Hot Copy

Did you know we've been creating this podcast since 2015 -- never missing an episode?

Well, not until 2020.

2020 has been the year of "the surge" for us both.

In this special episode, we go through how we've handled working through the pandemic and what's happening with the Hot Copy podcast.

Spoiler alert: we're mixing things up in 2021!

Have you ever felt cooped up in a corporate office, staring outside at the trees, wishing you could leave the hustle and bustle of city life behind?

Waking up mid-morning, taking a coffee onto the veranda, and staring out at wide-open pastures with birds chirping?

While it’s a nice daydream to have, many of us stick it out and stay put.

Others, like our guest today, put in the tough hours to make it a reality.

It’s not all lazy sleep-ins and fresh country air, but it IS freedom from the constraints of the city, and as far as copywriting goes - it’s a whole new demographic.

We’re excited to find out the difference location can make to your writing strategies from The Rural Copywriter herself!

Tune in to learn:

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and/or comment over on iTunes, Spotify, or Stitcher. Thanks!

Oh and big hugs to Kate Crocker for her lovely testimonial.

“I love the Hot Copy Podcast. It's engaging, funny, and informative. It covers a huge range of copywriting topics, always with practical tips.

Belinda and Kate also interview some legends of the biz and obviously enjoy themselves.

This podcast is a must for any copywriter.”

The Rural Copywriter helps rural and regionally based businesses (including the agricultural and equestrian industries, boost their Google rankings and win over scores of adoring customers, through effective digital marketing messaging and strategy.

Specialising in writing SEO-friendly website copy and sales funnel copywriting, Sarah also helps businesses to develop effective content marketing strategies for blogs and social media.

Fun fact: Sarah also loves the smell of leather and horse sweat!

Figuring out what makes you unique is a tough but essential part of marketing your copywriting services.

What if you’ve written for every type of business? What if you’ve seen it all and written the copy? Can oodles of experience be your USP?

The answer is yes and we’re excited to talk to a copywriter who celebrates not only her age and experience but her knack for reinvention… and how that’s shaped her copywriting business.

Tune in to learn:

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes, Spotify, or Stitcher. Thanks!

Oh and big hugs to kazzaround from Australia for this lovely testimonial.

An old dog learning new tricks and really enjoying this podcast. Presented so well by Kate who is engaging, entertaining and informing on all things on copywriting. This is the best podcast in a while and I can’t get enough.

Mary Cameron is an SEO Copywriter, Kiwi with Scots roots, now living ‘la vie bretonne’ in regional France.

A writer of clear, convincing words for exacting humans for over 40 years.

Distance runner turned endurance cyclist. Saltwater enthusiast. Bossed by a ginger cat. Wife to darling husband and mother to a lovely lad. Grumpy loser of board games.

SaaS copy, is it a super sexy sassy form of copywriting? No! It’s Software as a Service copy. Huh? Well you know big brands like Stripe, ConvertKit, Slack - well yes they need copy.

And a particular type of copy.

When we write for SaaS companies we’re writing easy to understand words for potentially highly technical products. We need to write copy that shows that this software, that you've never heard of, is absolutely essential for your life.

We’re digging deep into the world of SaaS today.

Tune in to learn:

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and/or comment over on iTunes, Spotify, or Stitcher. Thanks!

Oh and thanks to F N AWESOME Game for this great review of the show.

“I’m not even a copywriter, just a marketer, and I can’t stop listening to this podcast! The hosts and guests are amazing and I learn volumes from each episode!

My three other podcasts are on hold until I listen to every episode of the Hot Copy podcast (including the ones on their website too)!

They say this podcast is for copywriters, but in my humble opinion, it’s also for entrepreneurs, marketers, and salespeople too because each episode is packed full of gems of information.

Thanks, ladies and to all the guests for this valuable podcast and copywriting gold. I absolutely love it!”

Kat Ambrose is obsessed with stringing words together, especially for SaaS companies.

She’s written for companies like Stripe, Keeping, and GoLinks, just to name a few. After a few years of cutting her teeth in the agency world, she left to pursue her writing career and hasn’t looked back since.

When she's not writing or keeping up with trends in the SaaS space, she's out for a run, paging through a thriller, or trying to pet the nearest dog.

Fun fact: Kat and her middle brother are 364 days apart!

Being a guest on a podcast is a fantastic way to increase your reach and boost your visibility and skyrocket that authority. Right? You're a really important person who knows what they're talking about when you're been on a pod.

But getting on a podcast is not quite as easy as just asking the podcast host.

Today's guest is a podcast guesting specialist and we're digging into how to get on podcasts but so much more.

Tune in to learn:

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and/or comment over on iTunes, Spotify, or Stitcher. Thanks!

Oh and huge props Lizzie Macaulay for this review on Facebook.

As a mum of 2 youngsters (1&3), I am usually saddled with Wiggles-filled car journeys at every turn. Discovering the Hot Copy podcast has been a game-changer in more ways than I can count. Goodbye Wiggles, hello smart, witty, professional advice that has really shaped how I approach setting up my own service in regional Queensland. We have worked through nearly the entire catalogue in the last month or so, and it is my suspicion Kate and Belinda's tips are shaping two mini writers as well! ;-) Thank you both for all you do, and keep up the fantastic work!

Mai-kee Tsang is a Podcast Guesting Mentor and Trainer who helps purpose-driven entrepreneurs to expand their reach, share their message, and grow their businesses to make a bigger impact on the world.

She does this by training her clients and their teams to build a self-sustaining podcast guesting system in their biz - so they can land brand-aligned podcast interviews without having to outsource to an external agency.

This helps to position her clients as guest experts who focus on Value-Driven Visibility™, intentional relationship building, and creating a loyal audience.

Do you want to know a secret?

Kate never actually wanted to be a copywriter. Her dream was to be a magazine writer. In fact, she was voted “Girl Most Likely To Write For Smash Hits” when she was at school.

But there's more. She was also a feature editor for her uni newspaper interviewing Blur and Bob Monkhouse.

She interned at several sexy music mags in London.

And she was accepted onto a prestigious magazine journalism course. Whaaaat?

But she couldn’t afford it. So she didn’t go.

So she spent the next 10 years wandering in the wilderness of digital production... until she found copywriting.

But Kate still yearns to be a REAL Writer.

(And we're all nodding here, right?)

Today we’re talking about writing for magazines and more specifically how to pitch them and we have a very special guest to give us the lowdown.

Tune in to learn:

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and/or comment over on iTunes, Spotify, or Stitcher. Thanks!

Oh and please leave us a review and we'll read it out on the show!

Rachel Smith is a freelance journalist and copywriter with over 20 years' experience (most of that in isolation by choice, ha). She writes for magazines, websites, and corporate clients and has been published in the Sydney Morning Herald, Good Health, Woman’s Day, CHOICE, Foxtel Mag, TV Week, Inside Out, and many others. Rachel is also the founder of Rachel's List, a jobs board and community for writers – and she co-hosts The Content Byte podcast with fellow journo Lynne Testoni.

As copywriters, we get to hide behind our keyboards – writing the words that put our clients in the spotlight.

And for many of us, it’s just where we want to be.

But are we doing ourselves a disservice?

Today we’re going to be talking to Mike Kim about building a personal brand and what it can mean for us as copywriters and business owners.

His own podcast Brand You is where he talks about all those things and more..

But today, he’s all ours.

Tune in to learn:

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and/or comment over on iTunes, Spotify, or Stitcher. Thanks!

Oh and huge props Lizzie Macaulay for this review on Facebook.

“As a mum of 2 youngsters (1&3), I am usually saddled with Wiggles-filled car journeys at every turn. Discovering the Hot Copy podcast has been a game-changer in more ways than I can count. Goodbye Wiggles, hello smart, witty, professional advice that has really shaped how I approach setting up my own service in regional Queensland. We have worked through nearly the entire catalogue in the last month or so, and it is my suspicion Kate and Belinda’s tips are shaping two mini writers as well! 😉

Thank you both for all you do, and keep up the fantastic work!” – Lizzie Macaulay

Mike Kim is a speaker and marketing strategist who specializes in brand strategy and copywriting.

He’s been hired by some of today’s most influential thought leader brands including John Maxwell, Donald Miller, Suzanne Evans, and Catalyst.

For years he was the Chief Marketing Officer of a successful multi-million dollar company near New York City.

Nowadays you’ll find him speaking at conferences, looking for the next great place to scuba dive, and sipping a glass of Macallan 15 — all while teaching everything he knows about branding, entrepreneurship, and life through his hit podcast, Brand You.

Human-centered design is an approach to interactive systems development that aims to make systems usable and useful by focusing on the users, their needs and requirements, and by applying human factors and usability knowledge and techniques.

The point? To create a better experienced for real-life people.

On today’s podcast, we have a veritable whizz at all things human-centered, Anita Siek.

She’s going to explain what Human-Centred design is, how it applies to content and copywriting, and how we can use it to help our clients. Thank goodness!

Tune in to learn:

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and/or comment over on iTunes, Spotify, or Stitcher. Thanks!

Oh and big hugs to ANITA ASHLOCK for her lovely testimonial.

"This podcast has truly changed my career. There's zero fluff, 100% personality, and actionable advice. I've learned more from Hot Copy than anything else––grad school, previous jobs, online courses, etc. The hosts always talk about defining how you add value in your business and that's exactly what they do here. Added bonus? Now, this American knows what "whinge" means."

