A skilled human editor does more than fix typos, such as:

– Understanding and communicating your brand’s unique personality and voice

– Injecting genuine insights and experiences

– Creating content that speaks directly to your audience, at a practical and emotional level

– Ensuring every piece of content reinforces your brand’s value proposition and promise

We humans are rather good at bringing context, emotion and genuine understanding that AI simply can’t replicate. A freelance content editor also knows when to use industry jargon, when to simplify and how to make technical information engaging. Beyond all that, they can put themselves into your audience’s shoes, to consider and feel how the content might be received.

 A collaborative approach

The best content approach isn’t about choosing between AI and a freelance content editor. It’s about leveraging the strengths of both. AI generates initial drafts quickly. That’s incredibly useful. Get your prompting right and you make huge efficiencies with your content production. But it’s key to remember those are first drafts. And even a human’s first draft will need re-writing. Your freelance content editor will transform those drafts into compelling, authentic content, that carries your brand promise and creates a real connection with your audience.

Real-world impact

Imagine two similar wealth management businesses and you’re choosing which one will help manage your nest egg.

– Company A uses unedited AI content, churning out generic blog posts and newsletters. They sound much the same as their competitors; it’s competent, but nothing stands out. You read what they publish, often realise you’ve read it elsewhere and always feel unmoved.

– Company B uses AI as a starting point, with a freelance content editor on hand to develop it into nuanced, insightful copy. This content seems to understand you better. Beyond your practical objectives, it recognises the emotional background to your decision-making and so connects with you on a deeper level. It goes far beyond competence and engenders a strong feeling of trust.

Which one would you choose as your investment partner, to support you and your family into the future?

The long game

Your content is more than just words on a page. It’s an ongoing conversation with your audience. It’s how you build trust, demonstrate expertise and stand out in a crowded market. Quick cheap content might save you money today. But it’ll cost you credibility tomorrow.

Ready to transform your content from generic to genuinely compelling? Let’s talk about how a freelance content editor can elevate your brand’s communication.

The post A freelance content editor – your brand’s secret weapon appeared first on Alex Genn Copywriting.

The compliance tightrope

Imagine an AI tool happily generating content about investment strategies, market trends or financial products. Sounds great, right? Until you remember that one misplaced word could land your company in hot water with regulators.

Why AI alone just doesn’t cut it

Artificial intelligence is impressive, but it’s not a compliance expert. It doesn’t understand the nuanced world of financial regulations and it certainly can’t navigate the complex landscape of legal requirements.

The regulatory minefield

Financial content isn’t just about creating content that communicates your products or knowledge. It demands more. It’s about:

– Absolute accuracy

– Crystal-clear disclaimers

– Precise language that leaves no room for misinterpretation

– Compliance with ever-changing regulatory standards

…leaving that to AI alone is beyond foolhardy and veering into negligence. Working with a freelance copy editor, who is highly experienced in financial services communications, will protect you against all of these pitfalls.

A real-world scenario

Picture this: An AI-generated investment guide. Sounds like it would save you a lot of work. And, in honesty, it will, as a first draft. But that’s all can be. Give it to your freelance copy editor and they will catch all sorts of critical issues, such as:

– Outdated risk disclaimers

– Potentially misleading performance descriptions

– Language that could be interpreted as financial advice

– Missing required regulatory statements

…and more. We all know that one missed or inaccurate detail could mean hefty fines, regulatory investigations, damage to your brand’s reputation and/or potential legal challenges.

 The freelance copy editor: your compliance superhero

A skilled human editor does more than just polish words. They understand current regulatory requirements and stay updated on industry-specific compliance standards. Beyond that, they interpret complex financial language and ensure every piece of content meets strict legal guidelines.

Beyond the rulebook

It’s not just about following rules. It’s about understanding the spirit of those rules. AI sees black and white; your freelance copy editor sees the critical shades of grey that matter in financial communication. Think of AI as a research assistant and your freelance copy editor as a compliance officer, brand protector and communication strategist rolled into one.

 What a freelance copy editor brings to the table

– Deep industry knowledge

– Contextual understanding

– Ability to interpret complex regulatory language

– Strategic communication skills

– Brand-specific insight

More than just avoiding mistakes

The goal isn’t just to prevent problems. It’s to create content that builds trust, demonstrates expertise, communicates clearly and confidently and protects your brand’s reputation

The bottom line

In the financial world, your content is more than just words. It’s a reflection of your brand’s integrity, expertise and commitment to your clients. AI can generate content. But you need a freelance copy editor to ensure that content is accurate, compliant and truly valuable.

Wondering how to navigate the complex world of financial content creation? Let’s talk about protecting your brand while staying ahead of the curve.

