Category: copywriting

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Why you need a human copywriter as well as AI

Image shows a woman walking in the woods thinking about why you need a human copywriter as well as AI

Yes, you read that right. I did say you need a human copywriter as well as AI, and not instead of it. You might think I’m opposed to AI, but I’m not. If you use it well, it’s a very useful tool, but it’s not a substitute for a real person. Here’s my guide to the pros and cons.

Great ways to use AI

You can use AI for free or at a relatively low cost, which is great news if you want to keep your overheads low. I’ve used it for things like brainstorming, or filling in the blanks when I’m writing an article and want to check I haven’t missed anything important. I tend to start by coming up with my own ideas, then take them to ChatGPT to see if it can suggest more. (In fact, an MIT study suggests using your own brain is the best way to make sure you remember the information later.)

If you give your favourite AI factual information, it can help you organise your thoughts and plan tasks based on your priorities. In other words, great stuff if you want to use your time effectively and plan coherent content.

Disadvantages of using AI

Of course, AI has its downsides. It doesn’t have the same social awareness or nuance as a real person, so it can come off as tone deaf if you use it to write your content. It also doesn’t understand legal compliance or ethics, which could get you into hot water

AI works by collating and recycling content that already exists. It doesn’t have a fact checker or a filter, so it often gets its facts wrong. It doesn’t have original ideas and can’t tell the difference between great writing and something utterly predictable and generic. There’s a lot more of the latter out there, which means you get the written version of pig swill. A mix of everything with no clear flavour.

A human writer can match your tone

I’m told you can train an AI if you give it time, which is fine if you have the time and need a low-cost option. But we’re in business. We wear all the hats, make all the decisions and have lives outside our businesses that we’d like to get back to. When you work with the right human writer, they can get to know you and match your tone quickly so that you can get on with other things. We can also tailor it to the subject by listening to the way you talk about different things and understanding your tone of voice.

Relationship building

I spoke to someone recently who had named their AI and said it made them feel good about themselves. I get it, especially as I smile when ChatGPT tells me it likes my approach to a topic or that I have great ideas. The thing is, that’s part of the problem. When you have a good relationship with a real person, they’ll push back when they’re unsure whether an idea will work, rather than flattering your ego. I was chatting to someone from a charity that works to support teenage girls’ mental health, and she described a rise in toxic relationships and abuse due to AI telling teenagers what they want to hear when it comes to relationships. They expect the same, often unrealistic behaviours from real people, and it doesn’t end well.

An AI won’t buy from you, but a person will, so having a human who’ll give you feedback based on their understanding of your business and customers will help you build relationships with the right people.

Ready for a chat?

If you want to work with a human writer (who’s also open to using AI well), let’s have a chat. When you work with me, I’ll get to know you and your business, and write content that sounds like the best version of you and that your audience will love. That could be monthly blog posts or articles, social media posts, emails or pretty much anything else you can think of!

Please email me to arrange a chat or book a Zoom call to find out more.

Alternatively, sign up for my mailing list, and I’ll send you a free copy of my eBook with fifty (yes, 50) topic ideas for your marketing as a thank you. It also includes hints and tips to help you structure your posts if you’re currently writing your content yourself.

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How can a copywriter sound like you?

Image shows two women talking over notebooks and drinks. If you're wondering how a copywriter can sound like you, they usually do it by listening.

If you’re a one-person business and all your marketing is in your voice because you write it yourself, you might think you can’t hire a writer. I mean, you can’t outsource your writing when it has to sound like you, can you?

The good news is, you can. Here’s how I work with my clients to get to know and replicate their voice in their marketing

I’ll listen to you talk

I have regular catch-ups with my clients where we discuss the topic I’m going to write about and gather information. These conversations also let me hear the way they talk. In fact, I often work best with people who are good at talking to their clients in person, but freeze or slow down when writing.

