Here are just a few things I have done.
My specialisms are marketing, health and beauty, though I write on a far wider range of subjects. I alter the tone of the writing according to the typical readers’ needs.
The Boomerang magazine: proofreading and articles
I worked for this magazine
Land Rover Monthly magazine: proof-reading, copyediting, club pages, and feature writing.
Article Sample written for Cinnamon Edge:
10 Musts for Marketing
Know Your Audience
You’ve spent time and money designing, writing and delivering the perfect office supplies catalogue to every business in town… so why is the conversion rate so low? Well, at least half of them have been instantly binned by amused builders, mechanics and hairdressers.
Take time to eliminate the obvious non-prospects to save precious resources.
Stick to Your Strengths
When your business is going well, it’s tempting to expand, all guns blazing, into other areas. All very well and good – but if you don’t know what you’re doing, you’ll soon get shot down.
Play safe by sticking close to your expertise. There’s a reason you chose it in the first place!
Look Before You Leap
When a competitor slashes their prices, it’s very easy to try and undercut them straight away. While in certain markets focus on product cost is necessary, you need to be absolutely certain that your promotion or price-cut will be profitable.
Simply applying focus on other positive aspects of your business can work just as well.
Keep it Fresh
So you’ve discovered a formula that works for you. Great – but don’t assume it will yield the same results month after month, or year after year. Keep researching new techniques and different ways of channelling your resources.
It’s an ever-changing world and you need to move with it.
The Personal Touch
Make sure every one of your customers, current or prospective, feels connected to you. It’s very simple to do this – just treat them as the individuals they are. Ensure you deal with each person using the information you’ve got, whether it’s a name and marital status or a history of their previous dealings with you.
A bit of thought and effort in this area will instil trust into your customer base.
Double-Check Data
It’s hard enough getting a prospective customer to trust you in the first place. Irking them with misspelt names on letters, or two identical emails sent in quick succession, will serve as an annoyance and an indicator of amateurism.
It’s worth spending time acquiring and confirming reliable data – eradicate inaccuracy and repetition.
Eliminate Errors
Accuracy is also important in all other areas of marketing. How many times have you seen an obvious typo or grammar mistake on a business card, sign or leaflet? It doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.
If you’re unsure, hire a proof-reader – it’ll save you more than it costs!
Common Courtesy
The customer is (almost) always right. Cast your mind back to the last time you called a helpline or complained to a company: was the person you talked to helpful and eager to solve your problem, or sullen and quick to point the blame at you? It can be frustrating to get negative feedback, but your response can ensure loyalty rather than bad press.
Even if you’re in the right during a dispute, make sure it’s solved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Face the Music
In a similar vein, simply ignoring a complaint is only going to make matters worse. It will seem daunting to face up to irritated clients, but putting them to the top of your priority list maximises your chances of winning them over.
Your customers are the lifeline of your business – treat them as such.
Keep it up
Last but by no means least; don’t let yourself slip into inactivity. When business picks up, it’s easy to assume there’s no need to continue with marketing campaigns. However, this will start to negatively affect your customer base. New customers still need to be reeled in.
Make sure your brand remains visible, or face a costly re-launching.