The post How a freelance copy editor protects financial content appeared first on Alex Genn Copywriting.

The AI content illusion

AI can string words together on any subject faster than you can say “publish”. It’ll dodge spelling mistakes, even suggest grammar tweaks, which is very impressive. But for your content to be really effective, it needs to be more than grammatically correct. It needs to truly connect with the human reading it. That’s why human oversight is worth its weight in gold.

Hello? Sherlock calling

A professional content editor isn’t just a glorified proofreader. They’re content detectives, brand guardians and strategic communication experts rolled into one. While AI sees words, a human sees context, nuance, and can consider how content might be received by the audience.

Imagine AI as a highly caffeinated intern – enthusiastic, quick, but sometimes missing the bigger picture. Your professional content editor? More of a seasoned manager who knows exactly how to channel that energy into something meaningful.

The layers of content most AI misses

1. Contextual intelligence

AI doesn’t understand subtext. It can’t pick up on the subtle shifts in tone that make your brand unique. Ever read something that feels… off? That’s AI running solo without human guidance.

2. Emotional resonance

Humans connect through emotion. AI generates text; professional copywriters on the other hand create conversations. They know how to make your content speak directly with your audience, sparking a response, rather than just broadcasting at them.

3. Industry-specific nuance

Particularly in sectors like finance, legal or tech the difference between a good and great piece of content is razor thin. AI might nail the technical terms but it can’t capture the lived experience that gives content true credibility. Think about true thought leadership, where the most valuable, actionable insights are always from lived experience.

Real-world content chaos

Let me paint a picture. A financial services company uses an AI tool to generate a market analysis report. The AI gathers recent data and constructs grammatically perfect sentences, which on the surface all looks fantastic.

But a professional content editor would catch:

– Outdated market sentiment

– Potential misinterpretation of complex financial signals

– Lack of forward-looking insights that come from genuine market understanding

– Tone that doesn’t match the brand’s professional yet approachable voice

…and a great deal more.

The collaborative sweet spot

Here’s our take: AI isn’t the enemy. It’s a powerful first-draft generator. Think of it as having a research assistant who works at lightning speed, gathering information and creating a rough structure.

Your professional content editor is an invaluable strategic partner. They validate information, inject personality, guarantee content is on voice, add strategic insights, check for potential misinterpretations and makes sure the whole pieces connect with your audience.

Beyond technology: the human advantage

The fact is, algorithms can’t replace years of industry experience. They can’t understand the subtle shifts in market communication, the unwritten rules of your industry, or the specific way your brand connects with its audience. A professional content editor brings institutional and sector knowledge, intuitive understanding of audience needs, strategic communication skills and crucially, an ability to adapt content and personalise it, so it sparks a connection and response.

Your content, elevated

The goal isn’t to replace AI. It’s to use AI as a powerful tool that makes it quicker to get to a first draft and then gets dramatically better with human oversight. It’s about creating content that doesn’t just inform, but truly connects with humans, because it’s guided by humans.

Curious how a professional content editor can transform your AI-generated content? Let’s chat about taking your AI content to the next level.

The post Beyond spell check: AI needs a professional content editor appeared first on Alex Genn Copywriting.

Understanding the role of a wealth management copywriter

When it comes to wealth management, clarity and precision are paramount. A skilled financial copywriter is not just a wordsmith but also a communicator who can distill intricate financial concepts into digestible content. Whether it’s crafting newsletters, website copy or marketing materials, the wealth management copywriter will convey information in a way that resonates with clients, while maintaining compliance requirements. All of which ensures their financial copywriting always hits the spot.

Key skills of a wealth management copywriter

Writing for the finance sector demands a unique set of skills. A wealth management copywriter must possess a deep understanding of financial terminology, attention to detail, and the ability to tailor messaging for diverse audiences. Moreover, staying abreast of regulatory changes, to meet those aforementioned compliance requirements is non-negotiable. Above all this, they know how to listen, research and interpret information, and present it in an engaging way to readers. But how?

Crafting compelling content for wealth management brands

Engaging clients goes far beyond just presenting facts and figures; it’s about telling a story that captivates and informs readers. Using case studies, client testimonials, and thought-leadership pieces can showcase your expertise and build credibility. Additionally, your wealth management writer will blend your SEO terms in a natural, engaging way, so search rankings don’t come at the cost of readability and engagement.

Benefits of working with a senior-level copywriter

Investing in a senior-level copywriter can yield significant dividends for wealth management companies. With years of industry experience, these professionals bring invaluable insights and strategic thinking to the table. By understanding the nuances of the finance sector and your brand’s unique value proposition, a wealth management copywriter can craft tailored messaging that resonates with your target audience, ultimately driving client acquisition and retention.

