Chris Kenworthy – Embodiment Coach & Facilitator in Leeds

Tag: leeds

  • Is it worth hiring a freelancer for small, piecemeal copywriting jobs?

    Of course I’m going to say yes. I’m a freelance copywriter. That’s what I would say. But let me set aside the obvious conflict of interest here, because I’d like to challenge you from a different angle.

    So here we go.

    First, there’s an assumption that isn’t universally true. It’s the supposition that it’s not worth bothering a freelance copywriter with small, low-value piecemeal jobs.

    Sure, there are freelancers out there who only accept big, juicy jobs with high-pressure deadlines and sky-high expectations. Projects that pay vast amounts and offer limitless opportunity for creative endeavour.

    Let’s be honest though – the world doesn’t always work like that

    Not every job is wildly creative. And truth be told, lavish budgets are increasingly a rarity too.

    I wan’t always an untameable genius copywriter with unparalleled mastery of the english language. I was once a salaried employee, back in the real world. So I know how the day-to-day works.

    Sometimes you just need a spot of ad-hoc copyediting support on-demand. Perhaps to sanity-check a complicated sales proposal, or liven up some drab paragraphs when they all begin to sound the same.

    However (and probably more importantly for this freelance copywriter):

    Some of us actually enjoy bite-size chunks of modestly creative work, to pick-up and turn-around at short-notice.

    Yes. Really.

    We don’t mind casting our eye over your case study for a couple of hours to tidy up its structure and consistency. And we actually quite enjoy injecting life into a two-page recruitment ad.

    Low to medium value piecemeal work like this adds much needed low-pressure variety to the freelance diet.

    Consider this too

    If a handful of our other clients also offer us irregular, albeit relatively frequent piecemeal low-value jobs – that’s a nice steady stream of low-key jobs to keep us on our toes.

    One final thought

    Small, irregular copywriting or copyediting jobs (like the kind I do for long-standing clients) help your trusty freelancer stay connected to your developing vision and values too.

    In the long-run that makes us an invaluable resource for your company’s – especially in copywriting and tone of voice development.

    Look. If you’re not sure whether a job is large enough, or worth hiring a freelance copywriter for, just give us the option first. Pick up the phone and ask for advice.

  • What happens when you hire a freelance copywriter

    We live in an age of ready-made, quick-fix solutions. You want to get from A-to-B? Buy this car. Need a coat? Buy this one off-the-peg.

    But what happens if the thing you need most doesn’t exist? What if the solution to your problem can’t be commoditised and stacked on a shelf?

    This is unfamiliar territory to most of us.

    We’re so accustomed to satisfying our individual needs (ironically) through mass-produced goods, that appointing a specialist to create something completely bespoke can be, well, scary.

    This thought occurred to me recently when a company in Leeds hired me to copyedit their book. When they asked me ‘what happens next?’ I initially thought they meant deadlines and deliverables.

    What they actually meant was ‘how does this whole hiring-a-freelancer thing work?’

    So I took a moment to reflect on their question.

    Judging by my client’s tone, and the information they shared (that they hadn’t ever hired a freelance copywriter before), you could argue that what they really meant to say was:

    Look, we’ve never hired a freelancer before. We don’t know what happens and how we work together. We’re nervous, because we don’t want to get ripped off, and we’re opening up inside information to a complete outsider. Can you reassure us by describing your process, and explain the balance of control?

    So this is my exposition of what it’s like to hire the freelance copywriter to write or copyedit for your company.

    It’s also my attempt to allay your fears by reassuring you that we’re a pretty friendly bunch us copywriters. We learned (quickly) that being flexible and cooperative is the only way to behave when one-size-doesn’t-fit-all, and people place their trust in you.