Anita Siek is an ex-lawyer with a background in psychology who did a 360 in her career by becoming a brand strategist and copywriter. She's the founder and director of Wordfetti, a human-centered brand strategy and copywriting studio specialising in helping brands stand out through the power of psychology and words.

She is also the host of Brandfetti the podcast, a no-fluff weekly podcast dedicated to sharing bite-sized content marketing, verbal branding, and value-bombs on the science of words, as well as stories of brands who are creating a dent in their industry through the power of words. Some of Wordfetti's clients include Australia's largest insurer brand IAG, Lack of Color, Luna Bronze, Libby Trickett, and Mia Freedman.

We are surrounded by art every day. And artists struggle with many of the challenges that us copywriters do…

That’s where today’s guest comes in.

We’re talking to Ali Strachan, digging into how artists can create a successful business and how copywriters can be successful in this niche.

Tune in to learn:

Have you ever written for an artist? Share your thoughts on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and/or comment over on iTunes, Spotify, or Stitcher. Thanks!

Thanks to thatsmekq from the UK for a fantastic review of the show.

“Really enjoying your podcast and am going to be putting a lot of these tips to use in my new marketing manager role. I listen to a lot of marketing-related podcasts and this is my new favourite. Thanks for your high-quality content. Kay (Glasgow).”

Ali Strachan helps visual artists promote their work, make an impact, and earn more from sales and commissions.

She’s a passionate, knowledgeable, and honest advocate of the arts, who supports her clients to achieve success on their creative journey.

She regularly works with arts organisations and local council to promote and educate local artists and engage them in events to give them every opportunity to build their profile within the community.

As a fellow creative, she understands the challenges artists face when building their business – and has the tools, experience, and know-how to help artists be more profitable, so they can keep doing what they love.

The truth is most copywriters write solo, alone, with no one around but perhaps a farting dog, or keyboard obsessed cat. We need silence and solitude to rouse the creative muse.

But can working with another creative brain be a good thing?

In agency life we’re often paired with designers (shudders) to work on concepts as a team, but how about being paired with another copywriter, and writing pages of copy TOGETHER!!

Dun Dun Der. Is that even a thing?

In this episode, we chat about the challenges of writing together, the highs, the lows and some tips on how to make this a viable and enjoyable option for your business.

Tune in to learn:

We’ll be sharing our top 7 tips including.

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and/or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

Oh and big hugs to Steve Melbourne from Australia for his lovely testimonial.

Does cold emailing get you in a cold sweat? Is it something you’ve put off because you don’t want to be accused of being a spammer… Or face rejection, over and over again?

Many of us will find anything to do aside from sending a cold pitch email. We create and share content. We go to networking events. We participate in forums and FB groups where our ideal customers hang out.

All great marketing strategies but there comes a time when we need to get proactive about our lead generation.

Today’s episode features special guest, Laura Lopuch, and it will empower you to get on the front foot and start sending emails to bring in more work.

Tune in to learn:

Do you embrace proactive lead generation like cold emailing? Or does it terrify you?

Share your thoughts on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and/or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

Thanks to Kgb_kgb from Canada for a fantastic review of the show.

Laura is an email conversion copywriter + strategist for startups, service professionals, and SaaS companies who want to send those infamous, money-makin’ emails you’ve heard so dang much about.

Her expertise lies in cold emails. Which are the hardest email marketing channel to master. Laura’s work has been seen on websites like Kissmetrics, Crazy Egg, Get Response, Copy Hackers, and MailShake. One of her cold emails brought in $20,000 in revenue.

Thanks to her work with many clients (including online biggies like Joanna Wiebe and Selena Soo), she’s seen firsthand that being ultra-relevant to your email reader is pure magic for getting sales.

SEO is a topic we've often see discussed in copywriting Facebook groups and across the web.

And most copywriters either seem scared of it, confused by it or just overwhelmed by how to package it and sell it to clients.

The question most often asked? What does an SEO copywriter actually do?

And can you even call yourself an online writer if you don’t have mad SEO skills?

In today’s episode, we walk you through what we think SEO copywriting really means, how to do it, and how it can become a valuable arrow in your copywriting quiver.

Tune in to learn:

Do you think SEO copywriting is an essential skill? Do you feel confident about offering it?

Share your thoughts on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and/or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

Thanks to GinaGodeen from USA for a fantastic review of the show.

Christmas is a great time of the year to take a break from your business as your clients are on holidays. It’s also a great time to knuckle down and get some strategic work done… because your clients are all on holidays!

In this episode, Kate and Belinda share their own plans for Christmas 2019 and how they’re setting themselves up for success in 2020.

Did someone say INTENTION WORD?

Then, we go into infomercial mode because the Hot Copy Mastermind is 100% happening in early 2020 and we want to tell you all about it.

(You can actually hear Belinda chirping with excitement).

If you’re not interested in the Mastermind, you’ll still get a lot of great tips in the first half of the ep.

Dig in and enjoy!

Tune in to learn:

How do you approach the end of the year? Do you take time off or work through? Do you plan the coming year or let it unfold as it happens?

Let us know on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and/or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

Thanks to Evan Postier, Minnesota, USA for saying that we’re funny in his fantastic review of the show.

Today, Kate is talking to Glenn Fisher, from All Good Copy. He’s an Author, Copywriter, Podcast and Speaker.

His book ‘The Art of The Click’ was shortlisted as the business book of the year in 2019. And his podcast - The All Good Copy Podcast - has had a string of awesome guests on it, including me. He has a dog called Pablo, a Crime podcast loving partner called Ruth and lives in merry old England.

But as well as being a copywriting celebrity, Glenn is also a working writer, and he specialises in direct response. He’s worked with a string of sexy clients helping them drive sales and win over clients and today he’s sharing his secrets with us.

Tune in to learn:

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

Oh and big hugs to thatsmekq for their lovely testimonial.

Glenn Fisher was born in Grimsby in 1981. After a number of years working in the local council, he left to become a copywriter and founded AllGoodCopy.com, a free online resource for direct response copywriters and marketers. For over a decade, he worked with The Agora, a multi-million-pound international financial publisher and in 2018, having helped launch and grow Agora Financial in the UK, he left to write copy on a freelance basis, focus on coaching aspiring copywriters and publish his first book, The Art of the Click. He now regularly speaks at industry events and hosts The All Good Copy Podcast, where he interviews some of the biggest names in the business. He lives happily with his partner Ruth and dog Pablo on the east coast of England.

Ghostwriting is pretty much what we do as copywriters. We write the words that others get to claim as their own. 

But have you ever been asked to write something more substantial than a blog, web copy or brochure? Have you ever been asked to write to someone else’s BOOK?

That’s the kind of ghostwriting we’re talking about today. What you need to know to add it to your portfolio of services.

Tune in to learn:

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

Thanks to Mike Sullivan (or Sully) from USA for a fantastic review of the show.

Dr. Cindy, The Expert’s Ghostwriter, is a ghostwriter and book editor for coaches and consultants that go on to achieve Amazon Bestseller status, book TEDx Talks, build coaching businesses, and create nonprofits.

She developed her Write My Book BlueprintTM framework to create reading experiences that encourage reviews and turn readers into lifelong fans of the author. Her best clients want to publish books that make an impact, and she’s committed to write and edit their books to look and feel like any other bestseller at a major bookstore.

Dr. Cindy holds a Ph.D. in English and teaches creative writing classes at Writespace Houston and is a foster mom with Citizens for Animal Protection in Houston, TX. She most recently fostered three underweight tortoise-shell kittens that are now awaiting their furrever homes.

Steve Follard is the host of the ‘Being Freelance’ Podcast and the ‘Doing it for the Kids’ Podcast. He’s also a video and audio freelancer.

He’s talked to countless freelancers about the challenges of our strange rollercoaster life and he wanted to share the biggest lessons with the Hot Copy listeners.

Just a note this episode was recorded as a Masterclass for my Clever Copywriting Community, so if you hear anything strange that’s why.

Tune in to learn:

Why you shouldn’t freak out Why it’s important to understand your finances The lesson of Knowing yourself. How to be Yourself Why nice guys get paid last How to stop being so available How to Learn to say NO Why Steve schedules life first How to make opportunities for yourself Why Other Freelancers are NOT the competition.

What’s your biggest freelance lesson?

Share your thoughts on Twitter or our Facebook page!

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher.

Thanks! Thanks to urban_wanderer from the USA for a fantastic review of the show.

Steve is a video & audio creator. Usually for businesses, but as you can tell, he has a habit of doing it for the freelance community too.

That’s what he does now. For years he worked in radio.

In 2013 he swapped early starts for a life being freelance: to be his own boss, to be with his two kids, to be more awake.

He’s always freelanced alongside ‘full time’ jobs though: radio producer, presenter, scriptwriter, voiceover or copywriter.

He started the Being Freelance podcast in January 2015.

In 2016 he started documenting his freelance life with the Being Freelance vlog.

In 2018 he started speaking at events on the subject of freelancing and finding work-life balance.

2019 saw him launch the Being Freelance Community and become the co-host of a second podcast for freelance parents: Doing It For The Kids podcast.

He loves cake.

He runs because he knows he should.

Sometimes it’s past a bakers.

Have you missed us? If you’re a regular listener to the Hot Copy podcast, you may have noticed that we’ve been AWOL for a few weeks.

