Clever Copy Chats

Hello copy beasts, I have some good news and some sad news. This will be the last episode of the Clever Copy Chats podcast. Instead, I'm absorbing this podcast into one mega podcast. It's going to be called The Kate Toon  Show - it's all about how to create a successful, profitable and enjoyable business using smart, creative, simple digital marketing tactics. Whether it's creating passive income streams, juggling your real life with your business, or being a misfit.  I'm going to be passing on digital marketing tips, business advice, finance advice. Over time, you'll see all the episodes from this podcast being merged into the Kate Toon Show, historically. I'll also be talking about copywriting on that new show, because, you know, once a copy beast, always a copy beast. The new show gives me the freedom to talk about all manner of different things, and I'm really excited for it, so I hope you can come and listen to that.  Check out The Kate Toon Show. Freebies Free rates guide Join the Misfit Entrepreneurs Facebook Group   Useful links:  Join the Digital Marketing Collective Order my new book: Six Figures While You Sleep

Hello,  I just want to explain that we're going to be taking a little bit of a break on the podcast, probably about a month or so. This is sadly because I've had some bad news from home and I need to return to the UK and spend some time with my family. So I hope you can bear with me while I get through this difficult time. We will be back later in the year with more great episodes. Thanks for listening. I wish you all well. Thank you.   Freebies Free rates guide Join the Misfit Entrepreneurs Facebook Group   Useful links:  Join the Digital Marketing Collective

  In these short snappy episodes, I want to give you smart little Toon tips on how to hone your copywriting skills and improve your copywriting business.    Today I want to talk to you about honing in on your homepage. We spend a lot of time looking at other people’s sites, but when was the last time you took a long hard Paddington bear stare at your home page?   Well, perhaps today is the day. Listen to all tip episodes here   Freebies Free rates guide Join the Misfit Entrepreneurs Facebook Group Useful links:  Sales Page course Join the Digital Marketing Collective

Welcome to another award winner's episode.   In these episodes, I’m talking to winners from the Clever Copywriting School Awards of 2022.   I’ll be asking: What do they think made them stand out to win the awards? What advice and tips can they offer you? What are the challenges they’ve faced? And common mistakes they see their peers making.   Today we’re chatting with our proofreading winner and our editing winner.   These are useful, practical and hopefully inspiring episodes from glorious yet humble writers.  I hope you enjoy it.   Tune in to learn:  What qualities make an award-winning editor What qualities make an award-winning proofer The main differences between editing and proofreading How to start off with structural editing How to tackle editing a book Why editorial guidelines can be helpful  What proofreaders should focus on Why Mary got involved with editing Why Tanja prefers proofing and editing over creative copywriting How to approach editing so the client doesn’t feel overwhelmed Tanja and Mary’s top recommended tools   Useful resources:  Grammarly Draftium Loom   Head to episode notes   Freebies Free rates guide

In these short snappy episodes, I want to give you smart little Toon tips on how to hone your copywriting skills and improve your copywriting business.    Today I want to talk to you about my favourite copywriting formula.  PAS (Problem / Agitate / Solve)   Other useful formulas:  AIDA (Attention/Interest/Desire/Action) ACCA (Awareness/Comprehension/Conviction/Action) BAB (Before/After/Bridge) FAB (Features/Advantages/Benefits) CCCC (Clear/Concise/Credible/Compelling) AIDPPC (Attention/Interest/Description/Persuasion/Proof/Colours)   Listen to all tip episodes here.  Freebies Free rates guide  

Do you feel like a confident copywriter?   Unfortunately, I think part of being an empathetic, thoughtful writer is questioning everything, including ourselves and that can lead to self-doubt, imposter syndrome and comparisonitis.   So how do we overcome that?   Today I’m chatting with a copywriting coach who specialises in building confidence in yourself and your biz, and setting up productive business practices that will help lure in all those lovely leads.   Tune in to learn:  How Emma made her way from teaching to copywriting. What Emma’s first steps were as a copywriter What a copywriting coach is Common problems small business owners have when writing their own copy What business owners should be focusing on in their marketing What Emma’s pricing structure as a copywriting coach looks like How Emma deals with self-doubt Emma’s favourite copywriting tool Emma’s top copywriting tip for small business owners   Useful resources:  Hemingway Editor Google Docs   Head to episode notes    Freebies   Free rates guide

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 copywriters should be more like fruit sellers when it comes to promoting themselves. Listen to all tip episodes here.  Freebies Free rates guide Membership: Join now