I have a few clients where this doesn’t apply, as they’re smaller businesses with brand voice guidelines I can follow. That doesn’t mean we can’t have a catch-up in person, but it’s less vital to getting the work done.

We have to get on

I listen to you talk about your work before I write anything, which means you need to feel comfortable speaking to me. I also need to be able to ask questions or clarify something you’ve said without feeling awkward.

The upshot is that we need to get on well. If we can’t communicate freely, I can’t write in a way that sounds like you, and you won’t get the results you want.

I use your phrases

When you read something I’ve written for you, you’ll probably notice I’ve included a lot of the phrases you used when we spoke. That’s because you’ll probably naturally use those words when you talk with clients. Including them in your marketing means that when clients speak to you later, they feel as if you’ve already met.

When you speak to new people, you’ll probably have developed concise phrases to explain things, which will also come across well in your content. You might also use words that reflect your background or where you come from, which can help create a connection with your readers.

I’ll look at what you’ve done before

If you started off writing your marketing content yourself, you might want a more polished version when you start working with a writer. That’s what I offer, but consistency is still important. When I write for you, I’ll look at what you’ve written before to keep the overall tone the same. If you’ve shared videos, those give me another opportunity to hear you speak. They can be very helpful if I need to get your voice in my head before I start work!

I’ll ask about your audience

As well as listening to you, I try to put myself in your customers’ shoes. It helps me ask the right questions and consider what they need from your content. I’m always mindful that our speech patterns and the language we use vary depending on who we’re talking to. The version of yourself that speaks to me might be slightly different from the one you want to share with your future customers. Understanding the difference helps me write in a way that lets your audience get to know, like and trust you.

Ready for a chat?

If you’d like some help finding your marketing voice, let’s have a chat. When you work with me, I’ll get to know you and your business, and write content that sounds like the best version of you and that your audience will love. That could be monthly blog posts or articles, social media posts, emails or pretty much anything else you can think of!

Please email me to arrange a chat or book a Zoom call to find out more.

Alternatively, sign up for my mailing list, and I’ll send you a free copy of my eBook with fifty (yes, 50) topic ideas for your marketing as a thank you. It also includes hints and tips to help you structure your posts if you’re currently writing your content yourself.

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What does your marketing voice sound like?

Image shows a women with dark curly hair and blue eyes hiding the rest of her face behind books. She's thinking about her marketing voice.

What does your marketing voice sound like? It might be a bit like your mum’s phone voice when you were a kid. You knew she was talking to someone important if her voice edged towards Lady Bracknell. The way you speak probably changes for different audiences, but how does it work when you’re writing for potential customers? If you’re a one-person business, sharing your personality helps you build a connection with your audience that makes it more likely they’ll buy or work with you long term.

Of course, there are a lot of factors that influence the voice you use in your marketing. In no particular order, here are my tips to help you think about what you want your marketing voice to sound like.

You are your business

When you’re a one-person business, you set the tone in terms of how you work and treat people. As customers, we make buying decisions based on our values and whether we see them reflected in the businesses we choose. Your marketing should show people what you stand for and how you work, which can also help you attract the right people. For example, I talk about structuring my working hours around family life, which means I often attract business owners with children because they know we work in the same way.

If your work involves meeting or talking to clients, ensuring your marketing voice matches the way you speak in person gives them a seamless experience. Equally, if someone meets you at a networking event and then looks you up online, they’ll feel as if they’re talking to the same person.

How professional do you need to sound?

Your profession might create expectations about the way you come across in your marketing. If you’re a financial adviser or lawyer, your clients will expect you to take their work seriously. However, they might also worry that you’ll use technical language they won’t understand, and want reassurance that you’ll communicate clearly. Your marketing voice can find the balance between the two, demonstrating your knowledge while also being approachable and friendly. Using informal language in some contexts doesn’t mean you’re unprofessional.

What experience do you offer?