In this episode, we explain what we’ve been up to, how it derailed our podding schedule and the lessons we’ve taken from the work we’ve been doing.

We’re also announcing a VERY exciting new project in 2020. If you’re a copywriter and you’d love to work with us more closely, tune in.

Tune in to learn:

Have you ever been on a retreat or been part of a Mastermind? What was your experience?

Share your thoughts on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

Thanks to Sarah Artis for a fantastic review of the show.

Lead magnets have been part of our marketing vernacular for years now. You offer a thing of value and people give you their email address (and permission to email them).

But is there any money to be made from writing these?

Absolutely! 

To share HOW copywriters to land some high paying ebook projects, we’re talking to Steve Slaunwhite.

Tune in to learn:

Do you offer ebooks writing services? What tips can you add?

Share your thoughts on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to urban_wanderer from USA for leaving a fantastic review of the show.

Steve Slaunwhite has been a copywriter and copywriting trainer for 20+ years.

He’s the creator of many popular online courses the author of “The Everything Guide to Writing Copy” and AWAI’s 2016 Copywriter Of The Year.

In his spare time, Steve likes to paint (poorly), cycle, read and hang out with his family.

Check Steve out at www.CopywritingCoach.com

How do you get copywriting clients? It’s a question we get asked all the time. We even did an episode on it covering some of the most common lead gen tactics. But there are some platforms and techniques that might surprise you. Like Instagram. It’s a HUGE platform but many people dismiss it because it’s (gasp) images. And we deal with words In this episode, Belinda talks to a copywriter who is nailing Instie and picks her brain on how we can too!

Tune in to learn:

Question for the listeners!

Do you get leads from Instagram? Tell us about your strategy! Share your thoughts on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Sharon Well for a fantastic review of the show.

Ami is a writer of personality-driven copy, lover of a good laugh and slightly evil genius. She helps brands get clear on their personality so that they can show up consistently, stand out in a noisy marketplace and attract their dream customers.

Damn Write Instagram

When we start out as copywriters, obviously the aim is to be successful. But what does that even mean?

In this episode, Belinda and Kate are honest about the upsides and downsides of being successful.

Is it all it’s cracked up to be? Is the grass really greener or are there just different prickles?

Oh, and this is our 100th episode!

Tune in to learn:

Question for you!

How do YOU define success?

Share your thoughts on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

Share the pod love

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Ngaire Clare from Australia for a fantastic review of the show.

As copywriters and business owners, we seek the warmth and security of financial consistency. Many of us believe if you can wriggle in with agency clients, we’ll have just that.

But what are agencies all about? Are they something you should consider working harder to build relationships with? Are there any downfalls for working with agencies? And how do you even your little toe in the door? Kate Merryweather joins us today and will be answering each of these elusive questions.

Tune in to learn:

Are you struggling to run your copywriting business around your family? Do you worry about too much screen time… or (gasp) future therapy bills because you’re meeting deadlines rather than taking your kids to the park? It’s easy to trowel guilt on ourselves when we see copywriters running 6 or 7 figure businesses. Or landing 5 figure projects. What are we doing with our lives? Are we ruining our children trying to grow our copywriting businesses? Are we just THE WORST? We’re going to stop you right there. We are copywriters. We are parents. We are business owners. This episode shares our thoughts on making it all work. Stay tuned to feel a lot more awesome about your life as a copywriter. Shout out to Alicia Littel for inspiring this episode!

Tune in to learn:

● How we lived and worked before children ● A rundown of our work days ● Where we beat ourselves up when it comes to parenting and business-ing ● Belinda’s experience with 5am starts ● Kate’s super tip on how you view the time you have with your kids ● Belinda’s controversial take on having it all ● Our tips on kicking guilt to the curb

Share the pod love

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, support the show by leaving us a rating and review on iTunes or Stitcher. We’ll read your name and review out on the show and send you lots of virtual love. Huge props to Andrew Bracey for listening and leaving a super review.

Question for you

What’s your big AHA moment from this pod? Do you feel the feels we talked about? Let us know on our Facebook page or on Twitter.

Useful links

● Hot Copy: Time-saving tips with Kate Christie ● The third space theory ● Hot Copy: Subcontracting guide ● Seth Godin: Business/busyness

We went to a copywriting conference in New York City in March 2019. It was Brooklyn but let’s not facts spoil the glamour.

It was TCC IRL (The Copywriter Club In Real Life) and while we had a BLAST hanging out together – you would be surprised how many years it’s been since we hung out in real life – we also took the chance to pick the brains of the speakers.

We asked as many speakers as we could grab in the breaks, “What is ONE THING you wish you’d know when you started your copywriting career.”

We didn’t tell anyone what the other tips were and every single person delivered something unique. And they are some stellar tips too.

This is your chance to grab a shortcut to the mindset and process tips these copywriters have gleaned over years and years of working the job.

Cool, huh?

Tune in to hear from:

Thank you to all our guests for coming up with BRILLIANT answers on the spot.

What is your favourite tip from this episode?

Let us know on our Facebook page or on Twitter.

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, support the show by leaving us a rating and review on iTunes or Stitcher. We’ll read your name and review out on the show and send you lots of virtual love.

Huge props to Pixelhappystudio for her super review.

To swear (in copy) or not to swear (in copy) that is the question.

As copywriters, we’re always having to change the way we write to adapt to the times. And these days everyone seems to love to eff and blind like a mofo, right? What once packed a punch, is now old school.  And some things that seem edgy are not as great as they’re cracked up to be - or make you sound like a try-hard teen.

Today, we look at the pros and cons of writing sweary copy. Is it a good tactic to add to your belt or is it putting readers off? We’ve even got some fancy psychology and stats around copy with swear words.

Is writing sweary copy something to try or try-hard? Let’s dig in and find out.

Tune in to learn:

What do you think when you see swearing in copywriting? Do you love it or hate? Have you written sweary copy before? Let us know on our Facebook page or on Twitter.

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

Oh and big hugs to Mandy Yoxall from Australia for her lovely testimonial.

Rob Marsh has been a little name and then a big name. He mastered the copywriting world, working with some of the biggest names and wearing many hats, founding communities, conferences, courses and more. He co hosts the second best copywriting podcast too!The golden question is of course “How did he do it? And how does he fit it all in?”Today, we’ll delve into the Whens, Whats, Whys and Hows. Rob will give us a sneak peek into how his career unfolded and how you can leverage his experience to boost your own.

Tune in to learn:

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

Oh and big hugs to Draisydre from USA for his lovely testimonial.

Rob is an expert marketer, writer and entrepreneur. He has worked as a Copywriter, Producer and Creative Director at various companies including FranklinCovey, Publicis, and Hewlett Packard. So he has “big company” and “agency” experience.

In 2004, he joined a startup that revolutionized the online production of design (the predecessor to companies like UpWork and 99Designs). In 2012, he started his own SaaS business. So he understands small biz too.

Today he is part of the copywriting duo (with Kira Hug) that hosts The Copywriter Club Podcast and community for copywriters of all talent levels. He also consults with a variety of technology and wellness companies, to create effective landing pages, conversion funnels, and marketing campaigns at Brandstory Copy and Content. He is the author of the book, Telling Your Brand Story (available at Amazon, hint, hint). He lives in Salt Lake City with his wife, four kids, and westie.

Are you ready for a journey into the past?

We're going back in time for a special flashback. In this episode, we're sharing 16 types of copywriting clients almost every copywriter will get to work with. Some are awesome and some… are not. Plus our tips on spotting them and how to work with them (so your copywriting project is smooth sailing).

Tune to learn:

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

We read out a review at the end of each show and today, we’re giving a shout out to Jan for her FAB review. Thanks Jan!

Cold calls. Telemarketing. Infomercials. These words send a chilling shiver down my spine. In a world where folk are over the abundance of “buy my thing” being shouted at them, how do you avoid being lumped in with the salesy slime? How can we tailor our copy to make our users feel comfortable?

Today, Cath Fowler joins me to uncover how you can use psychology based copy to persuade and sell. We’ll delve into using clever copywriting to break down trust barriers and create a message your clients will remember.

Tune in to learn:

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

Oh and big hugs to smilinsamiam from Australia  for the lovely testimonial.

Cath Fowler is an SEO consultant and copywriter who helps businesses get found and look good online.

Using SEO smarts and compelling copy she will establish your brand as the leader in your local area or industry. She loves working with financial services clients and regional businesses of all kinds - to help the little guys compete on the big stage.

Don't make her pick which type of client she prefers out of those two. That would be like make her pick between her two cheeky daughters and she just won't do it.

We’ve all read those long-form Facebook ads and wondered if they really work.

Would you be surprised to learn that some of the highest converting Facebook ads are the length of some long-form landing pages? Upwards of two thousand words!

And they work. Why do they work and how can you write them is the topic of today’s episode. Justin Blackman shares his experience on writing high-converting Facebook ads in hundreds of different tones of voice.

It’s a bonanza of an episode that delivers much more than Facebook ads.

If you want to learn how to write long-form FB ads and bundle your services and write in different tones of voice… this episode is for YOU!

Tune in to learn:

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

Oh and big hugs to lawyer09 from USA for a great review.

Justin spent 2 decades marketing big name brands, like Red Bull, Puma & 5-hour Energy where he learned the power of good voice.

And it made him hate boring, drab, self-centred emails & websites. So he analyzed the good ones, studied quick-hit storytelling techniques from comedians, and cannon-balled into copywriting. Now he helps B2C businesses craft messages that sound like people.

