Hello and welcome to this special festive episode of the Hot Copy Podcast. Belinda and I have come back together to roast some chestnuts, neck some egg nog and talk all things copy. So if you’re ready to put up your stockings with us and wait for Father Christmas to slip down your copy chimney, this is the episode for you.

Did you know we've been creating this podcast since 2015 -- never missing an episode? Well, not until 2020. 2020 has been the year of "the surge" for us both. In this special episode, we go through how we've handled working through the pandemic and what's happening with the Hot Copy podcast. Spoiler alert: we're mixing things up in 2021!

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. 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 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! Useful links LinkedIn Instagram Facebook The Rural Copywriter

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 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. Useful links The Wrinkly Writer Twitter LinkedIn Instagram Writer Helen Garner on the insults of age  

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 - well yes they need copy. And a particular type of 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 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! Connect with Kat SaaS Copywriter - Kat Ambrose Twitter LinkedIn

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 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! 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. Connect with Mai-Kee Website Podcasters Resource Guide Instagram From Pitch to Podcast Guest group program waitlist Quiet Rebels Podcast

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. 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 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. Connect with Rachel Rachel’s site Rachel’s List Content Byte Google doc of Aussie publications still commissioning

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 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. Connect with Mike Website BrandYou Bootcamp Instagram Facebook Twitter LinkedIn

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 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 ANITA ASHLOCK for her lovely testimonial. "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." 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. Connect with Anita Website Instagram LinkedIn Facebook Useful links Brandfetti on Apple Brandfetti on Spotify  

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 Question for you Have you ever written for an artist? 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 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. Connect with Ali Website Facebook Instagram LinkedIn

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. Belinda is surviving on wine and 80s music. Lockdown with memberships, communities, courses, launches AND managing the kid’s online learning. It’s a bit bloody much. 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 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 from Austraila 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!!”

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. 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. Connect with Estelle Website Facebook LinkedIn

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 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 a fantastic review of the show. Connect with Nerissa Website LinkedIn Facebook Instagram

The truth is most copywriters write solo, alone, with no one around but perhaps a farting dog, or keyboard obsessed cat. We need silence and solitude to rouse the creative muse. But can working with another creative brain be a good thing? In agency life we’re often paired with designers (shudders) to work on concepts as a team, but how about being paired with another copywriter, and writing pages of copy TOGETHER!! Dun Dun Der. Is that even a thing? In this episode, we chat about the challenges of writing together, the highs, the lows and some tips on how to make this a viable and enjoyable option for your business. Tune in to learn: We’ll be sharing our top 7 tips including. Know your personality flaws Match personality types Divide and conquer Stay open Work out your process Expect challenges Enjoy the adventure 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Oh and big hugs to Steve Melbourne from Australia for his lovely testimonial.  

Does cold emailing get you in a cold sweat? Is it something you’ve put off because you don’t want to be accused of being a spammer… Or face rejection, over and over again? Many of us will find anything to do aside from sending a cold pitch email. We create and share content. We go to networking events. We participate in forums and FB groups where our ideal customers hang out. All great marketing strategies but there comes a time when we need to get proactive about our lead generation. Today’s episode features special guest, Laura Lopuch, and it will empower you to get on the front foot and start sending emails to bring in more work. Tune in to learn: The career Laura left to become a conversion copywriter How she uncovered sending cold emails as her superpower Whether cold emailing is just a numbers game (and how to win) Tips on preparing to send an email to someone who you don’t know The structure of an effective cold email Surprisingly simple follow up tips How to get your mojo right to send a great cold email Question for you! Do you embrace proactive lead generation like cold emailing? Or does it terrify 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Kgb_kgb from Canada for a fantastic review of the show. About Laura Laura is an email conversion copywriter + strategist for startups, service professionals, and SaaS companies who want to send those infamous, money-makin’ emails you’ve heard so dang much about. Her expertise lies in cold emails. Which are the hardest email marketing channel to master. Laura’s work has been seen on websites like Kissmetrics, Crazy Egg, Get Response, Copy Hackers, and MailShake. One of her cold emails brought in $20,000 in revenue. Thanks to her work with many clients (including online biggies like Joanna Wiebe and Selena Soo), she’s seen firsthand that being ultra-relevant to your email reader is pure magic for getting sales. Useful resources The 2 x cold email templates Laura made available to Confident Copywriters Laura’s FB live on the 7 Types of cold emails Boomerang (email scheduler and more for Gmail) Streak (CRM for Gmail) Find Laura On Twitter On Facebook On LinkedIn On Instie

SEO is a topic we've often see discussed in copywriting Facebook groups and across the web. And most copywriters either seem scared of it, confused by it or just overwhelmed by how to package it and sell it to clients. The question most often asked? What does an SEO copywriter actually do? And can you even call yourself an online writer if you don’t have mad SEO skills? In today’s episode, we walk you through what we think SEO copywriting really means, how to do it, and how it can become a valuable arrow in your copywriting quiver. Tune in to learn: What is SEO copywriting What SEO copywriting involves Can you really be an SEO copywriter if you don’t understand the big picture? Essential SEO know-how for copywriters How to package your SEO copywriting service The trick to making sure keyword research doesn’t steal all your time Kate’s keyword research strategy How to set client expectations of your SEO service Some rough guidelines on times for SEO packages Question for you! Do you think SEO copywriting is an essential skill? Do you feel confident about offering it? 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to GinaGodeen from USA for a fantastic review of the show. Useful links SEO Nibbles course Kate’s 10 Day SEO Challenge Kate’s SEO group on FB Kate’s SEO Copywriting rant on Youtube The WordPress Guy Pricing episode of Hot Copy Podcast Keyword Sheeter Uber Suggest 

Christmas is a great time of the year to take a break from your business as your clients are on holidays. It’s also a great time to knuckle down and get some strategic work done… because your clients are all on holidays! In this episode, Kate and Belinda share their own plans for Christmas 2019 and how they’re setting themselves up for success in 2020. Did someone say INTENTION WORD? Then, we go into infomercial mode because the Hot Copy Mastermind is 100% happening in early 2020 and we want to tell you all about it. (You can actually hear Belinda chirping with excitement). If you’re not interested in the Mastermind, you’ll still get a lot of great tips in the first half of the ep. Dig in and enjoy! Tune in to learn: How Belinda and Kate are spending their time off this year How they’re making sure school holidays don’t catch them by surprise (AGAIN) The word/s they’re using to focus their work in 2020 Why a good wall planner is essential How YOU can tick off some strategic projects in 2020 The benefits of planning personal time into your 2020 What the Hot Copy Mastermind is all about including how it will work and who it’s for Question for you! How do you approach the end of the year? Do you take time off or work through? Do you plan the coming year or let it unfold as it happens? Let us know 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Evan Postier, Minnesota, USA for saying that we’re funny in his fantastic review of the show. Useful links Hot Copy Mastermind waitlist Hot Copy: Is copywriting making you a bad parent    

Today, Kate is talking to Glenn Fisher, from All Good Copy. He’s an Author, Copywriter, Podcast and Speaker. His book ‘The Art of The Click’ was shortlisted as the business book of the year in 2019. And his podcast - The All Good Copy Podcast - has had a string of awesome guests on it, including me. He has a dog called Pablo, a Crime podcast loving partner called Ruth and lives in merry old England. But as well as being a copywriting celebrity, Glenn is also a working writer, and he specialises in direct response. He’s worked with a string of sexy clients helping them drive sales and win over clients and today he’s sharing his secrets with us. Tune in to learn: When you talk about being a direct response copywriter - what do you mean by that? A lot of people assume direct response is all about long copy. Is that true? How do you go about writing a 10,000 word long copy sales letter? Should you handwrite out letters? How can people study direct response? What mistakes do most direct copywriters make? Who have been your biggest influences in your career? What’s the one book you’d recommend all copywriters read? Who was Glenn’s favourite podcast guest? 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Oh and big hugs to thatsmekq for their lovely testimonial. About Glenn Glenn Fisher was born in Grimsby in 1981. After a number of years working in the local council, he left to become a copywriter and founded AllGoodCopy.com, a free online resource for direct response copywriters and marketers. For over a decade, he worked with The Agora, a multi-million-pound international financial publisher and in 2018, having helped launch and grow Agora Financial in the UK, he left to write copy on a freelance basis, focus on coaching aspiring copywriters and publish his first book, The Art of the Click. He now regularly speaks at industry events and hosts The All Good Copy Podcast, where he interviews some of the biggest names in the business. He lives happily with his partner Ruth and dog Pablo on the east coast of England. Connect with Glenn Twitter Instagram Website Useful links Ogilvy on Advertising Dan Ariely Predictably Irrational Mac and Moore podcast  

Ghostwriting is pretty much what we do as copywriters. We write the words that others get to claim as their own.  But have you ever been asked to write something more substantial than a blog, web copy or brochure? Have you ever been asked to write to someone else’s BOOK? That’s the kind of ghostwriting we’re talking about today. What you need to know to add it to your portfolio of services. Tune in to learn: How Cindy went from a Ph.D. in English to a ghostwriter Her favourite type of book to write Her favourite books to read How she approaches the task of writing someone else’s story The challenges that led to the creation of her Write My Book BlueprintTM framework How to package a ghostwriting service Warning signs that your client isn’t ready for their book Tips to get into writing books for others Cindy’s best resources   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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Mike Sullivan (or Sully) from USA for a fantastic review of the show. About Cindy Dr. Cindy, The Expert’s Ghostwriter, is a ghostwriter and book editor for coaches and consultants that go on to achieve Amazon Bestseller status, book TEDx Talks, build coaching businesses, and create nonprofits. She developed her Write My Book BlueprintTM framework to create reading experiences that encourage reviews and turn readers into lifelong fans of the author. Her best clients want to publish books that make an impact, and she’s committed to write and edit their books to look and feel like any other bestseller at a major bookstore. Dr. Cindy holds a Ph.D. in English and teaches creative writing classes at Writespace Houston and is a foster mom with Citizens for Animal Protection in Houston, TX. She most recently fostered three underweight tortoise-shell kittens that are now awaiting their furrever homes. Connect with Cindy Cindy’s website Cindy on Facebook Cindy on LinkedIn Useful links Ingram Spark (self-publishing) Jen Freedman The Creative Penn Writer's League of Texas  

Steve Follard is the host of the ‘Being Freelance’ Podcast and the ‘Doing it for the Kids’ Podcast. He’s also a video and audio freelancer. He’s talked to countless freelancers about the challenges of our strange rollercoaster life and he wanted to share the biggest lessons with the Hot Copy listeners. Just a note this episode was recorded as a Masterclass for my Clever Copywriting Community, so if you hear anything strange that’s why. Tune in to learn: Why you shouldn’t freak out Why it’s important to understand your finances The lesson of Knowing yourself. How to be Yourself Why nice guys get paid last How to stop being so available How to Learn to say NO Why Steve schedules life first How to make opportunities for yourself Why Other Freelancers are NOT the competition. Question for the listeners! What’s your biggest freelance lesson? Share your thoughts on Twitter 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to urban_wanderer from the USA for a fantastic review of the show. About Steve Steve is a video & audio creator. Usually for businesses, but as you can tell, he has a habit of doing it for the freelance community too. That’s what he does now. For years he worked in radio. In 2013 he swapped early starts for a life being freelance: to be his own boss, to be with his two kids, to be more awake. He’s always freelanced alongside ‘full time’ jobs though: radio producer, presenter, scriptwriter, voiceover or copywriter. He started the Being Freelance podcast in January 2015. In 2016 he started documenting his freelance life with the Being Freelance vlog. In 2018 he started speaking at events on the subject of freelancing and finding work-life balance. 2019 saw him launch the Being Freelance Community and become the co-host of a second podcast for freelance parents: Doing It For The Kids podcast. He loves cake. He runs because he knows he should. Sometimes it’s past a bakers. Find Steve Being Freelance podcast Facebook group

Have you missed us? If you’re a regular listener to the Hot Copy podcast, you may have noticed that we’ve been AWOL for a few weeks. In this episode, we explain what we’ve been up to, how it derailed our podding schedule and the lessons we’ve taken from the work we’ve been doing. We’re also announcing a VERY exciting new project in 2020. If you’re a copywriter and you’d love to work with us more closely, tune in. Tune in to learn: What Kate and Belinda have been up to What they’ve learned from sticky business moments Why Belinda is so excited about the end of October How to work with Kate and Belinda more closely in 2020 Question for the listeners! Have you ever been on a retreat or been part of a Mastermind? What was your experience? 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Sarah Artis for a fantastic review of the show. Useful links Mastermind waitlist

Lead magnets have been part of our marketing vernacular for years now. You offer a thing of value and people give you their email address (and permission to email them). But is there any money to be made from writing these? Absolutely!  To share HOW copywriters to land some high paying ebook projects, we’re talking to Steve Slaunwhite. Tune in to learn: What we mean when we talk about an ebook What an exceptional ebook should include How to pick the best topic for an ebook Expert tips on structuring your ebook service Tips on landing profitable ebook projects Question for you! Do you offer ebooks writing services? What tips can you add? 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to urban_wanderer from USA for leaving a fantastic review of the show. About Steve Steve Slaunwhite has been a copywriter and copywriting trainer for 20+ years. He’s the creator of many popular online courses the author of “The Everything Guide to Writing Copy” and AWAI’s 2016 Copywriter Of The Year. In his spare time, Steve likes to paint (poorly), cycle, read and hang out with his family. Connect with Steve Check Steve out at www.CopywritingCoach.com

How do you get copywriting clients? It’s a question we get asked all the time. We even did an episode on it covering some of the most common lead gen tactics. But there are some platforms and techniques that might surprise you. Like Instagram. It’s a HUGE platform but many people dismiss it because it’s (gasp) images. And we deal with words In this episode, Belinda talks to a copywriter who is nailing Instie and picks her brain on how we can too! Tune in to learn: How Ami shifted from craft to copywriting Why she loves Instagram so much and her strategy for success Why copywriters often struggle with Instie and her tips on nailing it How often you should post and what type of content works best The hidden power of stories to maximise your reach How to make your posts more readable Super tips to boost your bio Question for the listeners! Do you get leads from Instagram? Tell us about your strategy! 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Sharon Well for a fantastic review of the show. About Ami Ami is a writer of personality-driven copy, lover of a good laugh and slightly evil genius. She helps brands get clear on their personality so that they can show up consistently, stand out in a noisy marketplace and attract their dream customers. Damn Write Instagram

When we start out as copywriters, obviously the aim is to be successful. But what does that even mean? In this episode, Belinda and Kate are honest about the upsides and downsides of being successful. Is it all it’s cracked up to be? Is the grass really greener or are there just different prickles? Oh, and this is our 100th episode! Tune in to learn: How Kate and Belinda define success How their definitely of success has changed The upsides of success The downsides of success What would they do differently? Question for you! How do YOU define success? 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Ngaire Clare from Australia for a fantastic review of the show.  