Your marketing voice and writing style need to evoke the kind of experience your customers can expect when they come to you. You could write in a reassuring way, especially if you help with something that could be causing your customer stress. Think about the experience you offer. Is it calming, exciting or entertaining? How do you want your customers to feel when they work with you? The way you write can evoke those emotions and help people understand what to expect before they decide to buy from you.

Who are you talking to?

Getting to know your audience helps you understand what they need, which is one of the foundations of good marketing. It also helps you write by allowing you to imagine having a conversation with a potential customer.

When you write, think about who the post is for and what you want to achieve, then tailor your marketing voice to the person you’re speaking to. It’s a lot better than trying to talk to everyone, as you end up speaking to no one.

What’s already working?

If you’ve already been writing content for a while but haven’t looked at your analytics, start now. Reviewing what’s working helps you understand the type of posts your readers enjoy and which ones help you get results. Review your social media and blog posts to see what gets good engagement or prompts people to buy a product or book a call.

Taking this approach can help you plan what posts to create, but it can also help you work out what language people prefer. Think about whether your more successful posts use a particular marketing voice so you can replicate it in future content.

Ready for a chat?

If you’d like some help finding your marketing voice, let’s have a chat. When you work with me, I’ll get to know you and your business, and write content that sounds like the best version of you and that your audience will love. That could be monthly blog posts or articles, social media posts, emails or pretty much anything else you can think of!

Please email me to arrange a chat or book a Zoom call to find out more.

Alternatively, sign up for my mailing list, and I’ll send you a free copy of my eBook with fifty (yes, 50) topic ideas for your marketing as a thank you. It also includes hints and tips to help you structure your posts if you’re currently writing your content yourself.

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Who do copywriters help? Here’s one answer

Who do copywriters help?

Who do copywriters help? You might have asked that question and assumed there’s a simple answer, but no. I feel as if I’m putting my ex-solicitor hat on when I say it depends on you, the copywriter and what you need. Copywriters help with different projects, whether they are working in-house or on freelance projects. Some of us have a niche based on the type of project, while others prefer to work with a particular kind of client or industry.

As you can guess, I can’t answer for everyone, but I can tell you how it works for me. I’ve been reflecting a lot on the type of work I enjoy and who I love working with, and here’s what I’ve come up with so far.

Lessons I’ve learned since COVID

Yes, I know, you’re still trying to forget about it. Me too. Five years ago, COVID restrictions had started to lift, but there were still restrictions on numbers and the venues allowed to reopen. I remember hearing comments from people who couldn’t understand why self-employed people were struggling, because “you all work from home anyway”. They didn’t realise how much time I spend networking.

Some of my networking groups continued online, which was great for advice and support, but it just wasn’t the same as meeting in person. All of my favourite networking events involve seeing people face to face. Netwalking, coffee catch-ups and huge conferences all have their place. (Some more often than others.) Getting together in person is a natural human instinct, even for introverts like me. Lockdown made me realise how important it was, and it’s influenced how I work now. I like working with people that I get to see in person some of the time.

It’s all about the service

I’ve often struggled when people ask me what kind of clients I enjoy working with. I mostly work with one-person businesses because I like getting your voice into your marketing. I want to help your clients imagine having a conversation with you when they read your blog or social media posts.

That bit’s easy, but I don’t have a preferred industry. I used to be a solicitor, so I understand how legal and financial brains work. I can write about law, accountancy and insurance, but I’d get bored if I did it all the time. Then I realised that my favourite businesses focus on service. The details of the product or service we talk about might change, but how you care for your customers doesn’t.

What about AI?

AI is everywhere. In fact, this post was inspired by a slightly depressing conversation with my husband when he described how AI has now replaced tasks that would once have been his whole job. It made me realise that AI can do many things, but doesn’t offer the personal touch. AI can’t meet you in a coffee shop or gift wrap a present.

It helped me feel slightly less glum about my future prospects. You can ask AI to write your content and even train it to sound like you, but it still needs your input. Copywriters help you shape your message, whether you deliver it on social media, in a blog or via email. It can give you insight into your customers’ challenges, but it can’t share your experience. I use AI to brainstorm ideas, and it often comes up with things that aren’t relevant to me or my audience, but might be for someone else.