Time. It’s the most elusive asset you have and yet few copywriters seem to be able to control it.

What do you do when you’ve run out of time? You can’t buy more, I’ve tried and now I think I’ve scared the assistant at the grocery store.

How do we choose what’s worthy of investing our time in and what’s not? How do we avoid the time traps that are laid all around us?

In this episode, Kate Toon chats to the renown time master, Kate Christie about the biggest time pitfalls and how you can end the time race once and for all.

Tune in to learn:

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

Oh and big hugs to Catherine Sempill for a stellar review.

Kate Christie, Founder & CEO of Time Stylers is a Time Investment Expert; International Speaker; and best selling Author. Kate consults to big and small business, government departments and C suite executives on maximising individual time spend and managing organisational drag through smart time investment strategies. She has appeared on television, radio and in print as a leading commentator on time management and maximising work/ life integration to ensure your success across work, family, community, and life.

With a reputation for helping her clients find 30 hours of lost time a month, Kate’s focus is to ensure you are left educated, entertained and with a lasting impact on the way you choose to live, work and play.

Imagine peeking into the office of other copywriters… copywriters doing their thing day in, day out. And making a success of it.

Comparisonitis can be our undoing but it can incredibly useful to hear how and why other copywriters make the choices they do. That’s when comparisonitis turns into inspiration.

Today I’m talking to Chris Cooper. Copywriter and content strategist in Denver.  

Tune in to learn:

Do you have any mindset tips you can share? How do you get your head straight each day?

Share your story on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

Thanks to Heather Woods from New Zealand for a fantastic review of the show.

Chris Cooper owns Real Good Writing in Denver, CO where he helps SaaS and B2B tech companies improve conversion rates. 

It’s nearly Christmas and that statement either makes you CHEER or BOO.

Christmas is a time when our clients usually shut up shop. We can start getting anxious as we don’t have work lined up… We can enjoy some much needed time off ourselves… Or we can use the time to work on our business.

In this special Christmas episode of the Hot Copy, we’re digging into how we survive Christmas AND answering some questions from you.

Tune in to learn:

What are you up to this Christmas? Work, rest or play?

Share your story on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Claire Gamble | Unhooked Comms from UK for a fantastic review of the show.

Did you know that our brain responds differently to different messages? If you don’t want to write copy that puts readers on high alert, conversational copywriting is for you.

In this episode, Belinda talks to Nick Usborne (copywriter with 40 years experience) about the shifts in copywriting and why conversational copywriting is actually right for everyone.  

Tune in to learn:

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

Oh and big hugs to Greg from Portland for a 5-star review.

Who is Nick Usborne?

Nick Usborne is an expert in copywriting and web writing. He has written copy for some of the world’s biggest brands, including Citibank, Apple, Chrysler, MSN.com, New York Times, WebEx, the U.S. Navy, and others. He attributes his success to “conversational copywriting,”.

Seth Godin says, “In a world of instant pundits and stuffed shirts, Nick Usborne stands out as an astute, insightful and original mind. He’s able to find substance when others see just fluff, and can cut right to the core of the issue.”

In our last episode, we talked about your copywriting business being a sock in a box. If you missed it, we talked about the risk of charging a premium level price tag without delivering a premium level service.

We shared some helpful tips but we’re going in deeper today. Namely, how do you offer a service that you can confidently charge more for?

Why are some copywriters so expensive and how can you be one?

Tune in to learn:

How confident are you to charge more? Can you add more value?

Share your story on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

Thanks to Angela Rogers for a fantastic review of the show.

We’ve all been there. We were taken in by the schmick advertising, the snazzy designer, the bells and whistles. We buy the thing. Then it’s delivery and we unwrap the layers of shiny wrapping, dig through a giant box of those puffy polystyrene doo dars and what do we find? A sock in a box? All that puff and prettiness for something so absolutely ordinary. And this happens with copywriting too. Too often we focus on the exterior, the marketing, the pizazz - forgetting what really matters. In this episode, Belinda and Kate dig deep into the idea that your copywriting business could just be a sock in a box. Press your ears a little closer to the speaker, this one is going to be a doozy. Tune in to learn:

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and/or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!  Thanks to Debz407 from New Zealand for a five-star review of the show. We appreciate it! Do you want a shoutout? Leave us a review!  

Email is dead! No it isn’t! Email is the most powerful marketing tool on the planet!

Which is it and how can copywriters use email marketing to boost their business?

In this episode, Belinda chats to email marketing strategist Sarah Anderson. Sarah generously shares her tips on email marketing techniques (to write welcome, nurturing and conversion sequences) and tips we can use to land clients who want great email copy written for them.

Tune in to learn:

Do you offer email writing as a service? What the BEST thing about writing emails for others?

Share your story on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

Thanks to Kerrib100 from Australia for a fantastic review of the show. 

Sarah Anderson is a copywriter and email marketing strategist. She believes that building a relationship with your list is one of the most valuable investments you can make in your marketing. That's why Sarah works with business owners who want emails that nurture subscribers, give tons of value, and convert into sales.

Language localisation can be a bit of a minefield. Between the US, the UK and good old Aussie-land we all technically speak the same language, right? So how hard could it be?

Quite hard actually. Today, we’re covering the differences you need to know to take your copywriting global. Well, at least between Australia, the United Kingdom and the good old US of A.

Tune in to learn:

We’d love to know if you agree with our perspectives on the differences in regional copywriting.

And please share your favourite ads with us!

Share your story on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

Thanks to Over The Hill Chris from UK for a five star review of the show. We appreciate it!

If you’re a copywriter, you’ve probably heard of the term Copy deck before, but you might not be 100% sure what it is. In this episode, we answer ALL your copy deck questions and explain how this one document could transform your copywriting business.

Tune in to learn:

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

Oh and big hugs to Sarah Content for the lovely testimonial.

Now we’re all copywriters here, right?

So we should be able to write, right? But the truth is, even after years of slaving at the typewriter, we all could still learn a thing or two. If you’re feeling lost with your writing... Or your ransom notes are going unanswered... Or people are ignoring your emails...  In this episode, you’re going to get some tips on how to write better. How to write real words for real people. Let’s get stuck in.

Tune in to learn:

What’s your number one write better tip?

Share your story on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

Thanks to middleagedmamainoz from Australia for a fantastic review of the show.

Amanda Van Elderen is a copywriter and author of Write Better: How To Cut The Crap And Say What You Mean. She bellyflopped into freelancing in 2016 when she chucked in a cushy job and founded WorkWords. She now writes for some of Australia’s biggest brands (and loads of the smallest). She’s on a mission to help everyday people write better, and to help big brands cut the crap and say what they mean.

It’s been a long time coming but we’re finally tackling the topic of proofreading. This is right up the alley of many copywriters and editors, who offer proofreading as a value-adding service to their clients.

Neither of us does this ... in fact, we don’t even do our own proofreading. Are you shocked? You needn’t be.

Proofreading is a specific skill and part of running a business is knowing what you can do and what you should outsource.

Today, we’re going to sharing the BEST proofreading tips crowdsourced from the proofreaders and editors who listen to the pod.

Welcome to perfect proofreading for error-free copy.

Tune in to learn:

Thanks to  Rachy Zanini, Shannon Morrison, Emma McMillan,  Kate Merryweather, Virginia Muzik, Sarah Mitchell , Ashley Turner, Gary Cooper, Emma McMillan, Tom Scanlan, Bill Harper, John Espirian, Kate Merryweather, Alan Taylor, Camilla Ruth, Tan Allaway,  Rachel Kurzyp, Jody Carey, Dominic McInerney, Simone Beeve, Leslie Nienaber, Zoe Heard, Sarah Noel Block, MS, Laura Riley, Justine McClymont, Liz Green, Di Challenor, Hannah McCreery, Maple Marketing Ltd, Bec Christensen, Leeyong Soo, Philip Smith, Kristy De Camps, Ashley Turner,  Louise Banbury, Kathie Kinde Clark for sharing their tips!

Scribendi was founded in 1997 by Chandra Clarke and Terry Johnson to connect ideas and people worldwide through professional language services. In 2017, the transition to a new leadership team, Patricia Riopel and Enrico Magnani, marked an important milestone in the company's history. Our name is drawn from cacoethes scribendi, which means "the insatiable urge to write." We support our clients by helping them craft this urge into writing that is both clear and professional. Over the last two decades, Scribendi has become a world leader in the online editing and proofreading industry. We have edited more than 1.3 billion words and processed more than 400,000 orders.

SPECIAL OFFER: Use the code HOTCOPYEDIT at checkout to get 5% discount until December 31, 2018.

Book your next proofreading job at Scribendi

Do you proofread your own copy? How do you deal with errors picked up by clients?

Share your story on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

The Society for Editors and Proofreaders (SfEP) is a professional organisation based in the UK for editors and proofreaders – the people who strive to make text accurate and readable. It provides training and support to its members, and its directory is a valuable resource for those looking for a professional editor or proofreader.

SPECIAL OFFER: Waive the £35 joining fee by using the code: HCP2018 at checkout. Valid until the end of September 30, 2018.

Become a member at SFEP

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

Thanks to Rashida Tayabali for a five star review of the show. We appreciate it!

We all know as working copywriters that while we put our love, our heart, our soul, our everything into our clients' marketing, we sometimes neglect our own.

