PR is a quick win

Absolutely not. PR is a long game of building awareness. Because people can only buy from you if they know of you. It takes, according to theory, seven touch points for a customer to move from first interaction to the point of sale. So you need to be visible, embedding yourself in their minds. At that stage when the customer is about to click the button, make the purchase, sign the dotted line you need to be a brand they feel like they’re already in a relationship with, because of how familiar they are with you.

PR is either trade or consumer

I 100% do not agree with only doing B2B or B2C PR. Because all business people are also consumer people. They read HR Director and The Guardian, or subscribe to Accountancy Age and scroll on Twitter. They might be in slightly different mindsets at each point, but it comes back to visible, recognisable, and making them aware of you. So I’ll get mental health clients talking on psychology of relationships for consumer, as well as latest product release for healthcare publications, or tech clients responding to news about ChatGPT, as well as thought leadership on their solution.

PR is getting stuff in newspapers

Some of PR is about getting your name in the media. But it’s also about brand awareness, thought leadership, lead generation, podcast appearances, speaking opportunities, leveraging socials, newsjacking…the list goes on. A lot of time is spent on emailing journalists, granted, but it’s about the bigger picture of reputation management and thinking about what you want to be known for in the industry. Good PRs think about the bigger picture and creating opportunities for you to be seen, heard, and noted.

PR plays safe

People buy from people. And they buy from people they like. So brands and companies who have a personality are much more likely to convert the sale and seal the deal, and form long term relationships. There will be an element of managing reputation in the face of challenges and crisis comms, but the most successful brands are those who stand out as likeable, fun and someone you want to be allied with.

PR is like Ab Fab

Literally can’t remember the last time I had a glass of fizz with clients. But if you’re offering?

Not me. I need a lot of rest. And I am much more productive when I get it. I never set an alarm, but wake up when my body tells me to, which is usually between 6am and 7.30am, after a good 8 hours or so.

We need to stop glorifying the idea that you have to be always on to be successful. I’m very much a doer, and very productive, but I know I can’t have the energy to be achieving unless I’m rested and fuelled (but that’s a whole other story).

Sleep enables our brains to work better, by enabling neurons to reorganise. It helps consolidate memory, thus helping improve organisation systems so we can remember information and processes that will help with work, as well as more simple things like turning up to meetings and hitting deadlines. It improves mental processes associated with learning, enabling us to progress faster with complex tasks.

A rested body is more energetic, meaning you can tackle tasks with zeal, and often get more done as a result. I know that on days when I’ve had a good amount of sleep I get through work in half the time than I do when I’m tired and weary. That extra couple of hours in bed, rather than being a waste of time, saves me hours in my working day. Matthew Carter, PhD, a sleep specialist at Williams College agrees in his TED Talk The Science of Sleep (and the Art of Productivity), saying that you get more done with more sleep, not less.

One study found that lack of sleep resulting in inefficiency and lack of productivity is actually costing businesses money. As good sleep is essential to heal and restore the body, it also contributes to more sick days.

A tired Francesca is often a grumpy Francesca, which probably doesn’t make me much fun to deal with. I pride myself on being friendly and fun to engage with, so want to be at my best for my clients. It’s very difficult to market yourself as a pleasure to deal with if you come across as a belligerent sod simply because you’re exhausted.

I also enjoy work more when it doesn’t feel like a slog. And my enjoyment of the jobs that I do, the projects I take on, the organisations I deal with and the people I deal with are central to my job satisfaction. So when I’m energised and engaged, being a business owner is the best thing ever. I’d like to keep it that way.

What about you? Are you hustler or a sleeper? Or is the relationship between the two more complex?

For me a good day at work, which adds up to good results for my clients, starts with a good sleep.

Over the last few years VAs, or Virtual Assistants, have become a big thing. Like a personal assistant in the office, they are there to support your business in whatever way you need, with admin, research, emails, diary management and even social media management.