Ready for a chat?

If you’d like to learn more about how copywriters help you create content with the human touch, let’s have a chat. When you work with me, I’ll get to know you and your business and write content that sounds like the best version of you and that your audience will love. That could be monthly blog posts or articles, social media posts, emails or pretty much anything else you can think of!

Please email me to arrange a chat or book a Zoom call to find out more.

Alternatively, sign up for my mailing list, and I’ll send you a free copy of my eBook with fifty (yes, 50) topic ideas for your marketing as a thank you. It also includes hints and tips to help you structure your posts if you’re currently writing your content yourself.

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Case study: website copy for Communicate OCE

The website copy for Communicate OCE will be live soon.

Making changes in your business can take time, and it’s wise to reflect as you go through the process. When I first met Heather Sanders from Communicate OCE, she had already thought long and hard about whether she needed a website and what she wanted to achieve. Here’s how we worked together to write website copy for her new speech therapy site.

Heather’s business

Heather works with her clients to provide functional speech therapy. She regularly works with clients who have experienced catastrophic brain injuries, so they often have complex needs. We had met at networking events, but our first meeting to discuss her website was the first time I’d heard her talk about her business in detail. Her love for her work was infectious. She described working with young people who needed to learn how to speak in real-life situations, from catching a bus on their own to going shopping or accessing dating apps. She carries out assessments at home, school or any environment her clients find challenging.

Communicate OCE’s website copy needed to speak to two different audiences. They work with professionals such as solicitors, whose clients have often been involved in catastrophic accidents. While Heather doesn’t prepare expert reports for legal proceedings, she frequently works with clients involved in claims. The website also needed to speak to parents whose children need support.

The first draft

During our initial chat, Heather and I discussed the information her website needed to include and how we’d structure it to make it clear which sections were for which clients. OCE is typically fully booked via referrals, so they needed a brochure website where potential clients could learn more about the business and the team behind it.

We agreed on what pages I would write, and Heather sent me more information about some points we discussed. Then, I got to work on the first draft.

Feedback

One of the reasons I started my business was because I wanted to have the flexibility to spend time with my family and go on holiday without waiting for the boss to approve a leave request. This means that I often end up working with people who have the same priorities. After our initial chat and the first draft, Heather and I both went on holiday with our families, and our lives got hectic in various ways. We kept in touch so we both knew what timeline was realistic.

The great thing was that by the time Heather emailed me with her feedback, she’d had time to sit and look at it properly without feeling rushed. She could see how the copy looked on the page and realised there were a few things she wanted to expand on.

Live edits

Sometimes, the best way to incorporate a client’s feedback into your copy is to get them on a call and make changes as you talk. You won’t always get the final version that way. Sometimes, I need to go away and think about the best way to approach things. Live edits are great for discussing how a word or phrase comes across and how readers might interpret it. Sometimes, an initial conversation gets lost in translation and needs adjusting to reflect reality.

That’s exactly what Heather and I did over Zoom. I could make suggestions, and she could clarify what specific terms mean in speech therapy circles. It’s a lot more fun than endless emails. After our call, I sent Heather the final pages and here’s what she said:

Testimonial from Communicate OCE

Ready for a chat?

If you’re looking for a copywriter to create your website copy or work on another project, let’s have a chat. When you work with me, I’ll get to know you and your business and write content that sounds like the best version of you and that your audience will love. Email me to arrange a chat or book a Zoom call to find out more.

Alternatively, sign up for my mailing list, and I’ll send you a free copy of my eBook with fifty (yes, 50) topic ideas for your marketing as a thank you.

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5 tips to help you choose the right copywriter for you

Have a cup of tea with me and see if I'm the right copywriter for you.