    What happens when you hire this freelance copywriter (in 10 simple steps)

    1. Understand the brief: I make sure the problem is clear, and check I’m the right person to help.
    2. I suggest fixes: if you do choose me, here’s how I could fix your problem and these are your options.
    3. You give the go-ahead: 1 & 2 are usually pro-bono, and I won’t start work until you formally instruct me to.
    4. I research and plan: in simple terms I ask a lot of questions in meetings, and look at things from different angles.
    5. You approve a sample: think of this like a quick, short prototype example to make sure you’re happy with the direction I’ve chosen, before I get stuck into the main task.
    6. I write first drafts of everything: this is the bulk of the copywriting work.
    7. You review and feedback: we’ll go through all the copy together; this is your chance to comment and make sure everything’s on track.
    8. I write a final, finished version: improved first drafts with all your feedback, changes and improvements included.
    9. You take ownership and publish: now you’re the owner of some shiny new copywriting that’s clear and compelling.
    10. We reflect and learn: on what went well, what could go better next time so I grow as a freelance copywriter.

    I think what makes people most nervous about hiring a freelancer is the very nature of our process. We create things that are bespoke; therefore subjective and open to interpretation. That’s why you gain something that evolves creatively and our products stand-out, as entirely one-of-a-kind.

    Right at the beginning though, without sight of an end product, hiring a freelancer can feel like you’re writing blank cheque.

    Somehow though, I feel that solving the problem of building trust in new relationships is beyond a humble reflective blog post. So until then, we can only be open, honest and offer reassurance.

    Hopefully this post goes some way towards that, and sheds light on the end-to-end process of hiring a freelance copywriter.

  • 3 ways to make your IT sales proposal stand out

    It’s a sorry state of affairs when the most favourable proposal is the one that makes your eyes bleed the least.

    Yet back in my IT project and account management days, this was the only realistic differentiator, thanks to the exceptionally low quality of writing in the average sales pitch.

    Think about it though. The sales proposal is a document that’s meant to set out a compelling argument for choosing its author. Yet too many are written like academic white-papers, begging letters, or in one memorable case – a death warrant.

    It doesn’t have to be like this.

    In my opinion, there’s a huge, gaping opportunity to do something different when you tender for an IT project. To really elevate your pitch above the competition.

    And you can achieve this with minimal effort from just a few straightforward improvements to your sales proposal.

    Before we begin, let’s be honest

    Back in my undergraduate days, a programming tutor explained how he screened candidates for IT jobs when he was an employer. If you think about it, the humble CV is a sales proposal in itself, so to get through these job applications, he’d position an enormous stack right on the precipice of his desk. Then, in the interest of fairness, he’d read a page or so of each CV to see if it piqued his interest. The outcome being either a stay of execution in his in-tray, or a deathly nosedive into the hungry wastepaper basket below.

    Now I’m not suggesting your clients are this brutal with sales proposals. What I am suggesting however is that people don’t engage with thick documents in their entirety. We don’t process writing, especially technical writing, in a linear way, like you would a book.

    Instead, we skim documentation for sections that resonate. We peruse, stumbling over bits of copy that interest us and align with our priorities. If we find a bit we like, we stick with it – attracted like filings to a magnet. We’re drawn into reading more, slowly coming round to the writer’s way of thinking, like a persuasive argument.

    On top of all that, us humans have dwindling attention spans. We quickly forget, ignore even, information that doesn’t impart anything new. Instead we’re drawn to novelty.

    With that in mind, let’s look at three ways you can make your sales proposal novel and magnetic, so clients are drawn to choosing you as their preferred IT supplier.

    1. Say what you stand for

    The underlying premise of the proposal is that you, as writer representing your IT consultancy or software development company, have to prove your competence and demonstrate why you deserve to win this pitch.

    But if you’re not careful, that tacit premise can undermine the case you’re about to set out in your proposal. Like I mentioned earlier, all too often this can turn a sales proposal into a begging letter. When we both know you’re more than capable of delivering what this client needs from IT.

    To avoid that trap, don’t be afraid to write with polite confidence. Express you vision, values – what you stand for. By that I mean describing the kind of projects you’re best at, and the kind of clients who suit working with you in that context.

    This isn’t as arrogant as it might sound.

    If you’re pitching for the right kind of project, and you’re bothering to write a proposal, chances are the beginnings of a productive relationship are already there.