2021 was the first year I used a VA. I felt a bit ashamed that I had too much to do and couldn’t manage it myself. But actually it’s been brilliant. I now have a few trusted VAs who I can lean on to do admin style tasks, freeing me up for the more strategic work that I like doing (and that pays me better). I never want to scale my business so it becomes an agency rather than me, but recognise there’s a value in getting support.

Here is what I’ve learned a lot about how to get the best out of a VA.

Trial a few Virtual Assistants

It’s so hard to find a VA out of the thousands out there, so I trialled a few. Some were fab at specific admin but couldn’t think creatively, whereas others went too off piste. I don’t agree with monitoring software and refuse to use an agency that suggests it. Explore your options and figure out what works for you.

Give your VA a proper brief

Like you’d expect to get a brief from a client, a VA can benefit from you giving them one. I like to tell my VA the why behind the task, the ultimate outcome, what I need them to do, roughly how long I think it will take, and a deadline.

Let them ask questions

Chances are you’ve been doing the same task day in and day out, so know what you like. A VA isn’t a mind reader, and won’t know everything you want. Give them an opportunity to ask questions and find out more.

Be open to new ways of doing things

And because you’ve been doing the same task, you’ll have a set way of doing things – but that doesn’t mean it’s the best way. Be willing to hear new ideas.

Agree a project fee

As is always recommended to freelance copywriters and marketers, it’s best not to use an hourly rate. Pay people for the value they offer, and encourage them to be efficient. But not everyone will want this, so respect the way they run their business.

Pay on time

As a freelancer I know how frustrating late payments can be. If someone has done the work they deserve to be paid. So I always pay invoices as soon as I get them. It’s just part of being a responsible business owner.

What is social media engagement?

Simply put, social media engagement is a measure of how people are interacting with content and accounts. It might include:

• Likes
• Favourites
• Shares
• Mentions
• Comments
• DMs etc.

Why does engagement matter?

Having a high number of followers is something of a vanity metric. What is actually important when growing and building a brand is building trust and credibility. The more people engage with you brand, the more they are building a relationship with you.

It also plays a big role in how those mystery social media algorithms treat you, as they prioritise accounts with highest engagement, meaning the more engagement you are getting, the more visibility you will be given.

It can help your SEO, if you use the right terms, meaning you’ll be seen in search traffic.

How do I increase my engagement?

Start by engaging with others. Social media is exactly that – social. So interact with others, and grow your reputation by doing so. It’s a mix of proactive conversation where you try to spark engagement, and reactive, joining existing conversations.

You can:

• Like
• Comment
• Share
• Repost
• Send

To find the right accounts to engage with, try:

• Searching for a hashtag relevant to your interests
• Creating lists of notable people and engaging with them on a regular basis
• Looking at who follows your competitors

The various platforms prioritise engagement in different ways. LinkedIn favours engagement received in the first 60 minutes, Twitter loves a hashtag, and Instagram is all about the videos.

Create sharable and interesting content. Types of content that are more likely to get good interaction are polls, videos, and questions.  If you want people to engage back with you, you need to speak in a credible and authentic voice. Don’t go out with the hard sales pitch. Be chatty, friendly and supportive.

Make sure you keep an eye on your analytics and see which content is getting the most engagement. And then do more of that.

Get engaged

Basically have fun with it. It’s like going to a party (or pub, read more here). Keep showing up, having a chat, and sparking conversation.

I’ve always found business networking pretty painful. I’ve tried those early morning meetings, and found I couldn’t stomach the full English at 6am at a motorway hotel. I’m not comfortable recommending people who I don’t really know, just because the networking group demands a certain number of referrals. And I get really bored making small talk. I also hate it when someone is dismissive and rude, when they realise you won’t make them any money immediately. Hey, I’m still a person.

Selling doesn’t come naturally to me. I’m not against selling. It’s vital to having a successful business. But I think there’s a way of doing it. And the way that works for me when it comes to business networking is approaching it like I would the pub.

Show up

If you say you’re going to be there, be there. Don’t leave your mates waiting, and don’t commit to a networking meeting or event that you can’t really be bothered to do. Turn up on time and be present.