Trust matters – and so do your words

In an industry where trust and credibility are paramount, every word matters. By partnering with a seasoned wealth management copywriter who understands the nuances of the sector, you can effectively communicate your brand’s value proposition and differentiate yourself in a crowded market. At Alex Genn Copywriting we offer only senior-level writers. So, each of our financial writers has at least 15 years of experience, giving the maturity and expertise you need, to create content that works hard for you. And as you know better than most, invest wisely, and you’ll reap the rewards.

Get in touch today

The post How a wealth management copywriter can grow your brand appeared first on Alex Genn Copywriting.

But writing effective headlines isn’t easy. Finance sector copywriting tackles complex, technical, and sometimes rather dry topics that may not appeal to the average reader. So, it’s crucial to balance clarity, accuracy, and credibility with creativity, curiosity, and emotion. Moreover, your financial content has to stand out from the crowd and differentiate you from your competitors.

So how do you write effective finance sector copywriting headlines?

How do you craft subheadings that capture the attention of your audience and persuade them to read your financial content? And, just as importantly, how do you avoid common pitfalls and mistakes that can turn off readers or damage your brand?

In this blog post, we will share some tips on how to write headlines that work for financial copywriting. We’ll show you how to use proven formulas, techniques, and best practices to create headlines that grab attention and encourage readers to engage with your content. And, because we’re feeling generous, we’ll also give some examples of good and bad headlines for financial copywriting. Of course, these won’t all fit with your brand, or your voice – but they’re common, proven techniques.

Why Headlines Matter

Headlines are crucial for any type of written content, but especially for finance sector copywriting. Why? Because financial topics are often complex and quite technical. They can be intimidating, confusing, or overwhelming for some people. All of which means they can be hard for the average reader to understand or even relate to.

That’s why you need headlines that simplify your message and make it appealing to your audience. As always, you must communicate the benefits and value of your offer. Your headlines should spark curiosity, interest, and emotion in your readers. And at the same time, they should help differentiate you from your competitors.

Have You considered Different Headline Approaches for Finance Sector Copywriting?

There is no one-size-fits-all formula for writing headlines. However, there are some general guidelines and principles that you can follow to improve your headline writing skills. Here are some of them:

Use numbers and statistics. These are powerful tools in financial copywriting. They can help you quantify your claims, demonstrate your authority, and provide social proof. They can also make your headlines more specific, concrete, and credible. For example:

Weak: Could You Save Money on Your HR Budget?

Strong: Could You Save £10,000 on Your HR Budget in 2024?

Use ‘power words’ and emotional triggers. These are words that evoke strong feelings in your readers. They can help you capture their attention, stir their emotions, and motivate them to take action. They can also make your headlines more persuasive, memorable, and impactful. For example:

Weak: How to Invest in the Stock Market

Strong: Invest in the Stock Market to Avoid Struggling in Retirement

Use questions and challenges. Questions and challenges are effective ways to engage your readers and pique their curiosity. They can help you create a dialogue with your audience, address their pain points, and offer a solution. They can also make your headlines more interactive, conversational, and provocative. For example:

Weak: The Benefits of Strategic Planning

Strong: Are You Making These 7 Common Mistakes in Your Strategic Planning?

Use keywords and phrases. Knowing, and using the words and terms your audience uses to search for information online is crucial. They can help you optimize your headlines for SEO purposes and attract more organic traffic from search engines. They can also make your headlines more relevant, targeted, and aligned with your niche and your market. For example:

Weak: How to Write a Business Plan

Strong: How to Write a Business Plan to Drive Your Brand in 2024

Use testimonials and endorsements. Kind words from satisfied customers can help you build trust, credibility, and social proof with your audience. They can also make your headlines more personal, authentic, and compelling. For example:

Weak: How Our Software Can Help You Manage Your Finances

Strong: How Our Software Helped John Smith at Reuters Save £65,000 in One Year

Put in the work, reap the rewards… or don’t

Writing effective headlines in finance sector copywriting is not easy, but it is possible even if you’re not a freelance finance copywriter. By following the tips and examples we’ve shared in this blog post, you can improve your headline writing skills and create headlines that work for your niche and your audience.

At Alex Genn Copywriting we’re experts in developing financial content that works hard. Our 25 senior-level writers have decades of experience in finance sector copywriting and are well used to working within the regulations. They’re great communicators who never bring their egos to work. So, we can help you with any type of copywriting project, from blog posts and thought-leadership articles to whitepapers, web content, and more. Get in touch today and together, we’ll supercharge your financial content.