So today we’re focusing in on exactly what you need to do as a copywriter to build your business. To boost it, to make people more aware of who you are, to build your authority, to build trust.

Tune in to learn:

Share your story on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

Sara Berry started her business Marketing Sense in 2012 with the sole purpose of helping small businesses to grow, by developing their marketing capability. Sara started her career in marketing in 1992, and since that time has worked with close to a hundred businesses to help them achieve their goals.

With D.P. Knudten

Today Kate talks to D.P. Knudten, a copywriter from Wisconsin, about social media and how it can be a powerful booster for copywriters.

Tune in to learn:

What's your big AHA moment from this episode? Share it with us on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

D.P. Knudten is the Chief Collaborator at his business, COLLABORATOR creative, in Madison, Wisconsin, USA.

A 25-year veteran adman, D.P. has worked on some of the biggest brands in the business including Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, and Motorola at agencies including DDB Needham/Chicago and McCann Erickson/Atlanta. A writer by trade, he enjoys playing in the intersection between the visual and the verbal, using his NonFiction Branding™ approach to move people – and product.

He is also the co-author (with Spencer X. Smith) of the ‘ROTOMA’ –The ROI of social media, 'Top of Mind’ and is the host of the popular ‘The ROTOMA Podcast’. He also speaks about branding, social media, creativity and culture to groups throughout the United States.

We’ve talked a little about finding your niche as a copywriter. Medical, government, health, finance.

Finding the right niche for your skills can help you earn more moolah as you become a go-to writer who gets the ins and outs of a particular industry.

Today, we’re digging into writing for SaaS - software as a service - and eCommerce companies. Our fellow copywriter, sharing her specialist knowledge on this, is Kaleigh Moore.

Tune in to learn:

Have you considered writing for SaaS businesses? Would you now?

Share your story on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

Thanks to AwesomeGames for a fantastic review of the show.

Kaleigh Moore is a copywriter whose speciality is writing value-packed blog content for SaaS and eCommerce companies. She lives in the Midwest and started freelance writing under her own name back in 2013.

Kaleigh has worked with growing start-ups and top-ten companies on the Fortune 500 as well as well as growing SaaS companies, including AT&T, Campaign Monitor, and GetFeedback. She writes a regular column for Inc. Magazine and has been featured in Entrepreneur, Copy Hackers, KissMetrics and Conversion XL.

Tactics to deal with newbie fears and oldbie exhaustion

In this solo interview, Kate talks to Robert Gerrish, a well-known name in the Australian solopreneuer world.

Robert, a friend and mentor to Kate for many years, was one of the guest speakers at her recent CopyCon18 event in Sydney.

He was a huge hit, even more so because he left the audience with an offer: he was happy to chat with anyone who wanted to, to offer his advice and coaching – at no charge.

After talking to nearly 20 copywriters at length, he’s on the Hot Copy Podcast to share the common themes of those chats: the worries and fears of both newbie and oldie copywriters.

Robert and Kate talk through how to deal with all these issues, offering advice and insight from their own experiences.

A slightly different episode to the usual copy pod, but a mellow and heartwarming one!

Tune in to learn:

What keeps you awake at night?

Share your story on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

Following a career in the marketing and design industry in London and Sydney, Robert made the leap to his own business in the mid-1990s.

Seeing a niche in the area of support and resources aimed at the ‘one-person business’, Robert launched the Flying Solo community in 2005.

With a small team, he grew the business to a member base of over 100,000 Australian freelancers and entrepreneurs, before selling to Pinstripe Media at the end of last year.

Back working solo, today Robert pops up regularly at conferences and events, supports individuals in the development of their ventures and hosts a series of podcasts including: “The Business of Bookkeeping” (for First Class Accounts), “The Flying Solo Podcast” and his own “Mellow Brick Road” a new show aimed at the older entrepreneur.

His first book, “Flying Solo: How to go it alone in business” was a business bestseller and his latest, “The 1-Minute Commute“ will be published by Pan Macmillan at the end of July.

Here are examples of the coaching questions Robert used in his session.  These are some of the things we can ask ourselves - ideally working with a buddy or a coach - that can open up new thinking and opportunities:

Our last episode focused on beating the blank page and getting your first draft ready.

You’ve hit send… but now what?

How do you manage the revisions process (especially when it seems to derail everything) and get the client through to approval?

If you weren’t nervous enough staring at a blank page, this stage of a copywriting project can have you questioning your career choices.

But we’re here to help. So stay tuned for some serious process bombs.

Tune in to learn:

Have you had to manage difficult revisions? How did it change your process?

Share your story on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

Thanks to Di @ Whistle Communications for a fantastic review of the show. We appreciate it!

Does the blank page ever mock you? That blinking cursor, flashing at your lack of ability to start this copywriting project… to write a killer headline or craft a first sentence that wows each and every reader…?

You’re not alone.

Once you land a job, starting the actual writing can feel like the biggest hurdle you’ll face but we’ve got your back. We’re starting a series about our complete writing process, from a blank page to the final draft.

This episode is all about getting to the first draft.

Tune in to learn:

How do YOU start each copywriting project? Do you have a system or do you just let it flow?

Share your story on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

Thanks to Lucy - Baby Berry Collective for a fantastic review of the show.

As copywriters with our very own podcast, we’re often asked questions. 

Questions about copywriting. Questions about being a copywriter. Questions about managing our businesses and our family life. Questions about our dogs.

So, every now and then we like to pull some out and answer them. 

That’s what today is all about. We’re answering YOUR questions in a special Hot Copy Q&A.

Thanks to Sheree Chambers, Maurizio F. Corte, Angela Rodgers, Di Clements, Lyndall Talbot, Liz Green.

Tune in to learn:

Did you have any AHA moments from this pod? Let us know! We do love a good AHA.

Share your story on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

Thanks to Emma Rose Bell for a fantastic review of the show.

These days we’re all aiming to make a deeper, more real connection with our customers, and we know the way to do this is through conversational copy.

Instead of stuffy, overly formal content we want to create warm, engaging, friendly wordage. Copy that makes it feel like we’re chatting with an authoritative, but affable buddy.

But how do we write great conversational copy? Today we’re talking with Vicki Ross, and we’re going to share our top tips for chatty, non-cheesy copy.

Tune in to learn:

Vikki has been writing copy for 22 years.

Her clients include huge UK entertainment brands like Sky, NOW TV and ITV, and she regularly works with creative agencies like Sapient, WCRS, and Portas.

She specialises in Branding and Tone of Voice, and runs workshops around the world for D&AD and Creative Equals, as well as teaching copywriting at London's School of Communication Arts.

She’s a regular judge on international creative awards panels like D&AD, D&AD New Blood, DMA, Creative Circle, and AD STARS Korea, and last year was named one of Campaign magazine’s top 30 female creative leaders.

On Twitter, she created the #copywritersunite hashtag to connect copywriters online every day, and in person at quarterly #copywritersunite meet-ups across the UK. She also created #thingsyouhearinagencies, which you can find at @AgencyQuotes.

Two years ago, Vikki and fellow British copywriter Andy Maslen created Copy Cabana - an annual seaside event to celebrate copywriting. It’s all change this year so keep an eye out for an exciting announcement very soon.

vikkirosswrites.com

@VikkiRossWrites

@Copy_Cabana

@AgencyQuotes

So, you’ve finally finished writing your client’s copy.

The homepage is ‘Wow,’ the content pages are engaging and you’ve done just the right amount of SEO to keep those pesky Google hummingbirds singing.

But you’ve forgotten something.

That’s right — your microcopy.

We know, we know. Microcopy isn’t sexy. And it’s certainly not the kind of copy people rave about. In fact, if microcopy were at a party it would be lurking by the door, pointing out where the toilets are, while sales copy was busy showing off to the crowd.

But these teeny tiny snippets of text can have a huge impact on the success of your site. So in this week’s podcast, we’re going to tell you how to write awesome microcopy.

Tune in to learn:

Have you had much experience writing microcopy? 

Share your story on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

Thanks to Katie Matthews from the UK for a fantastic review of the show.

Many of us are familiar with Google AdWords as part of our knowledge of SEO. But can Google AdWords shortcut your SEO efforts and get to page 1?

And are writing Google AdWords a profitable part of a copywriter’s portfolio of projects?

Today we’re talking to Google AdWords expert, Melinda Samson. She’s going to give us the lowdown on Google AdWords: the good, the bad and how to write them.

Tune in to learn:

Have you written Google AdWords for yourself or others?

Share your story on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

Melinda, co-owner of Click-Winning Content, is a Premier Google Partner and Google AdWords & Analytics Consultant, Speaker and Trainer. She works with businesses to increase their leads and sales. Mel is committed to never using an acronym without explaining it first and also likes grand slam tennis, greyhounds and Melbourne sunsets.

Basically what she does is help businesses get maximum value from their AdWords campaigns. I live, love and breathe AdWords!

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

Thanks to Frelsun for a fantastic review of the show.

Deciding to change jobs is a big decision. Deciding to actually ditch your job (and the loveliness of a regular salary) to become a freelancer can seem like an enormous risk.

So, how can you prepare for and transition into life as a freelance copywriter? 

That’s what we’re talking about today! We share our tips and experience on making it a smooth transition. We cover preparing for the change, when to make the leap, getting your name out there and making sure your bills are being paid.

Kate and Belinda have had significantly different experiences in this area so you’ll be able to hear two approaches.

