Roz Macaskill

Ever thought of bringing a freelance copywriter on board to help your agency out?

There are multiple reasons why hiring freelance talent can help you get the job done to both your and your clients’ satisfaction.  Here’s why:

Here when you need me – off the payroll when you don’t

You pay for my time, as and when you need it.  If I get the job done sooner than expected, I’ll let you know.  Whether you need me for a half-day, a whole day or a couple of hours, I’ll get the job done in a way that suits your timeframe.

Location is no longer a limitation

Hiring freelance talent means you have access to a worldwide pool of writers.  As a freelancer, they probably don’t need to come into your office – meaning you won’t miss out on talented writers just because they’re in a remote area.

It’s a Covid-safe option

Life is, thankfully, returning to a little bit of normality – but Covid hasn’t gone away.  By staying at my desk and working remotely, I help keep your team safe – and still get the job done!  

All well and good, you may be thinking, but how do you know I can deliver copy that gets results?

Plenty of experience

I’ve worked with some of the UK’s top creative agencies, including Wunderman Thompson UK, The Gate, The&Partnership and Identity.  Whether you need someone with the self-motivation to get the job done alone or someone to integrate with your team, I’ve the experience and ability to do both.

Rapports and relationships

Regular work with agencies means I’m able to integrate as an (almost!) part of the team.  I’m able to latch on quickly to nail the briefs, tone of voice and working methods – so you get someone who works well with your company, without the commitment of hiring someone full-time.

Here are just some of my services used by agencies all over the world.

Email marketing campaign copy

Email marketing is a powerful way to encourage your customers to take action, educate them or share some exciting news.  I’ve created email copy for brands such as Lexus, Microsoft, Everest Home Improvements and Samsung.  

Social media copy

On-brand posts for Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn have proven a powerful way for brands to showcase their latest news and achievements.  I’ve worked with agencies to create social media copy that their clients have loved.

Web content

SEO copywriting is essential to help your website or that of your client to get the attention it deserves.  I’ve worked with SEO agency, Savvy SEO, to create SEO copy for three very different websites.  

Case studies

Case studies are an effective way to showcase what you’ve done, who you did it for and what results it had.  Case studies don’t have to be long and boring either – I recently worked with an agency to create a fun and funky case study in their playful tone of voice.

UX copy

UX copy or User Experience copy helps make the user experience easier, simpler and memorable (in a good way!)  I spent around a month creating UX copy for the client of an agency I work with – and learned a lot along the way.  

Articles and PDFs

Having a journalistic background is exceedingly helpful when it comes to creating articles and PDFs for my agency clients.  

Scripts

One of my recent projects involved creating a script from existing footage to form a short video.  I also scripted the trailer for the series.  

Press releases

After spending almost a decade as a journalist, I’ve been on the receiving end of many a press release – and I know how attention to detail can make the difference between your release being left unread in an inbox or making front-page news.  

Direct mail

Direct mail marketing is a tangible way to get information out of your office and into people’s hands. I’ve had the pleasure of creating luxury direct mail for Lexus. Done properly, it can be an effective marketing strategy.

Blog posts

Maybe you or your client already have SEO-friendly web content in place and just need regular blog posts to keep things fresh?

Product descriptions

A powerful product description can make your goods or services fly off the virtual shelf – or bore people into scrolling by and finding products elsewhere.  Let’s make sure it’s the former.

Straplines and taglines

Coming up with pithy phrases to sum up your organisation can be tricky.  Fortunately, I can say a lot in a few words.

Proofreading and editing

Agencies often get me in for a day to proofread and edit – it’s a perfect way to get a second pair of eyes to sense-check your copy.  

Anything else?

Looking for a service that I haven’t mentioned.  Send me a message anyway – chances are if I can’t help out, I know someone who can.

One of the biggest challenges new copywriters face is how to describe copywriting.  Well, not really.  But, when you tell people what you do, you’re usually met with blank stares or, worse, confident nods and then the conversation turns to copyrighting.  Which, of course, is something completely different. 

So, just for fun, here are a few alternative ways to describe copywriting.

Alphabet re-arranger
“I rearrange the letters of the alphabet and people pay me.”

Word tamer 
“I tame those pesky words so companies can use them to sell products.”

Master of syllables
“I master the syllables aesthetically for the purpose of selling.”

Word artist
“I paint pictures with words.”

Bard of advertising
“I come up with words to make people buy stuff.  I’m the bard of advertising.”

Ink scribbler
“I scribble with ink to make words.”