The post Finance Sector Copywriting – How to Write Effective Headlines appeared first on Alex Genn Copywriting.

Knock-knock. Who’s there? Know your audience!
There’s not much more important than understanding who you’re talking to. Get to know your audience well. Learn what drives them and how you fit in. Use that information to create content that speaks to their needs. A good sustainability copywriter can work with you to tailor your message accordingly, to develop your research into something that really connects with your readers.

Say what?! Define your message
When communicating your message, be sure to clearly articulate the purpose of your business and the sustainability goals you’re striving to achieve. Working with a sustainability copywriter isn’t just about words, it can also help crystalise your thinking. And they can help define core messages. These capture the essence of your mission and resonate with your target audience. Identifying, and carefully crafting these messages early is an import step in creating consistent, branded communications.

Are you a BFF (best friend forever)? Build relationships!
Establish relationships with organisations and influencers in your industry and build mutual respect. You can do this by regularly sharing content that shows your unique thinking and point of view. A sustainability copywriter can support you, as a ghostwriter, to help you create thought-leadership content that resonates with like-minded organisations. This can extend your reach and create opportunities for collaboration.

Make the most of multiple media
Don’t be afraid to take advantage all sorts of different communication to reach a larger audience. This might include print, broadcast, web content, blogs, social media, video, podcasting and more. One of the advantages of using a senior-level sustainability copywriter is that they will have written for a broad range of media, so will be able to give you brand consistency, wherever you share your messaging.

Data counts – bigtime
This might sound like a no-brainer, but there’s using data and then there’s using data to your advantage. Beyond having the right facts and figures to back up your message and effectiveness, you can use it to persuade and change minds. Taking a nuanced approach to data, marrying it to your objectives and messaging, is where a sustainability copywriter is worth their weight in ethically-mined gold. OK, maybe not literally. But really, the right data can go way beyond providing an evidence-based foundation for your claims.

Realistic goals, expressed with empathy
Every business should set specific goals and objectives to measure the success of communication efforts. But how you set them and, as importantly, express them to your team is crucial. Are they realistic? Be ambitious, of course, but be grounded about what’s possible. And how you express them is just as important. Use your internal communications to share your goals in ways that encourage and enthuse your team. Engage an experienced sustainability copywriter to create internal messaging that ‘sells’ the goals to the team, so everyone is pulling in the same direction. The alternatives can be a demoralised team, disinterested in what they see as the management team’s unrealistic expectations.

Powerful visuals that pop
This might not be the advice you’d be expecting from a company providing your sustainability copywriter, but we know the power of images. The right one can help people visualise the impact of green energy initiatives, or environmental damage, in ways far more powerful than words. It’s all part of using storytelling to connect with your audience. Creating videos, infographics, and interactive tools can help potential corporate partners get to grips with complex concepts, as well as bring facts to life.

Connect with community
We’re all tied to our computers these days, it’s easy to forget the real world exists. But by engaging with local communities, you can make valuable connections, demonstrate how your product or service impacts people and the environment and more. When you reach out to local stakeholders, you build relationships and can really show your passion and commitment for the core values at the heart of your brand.

Gongs. Contracts. Legislation… Don’t forget to celebrate success!
It’s important to celebrate your successes externally, to motivate and inspire others and keep your brand front of mind. And it’s equally important to do so internally, to motivate your team, so they keep pushing towards your objectives. You can easily share success stories via case studies, blogs, video case studies and more. And whether you use a superstar sustainability copywriter or do it yourself, it’s a great way to keep your people motivated.

Of course, these tips are just the start. Crafting compelling copy can be a tricky journey but it’s always worth it!

Talk to us today about helping craft your compelling sustainability content.

The post A Sustainability Copywriter Shares Their Tips appeared first on Alex Genn Copywriting.

Needles and haystacks

There are countless copywriters out there. And many will describe themselves as a freelance financial copywriter. But that can mean a lot of different things. It might mean they’re a copywriter who has a few pieces of work for one client in the finance sector under their belt. Or it may mean they’ve worked in the finance sector and have brought their experience into a new career in copywriting. They may even be the genuine article, with considerable experience and an innate understanding of working in a regulated environment. But even then, that might not be everything you need.

The fact is it is not simple to find who you need. So, we’ve put together a few tips, to help you find a freelance financial copywriter who is right for you.

One: Start with you

Before you even start your search, you’ll need to give careful consideration to your requirements. It’s no use having the best freelance financial copywriter in the world if you can’t give them a detailed outline of what you need and are trying to achieve. Any copywriter worth their salt is going to ask for a decent brief, and you’ll want one too, so you can agree process and deliverables. Clear project objectives also ensure you can focus your such for the writer you need.