    You just have to cement that instinct or suspicion in the reader’s mind – that you have much in common, and it’d be a crying shame for you not to join forces on this IT project.

    A bold example:

    ‘We’ve got a reputation for pushing software to its absolute limits on projects that, quite frankly, terrify the competition. People say we’re the A-Team of the software development world. Yes there’s only a handful of us, but we’re like machines; utterly focused on getting things done quickly – you’ll have to chase us out your office at the end of the day. We won’t leave until everything is fixed.’

    Now compare that to the stultifying history lesson you usually find prefacing an IT sales proposal.

    Remember, people choose to do business based on why you do what you do – not what or how.

    2. Show some humanity

    Sure, there’s a place in your proposal for cold hard stats – tables and charts detailing the expected returns from the IT investment. But there’s also a place for a more human angle.

    I honestly think so.

    Why? Because the last place your prospective client ever expects to find humanity – empathy, emotion and connection is in a sales proposal.

    So let’s surprise them…

    Behind every business problem is a people problem. Clients say they worry about the bottom line or boosting efficiency. What they really worry about is keeping their best people engaged so they don’t lose their edge. They care about getting things done on time so they can get home to their families. They worry about their personal reputation on the golf course if they let a referred customer down.

    So talk about these things. Get it all out in the open and acknowledge their hopes and fears.

    A humanised example:

    ‘Efficiency isn’t our goal. It’s more of a happy byproduct. What really fuels us is pride and reputation. When you told us you trade on your family name, that your brand is everything, you probably noticed our smiles. That was when we knew we’d clicked – you’re the right partner for us. Our founders are family too; as are our junior programmers. Family instills the kind of devotion to a cause that you just can’t buy.’

    Would you dare to write that efficiency isn’t your goal in an IT sales proposal? How about daring to acknowledge emotions in the boardroom? Try it. Catch someone by surprise.

    3. Use humour and personality

    With so much resting on a sales proposal it’s easy to play it safe. You write formally, mention the right buzzwords and avoid injecting personality in any way, shape or form.

    But you also end up sounding like everyone else.

    Remember. Our object is to excite, stimulate and pique the interest of the reader with engaging copywriting. We want to stand out in the crowded IT marketplace.

    Writing with unique tone-of-voice is one way you can do that. It means copywriting in a particular way, making you sound different, refreshing or otherwise non-technical and engaging. I’ve explored tone-of-voice in earlier posts – suffice to say its a job for a professional copywriter.

    If you’re no copywriter, another way to achieve this is to talk about the things no one else dares mention. Think subtexts, in-jokes, elephants-in-the-room that everyone knows about but rarely mention.

    An amusing example:

    ‘Although everyone uses this industry-standard component to manage their stock, it’s crap. Yes, you read that right: it’s total rubbish. Even though it’s built by the biggest software developer in the world. The clue’s in the name: standard. And we both know what you’re doing at your place is anything but standard.
    So we built our own version, with the subtle distinction being that our component works. 100% of the time. It won’t hang when you use on the shop-floor, and it won’t leave production managers pulling their thinning hair out every time they run a report.’

    A little humour eases everything along. Humour in an IT sales proposal?!

    There’s one big problem here

    I get it. It’s about scaling.

    You’re reading this thinking if only I had the time to put this much effort into writing each and every proposal from scratch.

    That’s why, like everyone else who’s ever had to churn out several IT proposals per week, you cut, copy and paste from ones you’ve written in the past. Using pro-forma case studies and standardised introductions.

    Well, ask yourself this: are you industrialising your sales pitches for indiscriminate growth? Or are you truly trying to cultivate and curate the right kind of clients and projects for your business? So you enter into mutually-beneficial, prosperous, long-term relationships with people you’re best placed to serve.

    Because writing for the latter reaps non-financial returns that are clearly worth pursuing – like less stress from working with likeminded clients, the thrill of new technical challenges that play to your strengths, and establishing a specialist reputation and protective niche for your IT business.

    If any of that appeals, it’s definitely worth investing extra effort into writing better IT sales proposals. Or better still – hire a good copywriter to do it for you, one who knows the IT sector and how to write copy that resonates with the right kind of clients.