Tune in to learn:

How did you transition to life as a full-time copywriter?

Share your story on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

Thanks to Louise Brogan @SocialBeeNI from the UK for a fantastic review of the show.

As copywriters, we know that one thing we have far too little of is time. But is it actually possible to delegate some of your work to others?

We’re not talking about sub-contracting copywriting work to more junior writers. We’re talking about handing off the day-to-day admin to another human. Sounds good right?

In today’s episode, we’re talking about working with Virtual Assistants or VAs. 

Is this a good way to grow your copywriting business? We’re sharing our experiences and advice on making the most of your VA relationship and the common pitfalls to avoid.

So, if you’ve ever wondered if a VA could be the solution to your admin nightmares, this is the episode for you.

Tune in to learn:

Do you use a VA, how has it changed your business?

You can let us know on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! 

Thanks to Readwritelearnwell from the US for a fantastic review of the show.

Could your business survive a cold? Probably. But what about an unexpected illness that takes you out of action for weeks?

Whether it’s a cold, a hangover or something more long-term, when we work for ourselves the ramifications to our business can be serious. Especially if we’re talking about extended periods of illness.

How do you avoid your business going offline when you do?

Tune in to learn:

We’d love to know if your business could survive an unexpected illness. What’s your big action from this pod?

You can let us know on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! 

Thanks to dlcm70 from the US for a fantastic review of the show.

Darren Rowse is a globally renowned blogger and speaker. Just as many people know him as the founder of Problogger as for his other business, Digital Photography School. He inspires bloggers every year at the Problogger training event and we grabbed him to pick his brain about writing, routines and being a totes famous introvert.

Tune in to learn:

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! 

Darren Rowse is a blogger, speaker, consultant and founder of several blogs and blog networks, including b5media, ProBlogger.net and digital-photography-school.com. He lives in Melbourne, Australia.

We know that many copywriters love the idea of writing copy for charities and Not For Profits, it’s a way of using our copywriting superpowers for good.

But what are the challenges of working with charities?Should you charge less?

What are the differences between writing copy for charities and regular clients?

To find out, we’ve got experienced copywriter Andrea Rowe on the show!  

Tune in to learn:

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! Oh and big hugs to ‘Jody Carey’ for their lovely testimonial.

Andrea Rowe is a copywriter and campaign strategist helping not-for-profit organisations and social enterprises increase awareness, attract supporters and retain donors. She also helps coastal and government organisations create engaging words and identify tactical approaches for PR and fundraising campaigns, digital and website content and community report and grant writing.

Although we love being copywriters we know it’s not all unicorns and rainbows. There are the ups and the downs, the highs and the woes.  And while we can create a template for a copy deck it’s not so easy to come up with a cheatsheet for happiness.

Today we’re talking to my good friend Sharon Chisholm all about staying happy and motivated as a copywriter. So if you feel like you’ve lost your mojo down the back of the sofa cushions, this is the episode for you.

Tune in to learn:

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! Oh and big hugs to Gareth for his extra lovely testimonial. Kate blushed!

Sharon is an award-winning coach, mental health advocate, writer and speaker living on the east coast of Australia.

She works with entrepreneurs and small business owners helping them with a variety of challenges from low confidence and self-esteem, through to mind health issues such as anxiety and depression.

Sharon writes for a number of publications and regularly speaks about her own lived experience with mental illness, as well as hosting her own podcast called the "Mental as Anything Podcast".

She also facilitates workshops on mental health in the workplace and advises government bodies on how they can better support the small business owner living with mind health issues.

Today we’re going to talk about copywriting formulas. Is using a formula cheating or is it smart copywriting? Spoiler: It’s both.

In this episode, we share our favourite copywriting formulas and how to use them. If you’ve ever wondered, WHERE ON EARTH DO I BEGIN? this episode is for you.

Tune in to learn:

[Tweet "Hot Copy #64: Copywriting formulas: Smart copywriting? Or cheating? #copywriting #hotcopy"]

Share the pod love!

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Leigh Gree from the USA for a five-star review of the show.

Facebook, some of us love it, some of us hate it. But there’s no denying it’s a powerful marketing tool, both for ourselves and our clients.

But one area that still bemuses many of us is the dark art of Facebook advertising. We know from experience that randomly boosting posts has very little impact!

So today we’ve invited my friend and business buddy Loren Bartley to talk all things Facebook advertising.

She’s going to give us the low down on how to create successful Facebook advertising campaigns that will deliver clicks and customers.

Tune in to learn:

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! Oh and big hugs to ‘A lover and a writer’ for their lovely testimonial.

Loren Bartley is a social media strategist, speaker and consultant. She the Founder and CEO of digital marketing agency, Impactiv8, as well as being the co-host and producer of the top-rated podcast, #BusinessAddicts.

Loren’s superpower is creating Facebook Ads that attract, nurture and convert your ideal customers. She is on a personal mission to help remove the overwhelm, confusion and headaches that many businesses experience when it comes to Facebook Advertising by teaching you how to implement those strategies that work!

Are you and your business unique? Are your clients? Of course not. We’re calling uniqueness out as a marketing myth and yet, we all search for it when we write copy. In this episode we’re going to be tackling some techniques to uncover the distinctive superpower of a business - yours and your clients’.

Tune in to learn:

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Lizzcluk from Australia for a fantastic review of the show.

We've been recording these podcasts for nearly 2 years now. It may be longer. Our memory isn't what it was.

And we're still not consummate professionals, by any means.

In this episode, we get the giggles - a LOT. If two copywriters laughing is not your thing, feel free to skip this episode. But just be warned if you do, you'll also miss out on some really good answers to really good questions.

Tune in to learn:

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! 

Thanks to  Rachael Layton for a fantastic review of the show.

Did you notice we missed an episode?

You’ve probably got bigger things to worry about right now. Like the C-word. We’re talking about COVID19, of course.

The truth is, we’ve been a bit scrambled too. Belinda is surviving on wine and 80s music.

Lockdown with memberships, communities, courses, launches AND managing the kid’s online learning.

It’s a bit bloody much.

We wanted to talk about that and what we’re doing to stay sane. We also got some questions about writing copy during this time.

We don’t know how useful this will be but we’re talking about it anyway.

Tune in to learn:

We’re revealing our lives right now including:

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and/or comment over on iTunes, Spotify or Stitcher. Thanks!

Oh and big hugs to Mejsh87 from Australia from Austraila for this lovely review.

“Am loving the podcast episodes and can’t wait to get through them all and implement the learnings! Just finished #62 and as always it was super practical and interesting with a touch of humour and lightheartedness. Thanks ladies and keep up the great work - it’s appreciated!!”

Some industries have a very straight-forward process to buy. I have a problem. I research alternatives. I choose one. I give them some money and I get something in return.

All very simple.

Other industries have a much more complex process. Very big (and expensive) projects often begin with a tendering process. Writing tenders for civil engineering and construction industries might seem like a dry idea to some but that’s what our guest today specialising in… and it’s way more interesting than you think.

Tune in to learn:

Estelle is a tender and SEO Copywriter who's been trying to find the Words That Fit for business for over 20 years. She cut her teeth on tenders and proposals for the recruitment sector before finding her absolute love working in the civil engineering and construction industry. These days she combines the two and has a lot of fun taking businesses through the tender process and beyond: from tender ready to web-ready to award ready.

Is tender writing something you'd consider after listening? Share your thoughts on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes, Spotify or Stitcher. Thanks!

Oh and big hugs to GINA GODEEN from the USA for her lovely testimonial.

Kate and Belinda are always so fun to listen to (and not just because of their accents!). They have tons of great advice and are always willing to share their best copywriting tips. Great show.

How many times have you Googled a symptom? Hands up. We all have. The need to make complex medical information accessible and readable has flourished with the advent of Google and the prevalence of internet access.

WHO NEEDS DOCTORS?

We do. Of course.

But as patients we’re more informed than ever and who writes the content we use to research the latest thoughts on medical science?

Medical copywriters!

Today we’re talking about medical copywriting -- accurately representing clinical data in a way that is clear, concise, and engaging. And we’re got specialist Nerissa Bentley to shed some light on this for us.

Tune in to learn:

Share your thoughts on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes, Spotify or Stitcher. Thanks!

Thanks to Traceluke from Australia for a fantastic review of the show.

When do you start introducing yourself as a writer? When you’ve written some copy? When you’re regularly creating content that is shared around the world? When you’ve written a book on content marketing. Or two?

Our guest today has done all those things, and in our interview she shares her journey from non-writer to writer as well as some essential nuggets from her book on content marketing.

Tune in to learn:

Pamela Wilson is an award-winning graphic designer and marketer. Through her business Big Brand System, she has helped companies of all sizes create profitable, unforgettable online businesses. She was Executive Vice President of Educational Content for Copyblogger and Rainmaker Digital. She’s a keynote speaker, and now she adds author to that list, with a new book on content marketing.

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to AussieRachel from Australia for a fantastic review of the show.

We’d love to know whether you prefer it neat or messy? You can let us know on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

Keep your copywriting business profitable!

How well do you manage your time? Are you a time management master or are you constantly feeling like you’re out of time?  

In this episode, we share some tricks on making sure you have enough time to write awesome copy, find new clients and build your business - when you’re quiet when you’re busy and every time in between.

Tune in to learn:

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Top Scout from Australia for a fantastic review of the show.