Beyond the project, consider one of the most important basics: do you have an established corporate tone of voice? If not, you’ll need someone who can help with that too, so factor that into the skill set you’re looking for. In short, make sure you know what you want, before you start looking.

Two: Experience counts – but don’t be over specific

When you’re choosing who to work with, make sure you can see a website or portfolio that shows a good breadth of financial copywriting experience. But, please, don’t expect even the most experienced freelance financial copywriter to have dabbled in every single sub-sector of the industry. If you’re looking for experience in something highly specific, you’re unlikely to find it. Or if you do, you may be looking at someone with narrow experience, who brings less to the project. A good freelance financial copywriter, with broad financial sector experience, will use their knowledge, with research and interviews to generate the valuable content you need.

Three: Personality matters

Personality plays a huge part in finding the right freelance financial copywriter. You might find someone who has a great portfolio and looks great on paper – but what about who they are, personally? The relationship needs to work. If it doesn’t there might be many reasons, but one red flag to watch out for is ego.

A truly desirable freelance financial copywriter will prioritise the project objectives, above everything else, including their ego. That doesn’t mean that they won’t challenge you or fight their creative corner – but only for the good of the project and brand, never to protect their ego. Ultimately you need a writer who will build on feedback positively, to create interesting, unique content.

Four: Communication is crucial

Just as personality counts, so does their way of working. There’s no point in finding a freelance financial copywriter with a great portfolio if they leave you in the dark when it counts. Make sure that the person you choose understands that you expect to be kept in the loop regularly. And while regularity is key, so is speed. When you have a time-critical project, waiting around for a response is only going to create stress. So, set your expectations at the start of the project, and make sure you’re on the same page.

Five: Think beyond this project

The likelihood is that, if you need a freelance financial copywriter now, it won’t be the last time. Consider how often you’ll need them. Ask about their availability and whether they will be able to cover what you need going forward. Some copywriters take longer-term contracts and may be unavailable when you need them most. Ideally, if you can find more than one writer to create a relationship, you’ll have that extra capacity when you need it.

There’s a lot to consider in finding the right freelance financial copywriter, and it can be a bit of a headache. But by considering the points above, you might just find the right fit, to create something special, together.

At Alex Genn Copywriting, we have 25 senior-level writers, who have a wealth of experience, are easy to work with, and are great communicators. And with so many exceptional writers, we always have someone on hand, even at short notice.

The post How to find the right freelance financial copywriter appeared first on Alex Genn Copywriting.

To communicate financial content effectively, there are key considerations we must make, before even thinking about putting pen to paper. I’ve listed a few here, but I would be keen to hear if you think I’ve missed anything, so let me know in the comments. Like any good copywriting agency, listening is a big part of what we do.

Brand personality

Before any company can effectively convey its message, it must have a clear, consistent way of communicating. Getting to know your brand is vital, enabling you to express the values at its core. These are the touchpoints that engage your readers, letting them know what they have in common with the brand.

Pinning down your brand also enables you to define its tone of voice. By tone of voice, I mean the way the brand writes and speaks to its clients. Consider the difference between how two brands, IBM and Innocent Drinks, ‘speak’. The former, is serious and full of gravitas, the latter casual and fun. That is reflected in their words, grammar, verbal rhythm and numerous other decisions.

All of these stylistic choices reflect the personality and voice, and are set down in the guidelines. Just as your visual/brand guidelines tell a designer about your colour palette and how to use your logo, your tone of voice guide ensures your written communications are consistent. This consistency of voice is essential in a world where so much of your client communications are written (on websites, email, blogs and social media).  

Back to basics, every time

The financial writing process can be intricate. There may be many different parties involved, large swathes of information to boil down and a great deal of complexity to simplify. So, it can be easy to lose sight of what’s important, which is why I always recommend getting back to basics.

When you’re planning and executing, always return to ‘marketing 101’. Make sure you’re communicating the essentials and meeting the content objectives. With any financial writing, you need to ask yourself these basic questions. Are you clearly expressing the product/service? Have you covered the key features? How do those benefit the client practically? What are the emotional benefits?

In short, what’s your proposition and why you, rather than a competitor? These are some of the questions you need to be able to answer and share with anyone who’s undertaking your financial copywriting.

Client-centric communications

One of the greatest mistakes financial brands make is thinking clients want to read about their business or even important financial news. That may sound counter-intuitive but the truth is, clients want to read about themselves. They want to know about what can benefit them specifically.