  • Write better job ads. Attract better IT staff

    It’s noisy out there in the IT jobs market. Attracting quality candidates with the right fit for your culture is a perennial problem for any IT consultancy or software development company.

    Yet there are some straightforward steps to ease the process of recruiting high-calibre IT staff.

    It all begins with the humble job ad

    So many people get the basics wrong when writing a IT job recruitment ad. Let’s look at an example.

    Here are some opening lines from a typical IT job advertisement, lifted at random from a well-known recruitment website:

    ‘My client is a world-class IT consultancy… You will be proficient in the following programming languages blah blah blah. Benefits of employment include blah blah blah.’

    Dull.

    For many candidates, if not all, changing job represents a milestone in life. So let’s treat it with the respect it deserves.

    A copywriter’s take

    As a freelance copywriter I’ve edited plenty of job adverts for IT consultancies and software developers. Drawing on that experience (plus general IT copywriting best practice) here are five ways you can improve writing your job ad.

    Every step brings you closer to self-selecting candidates, so you cultivate more of the right kind of people in your IT business.

    1. Focus on the real objective

    The goal of your IT job advert is not to sell your company or intimidate prospective applicants.

    It is to pique the interest of the right person, so they feel compelled to get in touch and explore working with you.

    Remember that.

    Why? Because it defines what you will write about and determines what should go in, and what should be left out, of your IT job advertisement.

    Like copywriting, this is an excise in building bridges between writer and reader.

    The relationship has to be perceived as mutually beneficial and the job ad must convey that. You have to be the right fit for the candidate, as much as they have to be the right fit for your IT business.

    Remember this and you’ll attract and retain the right IT staff, for longer.

    (Sorry if I’m teaching you how to suck eggs here but so many people get this fundamental premise wrong. In copywriting circles we call this goal-oriented copywriting, or simply put: writing with purpose. You’re focusing the mind before writing. When people write without professional help from a copywriter, the most common mistake is not thinking about what you want to say first.)

    2. People first

    You’re hiring a human with personality, not a drone. So a smart way to frame the vacancy when you write your job ad, is to describe the ideal candidate’s disposition.

    Let’s add context and bring the role to life in a vignette:

    ‘You’re the kind of person who’s a pleasure to be around first thing on a Monday morning – buzzing, friendly and eager to fix the latest bug you’ve been puzzling over all weekend.’

    We’ve humanised an outcome here. We didn’t just stop short and say we want someone driven, enthusiastic – a self-starter. We’ve qualified what we mean, given it context.

    What you’re looking to create is a lightbulb moment, where the ideal candidate reads the copy and exclaims ‘yep! that’s me!’.

    3. Add feeling

    Instead of talking about why you’re recruiting for this role (a mistake I see all too often), talk about what the new job feels like. What’s exciting about it?

    Sell the role, not your company:

    ‘You can breathe easy in your first month, shadowing a senior developer while you learn the ropes and settle in. We’ve all been new to a job before, so expect kindly patience and compassion. It’s just how we do business here. You’ll get reassurance from other programmers too, share ideas and join lively debates on how to overcome the latest challenge we’re wrestling with.’

    Notice how we’ve not only described what life feels like for a typical newcomer, we’ve also given an impression of what it’s like to work there too.

    Copywriting this way creates a richer picture – helping the ideal candidate for your IT business imagine what it’s like being a part of your team.

    4. Emphasise variety

    Every programmer is a born problem-solver, but the same repetitive tasks over and over again crush the spirit and kill creativity – bad for any business, IT or otherwise. (This is partly why I quit programming myself, only to get more of the same in middle-management!)

    So if you want to attract smart, active minds to your IT business, you must directly address the issue of mental stimulation and variety.

    Write about the diversity in your projects, clients and technical challenges, or how fluid roles are between teams. If you can’t promise that (why not?), write about how your programmers rotate between projects, or how they’re welcome to pursue side-projects or learn new skills on company time.