Imagination wizard
“I use my imagination to come up with concepts that lead to words that make people buy your products.  I’m a wizard at it.”

Wordsmith
“I’m a skilled wordsmith, using my power to help others.”

What would be your alternatives to the word “copywriting”?

Your agency is working on a large pitch.  Your team have been beavering away, late into the night, to create compelling copy, craft a beautiful design and meet the deadline.

Or maybe you’re writing copy for your agency’s website, blog or social media.

Should you invest in a freelance proofreader and get an extra perspective?  

Here are five reasons why you should hire an extra pair of eyes to make sure your copy is absolutely perfect.

An outside opinion
You know your agency inside out – and you know the vocabulary.  An outside eye will pick up on jargon that might confuse your target audience.  I can’t think of a single instance where copy is any the worse for being clear.

Ensuring consistency
An AI may not notice if you suddenly switch between ” and ‘ when writing quotes – but your proofreader absolutely will.  

Bonus tip: supply your proofreader with your agency’s Tone of Voice guidelines.  If you don’t have any, consider investing in a copywriter to create some with you.

Be perceived as professional
Statistically, people are more likely to click away from websites with multiple errors.  Your agency is filled with hard-working, professional individuals.  A proofreader will make sure your written content reflects that ethos.

It’s literally their job
Yes, you could ask Kevin from accounts to cast his eye over it.  Kevin will have an outside perspective.  And he may pick up on sudden switches from ” to ‘.  But Kevin’s job is accounting.  A seasoned proofreader can offer a nuanced service that could save you potentially costly mistakes.

Proofreading and editing often go hand-in-hand
Maybe your pitch is wildly outside the word count.  Maybe you want to say something but can’t think of a pithy way to put it.  A little bit of editing from an experienced proofreader and editor can get your text down to the correct word count – whilst ensuring its meaning is retained.

I regularly help agencies out with their proofreading needs, whether it’s emails, web content, important pitches or anything in between.  Use the contact form to get in touch with me or email [email protected].

When you’re part of a busy agency, it can be challenging to keep your blog and socials updated with fun, fresh content.

One of the first things to ask yourself is: whom am I writing for?  What does my target audience want to read?  Those questions alone can sometimes get the creative juices flowing and inspire you to write blogs that are relevant to your customers and potential clients.

If you’re still scratching your head, though, here are ten ideas to help inspire your agency’s blog.

Your news
Has your agency just won an award?  Maybe you created awesome work for a favourite client.  Your blog is the perfect place to let people know your wins.

Pro tip: if you struggle to write about your own work, a copywriter can talk about how fabulous you are in an approachable way.

Your work
You might have a dedicated section for your portfolio or case studies but, if not, your blog makes a perfect home to show how your work has benefited your clients – and to give future clients a behind-the-scenes look at how you operate.

A bit of fun
You know what they say about all work and no play.  It can make a dull blog.  

Depending on the circumstances, a little bit of fun and whimsy can make your blog stand out, attract new customers and make people smile.  When appropriate, of course.

Global issues
Your blog could be a place to talk about the bigger picture and how your agency is supporting its workers as they deal with worldwide issues.  Or you could highlight how you’re taking steps to combat climate change.  

Meet the team
You probably already have an about page where people can get to know the faces behind the agency.  

A dedicated blog post is an effective way for past, present and future clients to get to know your team even more.  

Pro tip: interview a team member each month and create a blog post based on that interview.

Industry-specific topics
Depending on your agency’s area of expertise, you could dive in to topics that are specific to your industry.  Whether you’re talking about the future of AI, the latest UX design trends or something else relevant to your agency, this is a powerful way to showcase your knowledge. 

Positive reviews
Maybe a client has waxed lyrical about your work.  Even if you already have a testimonials page, a blog can be a great way to share the positive feedback and delve deeper into what you did for your client and why it was so effective.

Career openings
Maybe you want to encourage young people to consider working for your agency in the future or simply shine a spotlight on the latest career openings.  Either way, a blog can direct attention to the latest vacancies in your agency and get people thinking about joining you. 

Helpful blogs
Your customers might have questions.  Your blog is a place to sell the fact that you have the answers.  

What sets you apart?
Maybe you use technology in an unconventional, effective way.  Maybe you have decades of collective expertise.  Maybe you specialise in a very specific niche.  Whatever sets you apart from other agencies is worth blogging about.

Hopefully some of these ideas have been helpful.  If you’d like help writing a blog post or proofreading existing copy, I’d be delighted to hear from you.