Of course, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t write about key market trends, new regulations or all the other relevant news, with a strong opinion. Rather, it means that your marketing should focus on your clients and how those trends might affect them. This does not equate to doing what you always do and adding a ‘How does this affect you?’ section at the end, although this is very common. It means, putting the client at the very heart of your financial copywriting the piece, by thinking about the information from their point of view and making the content about them. You’ll still be presenting your brand as the authority but you’ll also be showing you care about how it affects your clients. This shows empathy and that you have your clients’ best interests at heart, which builds trust and an ongoing relationship.

Don’t make assumptions

Once you’ve worked in a sector for a while, you start to get familiar with its verbal quirks, acronyms, abbreviations and the like. To speed up communications, you might slip into jargon, which works fine in the office. However, problems arise when you communicate in the same way with your clients. That’s where we tend to make assumptions. Just because you know KYC  in your financial copywriting means ‘know your customer’, it doesn’t mean your readers do – even if they’ve come looking for financial information.

Assuming the wrong level of knowledge is a sure way to put some people off. Jargon in financial writing can make it hard for readers to grasp what you’re saying, which is a significant barrier to online engagement. Of course, people can just Google it but your brand should care enough about them to make sure they understand. Moreover, it is unhelpful to have users click away from your site.

Sometimes, jargon works

Writing to suit your audience is what counts and in some areas of financial copywriting, jargon works. With many B2B audiences, it shows a brand’s level of understanding. For example, a Fund Administrator would, rightly, expect its readers to understand what it means by AUM (assets under management) or AML (anti-money laundering).

Jargon may also be used with B2C audience, for example, to signpost that a certain level of sophistication is required from the reader. Consider an online investment house, with complicated, higher-risk investment vehicles. The use of jargon around these is one of the more subtle ways they warn less experienced investors that these products are not for them.

Make the most of Compliance and Legal

For some reason, a lot of marketers and creatives dread working with Legal and Compliance teams. Over the last 15 years, we’ve found that problems arise when these teams are excluded from the process until late on. This can create a stressful, difficult sign-off process, with them having to catch up with the project and the marketing/creative team becoming frustrated.

We believe it makes more sense to involve Compliance and Legal from the outset, to find out what you must say and can’t say early on, so you can build that into your planning. It’s also worth getting to know the people themselves, to help you understand their approach. There are always grey areas and knowing the real red lines, as early as possible, can only ever be helpful in creating the most effective financial writing.

These teams also come at problems from different angles. That means they can offer solutions that the writer alone may not have considered. They may also know about additional relevant research that could enrich your content, adding value for readers. In short, there is a great deal to be gained from close collaboration with Compliance and Legal, and considering them part of the creative team.

Choosing the right content partner

As you might expect, I would be delighted if everyone who read this worked with us as their copywriting agency. Realistically, there are many choices for outsourcing your financial writing and there is a great deal to consider.

Most importantly, of course, you must work with writers who know the financial sector, can make complex content easy to consume and who understand it’s a regulated environment. However, please don’t just pick a writer based on experience. Make sure they care about fast, clear client communications.

There are thousands of great wordsmiths but writers who work without ego and prioritise listening to their clients are harder to find, and it makes all the difference; trust me.

What do you think are the priorities for financial content? How do you make yours stand out? Could you make your content work harder?

If you would like to discuss working with us, please drop us a line.

The post Financial writing that works hard appeared first on Alex Genn Copywriting.

You might be a freelance copywriter who’s been brought in to make the magic happen or maybe you’re leading the project, buying in professional copywriting services. Regardless, the situation is likely to be the same. The copywriting is going to be a key part of a collaborative process. It’s all going to move fast to get the job finished and approved on time. 

Agile what?

For the uninitiated, agile working brings together everyone with an interest in the project, to co-develop it, throughout the process. And not just the people usually providing in-house or freelance copywriting services – creatives and representatives (‘stakeholders’) from other departments are also involved.

So, you might have people from marketing, brand, compliance and legal – as well as back-end programmers, the business unit lead – and more. Of course, as you’d expect, you’ll also have front-end design, UX and marketing copywriters. And they’ll all be coming together regularly, in the room or on screen, to guide the project.

Together is better

The idea is that, by meeting frequently and taking objectives one at a time, they can sign-off or develop work and solve problems quickly, to keep the project on track. It’s a great way for the freelance copywriter, or anyone else, to avoid wasting time, moving in the wrong direction. And it ensures that when you’re copywriting for websites or anything else, key milestones are met. When it works, it’s an effective, positive and energetic environment.

Who’s who and why?

There will be lots of other contributors; they split into two types, creatives and stakeholders. The creatives will be delivering freelance copywriting services (or in-house writers), UX designers, front-end designers and programmers.  They’ll take the brief and create their own first drafts to meet the objective for that part of the project. Before and during this process, the stakeholders (marketing, brand, business unit etc.), advise, answer questions, and support. Once this process is complete, they’ll be on-hand again, to sign off the copywriting or suggest developments/alternatives.