We’d love to know whether you’d prefer a holiday on a quiet beach or a busy houseboat. You can let us know on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

Today we are taking the lead from our faithful listeners and will be answering the top 11 copywriter questions. Yes, all of those background conundrums that have been niggling at you for some time will finally be resolved.

If you are on a mission to boost your copywriting business and fine tune your writing skills then this podcast is for you.

Tune in to learn:

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! 

What is something fun you did this week? We’d love to hear all about it. You can let us know on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

We got to chatting about who listens to our podcast and we wondered how many listeners have been with us from the beginning. How many of you know much about us at all?

With that question in mind, we thought it would be fun to replay our very first episode. We didn't have a fancy recording set up so the sound is sketchy but we had a lot of fun. And this episode has the best outtake ever.

Tune in to discover how long we've been in the business of copywriting, Kate’s first copywriting project, Belinda’s surprising career before copywriting and the writer’s fetish we admit to on air.

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and/or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! 

Today we’re talking to with fellow copywriter and podcaster Kira Hug. Kira is a conversion copywriter based just outside New York. She set up Kira Hug marketing in 2014 and names the likes of Joanna Weibe as a mentor.She also used to love dressing up as a pirate.In today’s episode going to be comparing the lives of Australian and American copywriters to find out if it’s all bit easier in the US of A, and why Americans are so obsessed with long, long sales letters.

Tune in to learn:

Kira Hug is a Brooklyn-based conversion copywriter who takes your copy seriously—but doesn't take herself too seriously. In a past life, she worked with global brands like Estee Lauder and venture-backed start-ups like ActionableBooks.com. She’s also the co-host of The Copywriter Club podcast.

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and/or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Chief White Rabbit for a fantastic review of the show.

We’d love to know if you've ever visited the States or Australia! You can let us know on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

Anyone who signs up for Jumpchart using THIS LINK will receive 50% off their subscription for life. The promo will run through the end of August 2017.

Today we’re talking websites and the essential elements your website needs to ensure it’s bringing fresh juicy copywriting customers to your virtual door every single day of the week.

In fact, we’re going to give you a checklist of our 10 most important website bits and bobs - so keep your ears peeled and see if you can tick every single box.

Tune in to learn:

Check out the show notes at http://www.hotcopypodcast.com/e55-10-elements-every-copywriting-website-must-have

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and/or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Kurt Bouma for a fantastic review of the show.

We’d love to know if you were a square or a rebel at school. Or a different stereotype altogether! You can let us know on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

Anyone who signs up for Jumpchart using THIS LINK will receive 50% off their subscription for life. The promo will run through the end of August 2017.

Blogging certainly isn’t new but it is a source of anxiety for many new copywriters, especially when it feels like it’s all been done before.

In this episode, Kate and Belinda break down the walls of blogging, sharing their views on the importance of blogging and how to get your blog working hard for your business. 

Tune to learn:

And thanks to Melissa East for her 5 star review of the show. We appreciate it!

Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website.

And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

And a big shout out to Melissa East for her 5 star review of the show. We appreciate it!

The humble call to action is a critical part of effective copywriting and that’s what we’re talking about today. Because a great call to action is so much more than a verb directing action.

A great call to action taps into audience needs so effectively, they cannot help but take the next step.

We’re sharing the tips we’ve relied on to write calls to action over years of copywriting.

Tune in to learn:

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Allison Jane Smith for an extremely well suited review of the show.

We’d love to know what animal you wish you had as a pet. You can let us know on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

In this week’s episode we’re talking about something pretty special; Australia’s first dedicated copywriting conference. It happened in Sydney just a few weeks ago and we’re going to share the key takeaways from the event.

So if you want some tips on how to truly embrace your copywriting career, learn new skills, beat your confidence demons and stop procrastinating, this is the episode for you!

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!  Thanks to Rochelle Bright for a fantastic review of the show.

We’d love to know which copywriters (alive or dead) you’d like to meet. You can let us know on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

Today we’re getting serious and talking about rejection. Because every copywriter will not only be told a client doesn’t want to go ahead, they will also face the awkwardness of a client not liking the copy they’ve written.

We’ve both been there, done that many times over and we’re sharing our tips on surviving those moments (with your dignity and professionalism intact).

Tune in to learn:

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! Oh and a big shout out to oatesorama for their fantastic review of the show.

Today we’re talking personal branding - something I know a lot of you copywriters out there in podcast world struggle with. Many believe that branding is just the colour of the logo and the font you choose for your website, but it’s much deeper than that.Having a clear and focused brand can help with all your marketing and messaging, it can even help you attract the kinds of clients you’ve always wanted to work with!

So if you’re brand is as bland as vanilla ice cream - this episode is for you.

Tune in to learn:

Eleanor Goold is owner and founder of Kreativ Copywriting a forward thinking and friendly writing, copywriting and content creation service. She also has her own branded website EleanorGoold.com where she provides business owners with smart ideas, copy tips, the art of storytelling and access to free social media strategies to boost their business success. She also runs The Copywriter Facebook Group.

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! Oh and big hugs to Sama167 for their lovely testimonial.

Today we’re talking about email subject lines today. You might be writing emails to your clients or writing email marketing for your clients. Either way, your email is clawing for inbox space.

These days your email is not only competing against other company emails, you’re competing against family and friends.

Tune in to learn:

We’d love to know what you wish you did a little bit better. Or a lot better. You can let us know on Twitter (@hotcopypodcast) or our Facebook page!

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Veggo85 from Sweden for a fantastic review of the show.

Today we’re chatting business books - and whether writing one can help boost your copywriting business.

As writers, many of us have a burning designer to be a published author. Some of us even have a secret novel on the go, that we never manage to work on due to client demands.

But can we channel those book writing urges into publishing a business book? And if we do what impact will it have on our business. We’ll chat through the pros, cons, the practicalities and the challenges from a published author - Kate Toon!

In this episode you’ll learn:

We’d love to know where YOU would holiday, given no restrictions on time or money. Let us know on Twitter or our Facebook page! #hotcopy

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to DW Copy for your fantastic review of the show! 

Today we’re excited to talk to conversion copywriter Joanna Wiebe. You may know of Joanna already. She is the creator of Copy Hackers and the cofounder of Airstory (a new writing tool to check out).

She’s worked with some of the coolest companies - like Buffer, Wistia and Crazy Egg - and been invited to speak on the stages of Mozcon, Inbound and 50 other international conferences.

Kate and Belinda picked her brain about conversion copywriting, A/B testing, calls to action and uncomfortably long copy.  

Tune in to learn:

And from you we’d love to know, what is your favourite TV show?

Tell us on Twitter or our Facebook page.  

The original conversion copywriter, Joanna is the creator of Copy Hackers and the cofounder of Airstory, the drag-and-drop document that saves professional writers time. She’s worked with some of the coolest companies - like Buffer, Wistia and Crazy Egg - and been invited to speak on the stages of Mozcon, Inbound and 50 other international conferences. Oh, and she’s more than happy to be a crazy cat lady. (She walks her cats. Yup. Walks ‘em.)

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! Oh and high fives all around to Tom Morkes for his review.

Many copywriters – Kate and Belinda – are balancing their business and writing time with personal and family time. But is it possible?

Can you stay sane? Does something have to give?

Tune in to learn:

And we’d love to know YOUR most used phone app.

Let us know on Twitter or our Facebook page! #hotcopy

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! Thanks to Amanda Vanelderen for your fantastic testimonial and your mention on Monkey Magic!

We thought you’d love to hear from a regular copywriter, not some high flying superstar with a book and a mastermind course, but rather a working copywriter, who’s going through exactly what you’re going through right now.

Kylie Saunder is a Melbourne based copywriter who, according to her website, provides top quality affordable copy to small and medium businesses.Kylie has been a student both of Kate's Recipe for SEO Success course and Belinda’s Copywriting Masterclass, she’s also a member of the Clever Copywriting community.

We’re going to be chatting about how she got started, the challenges, where she finds work, how she juggles projects and so much more.  

Tune in to learn:

When it comes to copywriting you an early bird, a midday magpie or a night owl? Please let us know in the comments below.

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! Oh and big hugs to Kiwistarfire for her review on iTunes.

Today we’re talking about Freelancer job sites, which are good, which are bad and which are down right terrible.

If you’re working as a freelancer copywriter, it’s pretty likely you’ve considered exploring the likes of Upwork and Fiverr. They offer the promise of steady work, easy pitching and regular income. But what is the reality? Freelance copywriters share stories of poor pay, ridiculous client expectations and the impossibility of competing with copywriters in countries where the cost of living is way lower.

So we’re going to share our thoughts and experiences with these platforms.

Tune in to learn:

Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website. And from you we’d love to know, what is your super power? Tell us on Twitter or our Facebook page.  

And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS 

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! Oh and big hugs to Read Write Learn Well for her review on iTunes.

Don’t forget to tell us what YOUR super power is! Tell us on Twitter or our Facebook page.

In today’s episode, we’re excited to share our chat with Sean D’Souza. You may know Sean from his business Psychotactics and or his podcast, the Three Month Vacation.

His specialty is understanding how customers think and our interview focused on storytelling. More specifically, how us copywriters can use stories to boost the effectiveness of our copywriting.  

Tune in to learn:

And from you we’d love to know, what is your morning routine? Tell us on Twitter or our Facebook page.  

Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website. And tell us if you prefer to write or type!