As copywriters and business owners, we seek the warmth and security of financial consistency. Many of us believe if you can wriggle in with agency clients, we’ll have just that. But what are agencies all about? Are they something you should consider working harder to build relationships with? Are there any downfalls for working with agencies? And how do you even your little toe in the door? Kate Merryweather joins us today and will be answering each of these elusive questions. Tune in to learn: How to approach agencies Ways to stay front of mind with agencies How to stay visible in an agency Management tools to boost your impact How agency relationships workHow to charge for agency work The pros of taking on agency clients The cons for taking on agency clients How to get agencies on retainer The legalities of working with agencies

Are you struggling to run your copywriting business around your family? Do you worry about too much screen time… or (gasp) future therapy bills because you’re meeting deadlines rather than taking your kids to the park? It’s easy to trowel guilt on ourselves when we see copywriters running 6 or 7 figure businesses. Or landing 5 figure projects. What are we doing with our lives? Are we ruining our children trying to grow our copywriting businesses? Are we just THE WORST? We’re going to stop you right there. We are copywriters. We are parents. We are business owners. This episode shares our thoughts on making it all work. Stay tuned to feel a lot more awesome about your life as a copywriter. Shout out to Alicia Littel for inspiring this episode! Tune in to learn: ● How we lived and worked before children ● A rundown of our work days ● Where we beat ourselves up when it comes to parenting and business-ing ● Belinda’s experience with 5am starts ● Kate’s super tip on how you view the time you have with your kids ● Belinda’s controversial take on having it all ● Our tips on kicking guilt to the curb Share the pod love If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, support the show by leaving us a rating and review on iTunes or Stitcher. We’ll read your name and review out on the show and send you lots of virtual love. Huge props to Andrew Bracey for listening and leaving a super review. Question for you What’s your big AHA moment from this pod? Do you feel the feels we talked about? Let us know on our Facebook page or on Twitter. Useful links ● Hot Copy: Time-saving tips with Kate Christie ● The third space theory ● Hot Copy: Subcontracting guide ● Seth Godin: Business/busyness  

We went to a copywriting conference in New York City in March 2019. It was Brooklyn but let’s not facts spoil the glamour. It was TCC IRL (The Copywriter Club In Real Life) and while we had a BLAST hanging out together – you would be surprised how many years it’s been since we hung out in real life – we also took the chance to pick the brains of the speakers. We asked as many speakers as we could grab in the breaks, “What is ONE THING you wish you’d know when you started your copywriting career.” We didn’t tell anyone what the other tips were and every single person delivered something unique. And they are some stellar tips too. This is your chance to grab a shortcut to the mindset and process tips these copywriters have gleaned over years and years of working the job. Cool, huh? Tune in to hear from: Kevin James (Copy Chief) Kira Hug (The Copywriter Club) Joanna Weibe (Copy Hackers) Justin Blackman (Pretty Fly Copy) Michal Eisikowitz (Michal Eisikowitz Copywriting) Bond Halbert (Bond Halbert Publishing) Chantelle Zak (Chanti Zak) Liana Patch (Punchline Conversion Copywriting) Parris Lampropoulos Prerna Malik (Content Bistro) Abbey Woodcock (On Life and Writing) Tarzan Kay Kalryzian (Tarzan Kay) Thank you to all our guests for coming up with BRILLIANT answers on the spot. Question for you What is your favourite tip from this episode? Let us know on our Facebook page or on Twitter. Share the pod love If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, support the show by leaving us a rating and review on iTunes or Stitcher. We’ll read your name and review out on the show and send you lots of virtual love. Huge props to Pixelhappystudio for her super review. Find out more about each speaker Kevin James: Copy Chief Kira Hug: The Copywriter Club Joanna Weibe: Copy Hackers Justin Blackman: Pretty Fly Copy Michal Eisikowitz: Michal Eisikowitz Copywriting Bond Halbert: Bond Halbert Publishing Chantelle Zak: Chanti Zak Liana Patch: Punchline Conversion Copywriting Prerna Malik: Content Bistro Abbey Woodcock: On Life and Writing Tarzan Kay Kalryzian: Tarzan Kay

To swear (in copy) or not to swear (in copy) that is the question. As copywriters, we’re always having to change the way we write to adapt to the times. And these days everyone seems to love to eff and blind like a mofo, right? What once packed a punch, is now old school.  And some things that seem edgy are not as great as they’re cracked up to be - or make you sound like a try-hard teen. Today, we look at the pros and cons of writing sweary copy. Is it a good tactic to add to your belt or is it putting readers off? We’ve even got some fancy psychology and stats around copy with swear words. Is writing sweary copy something to try or try-hard? Let’s dig in and find out. Tune in to learn: Different types of swearing Belinda and Kate's tolerance levels for swearing (one is a sailor, one is not) What happened when Kate swore, once The vocabulary payoff for swear-bears How to respond to a client who asks for swearing Different ways you can add swearing to your copy, without swearing in your copy   What do you think? What do you think when you see swearing in copywriting? Do you love it or hate? Have you written sweary copy before? Let us know on our Facebook page or on Twitter. 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Oh and big hugs to Mandy Yoxall from Australia for her lovely testimonial. Useful links: Kate’s infamous Instagram post Tone of Voice Template (Clever Copywriting School) Science Says That People Who Curse a Lot Have Better Vocabularies Than Those Who Don't BA_Dissertation_What_the_F*ck 5 brands using profanity-based wordplay to stir up attention 5 F*cking Awesome Examples of Brands Swearing in their Marketing    

Rob Marsh has been a little name and then a big name. He mastered the copywriting world, working with some of the biggest names and wearing many hats, founding communities, conferences, courses and more. He co hosts the second best copywriting podcast too!The golden question is of course “How did he do it? And how does he fit it all in?”Today, we’ll delve into the Whens, Whats, Whys and Hows. Rob will give us a sneak peek into how his career unfolded and how you can leverage his experience to boost your own.   Tune in to learn: How Rob’s copywriting journey began and why he expanded into other marketing areas Which of Rob’s kids he loves most The 3 biggests challenges Rob faced in his copywriting career How Rob increased his brand and mastered copywriting Different approaches to international copywriting If Americans or Australians are more open to the hard sell and why The challenges Rob faced when launching his podcast, course and community The biggest shortfall Rob sees in copywriters today and how to avoid it   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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Oh and big hugs to Draisydre from USA for his lovely testimonial.   About Rob Rob is an expert marketer, writer and entrepreneur. He has worked as a Copywriter, Producer and Creative Director at various companies including FranklinCovey, Publicis, and Hewlett Packard. So he has “big company” and “agency” experience. In 2004, he joined a startup that revolutionized the online production of design (the predecessor to companies like UpWork and 99Designs). In 2012, he started his own SaaS business. So he understands small biz too. Today he is part of the copywriting duo (with Kira Hug) that hosts The Copywriter Club Podcast and community for copywriters of all talent levels. He also consults with a variety of technology and wellness companies, to create effective landing pages, conversion funnels, and marketing campaigns at Brandstory Copy and Content. He is the author of the book, Telling Your Brand Story (available at Amazon, hint, hint). He lives in Salt Lake City with his wife, four kids, and westie.   Connect with Rob The Copywriter Club Facebook Group Twitter Instagram

Are you ready for a journey into the past? We're going back in time for a special flashback. In this episode, we're sharing 16 types of copywriting clients almost every copywriter will get to work with. Some are awesome and some… are not. Plus our tips on spotting them and how to work with them (so your copywriting project is smooth sailing). Tune to learn: Our favourites types of clients How to deal with scope creep and requests for free work How to guide clients who can’t tell you what to change The best way to organise disorganised clients When (and how) to tell a client to step back And more. So much more! 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! We read out a review at the end of each show and today, we’re giving a shout out to Jan for her FAB review. Thanks Jan! Links mentioned in this article: Empty copywriting portfolio? How to make up client-wowing samples Crappy clients: How to spot, avoid, manage and fire them Good client. Bad client. The Zen Guide to Shitty Clients

Cold calls. Telemarketing. Infomercials. These words send a chilling shiver down my spine. In a world where folk are over the abundance of “buy my thing” being shouted at them, how do you avoid being lumped in with the salesy slime? How can we tailor our copy to make our users feel comfortable? Today, Cath Fowler joins me to uncover how you can use psychology based copy to persuade and sell. We’ll delve into using clever copywriting to break down trust barriers and create a message your clients will remember. Tune in to learn: Why you should consider psychology when writing copy  Using active voice and repetition to make your message memorable Why metaphors and similes work so well Using concrete claims to build trust The best way to convey percentages and time Getting bullet points right How to overcome objections The power of because How to create curiosity    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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Oh and big hugs to smilinsamiam from Australia  for the lovely testimonial.   About Cath Cath Fowler is an SEO consultant and copywriter who helps businesses get found and look good online. Using SEO smarts and compelling copy she will establish your brand as the leader in your local area or industry. She loves working with financial services clients and regional businesses of all kinds - to help the little guys compete on the big stage. Don't make her pick which type of client she prefers out of those two. That would be like make her pick between her two cheeky daughters and she just won't do it. Connect with Cath Cath Fowler Marketing website Facebook LinkedIn     

We’ve all read those long-form Facebook ads and wondered if they really work. Would you be surprised to learn that some of the highest converting Facebook ads are the length of some long-form landing pages? Upwards of two thousand words! And they work. Why do they work and how can you write them is the topic of today’s episode. Justin Blackman shares his experience on writing high-converting Facebook ads in hundreds of different tones of voice. It’s a bonanza of an episode that delivers much more than Facebook ads. If you want to learn how to write long-form FB ads and bundle your services and write in different tones of voice… this episode is for YOU! Tune in to learn: All about “Pedestal Post” formatting (one sentence at a time that people hate UNLESS it’s for them) The secret sauce to lowering bounce rates A simple way to a/b test (changing only the preview copy) The surprising detail of effective Facebook ad images Justin’s “Daniel Day-Lewis/method acting” approach to finding the customers voice Best formulas for long-form Facebook ads Formal vs. informal language – is jargon always bad? How to use your current Facebook ads to reverse engineer high converting ads Headlines are even important in FB ads How Justin stumbled into the 6-figure gig without ever pitching it 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Oh and big hugs to lawyer09 from USA for a great review.   About Justin Justin spent 2 decades marketing big name brands, like Red Bull, Puma & 5-hour Energy where he learned the power of good voice. And it made him hate boring, drab, self-centred emails & websites. So he analyzed the good ones, studied quick-hit storytelling techniques from comedians, and cannon-balled into copywriting. Now he helps B2C businesses craft messages that sound like people. Connect with Justin Justin’s website Justin on Twitter Pretty Fly on Facebook Useful Links: The Headline Project Message Matching: The Landing Page Sessions ep. 3

Time. It’s the most elusive asset you have and yet few copywriters seem to be able to control it. What do you do when you’ve run out of time? You can’t buy more, I’ve tried and now I think I’ve scared the assistant at the grocery store. How do we choose what’s worthy of investing our time in and what’s not? How do we avoid the time traps that are laid all around us? In this episode, Kate Toon chats to the renown time master, Kate Christie about the biggest time pitfalls and how you can end the time race once and for all. Tune in to learn: The difference between Time Investment and Time Management What the 4 cost lenses are What the SMART Time Investment framework is What is Parkinson’s law Is the framework a once off piece of work? The 3 biggest time challenges Kate Christie sees Top 3 tips for getting time back immediately. 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Oh and big hugs to Catherine Sempill for a stellar review. About Kate Kate Christie, Founder & CEO of Time Stylers is a Time Investment Expert; International Speaker; and best selling Author. Kate consults to big and small business, government departments and C suite executives on maximising individual time spend and managing organisational drag through smart time investment strategies. She has appeared on television, radio and in print as a leading commentator on time management and maximising work/ life integration to ensure your success across work, family, community, and life. With a reputation for helping her clients find 30 hours of lost time a month, Kate’s focus is to ensure you are left educated, entertained and with a lasting impact on the way you choose to live, work and play. Connect with Kate Time Stylers  Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Useful Links: Inside the mind of a master procrastinator Toggl The Pomodoro Technique  

Imagine peeking into the office of other copywriters… copywriters doing their thing day in, day out. And making a success of it. Comparisonitis can be our undoing but it can incredibly useful to hear how and why other copywriters make the choices they do. That’s when comparisonitis turns into inspiration. Today I’m talking to Chris Cooper. Copywriter and content strategist in Denver.   Tune in to learn: How Chris made the leap from teaching to writing The mindset time Chris uses to set the tone of his day How Chris has attracted his dream clients Why Chris doesn’t call himself a freelancer How ditching his niche boosted his work satisfaction The hardest part of being a copywriter Why you shouldn’t believe everything you read online Question for you Do you have any mindset tips you can share? How do you get your head straight each day? Share your story 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Heather Woods from New Zealand for a fantastic review of the show. About Chris Chris Cooper owns Real Good Writing in Denver, CO where he helps SaaS and B2B tech companies improve conversion rates.  Connect with Chris Real Good Writing website Twitter Useful Links: Read Good Writing What are the Morning Pages? Hot Copy #54: New copywriter’s guide to blogging

It’s nearly Christmas and that statement either makes you CHEER or BOO. Christmas is a time when our clients usually shut up shop. We can start getting anxious as we don’t have work lined up… We can enjoy some much needed time off ourselves… Or we can use the time to work on our business. In this special Christmas episode of the Hot Copy, we’re digging into how we survive Christmas AND answering some questions from you. Tune in to learn: What Kate and Belinda are doing for Christmas How to beat the client famine of Christmas time Some super tips to jump-start your January! How to handle requests for social media copy Why social posts and email campaigns need the same level of skill Should you be creating social graphics for clients? How to make social posting a profitable service The secret to writing copy that sounds like a client How to work with a client who won’t give you a good brief Exactly how many revisions you should work through before sacking a client The delicate balance between offering value-adds like keyword research and creating a profitable business How to spot needy clients. Question for you What are you up to this Christmas? Work, rest or play? Share your story 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Claire Gamble | Unhooked Comms from UK for a fantastic review of the show.

