:

• How different tender writing is from other copywriting
• What are the different types of tender documents and the most common ones
• What goes into a tender and how long the average project takes
• How to charge and manage a tender writing project
• What the tender writing revision process looks like
• Where Estelle finds her clients
• The Do’s and don’ts of tender writing
• Why Estelle chose this niche and how others an get started in it
• What kind of copywriter tender writing suits
• Estelle’s number one tender writing tip.

Hot Copy #112: Demystifying Tender Writing #copywriting #hotcopy
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About Estelle

Estelle is a tender and SEO Copywriter who’s been trying to find the Words That Fit for business for over 20 years. She cut her teeth on tenders and proposals for the recruitment sector before finding her absolute love working in the civil engineering and construction industry. These days she combines the two and has a lot of fun taking businesses through the tender process and beyond: from tender ready to web-ready to award ready.

 

Question for you

Is tender writing something you’d consider after listening? Share your thoughts on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

 

Share the pod love

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes, Spotify or Stitcher. Thanks!

Oh and big hugs to GINA GODEEN from the USA for her lovely testimonial.

Kate and Belinda are always so fun to listen to (and not just because of their accents!). They have tons of great advice and are always willing to share their best copywriting tips. Great show.

 

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Connect with Estelle

• Website
• Facebook
• LinkedIn

Hot Copy #112: Demystifying Tender Writing #copywriting #hotcopy
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The post E112: Demystifying Tender Writing with Estelle Fallon appeared first on A copywriting podcast for copywriters.

Turn clinical into clear!

 

How many times have you Googled a symptom? Hands up. We all have. The need to make complex medical information accessible and readable has flourished with the advent of Google and the prevalence of internet access.

WHO NEEDS DOCTORS?

We do. Of course.

But as patients we’re more informed than ever and who writes the content we use to research the latest thoughts on medical science?

Medical copywriters!

Today we’re talking about medical copywriting — accurately representing clinical data in a way that is clear, concise, and engaging. And we’re got specialist Nerissa Bentley to shed some light on this for us.

 

Tune in to learn:

• How Nerissa found her medical copywriting niche
• How she built her client-base in beginning
• Why understanding the rules and regulations is vital to medical copywriting
• The role research and referencing plays in medical copywriting
• The potential risks and hazards of medical copywriting
• Authority v approachability – how to nail the patient voice, and have authority without clinical jargon.
• Where Nerissa finds her clients now
• Whether medical copywriting is more lucrative than other forms of copywriting
• Whether writing medical copywriting takes longer
• The peaks and the pitfalls of working with international clients
• The quirkiest medical topic Nerissa’s ever written about
• Nerissa’s number one tip for newbie medical copywriters

E111: Medical copywriting… Turn clinical into clear with Nerissa Bentley #hotcopy #copywriting
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Who is Nerissa Bentley?

Nerissa Bentley – The Melbourne Health Writer. Nerissa uses credible, up-to-date research to help national organisations and global corporations create high-quality health and medical content that connects with patients and the wider community.

She can also see ghosts! (Really).

 

Question for you!

Share your thoughts on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

 

Share the pod love

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes, Spotify or Stitcher. Thanks!

Thanks to Traceluke from Australia for this review of the show.

So much great information for us newbie copywriters! I love Kate and Belinda’s sense of humour and their ability to get the point across.

 

Connect with Nerissa

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Instagram

E111: Medical copywriting… Turn clinical into clear with Nerissa Bentley #hotcopy #copywriting
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The post E111: Medical copywriting unpacked with Nerissa Bentley appeared first on A copywriting podcast for copywriters.