Clever Copy Chats

In this, the first of my celebrity copywriter episodes, I could think of no one better to ask than the wonderful Justin Blackman.Because as well as having courses and resources on sale, he's still a working copywriter, indeed he's worked with some mega famous marketing types (some of whom even I have heard of).

His superpower?Brand Ventriloquism, no this doesn't mean he pops his paw up the bottom of his client like puppets.

Rather that he's mastered the skills of reviewing and replicating his clients voices, to ensure it's engaging, authentic and lures customers in like eager hedgehogs to a bucket of grubs.

Today Justin will be sharing a little about his how copywriting journey, as well as sharing some Tone of Voice horror stories and best practice tips.

So, if writing Tone of Voice and brand guides is on your list of to-dos, this episode is for you.

Tune in to learn:

• How Justin became a copywriter
• Justin's biggest copywriting career highlight so far
• Career fails Justin has overcome along the way
• Three factors you need to consider when writing tone of voice guides
• Three major mistakes to avoid
• How far you should take your Tone of Voice guide
• How Justin takes care of his mental health
• Justin's favourite copywriting tool
• Top tip from the TOV-writing guru

Useful resources:

• ProWritingAid Web Editor
• Analyze my writing
• Gender Analyzer - Text Analysis Tools
• Verbatim voice tool (coming soon!)
• Tone of Voice (TOV) Copywriting Template

Freebies:

1. Free webinar: Your first month as a copywriter

2. Free rates guide

Membership: Join now

Taking on AI as an asset, not a threat

Everyone is talking about ChatGPT.

My LinkedIn is stuffed with experts providing tips and examples of how to use this amazing tool.

(Everyone is an instant expert on LinkedIn).

To some it's the best thing since sliced bread.

To others, it's the end of the content marketing world as we know it.

I mean, haven't these people watched The Terminator movies, don't they know how it all ends?

So today I'm going to give you my low down.

​​What is ChatGPT?

What can it do?

Why all the fuss?

I'll take you through the challenges, the positives, what's coming, and also a bit of a reframe for those who are struggling or feeling scared about this new tool.

It's time to embrace the robots people. Let's get stuck in

Tune in to learn:

• What ChatGPT is
• Why everyone is talking about ChatGPT
• Why your job isn't being taken by robots
• How to use AI tools as an asset
• The limitations in using ChatGPT
• What's coming down the line

Useful resources:

• ChatGPT
• WordTune
• Grammarly
• Originality.AI
• WebChatGPT Chrome browser tool
• Frase

Head to episode notes

Freebies

1. Free webinar: Your first month as a copywriter

2. Free rates guide

Membership: Join now

Us copywriters, ooh we love a good niche.

And if we find one that aligns with something we genuinely love, even better.

So imagine being a copywriter for artists, the ultimate creative combo of words and pictures.

But that said, if a picture paints a thousand words, who needs a copywriter?

And artists aren't exactly known for their bulging bank accounts.

So how do you make being an Arts copywriter work for you and your business?

How do you turn that client contact blank canvas into a work of art?

And how the heck do two highly creative humans work together without tears and spilled paint?

Today's guest explains it all.

Tune in to learn:

• Why Ali decided to niche into Arts Copywriting
• What kinds of projects an Arts Copywriter works on
• What challenges come from working with artists
• How Ali finds copywriting clients
• Ali's biggest copywriting career win
• Ali's biggest career fail
• Ali and Kate's favourite copywriting tools
• How Ali balances the work-life balance and her top mental health tip
• Ali's top tip for newbie copywriters

Useful resources:

• Trello
• Keywords Everywhere
• ChatGPT
• SEO Nibbles
• Head to episode notes

Freebies

1. Free webinar: Your first month as a copywriter

2. Free rates guide

Membership: Join now

Why the 'boring' social media platform is a copywriter's best friend

LinkedIn; it gives most people the absolute heebie-jeebies.

It has a reputation for being the most boring social media platform, and so many of us hide on Facebook, on Instagram; anywhere, but having to show up on LinkedIn.

But the truth is, as a copywriter, it's probably a pretty good source of jobs.

So, how do we show up on LinkedIn, become a content creator, a content curator, and a content commenter, and actually have some fun and win some clients?

Today we're going to explain all that and more.

Tune in to learn:

• Beck's past jobs leading to copywriting
• How she settled into financial services and tech as her niche
• Why LinkedIn is so important for copywriters
• Beck's 3 top tips to getting more out of LinkedIn
• Beck's worst copywriting career fail
• Beck's number one favourite writing tool
• How she achieved copywriting success
• How she achieves a healthy work/life balance
• Beck's top copywriting tips

Useful resources:

• Grab her Ultimate Guide to Stand Out on LinkedIn
• Read her blog on how Copywriters can get more clients on LinkedIn
• LinkedIn Marketing Solutions
• Copy tool: Word Hippo

Head to episode notes

Freebies:

1. Free webinar: Your first month as a copywriter

2. Free rates guide

Membership: Join now

In these short snappy episodes, I want to give you smart little Toon tips on how to hone your copywriting skills. Improve your copywriting business with straightforward doable advice that you can implement today.

Today I want to talk to you about trading FOMO for JOGI.

I've been digging into LinkedIn, and recently I got a question about FOMO and false scarcity.

"I'm currently writing up a LinkedIn post aimed at helping marketers discover better ways to use FOMO in their copywriting.