Ouch! My Toes!

This might sound like having your toes stepped on. But it’s actually rather helpful. It saves you a lot of time delivering content writing and guarantees the next iteration will be closer to perfect.

Stakeholders have valuable information and insight around the brand, user, market, competitors etc. They know they need to be available to feed into your work. Whether it’s content creation for websites or anything else, they’ll help develop it and, ultimately, sign it off.

All of which means you, as a professional copywriter, can move fast. And without wasting time on anything that isn’t going to fly. Which almost guarantees there will be no nasty surprises towards the end of the project.

Avoiding the mud

Prepare yourself, there will be challenging conversations. The priorities of the legal team, for example, will be different to those of the designer. And in turn, different to someone whose only priority might be copywriting for websites. So, you need to listen and compromise. Remember, digging your heels in is a great way to get stuck in the mud.

Make like Usain Bolt

Agile projects are mapped and run in ‘sprints’. These are short time periods, each with specific objectives for each creative. Hopefully, everyone has agreed that the length of these is realistic. The overall process is managed by an account manager or ‘scrum master’. They bring everyone together regularly, to keep the objectives for each sprint on track.

Big whiteboards and Sharpies are very important. Often, weekly/mid-sprint meetings only involve creatives. Issues or questions for the stakeholders are raised here and passed on by the scrum master, or directly by creatives. The stakeholders will join the meetings periodically, as each sprint is completed. Regular communications and meetings mean if it’s looking like a deadline is going to be missed, everyone can adjust and the project continues to move smoothly.

As a copywriting agency we’ve been involved in some fantastic agile working environments and seen amazing results. The key thing is that everyone needs to take responsibility and be up-front about progress, problems etc.

Of course, because our experience is in providing professional copywriting services, we’ve put together a few tips for writers on agile projects.

1. Take charge and ask questions

If you’re the lead writer on the project, step up. Don’t expect anyone to spoon-feed you the website content, app content or anything else. Start asking questions about what’s needed from your copywriting services. What, if anything, is pre-existing (e.g. tone of voice, content elsewhere you need to reflect)? What are the deadlines? Who needs to sign-off the content? Make sure they do it early, to avoid delays.

2. Control the content process

Check if anyone has done any app or website content planning. It’s likely that you, as the person delivering the professional copywriting services, will need to take control of the copywriting for websites, apps etc. And, crucially, take full responsibility for delivery of all copywriting.

Make sure you find out all the different content elements needed for the project (e.g. app page content, app notifications, emails triggered by buying, FAQs etc.). Check copywriting priorities with the scrum master. They may already have a plan for what the copywriter needs to do, when. If not, make one

3. Spreadsheets are your friends

You’ll need to do some mapping. Create a big-old copywriting spreadsheet that will connect all those wireframes and/or front-end designs with your content. You’ll need to ask the UX and/or design leads to put annotations on their documents. Use matching annotations on your content spreadsheet. This is your master copywriting document. It is vital, as it will allow whoever is uploading the content to know where your content goes. Make sure it all marries up. If it doesn’t, the copy will end up on the wrong page.

4. Build relationships early

Whether you’re copywriting for websites or anything else, you need to quickly find out who to lean on and get in touch. For example, if you’re undertaking financial copywriting, you’ll need the compliance and legal team’s help. They’ll sign off the SEO copywriting, content, and all the other copywriting. So get to know them and let them get to know you. Not just as the person delivering freelance copywriting services but as a human being.  This way you’ll get quick answers from them, and they’ll trust you to understand what they need.

5. Think in sprints

Start thinking early about how fast you work. How much copywriting you are likely to get done in the upcoming sprint? Estimate carefully. Remember, it’s always better to under-promise and over-deliver on the marketing materials you’ll deliver, than the other way around. Factor in things like meetings, research time and how long it takes people to feedback; these can eat up your time.

6. Set deadlines for what you need

If your first draft of content relies on others delivering work (e.g. wireframes, facts from the product team) establish a time frame for when you will receive these. Make sure the person supplying them is aware – make this part of the copywriting spreadsheet. You can’t be sitting around twiddling thumbs and blaming others – you have to be in charge of the copywriting process. Always set deadlines for feedback.

7. UX and other people’s shoes

As an experienced copywriting agency, we know the UX (user experience) team is crucial. The best copywriting in the world is worthless if people can’t (or won’t want to) find it. So, work with UX to help create copywriting for websites that people understand and want to use. One of your key skills as a freelance copywriter should be putting yourself in other people’s shoes; consider the end-user. If the wireframes you’re looking at don’t make sense or follow a logical path for the target audience, say so. Be confident and willing to push back. But always suggest an alternative.