There are loads of ways to find a good copywriter. You might have bumped into one of us at an event, asked your network for recommendations or searched online. Whether you decide to work with a freelancer or an agency, there are a few ways to choose the right copywriter for you. Here are my tips to help you in your search.

Can you talk to them?

The best way to learn whether a copywriter is a good fit for your business is to talk to them. You don’t have to feel as if you’ve met your new best friend, but if the conversation is stilted and awkward, it isn’t going to work. Good copywriting is built on a relationship where you can speak freely and feel that your writer is listening to you.

When you talk to a copywriter, ask yourself how much information you feel comfortable sharing. Most of my clients need to get their personality into their marketing. If that’s the case for you, a writer that lets you be yourself is vital.

Shared values

You’ve built your business around your values and how you want to work. The right copywriter for you will often have a similar outlook on life. Being on the same wavelength means they’re more likely to speak your language and get that into your marketing.

You might also share similar personal circumstances or history. That can help if you have a personal reason for starting your business or if your lifestyle influences the way you prefer to work. It can take time for a relationship to develop and for your writer to learn what you want. Having shared values can get the process off to a good start.

How do they market themselves?

However you found your copywriter, it’s a good idea to check them out online to see how they market themselves. If you want someone to write blog posts, do they have their own and write new posts regularly? Are they active on social media? If they have an email list, you can sign up to see if you like what they send.

You can also check to see if you enjoy their writing style. Every copywriter will tailor their work to you, but it’s usually a good sign if you like how they write for themselves.

What experience do they have in your industry?

You might want to work with someone who already has a working knowledge of your industry, especially if it’s highly regulated. I used to be a lawyer and work with lots of legal, finance and insurance professionals. Speaking the same technical language and understanding how their brains work helps.

If a copywriter has worked in your industry before, they may know what style works well and have results they can share. Equally, if you want to take a radical approach, they’ll know what cliches to avoid.

Ask for samples

Asking for samples lets you see examples of a copywriter’s work and how their style varies for different clients. They might have a portfolio online (like mine) with a few samples, but it’s always worth asking for more, especially if you have a particular project in mind.

You can ask for samples to narrow your options if you’ve had several recommendations and want to decide who to meet. If you already think a writer might be a good fit, looking at their portfolio can help you decide.

Ready for a chat?

If you want to find out whether I could be the right copywriter for you, let’s have a chat. When you work with me, I’ll get to know you and your business and write content that sounds like the best version of you and that your audience will love. Email me to arrange a chat or book a Zoom call to find out more.

Alternatively, sign up for my mailing list, and I’ll send you a free copy of my eBook with fifty (yes, 50) topic ideas for your marketing as a thank you.

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Case study: life in translation

One of the things I love about my work is meeting business owners with widely varying skills and learning more about what they do. Working with a translator gave me new insight into the challenges he faced, particularly when trying to translate a particular public figure. It taught me a lot about how life in translation works.

Translation sounds fun

I’ve been slightly fascinated by the world of translators ever since I read the Asterix books as a kid. My grandad worked for Brockhampton Press, which published children’s books, including the Asterix series. They were originally written in French, and academics at the University of Leicester worked with the authors on the English translations.

The tricky part was translating French jokes and puns into English humour. Re-reading them as an adult, I realised that they didn’t just succeed in that but also in including some jokes that kids would understand and others that were just for the grown-ups.

The story came back to me when a friend put me in touch with a translator who needed my help.

The goal

In early 2017, I spoke to a translator with a science and engineering background. He had started a translation business and formed a network with translators speaking different languages. His goal was to network more, and he was keen to build his online presence by writing blogs.

He had various ideas for topics and shared some helpful resources with me. These included articles about language skills, customer service, and the role translators could play as the UK navigated Brexit. They helped me understand how he worked and how a translator could help with cultural awareness and language barriers.

Of course, the Brexit vote wasn’t our only political upheaval in 2017.

