Lots of people assume that being freelance and having my own, small business means that I can do as I please when I want to. Well, I’m sorry to dispel that myth but it’s not entirely true! While I am “The Boss”, I am still answerable to my clients – and that means I like to be (almost) always available.
I Didn’t Want to Work for Anyone
Quite a few years ago, I setup my very small marketing business, to fit work around my young children. I didn’t want to return to an office (and neither did I want to answer to anyone else!). It seemed like a great idea, and I was extremely lucky, at the time, Facebook was the biggest social media platform and I posted my new setup on a couple of local groups. Within around a week of setting up on my own, I’d gained three clients, all retainers; a doctors’ surgery, a childcare business and a small company dealing in timeshares. I also picked up a couple of other small bits and pieces.
A Juggler (and a Copywriter)
At the time, my daughter was only a few weeks old. My 18-month-old son went to nursery every morning, so I spent every day juggling doing the work and tending to my children. One of my clients was a stone’s throw from my home, which was useful, and they were flexible enough to understand my motherhood role too.
Moving to Copywriting
As the years rolled on, I noticed that more and more people were seeking copywriting over and above general marketing. For me, that meant I could pivot my line of work to what I loved doing the most, writing, which I’d focussed on during my marketing career. So I did and writeminded was born. I don’t really do any marketing campaigns as such now, but copywriting is still an essential part of marketing, it’s vitally important for brands and businesses to communicate with their customers. Without it, I personally can’t see how any business can survive. Even if it’s just having a beautifully written website, or crafting compelling customer emails, perhaps a smart looking brochure? The point is that copywriting touches every business.
Then Came SEO…
Of course, copywriting has evolved and now includes Search Engine Optimisation. I was never formally trained in SEO – and when it first emerged, everyone jumped on the bandwagon. The result was a plethora of nastily-written websites and blogs, all stuffed with keywords that didn’t read naturally at all. Google soon cottoned-on to this type of nonsensical copy and proceeded to penalise businesses using keyword-stuffing. For me, that was a real bonus! I had countless businesses coming to me asking to refresh their copy but still ensure the right keywords were in the body of their text. What I found most difficult to do was to stress that it’s impossible to rank highly for every keyword! Try telling that to a business wanting to reach page the top of page one of Google for black women’s jeans…. That’s one thing my clients get from me, honesty. I am not going to promise what I can’t deliver, but when I can deliver, I always, always over-deliver!
I’m Not a Lonely Copywriter!
Today, my business is still small but that’s how I want it. I’ve had people ask me to join forces, I don’t want to. Occasionally, I employ a student to help when I can’t cope with the workload but usually, I find that I spend double the time checking their work. I like it just how it is! It’s difficult enough to juggle with my family, and back to my opener, contrary to popular belief, I don’t fit my business in around my day. I fit my day around my business. I often start work at 7.30am and finish around 2.30pm. Not because I need to but by that time, I’m exhausted from staring at a screen and I want to take a break – plus, I must consider my family! Doing what I do, I can take my “job” anywhere. I sometimes take my laptop with me on holiday, espeically if it’s a 2-week+ break. Not because I feel the pressure of clients but because I love what I do. It can be dull just sitting by a pool, so when I want my brain to kick back into gear, I write a piece.
Clients Overseas
Around 4 to 5 years ago, I started to get enquiries from businesses outside of the UK. That was really exciting and with today’s working world, it’s easy to take on clients overseas. However, one of the biggest hurdles was dealing with international payments. Bank and wire transfers are notoriously slow, PayPal charge big fees and it was often a headache. Someone suggested using an online freelancing platform to look after the payment side, so I set myself up on a couple.
I found that using an online freelancing platform, I could organise payment easily. Without an online freelancing platform, you rely do have to rely on trust, because putting contracts in place is difficult without the help of an international lawyer – and frankly, I’m not big enough to do that cost-effectively! The online platforms ensure money is in Escrow, and helps me to smoothly navigate payments. While I started using these types of platforms just for overseas clients, I’ve picked up lots of UK-based clients too and 1/3 of my workload now comes from two freelancing platforms.
This Lady Rarely Lunches!
I love what I do and I’m proud of what I’ve achieved. I’m not a lady who lunches (the odd lunch and shopping trip is always appreciated and I try and schedule these every few weeks with my friends), and neither am I a “let’s grab a coffee!” person. I like working from home, I enjoy the quiet while I work and what I fascinates me is the knowledge I’ve accumulated over the years. Doing what I do means you learn about all types of businesses and topics. That’s what makes me a multi-audience copywriter.
If you’re interested in what I do, or you’d like to know how to get started as a freelance copywriter, drop me an email, I’d be happy to steer you in the right direction.
