Hot Copy

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…  […]

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

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 […]

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 Sara Berry 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 […]

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

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 […]

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

How to write blog content that boosts your profile with software services 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 […]

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