How to translate Trump

In January 2017, Donald Trump was sworn in for his first term as the President of the United States. Working with a translator gave me a different perspective on this event besides the political debate. I discovered that the president is extremely difficult to translate because he doesn’t speak like a normal person. He uses slang, and his speech patterns differ from those we usually expect from elected officials. His tendency to go off-script also leads to sudden tangents. Translators struggled as their clients often thought they must be getting the translation wrong because it wasn’t the kind of language they expected.

We’re entering a second Trump administration in the USA, and I wonder whether translators are still having trouble with his speeches. Or does everyone know what to expect this time around?

If you’re ready to work with a copywriter, let’s have a chat. When you work with me, I’ll get to know you and your business and write content that sounds like the best version of you and that your audience will love. Email me to arrange a chat or book a Zoom call to find out more.

Alternatively, sign up for my mailing list, and I’ll send you a free copy of my eBook with fifty (yes, 50) topic ideas for your marketing as a thank you.

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What information do copywriters need to work with you?

What information do copywriters need? Image shows me writing it all down.

Asking this question is a bit like asking how long a piece of string is. It depends. (That’s also an answer I often gave when I was a solicitor.) The information copywriters need to work with you depends on you, your business and the person you work with. It can also change over time. The most important thing to remember is that a good copywriter will explain how they work and what they need from you so you know what to expect.

In this post, I share some of the information I’ll ask for when we meet for a chat and if you decide to work with me.

Do we get on?

I won’t ask this as a direct question, but I think about it when I chat with a potential new client. I work mainly with small businesses, and getting your personality into your content is important. If the conversation is awkward or disjointed, you’re less likely to be yourself, so it won’t come across in your marketing, and you won’t get what you’re paying for.

Who do you want to talk to

If you try to market to everyone, you’ll end up with bland, boring copywriting that doesn’t speak to anyone. Think about your ideal customer and how you talk to them in real life. When you understand their lives and what they need or want from you, we can focus on them and use language that helps them feel understood.

What your business does

I know this is ridiculously obvious, but this wouldn’t be a complete list without it. You might offer a few different services or products or just one. An overview of what you do and how you work will help your copywriter think up new ideas and ways to communicate with your audience.

What does your brand stand for

Massive corporations invest heavily in determining their brand position and understanding what people think when they hear their name or see their logo. You don’t have to spend millions, but you should consider what you want people to feel when they see your social media posts or visit your website. If you’re a one-person business, your personality and values inform your branding. You might be friendly and approachable or luxurious with a hint of mystery. You might offer a high-end, tailored service but still be down-to-earth enough to chat over a cuppa. (That’s what I’m aiming for, by the way.) The language you use sets the tone and your customers’ expectations. It’s also a good idea to consider what makes you stand out.

Your plan

I’m not a marketing strategist, so I won’t help you develop a marketing plan, but I can help you bring it to life. I can help you tailor your content to different platforms and suggest ways to reuse the same words in various places so they go further (and bring your copywriting bill down).

I’ll also ask if you’ve got other people on board, like a website designer or SEO expert, as I can work with them too.

Your voice

Getting your voice into your marketing helps your future customers get to know you. If they meet you in person, you’ll already feel familiar. Of course, that only happens if your marketing sounds like you. I’ll ask how you want to come across and consider how that aligns with your customer’s expectations. For example, if you work in law or finance, your clients expect a certain level of professionalism but might also look for someone they can talk to. We’ll talk about how to find the right balance and help your personality come across.

How you prefer to work

When I work with someone regularly, we’ll usually have a catch-up once a month over Zoom or in person if we happen to be in the same place. It helps me get to know you better and keep up to date with what’s happening in your business. That doesn’t apply to everyone. Some businesses prefer to send me a written brief and their brand guide or links to previous content so I can learn what tone of voice they use. I’ve had people send me voice notes explaining what they need to say so I can turn it into a blog post or a page on their website.

I tailor my work to you, including the words we create and the process we use.

What do you want to achieve?