Consumers are more educated than ever these days, and copy like this just isn't going to be believed anymore:

'Sale ends soon!' - you said that last month.

'Limited time offer' - limited to what?

'Exclusive opportunity' - bull.

I consider you one of the best copywriters in Australia and would love to hear your opinion on this.

Maybe people should be more specific? Use more relatable language?

I'm not really sure, but I'm no copywriter.

So, I'm wondering, what tips would you give people looking to make their FOMO type of messaging stand out?"

Tune in for my thoughts on false scarcity, endless sales, and JOGI (the joy of getting in).

Freebies

1. Free webinar: Your first month as a copywriter

2. Free rates guide

Membership: Join waitlist now

Let's be honest, being a copywriter can be just a little bit lonely.

Days spent with your computer and possibly a furry companion.

You try to talk to your friends, your partner, and random strangers.

But who else really understands the deep pain of a client that won't use track changes? Or is willing to argue back and forth on the merits of semi-colons?

The answer? Other copywriters.

But hey, aren't they your competition?

Our guest today has made an art of networking, a confirmed introvert who has not realised she's an extrovert.

She's going to give us some tips on how to make the most of events, communities and memberships; to bolster your confidence, find new clients and learn more about the wonderful world of copywriting.

Tune in to learn:

• What Angela did before becoming a copywriter
• How being a diplomat influenced her copywriting
• How going to events has benefited Angela's career
• Memberships - how they can help you feel less lonely as a freelancer
• Angela's networking tips for other nervous, quiet copywriters
• Angela's favourite copywriting tool
• Angela's top copywriting tip

Head to episode notes

Freebies

1. Free webinar: Your first month as a copywriter

2. Free rates guide

Membership: Join now

In these short snappy episodes, I want to give you smart little Toon tips on how to hone your copywriting skills. Improve your copywriting business with straightforward doable advice that you can implement today.

Have you ever struggled to get a client to fill out your brief?

You send it off and they come back with daft answers.

Who is your ideal client: "Anyone with a pulse and a credit card."

What is your desired objective: 'That people buy stuff."

What keywords to you want to rank for: "I'd like to rank for cheese."

Today I want to talk all about how I manage these clients, get the briefs to a usable stage, and fill in those blanks.

Freebies

1. Free webinar: Your first month as a copywriter

2. Free rates guide

Membership: Join waitlist now

When you Google 'copywriter', you might notice one thing.

There are a lot of us.

And if you check out most copywriter websites, they're very similar.

And the socials? We're all posting Ernest Hemingway quotes, sharing advice on how to use colons and popping up pictures of our dogs.

So how do you stand out in a crowded market?

How do you become known for what you do?

Build that solid trustworthy reputation and become the go-to human in your niche?

Well, our guest today is not only a successful copywriter but a PR guru and my personal guide to becoming more known.

Using a smart combination of award entries, PR, blog posting, podcasts and more, she helps people just like us, raise their profile and in turn win more customers and charge more money.

Tune in to learn:

• Erin's career journey before becoming a copywriter
• How the worlds of copywriting and PR crossover
• How to overcome shyness and getting yourself out there
• Award writing and entering awards - is it worth it?
• How to handle client's expectations
• How Erin raised her profile
• The biggest mistakes copywriters make when trying to raise their profiles
• Erin's top copywriting tip

Head to episode notes

Freebies

1. Free webinar: Your first month as a copywriter

2. Free rates guide

Membership: Join now

So I've decided to launch a new stream to the Clever Copy Chats pod.

We have Tips and Chats and 101 episodes, and now I'm adding newbies.

These are chats with people who are brand new to copywriting. I want to chat about their challenges, their fears and what's holding them back.

I want to dig into their goals and ambitions.

And I want to hopefully give them a little useful advice on the podcast.

Because it's all very well hearing from established copywriters, with a client list as long as their thigh, processes up the wazoo and their pricing en point.

But perhaps you, like today's guest, are just starting and need a firm pat on the bottom or a shoulder to weep on.

Well, that's what the newbie episodes are all about.

Tune in to learn:

• Vishma's career path up to now
• Why Vishma took the leap and chose copywriting
• The biggest challenges Vishma has faced so far, and how she overcame them
• Positives to launching her new career
• Vishma's top tip for new copywriters

Head to episode notes

Freebies

1. Free webinar: Your first month as a copywriter

2. Free rates guide

Membership: Join now

In these short snappy episodes, I want to give you smart little Toon tips on how to hone your copywriting skills. Improve your copywriting business with straightforward doable advice that you can implement today.

Today, I want to talk about why old is not a selling point.

As part of my Recipe for SEO success course, I do a lot of Unique Selling Proposition reviews. And for those of you who don't know what a USP is, it's a short statement that summarises:

Who you are

What you do Who you do it for

And why you do it better than anyone else.

And time after time I see phrasing in these USPs that relates to age.

As in the age of the business.

Examples include:

• Over 60 years ago
• Combined experience of 72 years
• Since 1996
• Established in 1842

Yuck! And I get it.

AGE feels like it should be a positive. Being the original surely counts for something right? The pioneer? Having experience surely counts for something right? You've been there, done that, not like these young upstarts.

But in a world that is obsessed with Newness, I'm just not sure Oldness cuts it anymore.

Let's break them down.

Freebies

1. Free webinar: Your first month as a copywriter

2. Free rates guide

Membership: Join waitlist now