    5. Find common ground

    People increasingly demand meaning from their jobs. They want to feel like they’re part of something bigger, that their efforts matter, and that their beliefs align with those of their employer.

    To tackle this one, write upfront and unashamedly about your vision and values. They’re the best screen for filtering out the right people. It works in much the same way as people buy why you do what you do, not what or how.

    ‘We take a no-nonsense approach to software development. We’re born fixers who won’t rest until a problem’s put right. We only build software for socially or environmentally useful projects, and our no-harm principle always comes first. Always.’

    A well-defined tone of voice comes in handy here, to convey genuine passion. If you’re a can-do IT consultancy, an affirmative, punchy tone that gets to the point can achieve that.

    Whatever you do, don’t just say you’re passionate about IT solutions – everyone else says that too. Qualify everything, give context, paint a picture.

    One final extra piece of advice for would-be IT recruitment copywriters

    Read through your first draft and ask yourself – do we sound arrogant or demanding?

    Too many IT job adverts demand a lot upfront from candidates. They raise the first hurdle too high, thinking it’ll dissuade all but the best and most ambitious. Problem is that this risks ruling out someone who’s a perfect fit, but only 80% there in skills or experience.

    Advertisements are suppose to persuade, not dissuade.

    This is the premise of my argument throughout this entire article. It’s that you’re better off writing something that resonates with the right kind of people, than raising barriers to discourage the wrong kind of people.

    If you come at your copywriting from the angles I suggest here, you’re more likely to match on a human level with candidates – which is far more important.

    After all, you have to work alongside this new recruit day-to-day. An agreeable personality and natural aptitude are most important – the remaining 20% shortfall in skills and experience can always be made up on the job.

    Back to basics

    Remember, the role of the well-written IT recruitment advert is to pique interest and open up dialogue. Worry about screening out the nutters later.

    Human nature, aptitude and personality aren’t black and white items you can check-off in a job description. Humanity inhabits a grey area. And it’s this area you must explore when you write copy for your next IT job advert.

    Take my advice and you’ll stand out from your competitors, and appeal to likeminded, self-selecting candidates who’ll be the perfect fit for your IT consultancy or software development company.

    Need a hand copyediting your IT recruitment job advert?

    Drop me a line and we’ll go through your job advert with an expert copywriter’s eye.

  • I’m actively seeking new IT sector copywriting projects

    For the record, I’m now unashamedly specialising in copywriting for clients in the IT sector.

    This won’t come as news to my IT consultancy and software development clients. Most thought my computing background already qualified me as an IT copywriter – and they’re right.

    It’s just that it took me the best part of a decade to realise that myself.

    Why only now you ask?

    After wistful reflection on almost a decade in freelance copywriting, an obvious pattern emerged in my clients. They range from tech startups, IT consultancies to Leeds-based software developers.

    That’s on top of my career working on IT, digital, and software development projects for the web, as an employed IT professional and self-employed copywriter. I cut my copywriting teeth at boutique agencies, tech startups and software development houses, as well as on one of the largest IT projects in the UK: NHS Connecting for Health (now NHS Digital).

    Until now, I came across as a general copywriter who’ll take on any old copywriting project. While I’m always interested in a tasty new brief, people seem to prefer knowing exactly where they stand when they hire a copywriter. They’d rather have a specialist who can pick things up more quickly – someone who already grasps the fundamentals.

    That’s me, in the case of IT

    Computing, software development, networked systems and communication tools are specialisms I enjoy and understand. Moreover, helping people explain and promote what they do best with them is my mission. And making the complex simple; distilling an idea into to its purest form is my MO.

    So now it’s time to make the most of this niche I’ve unwittingly created, and focus on what I do best, and what my clients tell me I’m best at. Everything fits together, now I look at IT.

    That’s that then

    I’m now actively seeking new copywriting projects with IT consultancies, tech companies, digital platforms and software developers. Working remotely from Leeds, or in Yorkshire, London and across the UK.

    If you’re one of them You know what to do.

     

     

  • Safe yet same copywriting

    In a previous post I wrote about ‘safe yet same’ copywriting. What is it?