Ugh, content marketing, it just sounds so, well boring. And content, really? Does it actually generate sales or just contribute to the noise on the interwebs?   How do you create snappy content that woos the TOFUs, comforts the MOFUs and gets the BOFUs to reach for their credit cards?   Today’s guest specialises in long-form content marketing, helping her clients connect with customers through personal stories, informative blogs and free advice.    Get ready to hear how you can woo and wow your client through the power of content marketing services. Tune in to learn:  How Jody moved from corporate marketing to copywriting How the US copywriting market compares to Australia How content writing differs from copywriting How long-form content writing fits into building brand awareness and making the sale Where long and short-form content works best How Jody incorporates AI as a tool in client projects How Jody packages and sells content marketing strategy to clients The biggest challenges Jody has faced as a copywriter and content writer Jody’s top copywriting tools Jody’s advice for new copywriters   Useful resources:  Grammarly NaturalReader   Head to episode notes  Freebies 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 and improve your copywriting business.    Today I want to talk to you about legal. I know it's boring, but it's super, super important. This is one that should be really front of mind, and it's all about getting your legals sorted. Listen to all tip episodes here. Useful Resources:  Copywriting Project Terms and Conditions Copywriter Legal Bundle Freebies Free rates guide Membership: Join now  

Okay we have a new podcast theme (well not that new, we’ve done a few episodes), it’s called AWARD WINNERS, and in these episodes, I’m talking to winners from the Clever Copywriting School Awards of 2022. I’ll be asking: What do they think made them stand out? What advice and tips can they offer you? What are the challenges they’ve faced? And common mistakes they see their peers making. Today we’re chatting with our diversity winner and our new business winner. These are useful, practical and hopefully inspiring episodes from glorious yet humble writers.  I hope you enjoy them. Tune in to learn: Why Nicole won Best New Business of the Year 2022 Why Zoe Simmons won Diversity Champion of the Year 2022 The best way to build trust with your clients Why accessibility and inclusivity is so important  Nicole’s number one tip to anyone starting a new business Zoe’s number one tip for anyone looking to being more inclusive if your copywriting Challenges Zoe and Nicole have faced in their careers How Nicole and Zoe view the rise of AI and tools Useful resources: WordHippo Robot Love AI Summit Head to episode notes Freebies Free webinar: Your first month as a copywriter 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 and improve your copywriting business.  Today I want to talk a little bit about how to brand differently by thinking outside the box. Let’s talk about branding. One of the biggest mistakes I see with copywriters is the tendency to brand themselves in similar ways to other copywriters they’ve seen. While this is fine, it’s very safe. If you want to stand out from the sameness, don’t replicate what all the other copywriters are doing. Toon in to this episode for my advice. Freebies Free rates guide Membership: Join now  

Juggling copywriting and having a life is a struggle, right? And then there’s the added pressure of making money, dealing with clients, worrying about ChatGPT and all that nasty imposter syndrome. Today I want to talk about what it’s really like to be a copywriter. What does the average day look like? What are the ups? And the downs? Let’s get real today, people, and dig into the challenges all copywriters face. Tune in to learn: How Kristy found her way from print media to copywriting How Kristy combines digital marketing into her services Why Kristy focused on conversion copywriting Why offering a suite of services can be beneficial to your copywriting business How Kristy faces mindset challenges How Kristy views generative AI tools and AI copywriting Kristy’s favourite day-to-day copywriting tool Kristy’s top tip for copywriters Useful resources: Robot Love AI Summit Grammarly Freebies Free webinar: Your first month as a copywriter 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 and improve your copywriting business.    Today I want you to stop asking ‘why me’ and start asking ‘why not me?’   In the business world, especially when you’re starting out, it can be oh-so easy to doubt yourself.   There are so many other copywriters out in the world; why would anyone pick you (or me)?   Perhaps you don’t have any experience. No samples. You haven’t done a fancy $5k US copywriting course. You haven’t bought every single copywriting book.. Honestly, who cares?   Just as with love, in copywriting, there’s someone for everyone.   Freebies Free rates guide   Membership: Join now

Us copywriters pride ourselves on being words people. But when it comes to figures, well some of us aren’t so great.   And after all my years coaching copywriters, I’ve found it’s not the copywriting side of things that causes businesses to fail, it’s poor money management.   Fear about pricing. Poor cash flow management. Awkwardness about invoicing. And naked terror at tax time. All these issues can really drag a happy copywriter down. So today we’re talking about mastering your money and getting some tips on how to feel fabulous about your finances.   Tune in to learn:  Why freelancers often struggle with the money side of business Mistakes copywriters often make when starting out How accounting tools can save you time and money How to start tracking your business finances regularly How to be prepared for tax time Why having the right accounting tools and team is crucial to your business growth Olly’s top tips for transforming your business finances   Useful resources:  The Ultimate Freelancer Guide to Taxes   Head to episode notes    Freebies Free webinar: Your first month as a copywriter Free rates guide Membership: Join now