Did you know that our brain responds differently to different messages? If you don’t want to write copy that puts readers on high alert, conversational copywriting is for you. In this episode, Belinda talks to Nick Usborne (copywriter with 40 years experience) about the shifts in copywriting and why conversational copywriting is actually right for everyone.   Tune in to learn: What conversational copywriting is The super easy way to know if you've written it or missed the mark How our brain responds to different sales messages Uncovering the language of our readers How to persuade clients that it's the right tone for their brand 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Oh and big hugs to Greg from Portland for a 5-star review.   About Nick Who is Nick Usborne? Nick Usborne is an expert in copywriting and web writing. He has written copy for some of the world’s biggest brands, including Citibank, Apple, Chrysler, MSN.com, New York Times, WebEx, the U.S. Navy, and others. He attributes his success to “conversational copywriting,”. Seth Godin says, “In a world of instant pundits and stuffed shirts, Nick Usborne stands out as an astute, insightful and original mind. He’s able to find substance when others see just fluff, and can cut right to the core of the issue.” Connect with Nick Conversational Copywriting website Nick on LinkedIn Nick on Twitter The Coffee Detective Useful Links: Conversational copywriting resources for listeners Conversational Intelligence - Judith E. Glaser  

In our last episode, we talked about your copywriting business being a sock in a box. If you missed it, we talked about the risk of charging a premium level price tag without delivering a premium level service. We shared some helpful tips but we’re going in deeper today. Namely, how do you offer a service that you can confidently charge more for? Why are some copywriters so expensive and how can you be one? Tune in to learn: The five attributes of a high- value copywriter Our five top tips for delivering on a premium price Question for you: How confident are you to charge more? Can you add more value? Share your story 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Angela Rogers for a fantastic review of the show. Useful Links: E86: Is your copywriting business a sock in a box? Copywriting fees – What to charge? E37 Copywriting subcontracting – A ‘how to’ guide

We’ve all been there. We were taken in by the schmick advertising, the snazzy designer, the bells and whistles. We buy the thing. Then it’s delivery and we unwrap the layers of shiny wrapping, dig through a giant box of those puffy polystyrene doo dars and what do we find? A sock in a box? All that puff and prettiness for something so absolutely ordinary. And this happens with copywriting too. Too often we focus on the exterior, the marketing, the pizazz - forgetting what really matters. In this episode, Belinda and Kate dig deep into the idea that your copywriting business could just be a sock in a box. Press your ears a little closer to the speaker, this one is going to be a doozy. Tune in to learn: What is a sock in a box? How Kate’s copywriting brand evolved How Belinda’s copywriting brand evolved Do pretty proposals help land high paying clients? Good proposal software A cautionary tale The dangers of having a brand that’s too schmicky How to make sure clients are having a high-end experience 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 or Stitcher. Thanks!  Thanks to Debz407 from New Zealand for a five-star review of the show. We appreciate it! Do you want a shoutout? Leave us a review!  

Email is dead! No it isn’t! Email is the most powerful marketing tool on the planet! Which is it and how can copywriters use email marketing to boost their business? In this episode, Belinda chats to email marketing strategist Sarah Anderson. Sarah generously shares her tips on email marketing techniques (to write welcome, nurturing and conversion sequences) and tips we can use to land clients who want great email copy written for them. Tune in to learn: Why Sarah stopped dyeing yarn to write copy If email marketing really is as effective as everyone says What copywriters need to understand before writing emails Must know tips for writing a welcome email Must know tips for writing a nurturing sequence Must know tips for writing a conversion sequence How to work out the timing of a good email sequence How to package email writing as a profitable service   Question for the listeners: Do you offer email writing as a service? What the BEST thing about writing emails for others? Share your story 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Kerrib100 from Australia for a fantastic review of the show.  About Sarah Sarah Anderson is a copywriter and email marketing strategist. She believes that building a relationship with your list is one of the most valuable investments you can make in your marketing. That's why Sarah works with business owners who want emails that nurture subscribers, give tons of value, and convert into sales. Useful Links: E49: Expert tips on writing email subject lines that get opened, fast! Sarah’s website Get Sarah’s newsletter Read Sarah’s blog Sarah on Facebook 25 Days to Better Emails video series

Language localisation can be a bit of a minefield. Between the US, the UK and good old Aussie-land we all technically speak the same language, right? So how hard could it be? Quite hard actually. Today, we’re covering the differences you need to know to take your copywriting global. Well, at least between Australia, the United Kingdom and the good old US of A. Tune in to learn: Some common terminology differences How much marketing each audience needs How differently we respond to success How quickly different audiences buy Which vegetables Kate and Belinda can’t seem to buy Question for the listeners: We’d love to know if you agree with our perspectives on the differences in regional copywriting. And please share your favourite ads with us! Share your story 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Over The Hill Chris from UK for a five star review of the show. We appreciate it! Useful Links: Writing English Part 1: Don’t write like a kook, dude Writing English Part 2: How to Write ‘Strine’ Writing English Part 3: Writing English proper, like 20 Australian Words That Mean Something Totally Different in the U.S. Peter Kay advertising series (UK)

If you’re a copywriter, you’ve probably heard of the term Copy deck before, but you might not be 100% sure what it is. In this episode, we answer ALL your copy deck questions and explain how this one document could transform your copywriting business. Tune in to learn: What is a copy deck Why you should use a copy deck What Kate and Belinda include in their copy decks How should you create your copy deck Should you include layout and design ideas How to take the client through your copy deck How many versions you should expect to write When does the copy deck officially belong to the client? 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Oh and big hugs to Sarah Content for the lovely testimonial. Useful links: What is a copy deck? How to write a copy deck? The Smart Writers guide to copy decks Copy deck template and course Copy deck template  

Now we’re all copywriters here, right? So we should be able to write, right? But the truth is, even after years of slaving at the typewriter, we all could still learn a thing or two. If you’re feeling lost with your writing... Or your ransom notes are going unanswered... Or people are ignoring your emails...  In this episode, you’re going to get some tips on how to write better. How to write real words for real people. Let’s get stuck in. Tune in to learn: How to get to know your audience Understand the purpose of what you’re writing Stop using big words to try and look smart How to stop hating on jargon Why should you stop hesitating How to think about where your words are read Why you shouldn’t overthink punctuation How to manage your time so editing and proofing are part of your process Why it’s important to be part of the world Why you should just write some crap Question for you: What’s your number one write better tip? Share your story 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to middleagedmamainoz from Australia for a fantastic review of the show. About Amanda Amanda Van Elderen is a copywriter and author of Write Better: How To Cut The Crap And Say What You Mean. She bellyflopped into freelancing in 2016 when she chucked in a cushy job and founded WorkWords. She now writes for some of Australia’s biggest brands (and loads of the smallest). She’s on a mission to help everyday people write better, and to help big brands cut the crap and say what they mean. Find Amanda Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Writebetter

It’s been a long time coming but we’re finally tackling the topic of proofreading. This is right up the alley of many copywriters and editors, who offer proofreading as a value-adding service to their clients. Neither of us does this ... in fact, we don’t even do our own proofreading. Are you shocked? You needn’t be. Proofreading is a specific skill and part of running a business is knowing what you can do and what you should outsource. Today, we’re going to sharing the BEST proofreading tips crowdsourced from the proofreaders and editors who listen to the pod. Welcome to perfect proofreading for error-free copy. Tune in to learn: How to physically proofread read What to check when you’re proofreading Which tools will help you hand over error-free copy Thanks to  Rachy Zanini, Shannon Morrison, Emma McMillan,  Kate Merryweather, Virginia Muzik, Sarah Mitchell , Ashley Turner, Gary Cooper, Emma McMillan, Tom Scanlan, Bill Harper, John Espirian, Kate Merryweather, Alan Taylor, Camilla Ruth, Tan Allaway,  Rachel Kurzyp, Jody Carey, Dominic McInerney, Simone Beeve, Leslie Nienaber, Zoe Heard, Sarah Noel Block, MS, Laura Riley, Justine McClymont, Liz Green, Di Challenor, Hannah McCreery, Maple Marketing Ltd, Bec Christensen, Leeyong Soo, Philip Smith, Kristy De Camps, Ashley Turner,  Louise Banbury, Kathie Kinde Clark for sharing their tips! HOT COPY SPONSOR Scribendi was founded in 1997 by Chandra Clarke and Terry Johnson to connect ideas and people worldwide through professional language services. In 2017, the transition to a new leadership team, Patricia Riopel and Enrico Magnani, marked an important milestone in the company's history. Our name is drawn from cacoethes scribendi, which means "the insatiable urge to write." We support our clients by helping them craft this urge into writing that is both clear and professional. Over the last two decades, Scribendi has become a world leader in the online editing and proofreading industry. We have edited more than 1.3 billion words and processed more than 400,000 orders. SPECIAL OFFER: Use the code HOTCOPYEDIT at checkout to get 5% discount until December 31, 2018. Book your next proofreading job at Scribendi Question for the listeners: Do you proofread your own copy? How do you deal with errors picked up by clients? Share your story on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page! HOT COPY SPONSOR The Society for Editors and Proofreaders (SfEP) is a professional organisation based in the UK for editors and proofreaders – the people who strive to make text accurate and readable. It provides training and support to its members, and its directory is a valuable resource for those looking for a professional editor or proofreader. SPECIAL OFFER: Waive the £35 joining fee by using the code: HCP2018 at checkout. Valid until the end of September 30, 2018. Become a member at SFEP 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Rashida Tayabali for a five star review of the show. We appreciate it! Useful links: To proof or not to proof Why use a proofreader or an editor? A 4-stage proofreading strategy to error-proof your copywriting How to catch those typos: The how and why of perfect proofreading Pointing out typos: Your duty? Or not your job? Top 10 proofreading tips Scribendi The Society for Editors and Proofreaders

We all know as working copywriters that while we put our love, our heart, our soul, our everything into our clients' marketing, we sometimes neglect our own. So today we’re focusing in on exactly what you need to do as a copywriter to build your business. To boost it, to make people more aware of who you are, to build your authority, to build trust. Tune in to learn: How to better understand your customer Why you should find services for your clients rather than clients for your services How to differentiate The importance of marketing goals Why you need a vision How to retain existing clients Why your marketing should be integrated How to use proof Question for the listeners: Share your story 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! About Sarah: Sara Berry started her business Marketing Sense in 2012 with the sole purpose of helping small businesses to grow, by developing their marketing capability. Sara started her career in marketing in 1992, and since that time has worked with close to a hundred businesses to help them achieve their goals. Sara’s links: Free 7 Day Marketing Challenge Website Facebook LinkedIn Twitter

With D.P. Knudten Today Kate talks to D.P. Knudten, a copywriter from Wisconsin, about social media and how it can be a powerful booster for copywriters. Tune in to learn: What is ROTOMA (Return on Top of Mind Awareness), and why should copywriters care? What is Shoemaker's Children Syndrome? In our increasingly visual world, how can copywriters compete? Why social media can be an effective force multiplier for copywriters Should we focus on one particular social media platform Which is D.P.’s favourite social media platform What kinds of content performs best? Why D.P. thinks copywriters hate SEO Should you bid projects by the hour or value? How can introverts get more out of conferences? Question for the listeners: What's your big AHA moment from this episode? Share it with us 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! About D.P.: D.P. Knudten is the Chief Collaborator at his business, COLLABORATOR creative, in Madison, Wisconsin, USA. A 25-year veteran adman, D.P. has worked on some of the biggest brands in the business including Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, and Motorola at agencies including DDB Needham/Chicago and McCann Erickson/Atlanta. A writer by trade, he enjoys playing in the intersection between the visual and the verbal, using his NonFiction Branding™ approach to move people – and product. He is also the co-author (with Spencer X. Smith) of the ‘ROTOMA’ –The ROI of social media, 'Top of Mind’ and is the host of the popular ‘The ROTOMA Podcast’. He also speaks about branding, social media, creativity and culture to groups throughout the United States. D.P.’s links: COLLABORATOR creative website D.P. Knudten website Twitter Instagram ROTOMA podcast ROTOMA on Amazon