    Well, you’re about to find out.

    Here are ten frequent mistakes you’ll find on 99% of websites written without the assistance of a diligent copywriter. You’ll also find some copywriting tips to help write around these lazy cliches.

    Avoid each and you’ll not only stand out as having put some thought into your copy. You’ll endear yourself to customers and cultivate more of the right kind of clients.

    Ten frequent mistakes in safe yet same copywriting

    1. Customers come first

    This tritely dirge been in mainstream business lexicon for decades. Even people who don’t run a business know customers are always right. The needs of important people being top priority should go without saying.

    If you must do this, show but don’t tell. Talk about the experience of working together and where they fit into the big picture. Demonstrate you know them by talking about shared values, echo their priorities which are yours too (genuinely).

    2. You claim you’re a leader

    So are all your rivals. It’s a bold claim to substantiate too, without proof.

    Lead by example, not self-proclaimed accolades. Ask why is being leader so important? What are you trying to say? What’s wrong with being good at what you do, rather than the (unprovable) best at what you do? Suppose you are, how did you get that way? Why did you bother? Talk about that instead.

    3. You say you’re creative

    Sorry to break it to you, but so is every other human who has ever existed. It’s safe to assume you can make/build things and come up with ideas.

    Again, show don’t tell, if you can. Talk with passion about the time you did something creative, but why you were compelled to do it that way. How did your values feed into that? Why was it important you did it in that way? Share ideas, rather than simple claim to have them.

    4. You say you’re passionate

    You’d hope so, given that YOU DO THIS FOR A LIVING.

    Let the passion come out in the way your copywriting sounds – your tone-of-voice. Diction, rhythm and pace of your copy can all demonstrate passion for you. Also, the things you decide to talk about help too, and how they overlap with what excites your readers.

    5. Quality is at the heart of everything

    Similar to 1. At the very least, people expect a product or service to work and not be rubbish. Assume you’ll deliver on that.

    What does quality really mean? Chances are it comes about more because of how you do what you do, and why – everything intangible that you invest in your art. What do you invest in the end result that says so much about you? Think about those hard-to-replicate things that really make you unique.

    6. It reads like a history lesson

    Writing is a scary prospect for many; it’s hard to know what to write about on your website. Best stick to what you know and write a dusty treatise on the genesis of your company – who, what and when.

    By all means talk about where you come from. But share a story, don’t dictate a history. Think about which parts of your true backstory will ring true with the reader – which experiences will resonate with them, and forge stronger bonds.

    7. It’s all about you

    Good copywriting is thinking about things from the reader’s (customer’s) perspective. It requires a certain amount of modesty and empathy beyond the grasp of many a would-be copywriter.

    You are not the centre of this person’s world, yet. Get out of your business and instead look in from the outside. What have your ideal clients got in common, with each other and you. How does that fit into your story.

    8. You talk about what not why

    Like 6. The temptation is to write a glorified catalogue of products and services, because it’s easy. But you’re missing an opportunity.

    People connect with why you do what you do, not what you do. Write about what you stand for, what you believe and how you hope to create a legacy. Think in terms of outcomes, not features and benefits. What is real-life like once someone chooses you?

    9. Passive voice

    A bugbear of old. It is has been decided that copywriting in passive, formal voice without allusion to responsiblity is erroneous.

    See what I did there. The tone changed. We weren’t addressing the reader (you) directly, actively, so they feel like part of the narrative.

    10. Everyone’s your audience

    The entire world and everyone in it is not the subset of people you’re best placed to serve, and enjoy serving.

    For your copywriting to truly resonate with the right people, you have to connect on terms they understand – copywriting common ground, if you will.

    One of the blessings of seven billion human beings is just how diverse we are, so make life easier for yourself when you write. Zone in on your ideal customer, and talk about what you share in common, why you do what you do best for them. Because chances are they do what they do for similar reasons. Always be honest and clear.

    Get writing then…

    I now expect a fully copyedited website which explicitly avoids each and every copywriting pitfall listed above.

    Or you could hire a freelance copywriter to do all that hard work for you.