Obviously, the answer to this question depends on multiple factors, including, but not limited to:

• What kind of copywriting we’re talking about
• How much research is involved
• Whether or not there are any amends to make
• When the deadline is

However, as busy agencies require quick turnarounds, I thought it might help if I put together some information on timings and when you can expect to receive your copy.  To do that, let’s examine the process.

The briefing

Most briefings involve the Project Manager, Strategist and Creative Lead helping brief the copywriter or designer into the project.  In my experience, this usually takes half an hour.

Pro tip: when sending your copywriter the meeting invitation, include links to the written brief or production deck, if possible, so they can familiarise themselves with the project ahead of the briefing.  While they may not always have time to do so, I’ve found studying the written brief ahead of time means I can ask better questions throughout the briefing and really get to grips with the deliverables.

The research

This is a pivotal step, but virtually impossible to estimate its length.  Your copywriter may need to read a whitepaper, go to a library, scour the web, interview someone…  

Something that makes this step a lot easier is having a Strategist on board to lay out key messages and their references.  I’ve found this has saved me hours of research time and means I can focus on getting the actual writing done.

The writing

I’m quite a fast writer, which means I can get a lot done in a short space of time.  This is very useful if there are deadlines involved.  

However, when I have the time, I love the ability to write, step away, then go back and analyse what I’ve done with a fresh eye.  This definitely results in better writing at the end.

I still find estimating how long the actual writing will take quite tricky.  However, I can give a rough quote once I know more about the scope of the project.  

The amends

Working with private clients meant amends could drag on…  and on…  and on…  Even though I had a clause in my contract that amends needed to be with me after two weeks, I was too scared to insist upon this.  I’m still waiting for people I worked with in 2020 to give me detailed amends.

Working with agencies mean other members of the team insist that the client provides all amends by a certain date.  This is wonderful, for me, as now it’s just a matter of making those amends.  Usually this takes no more than a day.

Pro tip: I’ve found having all the team, not just the Creative Lead, take a look at the copy helps create a unified document that’s in line with the original brief.  

Want copy that gets results?  Send me an email and let’s discuss how I can help your agency.

Every digital marketing or communications agency needs quality copy in order to position itself above its competitors.  Whether that copy is for your own website or social media, or for your clients, here are compelling reasons to hire a remote freelance copywriter in 2023 – and how to pick one that’s right for you.

It’s eco-friendly

According to a recent Forbes article, 3.2 metric tons of carbon emissions and 313 gallons of gasoline are saved per remote worker each year.  

In order to minimise my impact on the environment, I recently did away with my printer (can’t print unnecessarily if you don’t print at all!).  I’m always open to suggestions on how to make my business more eco-friendly, but I feel remote working is a strong step in the right direction.

It’s cost-effective

I’m here when you need me.  Off the payroll when you don’t.  You pay for the work I do, as and when I do it.  You also don’t have to pay my tax and NI contributions.

A freelancer can still be a team player

This is especially true when you regularly work with a particular freelancer, or permalancer.  I’ve been fortunate enough to have worked with an agency since November, meaning I know the individual members of the team (as well as their babies’ names, their favourite holiday destinations and their pets).  Getting to know the people you’re working with goes a long way to helping you understand the assignment and, ultimately, create copy that gets results.

How can you be sure you’ve found the right copywriter for your agency?

What do they charge?

While the best copywriter may not be the one that charges most, it’s generally true that you get what you pay for.  How does their day rate compare to others?  Are they “too cheap”?  

What do others say?

I don’t have a testimonials section on my website (mainly because I completely forget to ask clients to say nice things about me) but you’ll often find copywriters investing space on their website to build confidence in their work.  Having testimonials can be an effective and fast way to find out what others say about the copywriter and give you a good idea of how they’ll be able to help you.  

I have a few testimonials on my LinkedIn in the form of recommendations, so that’s often a good starting point if you’re looking to see what others say about a writer.

What do they say (verbally or otherwise)?

Are they on time for meetings?  How do they conduct themselves?  How do you feel when you talk to them?  Are they professional?  

As a copywriter, it’s important to me that I’m punctual and professional.  I respect others who make the effort to do the same – it gives me confidence that they’ll show the same level of care in their work.

What does their portfolio consist of?

This is a pretty obvious one, but, in my opinion, a portfolio is much more powerful than a CV – and don’t even get me started on cover letters!  A portfolio should tell you all you need to know about a potential writer, even if that portfolio consists of on spec copy.  