8. Design is beautiful

How the app/site looks has a huge impact on whether people actually use it. And whether they bother to read the creative copywriting you’ve worked so hard on. So, engage with the process. Feed-in, offer an opinion. Make sure that what’s on-screen feels right for the product, the user and what you’re all trying to achieve.

Ask the front-end designer to put your copy on the screen. You’ll be amazed at how different it can look and how little space you have. The earlier you can do this the better. Plus, if co-developers can view the copy in situ it’s easier for them to sign it off or offer useful suggestions.

9. Communicate; NOW

If what you’re writing is going to take longer than expected, let the team know early (there will be ample opportunities at progress meetings). Agile projects rely on everyone being honest. It’s fine to change direction, to need longer or want more information. But tell everyone immediately, so they can respond appropriately.

10. There go the goalposts

Let’s face it, projects have a way of shifting and morphing in unexpected ways. When the goalposts shift, your job as a professional writer is to be crystal clear about any impact on your project objectives, so everyone else can adjust with you.

So, there you have it, some (hopefully) useful tips to help you make a success of your agile project.

Good luck!

The post ‘Agile’ working: copywriting and beyond appeared first on Alex Genn Copywriting.

As copywriters we’re often asked, how do you do that? Well, there’s no magic wand (sorry). But, like everything, there are some must-haves that will make a big difference.

Any good freelance copywriter knows you’ve got to consider both design and copy, and how they work together. Have a look around at successful competitors; how do their pages look? How simple/complex are they? What are they doing right? How frequent are their calls to action (buttons with where to go next etc.)?

Research is key but the most important thing is to get your offer right and communicate it effectively. Easy for a professional copywriter to say I know. So, here are our top tips, to help avoid common pitfalls and create something that can turn clicks into customers…

Plan your content
Be strategic about what you include – but keep it simple. Use one main message and back it up with a few evidence bullets – these are your reasons to believe. How will you move users through? Is it clear and logical? As with all copywriting for websites, you must be clear on what your product/service is – and who it’s for. Does the user know what to do ‘next’ and feel a sense of urgency? Consider your calls to action; make sure they’re right there, after your most persuasive points.

Order… ORDER!
A professional copywriter will always check that everything is in the right order. You should do the same. Consider your hierarchy of information. Are you starting with your main offer? Does the flow of information lead users through the offer? Does it direct them to calls to action?

Check your layout
Look at your page. Is it clean, clear and simple? Confused people aren’t patient, and competitors are just a click away. Does yours make it easy and reassure the user that they’ve arrived in the right place? You can do this through consistent branding and echoing a statement/offer from the advert that sent them to the page.

Punchy Headline
Is yours big and clear? Does it explain the product/service? Does it let the user know how it helps them? Headlines (and images) are the vital attention-grabbing elements of the page. When you’re content writing for website landing pages a strong headline encourages people to read on.

Are you reflecting user needs?
Has the copy pinpointed what users need? Your page must mirror what readers want. If it’s not doing that, it’s not doing its job. Highlight a user problem and show you can solve it! And once you’ve done that, don’t forget to tell them where to click next.

Questions and answers
As professional copywriters, we always ask whether the copy is answering all the user’s concerns. The landing page must pre-empt any questions the reader has about the product/service. This helps them to feel you know them, understand them and can help. And don’t forget your call to action, once you’ve given your answers.

Benefit-driven copy
Is your copy focused on what your product/service does for the reader? A good professional writer will talk less about its features and more about how it helps the reader. Think about the practical and emotional benefits when you’re content writing website landing pages, these will sell your offer on the page.

Consider customer objections
What are the reasons people might not buy? Freelance copywriters specialise in putting themselves into their audiences’ shoes. You can do the same. Make sure you address objections in your copy. Your benefits must be powerful enough to overcome them. The persuasiveness of your content plays a big part here.

Powerful imagery
Much as any freelance copywriter loves words, they also know the value of images. Make sure you use eye-catching images. They should back up your offer and reinforce your messaging. They must always be relevant. They’re not just there to look nice – although that’s important. Images (and headlines) are the most important attention-grabbing elements on the page.

Ready, steady, TEST!
A/B testing is a great way to check what’s working and what’s less effective. Create two versions of your page and on one, change something you’re not sure about, maybe the main headline, maybe a key image, maybe the information hierarchy. Testing is a powerful, low-cost way of making your page work better.

Apply all of these tips and you’ll be on track for a super-sticky landing page that adds real value to your site.

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