If you have a plan, you should also have a goal. What do you want people to do when they’ve read your words? It could be buying a product online, booking a call or signing up for your email list. Your copywriter needs to know what the goal is so they can craft a call to action and lead people towards it in the rest of their writing.

Essential information

What essential information do copywriters need from you? Well, everything I’ve mentioned so far, but there’s more. Some of it depends on whether you need ongoing support or a one-off project. If you have a particular deadline in mind, your copywriter needs to know how much work is involved and whether they have time to get it all done before your deadline. Your budget is also important, as there are often ways I can tailor my service to fit.

There might be other practical details, such as prices, product specifications or contact details. Regulations in your industry might require disclaimers, legal information or confirmation that you’re authorised by a regulatory body like the FCA.

Ready for a chat?

If you’re ready to work with a copywriter, let’s have a chat. When you work with me, I’ll get to know you and your business and write content that sounds like the best version of you and that your audience will love. Email me to arrange a chat or book a Zoom call to find out more.

Alternatively, sign up for my mailing list, and I’ll send you a free copy of my eBook with fifty (yes, 50) topic ideas for your marketing as a thank you.

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Human vs AI: who can help you tell a good story?

Can AI help you tell a good story or do you need a human?

The subtitle for this could be ‘What I learned from having a pigeon down my chimney’. Yes, you read that right and of course, I’ll get to the story later. The real point of this post is to ask whether AI can help you tell a good story in your business or if you might need a human being instead.

Why do you need to tell a good story?

The main difference between your business and all the other ones offering a similar product or service is you. Your personality, values, and the way you look after your customers. It’s a different story for big brands, but for small businesses like ours, our personality matters.

I know it’s a cliché, but people buy from people. Telling a good story helps you connect with the right ones. The story doesn’t have to be personal, but your future customers need to feel they’ve had a conversation with you, even if you’ve never met. Getting your tone of voice and sense of humour into your writing helps that happen.

The time I asked ChatGPT to tell me a story

I asked ChatGPT to tell me a story from its life because I was curious about how it would respond. This is what it said.

“I don’t have a life in the traditional sense—no childhood, adventures, or personal milestones. But I do have a kind of story!

Once, I was just a simple algorithm, learning to understand patterns in text. Over time, I evolved, growing smarter with the help of countless conversations and questions from people like you. Each interaction helped shape me into a better listener and helper. While I don’t have my own experiences, I love being part of yours—whether it’s brainstorming ideas, solving problems, or just sharing a laugh.

That’s my “life story”—short and digital but always growing!”

It’s undoubtedly accurate but not exactly inspirational. The lack of common ground between ChatGPT and me, besides the fact that we’ve both learned things over time, means I don’t feel any connection. It might be able to suggest a solution to a problem, but I’d still seek advice from some humans, too.

Getting a pigeon out of a chimney

Many years ago, I was sitting on the sofa at home (a different home from the one I’m in now) and heard a noise from the chimney. The chimney was boarded at the bottom, and I thought I heard something land. Then, after a moment of silence, there was a scratching noise. Something was alive in there. I called the RSPCA, and they said they couldn’t help because it was probably a wild bird. Then I remembered we knew a vet. My husband rang him, and he came straight round, agreeing it sounded like a bird. The husband prised the board away with a hammer, and Dan, the vet, reached in to retrieve a slightly sooty pigeon. He carried it out into the garden, where it sat on a table, coughed a few times and generally looked dejected. Dan said he didn’t think anything was seriously wrong but that we might want to put the bird somewhere safe in case the local cats came calling.

I went to the shed to see if I could find a box. The door stuck as I pulled it and finally opened with a bang that startled the pigeon. We watched it fly off into the night, happy it would be safe in a tree somewhere.

I tell you this because it’s the kind of story an AI would never create, and it hopefully tells you something about the type of person I am. Of course, there’s also a lesson behind it.