What’s next?

Once you’ve found a copywriter who ticks all your boxes, it’s a good idea to hang on to them.  Having a permalancer who knows the ins and outs of your agency and knows how to make your clients happy is incredibly useful.  

It’s also a lovely feeling, from a freelancer’s point of view, when an agency wants you to work with them regularly.  

Are you looking to hire a freelance copywriter in 2023?  Why not get in touch now?

When I first started copywriting with various agencies, I was overwhelmed with acronyms.  They meant absolutely nothing to me and, about ten times a day, I had to ask: “What does that mean?”

Chances are, if you’re working in a busy agency, you already know what they all mean.  But I have no doubt that someone, somewhere will find this blog useful.  Even that person is me, going back to check an acronym I should already know by now.

AM – Account Manager.

ATL marketing – “ATL” stands for “Above The Line” and this refers to widespread marketing campaigns, such as television adverts.

B2B copywriting – “B2B” stands for “Business to Business” and refers to any copywriting written by a business, targeted towards another business.

B2C copywriting – exactly the same, except the “C” stands for consumer and the copy is targeted at consumers.

BTL marketing – “BTL” stands for “Below The Line” and this refers to more targeted marketing campaigns.

CTA – Call to Action.  Whether it’s something like “Message me for more information” or a simple “Contact us”, a CTA helps guide a customer to take action.

CX – Customer Experience.

DM marketing – “DM” stands for “Direct Mail” and this refers to marketing material that ultimately ends up delivered through the recipient’s letterbox.

EDM – Electronic Direct Mail. (Either that or “Electronic Dance Music” but I thought the former was more likely given the context.)

PI – Profitability Index. 

PM – Project Manager.

PPT – Microsoft PowerPoint, a presentation programme.

OOH – “OOH” stands for “Out Of Home” advertising. Find out more here.

SaaS – Software as a Service.  

SoW – “SoW” stands for “Statement of Work.”  It’s a document that outlines the deliverables, pricing and time frame for a project.

TOV – “TOV” stands for “Tone of Voice”.  This usually refers to the tone of voice a business or organisation wants to convey – whether it’s professional, friendly or anything in between.  

TTL marketing – “TTL” stands for “Through The Line” and this approach incorporates both ATL and BTL marketing types.

TVC – “TVC” stands for “Television Commercial”.

UX copywriting – “UX” stands for “User Experience” and is designed to make the user’s experience clear and enjoyable – often this involves directing them towards the end goal.

I hope this has been helpful – although I won’t be giving up my day job to become a lexicographer any time soon!

When working with larger companies, I’ve often been given a very handy set of Tone of Voice guidelines.  Perhaps you’re wondering if this is something your agency should invest in?  Let’s take a look.

What are Tone of Voice guidelines?

Tone of Voice guidelines set out how you want your brand to sound.  It’s all about creating a consistent language to be used in all your written content, from websites to social media to brochures and everything in between.

These guidelines will encompass how you want to sound, your style choices (fonts and punctuation, etc.) and overall personality.  

They are not a list of words you can and can’t use.  They’re exactly what they say they are – guidelines to help you and your writers choose the language that fits your brand.

Do you need these guidelines?

Tone of Voice guidelines will help you keep your content consistent.  They’re especially useful if you regularly bring freelancers on board – it’s incredibly helpful to be given some guidance when you start writing for a new client.

Having a consistent voice means your brand will be more distinctive and easy to recognise.  

What’s involved in creating these guidelines?

Before any actual writing takes place, we would need to set down on paper how you want your brand to sound.  I’d need to ask you a lot of questions and, once I had the brief right, I’d ask you to sign off on it to ensure we’re all on the same page.

Once we know what we’re aiming for, I’ll get started writing the guidelines themselves.  

These may include:

• Why a tone of voice guideline is needed and who it’s for.
• Three words that describe your tone of voice.  For example, warm, welcoming and wise.  
• What those three words look like in reality and why they’re relevant to your brand.
• A guide for writing copy that’s on brand.
• Information on style.  For example, one space after a full stop or two?  US or UK English? 
• Optional: any words or phrases you absolutely do not want used.

These guidelines don’t have to be of Shakespearean proportions.  I’m always in favour of keeping written information as short and snappy as possible – thus making it more memorable. 

Should your agency or organisation invest in guidelines?

Fill in the contact form or send me an email ([email protected]) and we can discuss whether this is a service that’s right for you.