We’ve talked a little about finding your niche as a copywriter. Medical, government, health, finance. Finding the right niche for your skills can help you earn more moolah as you become a go-to writer who gets the ins and outs of a particular industry. Today, we’re digging into writing for SaaS - software as a service - and eCommerce companies. Our fellow copywriter, sharing her specialist knowledge on this, is Kaleigh Moore. Tune in to learn: How SaaS and eCommerce copywriting is different to other types of copywriting The types of challenges SaaS companies need solving in their copy How to get the crunchy details you need to write exceptional SaaS copy How to get your head around the technical details of software products and services How to persuade jargon-lovers to leave it out The secret to making abstract benefits sound compelling Tips on pitching for SaaS copywriting work Question for the listeners: Have you considered writing for SaaS businesses? Would you now? Share your story 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to AwesomeGames for a fantastic review of the show. About Kaleigh: Kaleigh Moore is a copywriter whose speciality is writing value-packed blog content for SaaS and eCommerce companies. She lives in the Midwest and started freelance writing under her own name back in 2013. Kaleigh has worked with growing start-ups and top-ten companies on the Fortune 500 as well as well as growing SaaS companies, including AT&T, Campaign Monitor, and GetFeedback. She writes a regular column for Inc. Magazine and has been featured in Entrepreneur, Copy Hackers, KissMetrics and Conversion XL. Useful Links: CreativeClass.co Kaleighmoore.com/blog Find Kaleigh: Kaleighmoore.com/newsletter Twitter.com/kaleighf Instagram.com/kaleighf

Tactics to deal with newbie fears and oldbie exhaustion In this solo interview, Kate talks to Robert Gerrish, a well-known name in the Australian solopreneuer world. Robert, a friend and mentor to Kate for many years, was one of the guest speakers at her recent CopyCon18 event in Sydney. He was a huge hit, even more so because he left the audience with an offer: he was happy to chat with anyone who wanted to, to offer his advice and coaching – at no charge. After talking to nearly 20 copywriters at length, he’s on the Hot Copy Podcast to share the common themes of those chats: the worries and fears of both newbie and oldie copywriters. Robert and Kate talk through how to deal with all these issues, offering advice and insight from their own experiences. A slightly different episode to the usual copy pod, but a mellow and heartwarming one! Tune in to learn:      How to deal with newbie copywriter fears      Handing comparisonitus and imposter syndrome      Why getting started is more important than having a perfect plan      The importance of niching and owning what you do      How to deal with peaks and troughs      How to give your business a refresh and find new mojo      Why you’re probably doing better than you think you are      Why it’s so important to be the bouncer for your business      And the big questions, such as: if you’re up on stage and everyone is applauding, what are they applauding you for?   Question for the listeners: What keeps you awake at night? Share your story 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! About Robert: Following a career in the marketing and design industry in London and Sydney, Robert made the leap to his own business in the mid-1990s. Seeing a niche in the area of support and resources aimed at the ‘one-person business’, Robert launched the Flying Solo community in 2005. With a small team, he grew the business to a member base of over 100,000 Australian freelancers and entrepreneurs, before selling to Pinstripe Media at the end of last year. Back working solo, today Robert pops up regularly at conferences and events, supports individuals in the development of their ventures and hosts a series of podcasts including: “The Business of Bookkeeping” (for First Class Accounts), “The Flying Solo Podcast” and his own “Mellow Brick Road” a new show aimed at the older entrepreneur. His first book, “Flying Solo: How to go it alone in business” was a business bestseller and his latest, “The 1-Minute Commute“ will be published by Pan Macmillan at the end of July. Useful question from Robert: Here are examples of the coaching questions Robert used in his session.  These are some of the things we can ask ourselves - ideally working with a buddy or a coach - that can open up new thinking and opportunities: What is the biggest challenge I have now? What steps am I taking regularly in response to that challenge? What am I wasting my time on? What is holding me back the most? Where am I out-of-balance? Where am I stuck? Where am I sabotaging myself?   What one change in my life would make the biggest positive difference? If I knew I would not fail, and time and money were not issues, what three things would I most like to have, accomplish, or work toward? Useful Links: RobertGerrish.com Robert’s podcast: Mellow Brick Road Robert’s new book” The 1 Minute Commute

Our last episode focused on beating the blank page and getting your first draft ready. You’ve hit send… but now what? How do you manage the revisions process (especially when it seems to derail everything) and get the client through to approval? If you weren’t nervous enough staring at a blank page, this stage of a copywriting project can have you questioning your career choices. But we’re here to help. So stay tuned for some serious process bombs. Tune in to learn: How to reduce the number of revisions you get How we handle vague revisions (extracting meaningful feedback from clients) How we handle late revisions (keeping clients on time so you can move on) What to do when the client HATES your copy How to write copy for strong personalities Time-saving tips to get official approval Question for the listeners: Have you had to manage difficult revisions? How did it change your process? Share your story 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Di @ Whistle Communications for a fantastic review of the show. We appreciate it! Useful Links: How to know if your copy is client ready How to get powerful testimonials

Does the blank page ever mock you? That blinking cursor, flashing at your lack of ability to start this copywriting project… to write a killer headline or craft a first sentence that wows each and every reader…? You’re not alone. Once you land a job, starting the actual writing can feel like the biggest hurdle you’ll face but we’ve got your back. We’re starting a series about our complete writing process, from a blank page to the final draft. This episode is all about getting to the first draft. Tune in to learn: How Belinda and Kate start every single project The easiest way to beat the blank page How to make sure you have the right tone of voice Where brainstorming and research fit in Whether you can edit as you write   Question for the listeners: How do YOU start each copywriting project? Do you have a system or do you just let it flow? Share your story 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Lucy - Baby Berry Collective for a fantastic review of the show. Useful Links: How to know if your copy is client ready Copy Deck Template and Course The smart copywriter’s guide to copy decks: presenting your copywriting (so your client loves you before they read it) E11 Copywriting features, benefits and… Disadvantages? Hot Copy E20: Why your sign off process is SO important Hot Copy E31: Why copy formatting is SO important Hot Copy E64: Copywriting formulas: Smart copywriting? Or cheating?

As copywriters with our very own podcast, we’re often asked questions.  Questions about copywriting. Questions about being a copywriter. Questions about managing our businesses and our family life. Questions about our dogs. So, every now and then we like to pull some out and answer them.  That’s what today is all about. We’re answering YOUR questions in a special Hot Copy Q&A. Thanks to Sheree Chambers, Maurizio F. Corte, Angela Rodgers, Di Clements, Lyndall Talbot, Liz Green. Tune in to learn: The questions web developers need to ask on behalf of copywriters on the same project Whether bad writing is essential for good SEO How much of our writing is a process (as opposed to instinct) Getting over the fear of asking for money A super quick rundown of our pre-writing process of research / info gathering How to showcase your work when you’ve worked as a subcontractor Our challenges and lessons! Question for the listeners: Did you have any AHA moments from this pod? Let us know! We do love a good AHA. Share your story 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Emma Rose Bell for a fantastic review of the show. Useful Links: Terms and conditions: 13 scenarios you might not have considered Terms and conditions template Subcontracting template Copywriting email templates Referral template Retainer template Copywriting proposal template Insider tricks: How to write copywriting proposals that explode your client list!

These days we’re all aiming to make a deeper, more real connection with our customers, and we know the way to do this is through conversational copy. Instead of stuffy, overly formal content we want to create warm, engaging, friendly wordage. Copy that makes it feel like we’re chatting with an authoritative, but affable buddy. But how do we write great conversational copy? Today we’re talking with Vicki Ross, and we’re going to share our top tips for chatty, non-cheesy copy. Tune in to learn: The definition of conversational copy How to use storytelling in conversational copy The different conversational tones Whether a conversational tone work better in some medias more than others How to persuade your client to let you use a conversational tone How to be conversational without being cheesy Whether a conversational tone works for non-English readers. About Vikki: Vikki has been writing copy for 22 years. Her clients include huge UK entertainment brands like Sky, NOW TV and ITV, and she regularly works with creative agencies like Sapient, WCRS, and Portas. She specialises in Branding and Tone of Voice, and runs workshops around the world for D&AD and Creative Equals, as well as teaching copywriting at London's School of Communication Arts. She’s a regular judge on international creative awards panels like D&AD, D&AD New Blood, DMA, Creative Circle, and AD STARS Korea, and last year was named one of Campaign magazine’s top 30 female creative leaders. On Twitter, she created the #copywritersunite hashtag to connect copywriters online every day, and in person at quarterly #copywritersunite meet-ups across the UK. She also created #thingsyouhearinagencies, which you can find at @AgencyQuotes. Two years ago, Vikki and fellow British copywriter Andy Maslen created Copy Cabana - an annual seaside event to celebrate copywriting. It’s all change this year so keep an eye out for an exciting announcement very soon. Useful Links: vikkirosswrites.com Find Vikki: @VikkiRossWrites @Copy_Cabana @AgencyQuotes

So, you’ve finally finished writing your client’s copy. The homepage is ‘Wow,’ the content pages are engaging and you’ve done just the right amount of SEO to keep those pesky Google hummingbirds singing. But you’ve forgotten something. That’s right — your microcopy. We know, we know. Microcopy isn’t sexy. And it’s certainly not the kind of copy people rave about. In fact, if microcopy were at a party it would be lurking by the door, pointing out where the toilets are, while sales copy was busy showing off to the crowd. But these teeny tiny snippets of text can have a huge impact on the success of your site. So in this week’s podcast, we’re going to tell you how to write awesome microcopy. Tune in to learn: What microcopy is Why it’s important on your website Great examples of microcopy How microcopy can help persuade and reassure customers Kate and Belinda’s top micro copywriting tips   Question for the listeners: Have you had much experience writing microcopy?  Share your story 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Katie Matthews from the UK for a fantastic review of the show. Useful Links: Microcopy pool How microcopy can make or break your website Speedy website review template Is your error 404 page failing your visitors and your business?

Many of us are familiar with Google AdWords as part of our knowledge of SEO. But can Google AdWords shortcut your SEO efforts and get to page 1? And are writing Google AdWords a profitable part of a copywriter’s portfolio of projects? Today we’re talking to Google AdWords expert, Melinda Samson. She’s going to give us the lowdown on Google AdWords: the good, the bad and how to write them. Tune in to learn: The structure of the AdWords ad What kind of content these ads should link to Essential character limits you need to know How testing ads can change everything Surprising micro edits that can boost ad performance Advice for copywriters looking to offer this as a service   Question for the listeners! Have you written Google AdWords for yourself or others? Share your story on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page! Who is Melinda Samson? Melinda, co-owner of Click-Winning Content, is a Premier Google Partner and Google AdWords & Analytics Consultant, Speaker and Trainer. She works with businesses to increase their leads and sales. Mel is committed to never using an acronym without explaining it first and also likes grand slam tennis, greyhounds and Melbourne sunsets. Basically what she does is help businesses get maximum value from their AdWords campaigns. I live, love and breathe AdWords! Connect with Mel Website LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Google+ YouTube 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Frelsun for a fantastic review of the show. Useful links Academy of Ads: Fast, free training from Google Google Digital Garage Google Partner Program (including the partner directory) AdWords YouTube Channel AdWords Policies Click-Winning Content Small Group AdWords Training

Deciding to change jobs is a big decision. Deciding to actually ditch your job (and the loveliness of a regular salary) to become a freelancer can seem like an enormous risk. So, how can you prepare for and transition into life as a freelance copywriter?  That’s what we’re talking about today! We share our tips and experience on making it a smooth transition. We cover preparing for the change, when to make the leap, getting your name out there and making sure your bills are being paid. Kate and Belinda have had significantly different experiences in this area so you’ll be able to hear two approaches. Tune in to learn: How and why Kate left her last full-time job The story of Belinda leaving her last full-time job When you know it's time to go What kind of preparation you can do Belinda's handy trick that turned her boss into her first retainer client   Question for the listeners: How did you transition to life as a full-time copywriter? Share your story 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Louise Brogan @SocialBeeNI from the UK for a fantastic review of the show.

As copywriters, we know that one thing we have far too little of is time. But is it actually possible to delegate some of your work to others? We’re not talking about sub-contracting copywriting work to more junior writers. We’re talking about handing off the day-to-day admin to another human. Sounds good right? In today’s episode, we’re talking about working with Virtual Assistants or VAs.  Is this a good way to grow your copywriting business? We’re sharing our experiences and advice on making the most of your VA relationship and the common pitfalls to avoid. So, if you’ve ever wondered if a VA could be the solution to your admin nightmares, this is the episode for you. Tune in to learn: What kinds of work a VA can help with How to find a great VA The pros and cons of overseas VAs How to train a VA How to get the most out of your VA   Question for the listeners!: Do you use a VA, how has it changed your business? You can let us know 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 or Stitcher. Thanks!  Thanks to Readwritelearnwell from the US for a fantastic review of the show. Useful links:  www.virtuallyyours.com.au https://virtualinfinity.com.au 60 Ways a Virtual Assistant (and Team) Can Support You and Your Business! Asana Slack Loom Hot Copy Pricing podcast

Could your business survive a cold? Probably. But what about an unexpected illness that takes you out of action for weeks? Whether it’s a cold, a hangover or something more long-term, when we work for ourselves the ramifications to our business can be serious. Especially if we’re talking about extended periods of illness. How do you avoid your business going offline when you do? Tune in to learn: Kate and Belinda’s experience with planned and unplanned business outages Our top 3 tips for helping your business survive unexpected illness How you can prepare yourself and your business Our sage advice to prevent major kerfuffles taking your business offline Question for the listeners!: We’d love to know if your business could survive an unexpected illness. What’s your big action from this pod? You can let us know 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 or Stitcher. Thanks!  Thanks to dlcm70 from the US for a fantastic review of the show. Useful links:  Email templates

Darren Rowse is a globally renowned blogger and speaker. Just as many people know him as the founder of Problogger as for his other business, Digital Photography School. He inspires bloggers every year at the Problogger training event and we grabbed him to pick his brain about writing, routines and being a totes famous introvert. Tune in to learn: How Darren finds the time and inclination to write in his ultra-busy schedule Where he gets his inspiration How he turns negative comments into conversation How an introvert keeps his energy levels topped up after big events How Darren gets through his (enormous) to do list The ONE question you should ask yourself before you start writing.   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 or Stitcher. Thanks!  About Darren Darren Rowse is a blogger, speaker, consultant and founder of several blogs and blog networks, including b5media, ProBlogger.net and digital-photography-school.com. He lives in Melbourne, Australia. Connect with Darren: Problogger Digital Photography School Problogger podcast  