Batton down the hatches I know that many copywriters feel under attack at the moment. The cost of living crisis is biting hard, and it’s getting harder to find and convert clients. ChatGPT seems to be threatening our very existence. And as the bank balance dwindles, as the confidence ebbs, it can cause us deep thinkers to spiral into negative thoughts. It can also lead us to make panicky decisions. Listen to this episode for a little perspective and confidence as we move forward. Freebies Free rates guide   Membership: Join now

VIP days are a relatively new thing in the copywriting world.  Back in the old days there was no such thing, I’m pretty much sure of it. But then someone, somewhere started banging on about VIP days and now everyone has jumped on this copywriting bandwagon. And I get it, they’re a great way to overcome the eternal problem of projects dragging on for months and months and months. One day, done. Love it. But are VIP days all they’re cracked up to be?  Does that idea of working live with your client for an entire day make you feel queasy? How on earth do you charge for that? What if the copy turns out crap? What if you don’t have the mojo when the big day comes? Today we talk with our Member of the Year Cathy Camera, about her copywriting career and how VIP days perfectly suit her business model, her temperament, and her cash flow goals. We’ll also talk about the types of clients VIP days suit as well as passing on some great tools, tips and advice for working copywriters. Tune in to learn:  Cathy’s career path before becoming a copywriter How Cathy discovered her niche of construction copywriting Cathy’s biggest copywriting career win Cathy’s worst copywriting fail How Cathy has embraced VIP days and VIP packages How Cathy structures her VIP days How Cathy won Member of the Year in TCCS Cathy’s top tool to improve communication with clients Cathy’s top tip for current and up-and-coming copywriters Useful resources:  Loom Capability Statement Copywriting Template Head to episode notes Freebies Free webinar: Your first month as a copywriter 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 and improve your copywriting business.    Today I want to talk to you about what to do when the inspiration well has run dry. Your brain is foggy. Writing feels like you’re wading through sludge. The words just aren’t coming. But the deadline looms and there are bills to pay.   So how do you push yourself to keep writing when the inspiration and creative spark have gone?   Tune in to hear my tips.    Freebies Free rates guide   Membership: Join now

So, you’re a copywriter, but you don’t live in a snazzy suburban area, with cool cafes and agencies aplenty. Instead, you’re 8 hours from the nearest big city. How does being a regional copywriter impact your client list, your rates, and the number of meetings you have to attend? Our guest today is a 10-year Copybeast, with small humans and a big list of achievements. From her home offices, she’s built a successful copywriting business that allows her to support her family, have a flexible lifestyle and even employ her lovely mum. So, if you want to know how to juggle all the things and have a fabulous, successful business wherever you are, this is the episode for you. Tune in to Learn: Sarah-Joy’s career journey before becoming a copywriter The differences in working as a regional copywriter vs. working in a large city Sarah-Joy’s biggest copywriting career win Sarah-Joy’s biggest copywriting career fail Keeping it in the family: Why Sarah-Joy employs her mum, and why it works so well How giving birth to two humans has affected her business Sarah-Joy’s number one favourite copywriting tool Sarah-Joy’s tip for newbie copywriters Useful Resources: Grammarly Markup.io WordTune Sales Page Course Head to episode notes   Freebies: Free webinar: Your first month as a copywriter 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 and improve your copywriting business.    Today I want to talk to you about confidence and why it’s the maker or breaker of your copywriting business.   I'll cover why you should:  Be kind to yourself. Realise you're not alone.  Set goals for yourself.  Work out strategies for tricky situations Practice talking to clients with friends (phone script) Use templates/ and email formats   Freebies Free rates guide   Membership: Join now

Okay we have a new podcast theme, it’s called AWARD WINNERS, and in these episode I’m talking to winners from the Clever Copywriting school awards. I’ll be asking: What do they think made them the stand out to win the awards. What advice and tips can they offer you? What are challenges they’ve faced? And common mistakes they see their peers making? These are useful, practical and hopefully inspiring episodes from glorious yet humble writers.  I hope you enjoy them. Okay we have a new podcast theme, it’s called AWARD WINNERS, and in these episode I’m talking to winners from the Clever Copywriting school awards. I’ll be asking: What do they think made them the stand out to win the awards. What advice and tips can they offer you? What are challenges they’ve faced? And common mistakes they see their peers making? These are useful, practical and hopefully inspiring episodes from glorious yet humble writers.  I hope you enjoy them.   Tune in to learn: What it takes to be a great content writer What it takes to be a great copywriter Common mistakes that copywriters make (and how you can avoid them) Clare and Caitlin’s number one favourite copywriting tools Challenges that Clare and Caitlin have overcome in their careers How ChatGPT is going to change things  Clare and Caitlin’s tips for copywriters new to the scene   Useful Resources: Asana Notion ChatGPT Wordtune Head to episode notes Blog   Freebies Free webinar: Your first month as a copywriter Free rates guide Membership: Join now