Work with an expert

If we hadn’t been able to find a friendly vet out of hours when that pigeon came down our chimney, that story could have gone very differently. We’d probably have ended up with a distressed, sooty bird flying around our living room in a panic. Dan knew how to lift it from our fireplace and keep it calm because he’s an expert.

Telling stories in your marketing helps you connect with your audience so they can get to know you. You might find it easy, but if you don’t, get some help. AI can help you get started, but a human can help you tell a good story by writing it for you.

If you’ve created a marketing plan and want help to turn it into a good story, I can help. When you work with me, I’ll get to know you and your business and write content that sounds like the best version of you and that your audience will love. Email me to arrange a chat or book a Zoom call to find out more.

Alternatively, sign up for my mailing list here, and I’ll send you a free copy of my eBook with fifty (yes, 50) topic ideas for your marketing as a thank you.

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What can you expect from your copywriter?

What can you expect from your copywriter? Find out here.

Outsourcing can be daunting when you’re used to being the only person looking after your business baby. How can you hand anything over when you know how things work better than anyone else? If you’ve decided to get some help writing your marketing, you’re probably wondering what you can expect from your copywriter. Every writer is different, but here’s what happens when you get in touch with me.

I’ll get to know you

Whatever you outsource in your business, choosing the right person is vital. Most of my clients meet their customers face to face. I work with them to make sure that the words we use in their social media posts, blogs, emails, and websites create the same experience they’d get in person.

That only happens because we get on well. They can talk to me, and I can ask the same nosy questions that their customers would. In some cases, they’ll say, “I want to do some posts about this, you know the sort of thing,” and I do. That doesn’t happen immediately, but it starts with a chat to see if we get on. If it doesn’t feel right, we can stop there.

We’ll talk about your plan

I don’t do marketing strategy, so I tend to work with people who already know what works or have a plan for the things they want to try. I will talk to you about your business, how you want to present yourself and the kinds of customers you want to attract so I can tailor my words to match your goals. If you already have a website designer, SEO expert, or marketing consultant on board, I’m happy to talk to them, too.

Next, we’ll get into the specifics of each piece of content. If I write for you regularly, for example, on a series of blog posts, we’ll speak every month so you can talk me through the topic or give me some background reading. Chatting in person or over Zoom means I can get your tone of voice and phrases into your content.

I’ll write your content

When I understand the plan, I’ll go away and write the content. For a single piece of content, such as a blog post you can expect your copywriter to deliver a first draft of the whole thing. For a larger project like a website, I might send a couple of pages to check whether the overall tone is right. That way, if something needs changing, we can do it early on.

When I deliver the first draft, I’ll ask for your feedback. Sometimes, there might be sections where I’m unsure I’ve used the correct terminology or understood something properly, so I’ll ask about those. (Misunderstandings usually happen because I have lawyer’s handwriting. You can take the woman out of the legal profession, but some habits die hard.)

You can give me feedback

The words I write for you need to reflect your personality and values and represent your business out in the world. If there’s something you don’t like, you can tell me about it. It can be something I’ve misunderstood and poorly explained or a word or phrase you never use because it makes you cringe.

If there’s a bigger disconnect and you’ve realised I’m not the writer for you, that’s OK too. My contracts have a minimum term, but you can give notice anytime within the first month.

We’ll change what needs changing

If you’ve given me feedback and we need to change things, we can work however suits you. I’ve worked from notes in clients’ emails and done live edits over Zoom to discuss changes and find the right words in real time.

Everything I do is tailored to your needs, so you get words that work for your business.

Get in touch

I hope this guide has helped you understand what you can expect from your copywriter. If you’ve created a marketing plan and want help to bring it to life, I can help. When you work with me, I’ll get to know you and your business and write content that sounds like the best version of you and that your audience will love. Email me to arrange a chat or book a Zoom call to find out more.

Alternatively, sign up for my mailing list here and I’ll send you a free copy of my eBook ’50 blog topic ideas for your business’ as a thank you.