We know that many copywriters love the idea of writing copy for charities and Not For Profits, it’s a way of using our copywriting superpowers for good. But what are the challenges of working with charities?Should you charge less? What are the differences between writing copy for charities and regular clients? To find out, we’ve got experienced copywriter Andrea Rowe on the show!   Tune in to learn: The types of clients Belinda, Kate and Andrea have worked with The differences between writing for charities and regular commercial copywriting Should you charge a different rate? Why charities love direct mail Scriptwriting tips for charity videos How to tug the heartstrings without being melodramatic How to identify the value proposition Tips for newbie charity copywriters Resources to help you get started 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Oh and big hugs to ‘Jody Carey’ for their lovely testimonial. About Andrea Andrea Rowe is a copywriter and campaign strategist helping not-for-profit organisations and social enterprises increase awareness, attract supporters and retain donors. She also helps coastal and government organisations create engaging words and identify tactical approaches for PR and fundraising campaigns, digital and website content and community report and grant writing. Connect with Andrea: Web Facebook Twitter Instagram Google+ Linked In Useful links: Ourcommunity Probono Australia CPA Australia Future Fundraising Now - Jeff Brooks Soi Dog Kiva

Although we love being copywriters we know it’s not all unicorns and rainbows. There are the ups and the downs, the highs and the woes.  And while we can create a template for a copy deck it’s not so easy to come up with a cheatsheet for happiness. So what do you do when you’ve lost your creative mojo? Or when you’re feeling hopeless about your copywriting career? How do you handle the dark day and get yourself back on track? Today we’re talking to my good friend Sharon Chisholm all about staying happy and motivated as a copywriter. So if you feel like you’ve lost your mojo down the back of the sofa cushions, this is the episode for you. Tune in to learn: Why some copywriters lose their mojo Warning signs that you’re heading into a funk How Kate, Belinda and Sharon handle demotivation How to deal with the happy freelancer myth Being happy, how do YOU define it? Resources and books for further mojo reading     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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Oh and big hugs to Gareth for his extra lovely testimonial. Kate blushed! About Sharon Sharon is an award-winning coach, mental health advocate, writer and speaker living on the east coast of Australia. She works with entrepreneurs and small business owners helping them with a variety of challenges from low confidence and self-esteem, through to mind health issues such as anxiety and depression. Sharon writes for a number of publications and regularly speaks about her own lived experience with mental illness, as well as hosting her own podcast called the "Mental as Anything Podcast". She also facilitates workshops on mental health in the workplace and advises government bodies on how they can better support the small business owner living with mind health issues. Useful links: Brene Brown Headspace guided meditation Calm App

Today we’re going to talk about copywriting formulas. Is using a formula cheating or is it smart copywriting? Spoiler: It’s both. In this episode, we share our favourite copywriting formulas and how to use them. If you’ve ever wondered, WHERE ON EARTH DO I BEGIN? this episode is for you. Tune in to learn: Why the PAS formula is our go to formula How the PAS is made even better What AIDA is all about The unpronounceable formula that gives you rock solid structure [Tweet "Hot Copy #64: Copywriting formulas: Smart copywriting? Or cheating? #copywriting #hotcopy"]   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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Leigh Gree from the USA for a five-star review of the show. Useful links: Problem-Agitate-Solve Oh My! Classic copywriting formula that converts If Don Draper Tweeted: The 27 Copywriting Formulas That Will Drive Clicks and Engagement on Social Media E11 Copywriting features, benefits and… Disadvantages?

Facebook, some of us love it, some of us hate it. But there’s no denying it’s a powerful marketing tool, both for ourselves and our clients. But one area that still bemuses many of us is the dark art of Facebook advertising. We know from experience that randomly boosting posts has very little impact! So today we’ve invited my friend and business buddy Loren Bartley to talk all things Facebook advertising. She’s going to give us the low down on how to create successful Facebook advertising campaigns that will deliver clicks and customers. Tune in to learn: The five key elements of a Facebook ad The general structure of a Facebook ad including character limits Whether it’s worth promoting your existing posts Tips for writing Facebook ad headlines Magic words that help drive more conversions How to use graphics effectively Questions from Becky Brown, Lisa Kneibe, Liz Green and Dean McKensie Loren’s top tips and resources 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Oh and big hugs to ‘A lover and a writer’ for their lovely testimonial. About Loren Loren Bartley is a social media strategist, speaker and consultant. She the Founder and CEO of digital marketing agency, Impactiv8, as well as being the co-host and producer of the top-rated podcast, #BusinessAddicts. Loren’s superpower is creating Facebook Ads that attract, nurture and convert your ideal customers. She is on a personal mission to help remove the overwhelm, confusion and headaches that many businesses experience when it comes to Facebook Advertising by teaching you how to implement those strategies that work! Useful links: Facebook ad creative tips Design recommendations and character limits Facebook Ads Policy: Facebook Ads Success Kit (Impactiv8 resource)

Are you and your business unique? Are your clients? Of course not. We’re calling uniqueness out as a marketing myth and yet, we all search for it when we write copy. In this episode we’re going to be tackling some techniques to uncover the distinctive superpower of a business - yours and your clients’. Tune in to learn: Why uniqueness is a myth Our 6 tips to find a superpower that no one else talks about Why pencils are better than pens. Or is it the other way around?   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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Lizzcluk from Australia for a fantastic review of the show. Useful links: How to differentiate your product (when it’s far from unique). Lessons from Pine O Cleen

Are you and your business unique? Are your clients? Of course not. We’re calling uniqueness out as a marketing myth and yet, we all search for it when we write copy. In this episode we’re going to be tackling some techniques to uncover the distinctive superpower of a business - yours and your clients’. Tune in to learn: Why uniqueness is a myth Our 6 tips to find a superpower that no one else talks about Why pencils are better than pens. Or is it the other way around?   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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Lizzcluk from Australia for a fantastic review of the show. Useful links: How to differentiate your product (when it’s far from unique). Lessons from Pine O Cleen

We've been recording these podcasts for nearly 2 years now. It may be longer. Our memory isn't what it was. And we're still not consummate professionals, by any means. In this episode, we get the giggles - a LOT. If two copywriters laughing is not your thing, feel free to skip this episode. But just be warned if you do, you'll also miss out on some really good answers to really good questions. Tune in to learn: How to move a client from piecemeal work to a retainer arrangement If you need a VA for your writing business, and if so, what sort of things should you get them to do? How to deal with cross-cultural copywriting “I forgot to track changes.” Discuss. Insurances: what we have, what we recommend for copywriters and our opinions on providers If it's a good idea to get the final approver of your copy involved on each stage of a job When to send the brief template to the client, before or after your quote. The best way to deliver revisions to a client   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 or Stitcher. Thanks!  Thanks to  Rachael Layton for a fantastic review of the show. Useful links:

When do you start introducing yourself as a writer? When you’ve written some copy? When you’re regularly creating content that is shared around the world? When you’ve written a book on content marketing. Or two? Our guest today has done all those things, and in our interview she shares her journey from non-writer to writer as well as some essential nuggets from her book on content marketing. Tune in to learn: Pamela’s journey from graphic design to author How to beat imposter syndrome (from someone who has) Why and how many businesses are failing at content marketing Pamela’s four day strategy for creating and publishing exceptional content The headline writing process for her book title Why you need to be blogging How often you should promote your content   About Pamela Pamela Wilson is an award-winning graphic designer and marketer. Through her business Big Brand System, she has helped companies of all sizes create profitable, unforgettable online businesses. She was Executive Vice President of Educational Content for Copyblogger and Rainmaker Digital. She’s a keynote speaker, and now she adds author to that list, with a new book on content marketing. 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to AussieRachel from Australia for a fantastic review of the show. Question for the listeners We’d love to know whether you prefer it neat or messy? You can let us know on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page! Useful links: Big Brand System Master Content Marketing: A Simple Strategy to Cure the Blank Page Blues and Attract a Profitable Audience PickFu: Instant market feedback polls ImageLab The Copywriting Conference: May 5, 2018 The Recipe for SEO Success course: Open Oct 11, 2017

Keep your copywriting business profitable! How well do you manage your time? Are you a time management master or are you constantly feeling like you’re out of time?   In this episode, we share some tricks on making sure you have enough time to write awesome copy, find new clients and build your business - when you’re quiet when you’re busy and every time in between. Tune in to learn: The one tool you need to improve productivity Our five best time management tricks How we avoid distractions to get the copy written! How to make the most of the quiet times How to avoid overwhelm when you’re busy 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Top Scout from Australia for a fantastic review of the show. Question for the listeners We’d love to know whether you’d prefer a holiday on a quiet beach or a busy houseboat. You can let us know on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page! Useful links: A day in the life of working me (Kate Toon) How do I get it all done? (Kate Toon) How busy are you? Really. (Kate Toon) How to stop the faff (Kate Toon) The Friday Experiment: Making time for business strategy (Copywrite Matters)

Today we are taking the lead from our faithful listeners and will be answering the top 11 copywriter questions. Yes, all of those background conundrums that have been niggling at you for some time will finally be resolved. If you are on a mission to boost your copywriting business and fine tune your writing skills then this podcast is for you. Tune in to learn: The best way to win new clients How long it takes to make a living as a freelancer and how to go about it How to manage your time and projects Mentoring options for copywriters The best way to write client case studies How to expand your presence in your niche How to deal with "non-compete" requests Do you need a website opt-in? Working with designers and developers Balancing time to service current clients and get new clients   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 or Stitcher. Thanks!  Question for the listeners What is something fun you did this week? We’d love to hear all about it. You can let us know on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page! Useful links: Belinda's Copywriting Master Class (opens Sept 20, 2017) E2 How to find copywriting clients

We got to chatting about who listens to our podcast and we wondered how many listeners have been with us from the beginning. How many of you know much about us at all? With that question in mind, we thought it would be fun to replay our very first episode. We didn't have a fancy recording set up so the sound is sketchy but we had a lot of fun. And this episode has the best outtake ever. Tune in to discover how long we've been in the business of copywriting, Kate’s first copywriting project, Belinda’s surprising career before copywriting and the writer’s fetish we admit to on air.   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 or Stitcher. Thanks!  Useful links Find out more about Kate on her website Kate’s Clever Copywriting School Find out more about Belinda on her website Belinda’s Copywriting Master Class  

  Today we’re talking to with fellow copywriter and podcaster Kira Hug. Kira is a conversion copywriter based just outside New York. She set up Kira Hug marketing in 2014 and names the likes of Joanna Weibe as a mentor.She also used to love dressing up as a pirate.In today’s episode going to be comparing the lives of Australian and American copywriters to find out if it’s all bit easier in the US of A, and why Americans are so obsessed with long, long sales letters. Tune in to learn: How playing pirates helped boost Kira's brand How Kira got started as a copywriter and her biggest challenges early on Where Kira writes What character traits Kira thinks makes for a quintessentially American copywriter Why Americans are so obsessed with conversion copywriting Kira's go to resources for conversion copywriting   About Kira Kira Hug is a Brooklyn-based conversion copywriter who takes your copy seriously—but doesn't take herself too seriously. In a past life, she worked with global brands like Estee Lauder and venture-backed start-ups like ActionableBooks.com. She’s also the co-host of The Copywriter Club 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Chief White Rabbit for a fantastic review of the show. Question for the listeners We’d love to know if you've ever visited the States or Australia! You can let us know on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page! JUMPCHART PROMO Anyone who signs up for Jumpchart using THIS LINK will receive 50% off their subscription for life. The promo will run through the end of August 2017. Useful links: Kira Hug's website Kira on Twitter Kira on Facebook

Today we’re talking websites and the essential elements your website needs to ensure it’s bringing fresh juicy copywriting customers to your virtual door every single day of the week. In fact, we’re going to give you a checklist of our 10 most important website bits and bobs - so keep your ears peeled and see if you can tick every single box. Tune in to learn: What you should think about before you set up your site How and where to use testimonials The importance of a USP What key pages every copywriter website needs Belinda and Kate’s personal tips on website greatness Check out the show notes at http://www.hotcopypodcast.com/e55-10-elements-every-copywriting-website-must-have 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Kurt Bouma for a fantastic review of the show. Question for the listeners We’d love to know if you were a square or a rebel at school. Or a different stereotype altogether! You can let us know on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page! JUMPCHART PROMO Anyone who signs up for Jumpchart using THIS LINK will receive 50% off their subscription for life. The promo will run through the end of August 2017. Useful links: How to set up an SEO friendly website Speedy WordPress Checklist 20 impactful statistics about using testimonials in marketing The one question that changed the way I do business Hot Copy: E23 How to write powerful testimonials Hot Copy: Copywriting fees – What to charge? Hot Copy: E50 Eleanor Goold: Personal branding: how much you should you bring to your brand?