And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS 

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! Oh and big hugs to Caroline for her review on Stitcher.

Today we’re talking to Rebekah Lambert, a copywriter and marketer and founder of the Freelance Jungle and Hacking Happiness. Rebekah is a known her honest approach to freelance life, the highs and the lows.

She helps members of her community cope with the challenges that come with being a freelancer - and today she’s going to pass on some tips and ideas to you lucky listeners.

Tune in to learn:

Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website. And from you we’d love to know, what is your super power? Tell us on Twitter or our Facebook page.  

And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS 

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! Oh and thank you Anna for your lovely review.

Today we’re talking about resolutions. The New Year’s Eve hangover has well and truly passed, the Christmas decorations are back in storage and now you have a clear view of 2017. Or do you?

In this episode, we’ll share our own resolutions and give you some tips on setting resolutions that will make 2017 your best year.  

Tune in to learn:

Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website. And tell us if you prefer to write or type!

And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS 

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! Oh and big hugs to Jenny De Lacey from Writing Works for her fantastic testimonial.

Today we’re talking to Cathy Topping, a website and graphic designer now helping entrepreneurs and small business owners to build and market their own websites.

In this pod, you’ll learn essential elements of your visual branding, design mistakes you could be making, how to work with designers to maximise your copy and more.

If you grapple with design or you’re a closet designer, this chat is definitely for you!

Tune in to learn:

Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website.

And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

Oh and a big shout out to Jays Carer for the lovely testimonial we read out on today's show!

In this week’s pod we’re talking about our favourite podcasts and how they help us become better writers, better business people and better humans.

We think you’re going to love this episode because it’s packed full of some of iTunes best. We’re sharing our faves podcasts, what we learn from them and how we use them to grow and improve our businesses.

Tune in to learn:

Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website.

And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

We read out a review at the end of each show and today, we’re giving a shout out to Matt Fenwick from truenorthwriting.com.au.

Every now and then we host a very special Hot Copy episode and invite our listeners to send us their questions. This is one of those episodes!

Sit back, relax and listen to our best answers to some questions you might even have wondered about.

Thanks to Kylie Saunder, Johanna Kohler (Compelling Copy), Sarah Winterbine, Lisa Cropman (The Word Nest), Kelly O'Donnell, Angela Denly and Jenny De Lacy (Writing Works) for their questions!

Tune in to learn:

Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website.

And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! We read out a review at the end of each show and today, we’re giving a shout out to Newbie Writer!

In this week’s episode we’re talking about subcontracting. This is when a copywriter or agency uses someone else to write the copy. Generally they pass out the work and pay the writer a percentage of the overall fee.

It’s something I get asked about a lot, as often, as your copywriting business grows, it can seem like a great way to earn more money without actually writing copy.

But subcontracting can be problematic, and today Belinda and I are going to share our experiences and tips with you.

Tune in to learn:

[Tweet "Hot Copy #36: #Copywriting subcontracting - A ‘how to’ guide #hotcopy"]

Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website.

And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or a comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

We read out a review at the end of each show, and today we’re giving a shout out to larrye5012 for the great review.

This week we're stepping back in time to revisit one of our all time favourite pods - and by the look of the stats one of your faves too.

It's all very good and well to understand how to use modal verbs and where to place your colons, but seriously the hard fact is that no copywriting business will survey with our CLIENTS!!

Sadly too many copywriting businesses fail in their first year because they simply can’t find enough clients.

Friends and family are a great place to start, but where on earth do you track down awesome potential clients with money to spend?

So we thought it was a good idea to circle back around and revisit this pod and remind of our tips on how to grab more clients.

Tune in to learn:

If you like what you're hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks! Oh and big hugs to Robert Gerrish for his lovely testimonial.

We’re at the second half of our two-part episode on marketing your copywriting business. Marketing gets the message out that are in business so it really is essential but what should you spend your time on?

Tune in to part two to learn about:

Don’t forget that in part 1 we also covered:

Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website.

And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

We read out a review at the end of each show and today, we’re giving a shout out to Raegen Perkins for an excellent review left on Stitcher!

If you don’t market yourself as a copywriter, you won’t get many clients and without clients, you aren’t in business! So we’re tackling the essential ways to market your copywriting business to make sure you stay in business.

This is a big topic so we’ve broken it into two episodes. Our very first two parter!

Tune in to part one to learn about:

In part two of this episode we’ll cover:

So there’s more good stuff coming!

Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website.

And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

We read out a review at the end of each show and today, we’re giving a shout out to Raegen Perkins for an excellent review left on Stitcher!

This week we're revisiting one of our most popular pods: the one about copywriting fees and how much to charge. Why is this topic so popular? Until you have a few copywriting projects under your belt it can feel like you're just making up numbers in your quotes. Not many copywriters share their rates so it's hard to see what the industry standard is. Not us though. In this podcast we explain how we charge for copywriting, how we put together quotes, essentials tips on collecting deposits and why we’re not big fans of charging by the word.

Tune in to learn:

Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website.

And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS 

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. 

Just like Darren Rowse did - thanks Darren!

So let’s first explain that sales copy is the text you use to persuade your readers to take a specific action. The copy can be used in sales emails, on web pages or is brochures and letters.

But while we know it’s effective but many copywriters aren’t so keen on writing it. In this episode we’ll be chatting with Jesse Forrest all about how to write Sales copy that drives conversion without being overblown and cheese ball.

Tune to learn:

Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website.

And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS 

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

We read out a review at the end of each show and today, we’re giving a shout out to Emily McIntyre for her FAB review. Thanks xxx

In this episode, Kate and Belinda share 16 types of copywriting clients almost every copywriter will get to work with. Some are awesome and some… are not. We share our tips on spotting them and how to work with them (so the your copywriting project is smooth sailing).

Tune to learn:

Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website.

And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS 

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

We read out a review at the end of each show and today, we’re giving a shout out to Jan for her FAB review. Thanks Jan!

Getting your financials right from the start is vital to running a successful copywriting business. But there’s so much to get your head around, GST, Medicare levies, depreciation and what the heck you can claim.

In this episode we talk with Kate’s accountant Karen Goad and ask here all those finance and accountant questions you’ve been dying to ask. Karen is a small business owner and principal of Goad Accountants and Simply Business Bookkeeping. She specialises in helping business owners get to know their business better through up-to-date financial information for better decision making, accurate GST, CGT and income tax advice and education.Karen has over 18 years working in public practice with small business ranging from start-ups and sole traders to businesses with over $20million turnover.

In short, she seriously knows her stuff.

P.S. Here at Hot Copy we highly recommend hiring a professional accountant to manage your accounts and do your end of your tax.

Tune in to learn:

Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website.

And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS  

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

And thanks to Jennifer Morton for your review of the show. We appreciate it!

How to format your copy for maximum impact

Today we’re talking about formatting. Some listeners may wonder about this. Talking about formatting. Not even writing. Just formatting.

But how you present your copy to clients will have a huge influence on how well they receive it. And clever formatting can make your copywriting a lot more readable to the end audience as well.

In this episode, Kate and Belinda share their thoughts and some pro-formatting tips for more readable copywriting.

Tune to learn:

Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website.

And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS  

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

And thanks to Christina Tolstrup for your review of the show. We appreciate it!

We've chatted in previous podcasts about how it's impossible to make all clients love you, and how occasionally it's better all around if you just let them go.

In this podcast we'll be giving you tips and tricks on how to spot, handle and, if necessary, fire a difficult client.

Tune in to learn:

Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website.

And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS  

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

And thanks to the members of the Clever Copywriting Community Lizzy Pepper and Mary Cameron, as well as Angela Denly for your input and reviews of the show. We appreciate it!

Once you’ve got a few copywriting projects under your belt, you learn that some clients will respond very quickly and others will take a short ice age to reply. But how long is too long? When do you know your client is MISSING IN ACTION and what should you do?

Tune in to learn:

Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website.

And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

And thanks to Mac Prichard for his review of the show. We appreciate it!

Blogging certainly isn’t new but it is a source of anxiety for many new copywriters, especially when it feels like it’s all been done before.

In this episode, Kate and Belinda break down the walls of blogging, sharing their views on the importance of blogging and how to get your blog working hard for your business. 

Tune to learn:

And thanks to Melissa East for her 5 star review of the show. We appreciate it!

Leave your thoughts and ideas on the Hot Copy website.

And subscribe on: iTunes | Android | RSS

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

And a big shout out to Melissa East for her 5 star review of the show. We appreciate it!

Do you ever wish you could step back in time and talk to your younger self? In this episode Belinda and Kate chat about some of the copywriting lessons they’ve learned along the way and what we wished we’d know when we started out. Perhaps you can benefit from their hindsight!

Tune in to learn:

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

And a big shout out to Loren Bartley from Business Addicts for leaving a fab review for us. We’re glad you’re loving the show!

In this episode we chat to Amy Harrison, a well-known UK copywriter. Amy is also a copywriting coach and keynote speaker at marketing events around the world. You might have seen her guest post on sites like Copyblogger, DuctTape Marketing and Problogger. Or watched her YouTube channel.

The lady gets about and we picked her brain about copywriting, content and story-telling in modern marketing.

Tune in to learn:

If you like what you’re hearing on Hot Copy, the best way to support the show is to take just a few seconds to leave a rating and / or comment over on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks!

And a big shout out to Derek Etherton for leaving a fab review for us. We're glad you're loving the show!