Ask questions

We all love to chat about ourselves. The most engaging people are those who ask questions and learn. We’ve all switched off when people drone on about themselves after a few pints. The same happens in business networking. Ask questions of people and get to know them. They’ll remember you as someone keen to build a relationship.

Be helpful

You can be helpful when it comes to business networking. That doesn’t mean you have to carry the drinks or stand a round. But be supportive and offer your advice when warranted. I get a lot of my work through Facebook groups and I think it’s because I offer advice and share my tips and learning.

Show enthusiasm

We would always rather spend a Friday night with people who smile and look like they’re having fun. Yes business is important (although not as much as some people make out), but there’s no need to be dry and boring whilst you do it. Look like you’re enjoying yourself and want to be there.

Be someone people want to hang out with again

Ultimately referrals and business relationships happen when people want to spend time with you. If you’re good at what you do, helpful whilst you do it, and personable and good to work with, people will want to hang out again – in the pub or in the meeting room.

Drink wine

Well why not?

First published on Anti-Sell.

Generalists see the big picture

Yes you could hire a copywriter to sit in their shed and write 3000 words of copy. But what good is that if it doesn’t fit into your wider communications plan? Generalists understand the strategic importance of your marketing for business objectives and how it all fits in to the bigger picture. They know what they do impacts the rest of the business and ensure that impact is a brilliant one.

Generalists can be flexible

If you want to hire a freelancer for a long term relationship it can be beneficial to choose a generalist. They can remain adaptable and flexible to serving your business as needs develop and change, delivering the right service at any one time, in an agile way. Without the need for you to onboard someone new to your business.

Generalists bring a different perspective

If generalists work in different sectors they can often bring ideas from one to another. This boosts creativity and can bring a fresh perspective to your field. You want your business to be uniue and innovative, and that outside in approach can help you do just that. Full-stack employees are prized by companies like Google because they believe “innovation is found at the boundaries between disciplines.”

Generalists are great at leading teams

Because generalists can apply their skills to a range of issues, they tend to have a good understanding of the different roles that people in a team can play. They’ve been there. This makes them great at leading teams and building strategies for success. They have a variety of experiences and each one of them shapes their approach and understanding of what makes people tick.

What do you think? Generalist vs specialist? I’ve written about why you don’t need a niche here. Let me know!

With more and more people working from home during the pandemic, businesses are having to consider new working models. The future might be home based, it might be office based, it might be hybrid, but it certainly looks like there has been a shift.

And there are real benefits to hiring a remote copywriter, remote marketer, remote PR, remote anything.

They won’t be wasting time

If someone is commuting 90 minutes each way, that’s 15 hours a week or two working days. Without that commute they have more energy and time to focus on the business.

Widening your talent pool

If businesses focus on a specific geographic reach they are limiting their talent pool. If you’re considering a wider pool which is helps you attract the right and best person for your business. Why limit yourself?

You save money

If people work from home, you don’t need a massive office to house them. Saving you rent, energy and efficiency.

More relaxed

Research has shown that people are more relaxed after a year of lockdown – potentially strangely! This might be due to a better work/life balanced. Relaxed people tend to be happier people, and happier people are better workers.

Time is money

Most freelancers are super efficient, as they know that when they are not working, they are not being paid. This makes them productive and focused on delivering for the client.

So what are you waiting for? Hire a remote copywriter or marketer today.

Why does tone of voice matter?

Think about when you meet someone. Do you decide whether to be friends with them based on what they look like or the colour of their clothes, or is it more about the conversation you have with them? The words they use, how they sound, and the way they come across.

Tone of voice is crucial for a brand or a business. Here’s why…

Tone of voice helps you stand out – tone of voice reflects our brand personality and makes us different from the rest. If everybody sounds the same, you don’t get heard. Make the way you speak a business USP.

Tone of voice lets people know who they are dealing with – having a tone of voice that represents your brand personality means that people understand you and your business better. They know who they are dealing with and the kind of service they can expect.