Blogging certainly isn’t new but it is a source of anxiety for many new copywriters, especially when it feels like it’s all been done before. In this episode, Kate and Belinda break down the walls of blogging, sharing their views on the importance of blogging and how to get your blog working hard for your business.  Tune to learn: If you actually need to blog How to write authority If copywriting is all you can and should write about Why Kate says vagina multiple times How often you should blog How long your blogs need to be Tips on writing about well covered topics Where to get blog ideas Guest posting, on your blog and others How to get your blogs noticed And thanks to Melissa East for her 5 star review of the show. We appreciate it! Tell us what you think  Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website. And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! And a big shout out to Melissa East for her 5 star review of the show. We appreciate it! Resources mentioned in the show: Kate’s Tip: Using Text to Voice BuzzSumo Copyscape: plagiarism checker Copywrite Matters guest blog guidelines

  The humble call to action is a critical part of effective copywriting and that’s what we’re talking about today. Because a great call to action is so much more than a verb directing action. A great call to action taps into audience needs so effectively, they cannot help but take the next step. We’re sharing the tips we’ve relied on to write calls to action over years of copywriting. Tune in to learn: The animals Belinda and Kate wish the could have as pets 4 important considerations when you write a call to action The difference between writing in-copy and button CTAs 5 tragic CTA fails that some copywriters still make 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Allison Jane Smith for an extremely well suited review of the show. Question for the listeners We’d love to know what animal you wish you had as a pet. You can let us know on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!   Useful links: 17 Tips & Best Practices for Writing Catchy Email Subject Lines (Hubspot) 15 Email Statistics That Are Shaping The Future (Convince and Convert) 23 Sales Email Subject Lines That Get Prospects to Open, Read, and Respond (Hubspot) The BEST email subject lines: 62 formulas to get your emails read (SumoMe) How to build the perfect email: Copy (Kate Toon) Email marketing: This copywriter’s playbook on getting emails noticed, read and actioned (Copywrite Matters) The Ultimate List of Email SPAM Trigger Words (Hubspot) ESTHER the wonder pig

In this week’s episode we’re talking about something pretty special; Australia’s first dedicated copywriting conference. It happened in Sydney just a few weeks ago and we’re going to share the key takeaways from the event. So if you want some tips on how to truly embrace your copywriting career, learn new skills, beat your confidence demons and stop procrastinating, this is the episode for you! The copywriters Kate and Belinda would most like to meet Key takeaways from each of the sessions  How you can still get a video ticket 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 or Stitcher. Thanks!  Thanks to Rochelle Bright for a fantastic review of the show. Question for the listeners We’d love to know which copywriters (alive or dead) you’d like to meet. You can let us know on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page! Useful links: A full write up of The Copywriting Conference Grab a video ticket for The Copywriting Conference and watch all the sessions

Today we’re getting serious and talking about rejection. Because every copywriter will not only be told a client doesn’t want to go ahead, they will also face the awkwardness of a client not liking the copy they’ve written. We’ve both been there, done that many times over and we’re sharing our tips on surviving those moments (with your dignity and professionalism intact). Tune in to learn: Kate and Belinda’s favourite things 4 main reasons clients reject your proposal and how to overcome objections What to do when a client rejects your copy Mental health tips to keep you sane   Useful links E42: Rebekah Lambert: How to survive as a freelancer 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Oh and a big shout out to oatesorama for their fantastic review of the show. Useful links: The shocking truth about my branding  

Today we’re talking personal branding - something I know a lot of you copywriters out there in podcast world struggle with. Many believe that branding is just the colour of the logo and the font you choose for your website, but it’s much deeper than that.Having a clear and focused brand can help with all your marketing and messaging, it can even help you attract the kinds of clients you’ve always wanted to work with! So if you’re brand is as bland as vanilla ice cream - this episode is for you. Tune in to learn: What branding really means Whether you should brand as a person or a business Some easy ways to discover your brand How to differentiate yourself Should you be the face of your business The importance of consistency  Bio: Who is Eleanor Goold? Eleanor Goold is owner and founder of Kreativ Copywriting a forward thinking and friendly writing, copywriting and content creation service. She also has her own branded website EleanorGoold.com where she provides business owners with smart ideas, copy tips, the art of storytelling and access to free social media strategies to boost their business success. She also runs The Copywriter Facebook Group. More from Eleanor Facebook Instagram Twitter EleanorGoold KreativCopywriting Copywriting group 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Oh and big hugs to Sama167 for their lovely testimonial.   Useful links: The shocking truth about my branding  

Today we’re talking about email subject lines today. You might be writing emails to your clients or writing email marketing for your clients. Either way, your email is clawing for inbox space. These days your email is not only competing against other company emails, you’re competing against family and friends. Tune in to learn: What Kate and Belinda wish they did better Tips on avoiding the SPAM folder 6 super tips on getting your email opened (amongst the noise) Question for listeners! We’d love to know what you wish you did a little bit better. Or a lot better. You can let us know 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 a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Veggo85 from Sweden for a fantastic review of the show. Useful links:  17 Tips & Best Practices for Writing Catchy Email Subject Lines (Hubspot) 15 Email Statistics That Are Shaping The Future (Convince and Convert) 23 Sales Email Subject Lines That Get Prospects to Open, Read, and Respond (Hubspot) The BEST email subject lines: 62 formulas to get your emails read (SumoMe) How to build the perfect email: Copy (Kate Toon) Email marketing: This copywriter’s playbook on getting emails noticed, read and actioned (Copywrite Matters) The Ultimate List of Email SPAM Trigger Words (Hubspot)  

Today we’re chatting business books - and whether writing one can help boost your copywriting business. As writers, many of us have a burning designer to be a published author. Some of us even have a secret novel on the go, that we never manage to work on due to client demands. But can we channel those book writing urges into publishing a business book? And if we do what impact will it have on our business. We’ll chat through the pros, cons, the practicalities and the challenges from a published author - Kate Toon! In this episode you’ll learn: Belinda and Kate’s dream holiday  Kate's reasons for writing a business book What happens after the first draft is written How to effectively crowd source reviewers How to get your book published How to get your book noticed by readers What Kate would do differently for her next book How long it can take to write and publish a book!  Question for listeners! We’d love to know where YOU would holiday, given no restrictions on time or money. Let us know on Twitter or our Facebook page! #hotcopy Share the pod love! If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to DW Copy for your fantastic review of the show!  Useful links:  Buy Kate’s book Create space sign up National Library of Australia KDP account Buy ISBNS

Today we’re excited to talk to conversion copywriter Joanna Wiebe. You may know of Joanna already. She is the creator of Copy Hackers and the cofounder of Airstory (a new writing tool to check out). She’s worked with some of the coolest companies - like Buffer, Wistia and Crazy Egg - and been invited to speak on the stages of Mozcon, Inbound and 50 other international conferences. Kate and Belinda picked her brain about conversion copywriting, A/B testing, calls to action and uncomfortably long copy.   Tune in to learn: How Joanna nearly kissed Bono How she fell into copywriting Whether you can use exactly the same on different mediums 3 elements of perfectly written conversion copy Call to action mistakes most copywriters make Why long copy may actually be better How the buying cycle and your landing page copy correlate How Joanna writes copy with no client revisions And more... And from you we’d love to know, what is your favourite TV show? Tell us on Twitter or our Facebook page.   Listen to the podcast below: Bio: Who is Joanna Wiebe? The original conversion copywriter, Joanna is the creator of Copy Hackers and the cofounder of Airstory, the drag-and-drop document that saves professional writers time. She’s worked with some of the coolest companies - like Buffer, Wistia and Crazy Egg - and been invited to speak on the stages of Mozcon, Inbound and 50 other international conferences. Oh, and she’s more than happy to be a crazy cat lady. (She walks her cats. Yup. Walks ‘em.) 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Oh and high fives all around to Tom Morkes for his review. Share the meme:  Useful links: Copy Hackers Joanna on Twitter 6 Proven Ways to Boost the Conversion Rates of Your Call-to-Action Buttons (Copyblogger) 20 Mistakes that Will Undermine Your Call to Action and Cost You Sales (Copyblogger)  

Many copywriters – Kate and Belinda – are balancing their business and writing time with personal and family time. But is it possible? Can you stay sane? Does something have to give? Tune in to learn: Belinda and Kate’s most used phone apps Our best tips on managing the juggling act The common struggles faced (and how to beat them) Our communities experiences on this topic (a gold mine) Our one piece of advice to new copywriters And we’d love to know YOUR most used phone app. Let us know on Twitter or our Facebook page! #hotcopy 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Amanda Vanelderen for your fantastic testimonial and your mention on Monkey Magic!

We thought you’d love to hear from a regular copywriter, not some high flying superstar with a book and a mastermind course, but rather a working copywriter, who’s going through exactly what you’re going through right now. Kylie Saunder is a Melbourne based copywriter who, according to her website, provides top quality affordable copy to small and medium businesses.Kylie has been a student both of Kate's Recipe for SEO Success course and Belinda’s Copywriting Masterclass, she’s also a member of the Clever Copywriting community. We’re going to be chatting about how she got started, the challenges, where she finds work, how she juggles projects and so much more.   Tune in to learn: How Kylie started her copywriting career How she tackled the first 6 months The three biggest challenges she’s faced so far What she thought of Kate and Belinda’s eCourses (eep!) How Kylie deals with motivation and isolation Tips for newbie copywriter Question for listeners! When it comes to copywriting you an early bird, a midday magpie or a night owl? Please let us know in the comments below.   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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Oh and big hugs to Kiwistarfire for her review on iTunes.   Useful links: Kylie Saunder website The Clever Copywriting School The Copywriting MasterClass The Recipe for SEO Success  

Today we’re talking about Freelancer job sites, which are good, which are bad and which are down right terrible. If you’re working as a freelancer copywriter, it’s pretty likely you’ve considered exploring the likes of Upwork and Fiverr. They offer the promise of steady work, easy pitching and regular income. But what is the reality? Freelance copywriters share stories of poor pay, ridiculous client expectations and the impossibility of competing with copywriters in countries where the cost of living is way lower. So we’re going to share our thoughts and experiences with these platforms. Tune in to learn: What Kate and Belinda hate about copywriting The pros and cons of job bid sites Positive experiences using freelancer sites The pros and cons of job board sites The pros and cons of copywriting membership sites Tell us what you think  Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website. And from you we’d love to know, what is your super power? Tell us on Twitter or our Facebook page.   And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS  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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Oh and big hugs to Read Write Learn Well for her review on iTunes. Don’t forget to tell us what YOUR super power is! Tell us on Twitter or our Facebook page. Useful links: The Clever Copywritings School Membership Recommended rates for copywriters Upwork Fiverr Freelancer.com One Flare The Loop Rachel’s List Commtract The Professional Copywriters Network Kate’s post about Fiverr

In today’s episode, we’re excited to share our chat with Sean D’Souza. You may know Sean from his business Psychotactics and or his podcast, the Three Month Vacation. His specialty is understanding how customers think and our interview focused on storytelling. More specifically, how us copywriters can use stories to boost the effectiveness of our copywriting.   Tune in to learn: How Sean went from cartoonist to author Essential elements of a good story How copywriters can integrate storytelling into everyday copywriting projects Types of stories to be avoided What signature stories are and why you should use them And from you we’d love to know, what is your morning routine? Tell us on Twitter or our Facebook page.   Tell us what you think  Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website. And tell us if you prefer to write or type! And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS  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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Oh and big hugs to Caroline for her review on Stitcher. Links mentioned in this article: Psychotactics website Storytelling mini-series (Psychotactics) Three month-vacation podcast The 17 Question Testimonial: How To Ensure You Get an Amazing Client Response Psychotactics on Facebook Sean on Twitter Good to Great: Jim Collins Cliff-jumping goslings (BBC)

Today we’re talking to Rebekah Lambert, a copywriter and marketer and founder of the Freelance Jungle and Hacking Happiness. Rebekah is a known her honest approach to freelance life, the highs and the lows. She helps members of her community cope with the challenges that come with being a freelancer - and today she’s going to pass on some tips and ideas to you lucky listeners. Tune in to learn: The main challenges freelancers face What character traits are useful to have as a freelancer How to deal with the feast and the famine How to keep momentum going in quieter periods. Tips on becoming a happier freelancer? Advice on dealing with freelancer isolation Tell us what you think  Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website. And from you we’d love to know, what is your super power? Tell us on Twitter or our Facebook page.   And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS  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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Oh and thank you Anna for your lovely review. Links mentioned in this article:

Today we’re talking about resolutions. The New Year’s Eve hangover has well and truly passed, the Christmas decorations are back in storage and now you have a clear view of 2017. Or do you? In this episode, we’ll share our own resolutions and give you some tips on setting resolutions that will make 2017 your best year.   Tune in to learn: Our tips for setting resolutions you actually stick to Our one word themes for the year ahead Kate’s business and personal resolutions for 2017 Belinda’s business and personal resolutions for 2017 Tell us what you think  Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website. And tell us if you prefer to write or type! And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS  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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Oh and big hugs to Jenny De Lacey from Writing Works for her fantastic testimonial. Links mentioned in this article: 7 steps for making a New Year’s Resolution and keeping it (Life hack) Is your creative well running dry? Proven tips to stimulate your creative self (for better business) (Copywrite Matters)

Today we’re talking to Cathy Topping, a website and graphic designer now helping entrepreneurs and small business owners to build and market their own websites. In this pod, you’ll learn essential elements of your visual branding, design mistakes you could be making, how to work with designers to maximise your copy and more. If you grapple with design or you’re a closet designer, this chat is definitely for you! Tune in to learn: Cathy’s opinion on which comes first: design or copy Whether you should be creating your own social media graphics The single biggest mistake freelancers make when creating their own graphics Essential elements of your visual branding One action and one tip you should take with your design and branding Cathy’s free course on building a WordPress website Tell us what you think  Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website. And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Oh and a big shout out to Jays Carer for the lovely testimonial we read out on today's show! Links mentioned in this article: Cathy’s design business: Two10 Solutions Cathy on Facebook Cathy on Twitter Cathy on Google+ YourWebToolkit.com Build your WP website in a day (Free course)  

In this week’s pod we’re talking about our favourite podcasts and how they help us become better writers, better business people and better humans. We think you’re going to love this episode because it’s packed full of some of iTunes best. We’re sharing our faves podcasts, what we learn from them and how we use them to grow and improve our businesses. Tune in to learn: Our favourite business shows Our favourite story telling shows Why we love podcasts When we think is the best time to listen How to use podcast listening as a way to improve your business. Tell us what you think  Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website. And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! We read out a review at the end of each show and today, we’re giving a shout out to Matt Fenwick from truenorthwriting.com.au. Links mentioned in this article: This is Criminal Revisionist History Serial Flying Solo Podcast This American Life Three Month Vacation podcast Rainmaker FM (Copyblogger pods out of the wazoo) There is no such thing as a fish The Nerdist BBC 4 Friday Night Comedy

Every now and then we host a very special Hot Copy episode and invite our listeners to send us their questions. This is one of those episodes! Sit back, relax and listen to our best answers to some questions you might even have wondered about. Thanks to Kylie Saunder, Johanna Kohler (Compelling Copy), Sarah Winterbine, Lisa Cropman (The Word Nest), Kelly O'Donnell, Angela Denly and Jenny De Lacy (Writing Works) for their questions! Tune in to learn: How to deal with requests to “polish” copy that has already been written How to get a copywriting brief out of a tight lipped client What we really think of online headline writing tools How to plan for multiple, concurrent projects And whether it’s better to outsource your own copywriting Tell us what you think  Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website. And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! We read out a review at the end of each show and today, we’re giving a shout out to Newbie Writer! Links mentioned in this article: CoSchedule headline tool Portent content ideas generator

In this week’s episode we’re talking about subcontracting. This is when a copywriter or agency uses someone else to write the copy. Generally they pass out the work and pay the writer a percentage of the overall fee. It’s something I get asked about a lot, as often, as your copywriting business grows, it can seem like a great way to earn more money without actually writing copy. But subcontracting can be problematic, and today Belinda and I are going to share our experiences and tips with you. Tune in to learn: The pros and cons of using subcontracting copywriters in your business Belinda and Kate’s own experiences of using subcontractors The pros and cons of being a subcontractor Answers to the big subcontracting questions including: Whether you can get a testimonial for work you did as a subcontractor? Where you can use subcontracting work in your portfolio The average margin charged on top of your rate How much time you need to spend editing work from your subcontractors Whether you have to disclose that you’re using a subcontractor [Tweet "Hot Copy #36: #Copywriting subcontracting - A ‘how to’ guide #hotcopy"] Tell us what you think  Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website. And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS 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 a comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! We read out a review at the end of each show, and today we’re giving a shout out to larrye5012 for the great review.   Links mentioned in this article: ATO guide to employee or contractor  Sub contracting agreement 

This week we're stepping back in time to revisit one of our all time favourite pods - and by the look of the stats one of your faves too. It's all very good and well to understand how to use modal verbs and where to place your colons, but seriously the hard fact is that no copywriting business will survey with our CLIENTS!! Sadly too many copywriting businesses fail in their first year because they simply can’t find enough clients. Friends and family are a great place to start, but where on earth do you track down awesome potential clients with money to spend? So we thought it was a good idea to circle back around and revisit this pod and remind of our tips on how to grab more clients. Tune in to learn: Our key ways to find clients Whether freelancing websites are worth the effort Our number one new client tip 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Oh and big hugs to Robert Gerrish for his lovely testimonial. Show notes Rachel’s list Problogger job board Clever Copywriting School job board Upwork (previously odesk) Elance Freelancer community on Google+

We’re at the second half of our two-part episode on marketing your copywriting business. Marketing gets the message out that are in business so it really is essential but what should you spend your time on? Tune in to part two to learn about: Running your own events Content marketing to develop yourself as an authority Our best tips to succeed at your content marketing Email marketing – what you need to know Don’t forget that in part 1 we also covered: The importance of branding and how to make yours work hard Social media marketing Networking (on and offline) Tell us what you think  Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website. And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! We read out a review at the end of each show and today, we’re giving a shout out to Raegen Perkins for an excellent review left on Stitcher! Links mentioned in this article: Podcast 28: New copywriter’s guide to blogging Blog or email newsletter—Which is better for business? How to spring-clean your blog 3 tragic email mistakes that are costing you business Email unsubscribes: My top nine tactics Email marketing: This copywriter’s playbook on getting emails noticed, read and actioned How to build the perfect email: Deployment How to build the perfect email: Code How to build the perfect email: Design How to build the perfect email: Copy How to build the perfect email: Copy 2 How to build the perfect email: Strategy Email marketing case study: Lessons of seduction  

If you don’t market yourself as a copywriter, you won’t get many clients and without clients, you aren’t in business! So we’re tackling the essential ways to market your copywriting business to make sure you stay in business. This is a big topic so we’ve broken it into two episodes. Our very first two parter! Tune in to part one to learn about: Our favourite parts of marketing ourselves and our writing The importance of branding and how to make yours work hard Our best branding tips Social media marketing Our experiences and best tips Networking (on and offline) Our favourite networking events and our tips to rock it! In part two of this episode we’ll cover: Running events as an authority Content marketing to develop yourself as an authority Email marketing So there’s more good stuff coming! Leave your thoughts  Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website. And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS   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 or Stitcher. Thanks! We read out a review at the end of each show and today, we’re giving a shout out to Raegen Perkins for an excellent review left on Stitcher! Useful Links: The shocking truth about my branding Corporate headshots: Does your image matter? Social Media Marketing Made Easy How to create all your social media graphics in less than 2 hours per month Nail your social media in just 5 minutes a day. Seriously. Get offline. Go and network in real life!  

This week we're revisiting one of our most popular pods: the one about copywriting fees and how much to charge. Why is this topic so popular? Until you have a few copywriting projects under your belt it can feel like you're just making up numbers in your quotes. Not many copywriters share their rates so it's hard to see what the industry standard is. Not us though. In this podcast we explain how we charge for copywriting, how we put together quotes, essentials tips on collecting deposits and why we’re not big fans of charging by the word. Tune in to learn: How to work out your hourly rate Different ways to charge for your copywriting work How to use retainer agreements Our copywriting quoting formula Why getting a deposit is so important How to chase up later payers Tell us what you think  Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website. And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS  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 or Stitcher.  Just like Darren Rowse did - thanks Darren! Useful links Copywriting Pricing – how to charge more and earn passive income How to quote for copywriting: My experience is your shortcut! Recommend rates for Australia Copywriters Copywriter rate card Suggest rates for hiring copywriters (UK) Hourly rate calculator

So let’s first explain that sales copy is the text you use to persuade your readers to take a specific action. The copy can be used in sales emails, on web pages or is brochures and letters. But while we know it’s effective but many copywriters aren’t so keen on writing it. In this episode we’ll be chatting with Jesse Forrest all about how to write Sales copy that drives conversion without being overblown and cheese ball. Tune to learn: What is sales copy? How direct response copy differs from brand awareness copy The psychology behind sales copy How not to sound like a snake oil salesman Jesse's favourite sales copy formulas Why long sales copy works How to use proof and repetition How to write effective Calls To Action What to do when the client wants to pay based on conversion rate. And more. So much more! Tell us what you think  Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website. And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS  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 or Stitcher. Thanks! We read out a review at the end of each show and today, we’re giving a shout out to Emily McIntyre for her FAB review. Thanks xxx Links mentioned in this article: Swiped.co Start Copywriting Facebook StartCopywriting.com Start Copywriting YouTube Channel

In this episode, Kate and Belinda share 16 types of copywriting clients almost every copywriter will get to work with. Some are awesome and some… are not. We share our tips on spotting them and how to work with them (so the your copywriting project is smooth sailing). Tune to learn: Our favourites types of clients How to deal with scope creep and requests for free work How to guide clients who can’t tell you what to change The best way to organise disorganised clients Tell us what you think  Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website. And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS    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 or Stitcher. Thanks! We read out a review at the end of each show and today, we’re giving a shout out to Jan for her FAB review. Thanks Jan! Links mentioned in this article: Empty copywriting portfolio? How to make up client-wowing samples Crappy clients: How to spot, avoid, manage and fire them Good client. Bad client. The Zen Guide to Shitty Clients

Getting your financials right from the start is vital to running a successful copywriting business. But there’s so much to get your head around, GST, Medicare levies, depreciation and what the heck you can claim. In this episode we talk with Kate’s accountant Karen Goad and ask here all those finance and accountant questions you’ve been dying to ask. Karen is a small business owner and principal of Goad Accountants and Simply Business Bookkeeping. She specialises in helping business owners get to know their business better through up-to-date financial information for better decision making, accurate GST, CGT and income tax advice and education.Karen has over 18 years working in public practice with small business ranging from start-ups and sole traders to businesses with over $20million turnover. In short, she seriously knows her stuff. P.S. Here at Hot Copy we highly recommend hiring a professional accountant to manage your accounts and do your end of your tax. Tune in to learn: When you need to start paying GST Ins and outs of superannuation What's the best way to set up your copywriting business, sole trader, Family Trust or PTY Ltd Which tax incentives apply to copywriting start ups What are depreciable assets What deductions you can claim for How to set profitablity targets Tell us what you think  Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website. And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS   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 or Stitcher. Thanks! And thanks to Jennifer Morton for your review of the show. We appreciate it! Links mentioned in this article: How Xero saved my marriage The perfect backyard office More from Karen: LinkedIn https://au.linkedin.com/in/karengoad http://www.linkedin.com/company/simply-business-bookkeeping linkedin.com/company/goad-accountants Websites goadaccountants.com.au simplybusinessbookkeeping.com.au Facebook facebook.com/GoadCharteredAccountants facebook.com/simplybusinessbookkeeping

How to format your copy for maximum impact Today we’re talking about formatting. Some listeners may wonder about this. Talking about formatting. Not even writing. Just formatting. But how you present your copy to clients will have a huge influence on how well they receive it. And clever formatting can make your copywriting a lot more readable to the end audience as well. In this episode, Kate and Belinda share their thoughts and some pro-formatting tips for more readable copywriting. Tune to learn: Why formatting is so damned important Fonts, sizes and spacing: our recommendations Clever formatting tricks to give your words more impact Good and bad list writing The biggest formatting mistakes new copywriting make Tell us what you think  Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website. And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS   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 or Stitcher. Thanks! And thanks to Christina Tolstrup for your review of the show. We appreciate it! Links mentioned in this article: What is a copy deck How to write a copy deck in five easy steps The smart copywriter's guide to copy decks Buy a copy deck template F shaped pattern article What is an interrobang SumoMe (Belinda's heat map widget)

We've chatted in previous podcasts about how it's impossible to make all clients love you, and how occasionally it's better all around if you just let them go. In this podcast we'll be giving you tips and tricks on how to spot, handle and, if necessary, fire a difficult client. Tune in to learn: How to spot bad clients Tips and tricks to get difficult clients back on track How to decide if firing a client is the right move How to do the dirty deed of firing a client Dealing with the aftermath of client firing Tell us what you think  Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website. And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS   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 or Stitcher. Thanks! And thanks to the members of the Clever Copywriting Community Lizzy Pepper and Mary Cameron, as well as Angela Denly for your input and reviews of the show. We appreciate it!   Links mentioned in this article: Crappy clients: How to spot, avoid, manage and fire them - Kate Toon Copywriter The Zen Guide to Shitty Clients - Kate Toon Copywriter Copywriting: Good client, Bad client - Kate Toon Copywriter The magic phrase that lets you say no to copywriting clients (without burning your reputation forever) - Copywrite Matters Copywriting templates email pack - The Clever Copywriting School

Once you’ve got a few copywriting projects under your belt, you learn that some clients will respond very quickly and others will take a short ice age to reply. But how long is too long? When do you know your client is MISSING IN ACTION and what should you do? Tune in to learn: Why clients legitimately go missing How long should you wait? How too long is too long? How you can avoid having clients go missing How to follow up with clients after the quote, proposal, first draft and last draft What to do if the worst happens. Tell us what you think  Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website. And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! And thanks to Mac Prichard for his review of the show. We appreciate it! Links mentioned in this article: End of project sign off document - The Clever Copywriting School Copywriting templates email pack - The Clever Copywriting School The Zen Guide to Shitty Clients - Kate Toon Optimum Recoveries - an Australian debt collection agency

Blogging certainly isn’t new but it is a source of anxiety for many new copywriters, especially when it feels like it’s all been done before. In this episode, Kate and Belinda break down the walls of blogging, sharing their views on the importance of blogging and how to get your blog working hard for your business.  Tune to learn: If you actually need to blog How to write authority If copywriting is all you can and should write about Why Kate says vagina multiple times How often you should blog How long your blogs need to be Tips on writing about well covered topics Where to get blog ideas Guest posting, on your blog and others How to get your blogs noticed And thanks to Melissa East for her 5 star review of the show. We appreciate it! Tell us what you think  Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website. And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! And a big shout out to Melissa East for her 5 star review of the show. We appreciate it! Resources mentioned in the show: Kate’s Tip: Using Text to Voice BuzzSumo Copyscape: plagiarism checker Copywrite Matters guest blog guidelines

Do you ever wish you could step back in time and talk to your younger self? In this episode Belinda and Kate chat about some of the copywriting lessons they’ve learned along the way and what we wished we’d know when we started out. Perhaps you can benefit from their hindsight! Tune in to learn: What Belinda wanted to be when she grew up Why you should make your competitors your buddies Why being successful and working yourself into the ground are NOT the same thing Why referring work to other copywriters is a great idea How some clients won’t be that into you and that’s okay Why your first draft will be rubbish and that’s okay Why it’s better to do one thing well than to try to do too much 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! And a big shout out to Loren Bartley from Business Addicts for leaving a fab review for us. We’re glad you’re loving the show!  