Tone of voice attracts the right clients – having a specific tone of voice can help you find clients in your industry or niche, if that’s how you choose to work. If you’re very corporate, you’ll attract corporate businesses. If you’re more conversational, it might be those from creative industries.

Tone of voice can help you scale your business – one of the things that holds people back from scaling their business is worrying about diluting their brand. Having a defined tone of voice ensures that anyone communicating on behalf of your business will be doing so in a way that is aligned to business purpose and brand values.

Tone of voice builds trust – a clear tone of voice helps customers trust you because it enables consistency. If every email, newsletter, social media post and blog post feels different, you’ll seem inauthentic. Getting it on brand every time makes sure your clients and customers know what they are getting when they come to you.

Defining your tone of voice

It all comes down to thinking about who your audience is, who you are, and how you will connect the two. Writing tone of voice guidelines is probably my favourite thing to do, so if you want to know more about how I can help you, get in touch.

Nothing makes my heart sink more than a client asking me to ‘write for SEO.’ Because, often untrained in the principles as they are, what they mean is ‘stuff this copy full of keywords, even if it sounds unintelligible.’ As a copywriter and marketer, I always write for the audience. Because the goal of your copy is not just to get people to your page, but to engage, inspire, and convert them. And you can’t do that with bad copy.

Length matters

Google does reward pages with longer copy with better SEO rankings. But that doesn’t mean you should write 3000 words of drivel. The reason it rewards these pages is because people spend longer on them. How do you make sure they do so? Write something compelling that they want to read. Don’t add words just for the sake of it. If someone has come to your page for a quick answer and you give them reams of copy they will go elsewhere fast, increasing your bounce rate. Say what you need to say to get your message across, and no more.

Cut to the chase

You can tell a post written purely for SEO, or at least old school keyword stuffing SEO, as the first paragraph is stuffed with every possible permutation of the main phrase. By that point, you’ve lost your customer. You don’t have long to articulate your value proposition, some say ten seconds, so don’t waffle about it.

Keywords for key insights

People come at keywords in the wrong way. Rather than think of them as words and phrases you should stuff into your writing, they are actually inordinately helpful research into the kind of mindset your audience are in and where they are in the customer funnel. If the top result is ‘which cat food is healthier?’ you know you need to give them an answer. If it’s ‘where should I go on holiday?’ give options. ‘How do I treat an ingrown toenail?’ try facts. Doing research for keywords isn’t just about finding the words to add in, but learning more about your customer.

Get your goals right

The goal of someone who says ‘write just for SEO’ is to get someone to visit their website. But that’s not the right focus. You need to think about your customer’s goals, and how fulfilling the customer’s goals will get you to yours – more sales, more profit, more work.

Credibility counts

One of the main elements that search engines use to determine rankings is domain authority, influenced by the number of links pointing to that website. If your content is pointless, dull, or spammy, people won’t want to link to it, as it will undermine their own credibility. So just having filler keywords certainly isn’t the way to go.

SEO matters, of course. You can have the most beautiful prose or compelling copy, but if you can’t get an audience through the metaphorical door, there’s little point. But that shouldn’t be where the process ends. That’s one, very important, but certainly not the only, step through the sales funnel and customer journey. To get them to actually click a link, purchase a product, make an enquiry, you need to convince them that you are solving their problem.

And you do that through convincing and compelling copy that converts. And how do you get that? Well, you hire a copywriter of course…

Communicating effectively is about delivering compelling messages that will ultimately get you more engagement – and sales.

That’s why I’m running workshops to help you identify what your messages are, and how to share them.

In these practical sessions we will work on developing a messaging strategy for success.

We will –

• Identify your key audiences
• Decide on what will motivate them to act
• Develop a ‘messaging house’
• Consider how to integrate this into a wider communication strategy

The workshop will draw techniques I have used with everyone from Tesco to Virgin, Nesta to National Trust, as well as small businesses and entrepreneurs.

The 90 minute session will take place via Zoom, naturally, and costs just £60.

If you’re interested, email me on fbaker@live.co.uk and we can chat further.