In this episode we chat to Amy Harrison, a well-known UK copywriter. Amy is also a copywriting coach and keynote speaker at marketing events around the world. You might have seen her guest post on sites like Copyblogger, DuctTape Marketing and Problogger. Or watched her YouTube channel. The lady gets about and we picked her brain about copywriting, content and story-telling in modern marketing. Tune in to learn: How Amy made the leap from screen writer to copywriter The benefit of saying YES and when to stop How Amy decides the next step in her career How long it takes to nail your ideal client Tips on staying creative The nuts and bolts of Amy’s writing process Amy’s tips on using video marketing How to use story telling in your copywriting What Amy watches on Netflix! Amy’s hot tips for new copywriters   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 or Stitcher. Thanks! And a big shout out to Derek Etherton for leaving a fab review for us. We're glad you're loving the show!  Find out more at: Amy at Write With Influence Amy on YouTube Amy on Twitter Amy on LinkedIn Links mentioned in this article: Art Of Dramatic Writing: Its Basis in the Creative Interpretation of Human Motives Women’s hour (BBC4) The Archers (BBC4)

Even the most experienced copywriters can suffer from confidence wobbles. Those moments you begin to question your writing abilities or your business skills... or both! In this podcast, we chat through some confidence blurts copywriters have kindly shared with us and add our own experiences and tips on overcoming them!   Tune to hear us chat about confidence blurts like: Comparing yourself (and your writing) to others Answering the phone Communicating off the page (verbally) Meeting clients to discuss projects Preparing quotes and getting clients through the sales process Getting negative feedback Questioning your writing skills Keeping the pipeline consistently full Waiting for clients to get back to you Lack of experience 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Jenny De Lacy, Lisa Cropman, Jodi Gibson, Rashida Tayabali, Anne Maybus, Nicole Leedham, Matt Fenwick, Katherine Elizabeth, Rose Spagnolo for sharing their wobbles in Kate’s Clever Copywriting School. Useful links The Clever Copywriting School coaching calls Belinda’s copywriting coaching and mentoring G+: Clever Copywriting community FB Group: The Cult of Copy FB Group: Online copywriters

Today we’re talking to Ryan Wallman Head of Copy at Wellmark a Melbourne creative agency that specialising in niche industries and in particular healthcare and pharmaceutical communications. Ryan has an alter ego Dr Draper on Twitter and is a well known name in copywriting circles. Tune in to learn: What a Head of Copy job entails How Ryan started out as a copywriter? Advice for copywriters considering specialisation? Whether you need qualifications to become a medical copywriter? Tips for breaking into agency land? Ryan's biggest challenges in his copywriter career Ryan's creative process Tips for newbie copywriters 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Andrea Rowe from Your Coastal Connection for her fab review, read out on the show. Find out more at: Linkedin Wellmark blog Wellmark Twitter Links mentioned in this article: 'A beautiful constraint’ book  Ad Teachings (Suzanne Pope) Andy Maslen’s copywriting books  Dave Trott’s books  Drayton Bird’s books  Mark Duffy’s article on unexpected visuals  Nick Asbury’s site Ogilvy on Advertising Product copy agency Rory Sutherland’s article

In the last Hot Copy podcast we shared some copywriting techniques to help your clients build trust and credibility with their audience. One of those techniques is getting testimonials and it’s so important for your own business that it deserves a pod of its own. This week we get stuck into getting and using testimonials to power up your marketing. Tune in to learn: Why testimonials are such a powerful tool Different types of testimonials and how to get them Best questions for awesome testimonials Where to use testimonials for maximum impact Cheats you can use to power up your testimonials 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Useful links The Brain Audit by Sean D'Souza How to get powerful (and believable) testimonials Client testimonials  your questions answered Hot Copy podcast Testimonial page Copywrite Matters Testimonial page Kate Toon Copywriter Testimonial page Recipe for SEO Success Testimonial video  

When it comes to deciding on whether to do business with someone, trust is key. So if you can help your copywriting clients build trust and credibility with their audience you’re doing a great job. We’ve put together some top tips to help you write trustworthy copy, inspire confidence and convert readers into customers. Tune in to learn: How to use specifics, stats and facts to earn trust The importance of clarity and error free content How to use guarantees Using testimonials, clients lists and samples Why fake scarcity and offers don't work 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Useful links Hemmingway app Podcast 2 – How to find copywriting clients Lies in copywriting – Hyperbole Vs Realism

This week we chat with Jacqui Pryor. Jacqui has more than 16 years of experience in the trademark industry helping businesses protect their intellectual property. She is the founder of Mark My Words Trademark Services Pty Ltd and shares her knowledge on the Flying Solo website. In this podcast we pick her brains about copyright and trademarking. [Tweet "Podcast 21: Know your rights when it comes to copyright? Hot Copy interview with expert, Jacqui Pryor  #hotcopy #copywriting"] Tune in to learn: The difference between copywrite and copyright How copywriters can protect the words they write Clients ownership of the copy you write for them Why you should consider trademarking your business identity What you can do if you find someone is copying your words or products 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Find out more at: Australian Copyright Council Mark My Words Trademarks Say hi to Jacqui on Facebook

You've won the copywriting project. Whoo hoo. But now the hard work begins. Although many copywriters might be great writers, they're often not so good at project management. Belinda and Kate believe that your process, particularly when it comes to sign offs - can make a huge difference to both your client's satisfaction levels and your sanity levels. Tune in to learn: Why process is so important How managing your sign offs carefully can boost your income How to deal with too many amends Managing final sign off Who has the copyright? Useful links Anna Butler's How to use track changes video Proposal template Work in Progress template End of Project Sign off template

This week we're talking copywriting fees, what to charge, when to charge and how to charge. We'll explain how we charge our clients, how we put together our estimates, how we use deposits to ensure cash flow and why we're not big fans of charging by the word. Tune in to learn: How to work out your hourly rate Different ways to charge for your copywriting work How to use retainer agreements Our quoting formula Why getting a deposit is so important How to chase up later payers Useful links Copywriting rates: How much should I charge How to quote for copywriting: My experience is your shortcut! Recommend rates for Australia Copywriters Copywriter rate card Suggest rates for hiring copywriters (UK) Hourly rate calculator  

This week we chat with Valerie Khoo. Valerie is a well-known Australian author, founder and National Director of the Australian Writer’s Centre, journalist, keynote speaker and host of not one but two podcasts (So you want to be a writer, with Allison Tate and So you want to be a photographer, with Gina Milica). Tune in to learn: When Valerie began to consider writing a viable career choice What let her to create the Australian Writer's Centre Valerie's advice on dealing with failure Valerie's big tips to new (and seasoned) copywriters 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Find Valerie at: Valerie Khoo’s website Australian Writer’s Centre Valerie on Facebook Valerie on Google Plus Valerie on LinkedIn Valerie on Twitter Valerie on Facebook Valerie on Instagram

A brand new year is about to begin. This is the time we usually reflect on the year that has been and the year ahead. Maybe you’re setting SMART goals or maybe your goals are a little more sweeping. In this New Year’s Eve episode Belinda and Kate discuss their goal setting habits and share their own goals – business and personal – for 2016. 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 or Stitcher. Thanks!

We both LOVE Christmas but it can be a tricky time of year, juggling copywriting deadlines and family plans. Often we’re burned out and ready for some time off to recharge! We hosted a special Hot Copy Christmas party on Blab and asked other successful copywriters what they do to make sure they – and their copywriting businesses - survive the Christmas period. Tune in to learn: Who is having holidays and who is working through How to respond to client who need rush work over Christmas How to wrap up straggling projects so you can take a break Crucial tips on getting essential down time away from your computer How to prepare for the busy new year Who sends gifts to their copywriting clients and what they buy And a very Merry Christmas to all our listeners! 

In this episode of the Hot Copy podcast we talk about whether it’s possible to be a copywriter and find time for creative copywriting. Or if the two are mutually exclusive. Tune in to learn: Kate’s writing achievements and why she put her creative writing on hold Belinda’s surprising admission about her creative writing What other copywriters think about this! 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 or Stitcher. Thanks! Show notes Tony Asher - copywriter turned song writer Charlotte Calder Jodie Mcleod

In this extra special episode of the Hot Copy podcast we answer some copywriting questions from our lovely listeners! This was so much fun that we plan on making it a regular feature. Thanks to Kate Merryweather, Angela Denly. Jennifer Morton and MaryClark Rardin for submitting their copywriting questions and conundrums.   Want to know more? Tune in to learn: How frequently you should blog for SEO payoff How to get into the head space of a target audience (to understand their motives) How to navigate the tricky world of doing work for friends and family Persuading small, local business to give you copywriting work The difference between copywriting and content

Tom Albrighton is the founder and director at ABC Copywriting based in Norwich in the United Kingdom. He’s also the Co-Founder of Professional Copywriters’ Network - the UK’s largest membership organisation for commercial writers. He’s an extremely well respected and well-known copywriter, who I discovered when I was starting my own business back in 2006. We particularly loved his home page slider copy – which you should definitely check out. Tune in to learn: What Tom did before he became a copywriter The lowest points and biggest mistakes in his career, and how he bounced back His writing routine What the Professional Copywriters' Network is, and how it works Tip for newbie copywriters Find Tom at: ABC Copywriting website Tom on Twitter Tom on LinkedIn The Professional Copywriters’ Network

We’re very excited to welcome Kelly Exeter to the Hot Copy podcast. Kelly is a highly successful and popular blogger at A life Less Frantic and manager of Swish Design. She was a finalist in the Australian Writers’ Centre Best Blogs Competition in 2014 and has spoken at Australia’s biggest blogging conference, ProBlogger. Kelly is editor at Flying Solo, Australia’s biggest online community of solopreneurs and microbusinesses and the published author of Your Best Year Ever. Over the years she’s had up to four blogs at any given time while writing for others, including Mamamia and Kidspot. Tune in to learn: How Kelly started her writing career How she built such a loyal following for her blog Her top tips on blog writing How she started her book (and finished it)

Brainstorming benefits from features is an essential copywriting technique. One you really have to master if you want to write compelling copy. But many copywriters fall short of nailing the real benefit on the table. Do you? In this episode we get technical, talking about features and benefits with some surprising differences and techniques to help your brainstorming. Want to know more? Tune in to learn: Belinda and Kate’s technique for going from features to advantages and finally, to the benefits that matter to customers Examples of that technique in action When to use features rather than benefits The surprising reason why including disadvantages actually boost your copywriting

Is there a good age to become a copywriter? Is it better to start when you’re young and enthusiastic, or when you’re older, wiser and totally exhausted by life! In this week’s podcast we’ll talk about copywriters of all ages, from those straight out of school to those heading into retirement. We’ll discuss the challenges and positives of each age group and try to discover the perfect age to start your copywriting business. Want to know more? Tune in to learn: Whether starting your copywriting career straight out of school is a good idea How copywriters in their 20s have some real advantages The problems copywriters face in their 30s and 40s How mature copywriters might have it made

Darren Rowse is a globally renowned blogger and speaker. Just as many people know him as the founder of Problogger as for his other business, Digital Photography School. He inspires bloggers every year at the Problogger training event and we grabbed him to pick his brain about writing, routines and being a totes famous introvert. Tune in to learn: How Darren finds the time and inclination to write in his ultra-busy schedule Where he gets his inspiration How he turns negative comments into conversation How an introvert keeps his energy levels topped up after big events How Darren gets through his (enormous) to do list The ONE question you should ask yourself before you start writing.

If you’re a working copywriter you’re likely to have seen a big increase in the number of customers requesting video scripts. But if you haven’t written one before they can be daunting. In this week’s podcast Kate and Belinda will give you the top tips and advice you need to get started. Want to know more? Tune in to learn:   Some interesting statistics about videos and why they works so well The different types of videos scripts you can write Kate’s top 8 tips on writing great video scripts The common mistake make copywriters make when writing video scripts How SEO works with Video scripts

When you’ve been a copywriter for a while, you learn which copywriting apps and tools help you most, day to day. Some apps help you be a more creative copywriter. Some apps help you manage your time. Some of them help you offer a better service to your copywriting clients. In this episode of Hot Copy, Belinda and Kate share their ten favourite copywriting apps and tools. Tune in to learn:   Our ten favourite copywriting apps and tools What we love most out about then How much they cost Alternatives you can consider

Attracting clients is just half of the copywriting battle. How do you turn a copywriting enquiry into a copywriting client? In this podcast, Belinda and I will talk about different ways of ‘on boarding’ potential clients, how to get them to complete a brief, sign off your proposal and actually start work. Want to know more? Tune in to learn: How to deal with client enquries by phone and email When is the best time to send the client brief What you should include in your proposal Deposits, how much to charge and when Which project management and accounting software we use

In this episode we’re going to be talking about a particularly important aspect of your copywriting – the tone of voice. Did you know the tone of voice will influence how effective your copywriting is? Well it does. And now you know! Want to know more? Tune in to learn: What tone of voice is and what it isn’t – the critical elements you have to consider How to develop your own unique tone of voice Our favourite examples of a unique tone of voice Top tips on nailing different tones in your copywriting

We’re very excited to welcome Glenn Murray to the Hot Copy podcast. Glenn is a hugely respected copywriter in Australia (and around the world) and we ask him to share his secrets of being a successful copywriter. Tune in to learn: How Glenn got started as a copywriter Glenn’s possibly controversial thoughts on leading copywriters Excellent books Glenn has never finished (but recommends we read) His big business mistake that you can learn from The surprising emotions Glenn experiences when he begins copywriting projects Expert homepage copywriting tips Glenn’s writing fetish and perversions Glenn’s excellent tip for new copywriters – Not to miss. Hang out until the end to hear the outtake!

In the episode of the Hot Copy podcast, Belinda and Kate discuss copywriting swipe files. Belinda uses them quite a lot but Kate doesn’t use them at all. Dun dun duuuuuuun. Will drama ensue?! Tune in to learn: What a copywriting swipe file actually is How to use a swipe files How agency copywriters get inspired

Okay, so you’ve decided to be come a copywriter, awesome!! But learning how to write copy is just the first step. Many copywriters fail in their first year because they simply can’t find enough clients. Friends and family are a great place to start, but where on earth do you track down awesome potential copywriting clients with money to spend? In this week’s podcast Belinda Weaver and Kate Toon will be giving you their insiders tips on how to find copywriting clients. Tune in to learn: Our key ways to find copywriitng clients Whether freelancing websites are worth the effort Our number one new client tip

As we’re going to be in your ear quite regularly, you probably want to know who we are, right? In this inaugural episode of the Hot Copy podcast, copywriters Kate and Belinda interview each other so you can get to know your hosts a little better. Tune in to discover how long they have been in the business of copywriting, Kate’s first copywriting project, Belinda’s surprising career before copywriting and the writer’s fetish they will admit on air.