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Tag: freelance financial services copywriter

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Haven’t touched your blog since June 2019? Here are 7 different types of posts you have to make now

Freelance financial copywriter

OK so we’ve all been there, the blog sits on the to-do list, never getting ticked, just glaring at you.

You’ve been putting it off, I know you have.

So look you know that writing your blog regularly is the best way to get your site to creep up the rankings (higher rankings=more hits=more business) but you haven’t got the time.

What you need is either; an amazing financial copywriter (cough) or an injection of enthusiasm.

Well let’s assume you can’t find an amazing financial copywriter no matter how hard you look so this post is here to give you some ideas as to the type of blogs you can write for your business.

A blog about you

Yawn.

Yes you could, but unless it is incredibly engaging then nobody wants to know about you.

Sorry but thems the breaks.

Since we were little we have been told we’re special but the truth is that in business terms we’re not. So avoid writing about yourself wherever possible unless you are the Olympic champion carpet fitter or something.

A clickbaity blog

You know the sort of stuff

14 things you can do with a porcupine (you won’t believe number 6)

Ok so sometimes they do work otherwise people wouldn’t use them but generally avoid unless you have 21 pictures of Meghan Markel one of which I won’t believe.

Blogs about issues in your industry

Again, you CAN do this if you want and to be fair a blog about your own industry issues will often be very good for SEO purposes.

They can also work where your industry issues are your clients’ issues.

For example, if you are an accountant writing about IR35, well that’s an issue in your industry and will also affect your clients.

So go for it.

More resources
Wondering what to write about? Find out how to choose your blog subjects here

Blogs that answer questions about your product

Now I particularly like this one.

A blog that answers questions that your clients may have about your products is useful for three reasons;

  1. SEO. A blog about your product is going to include a lot of searchable terms
  2. It answers the questions that your clients are asking and gives them a warm feeling about you
  3. A good answer blog is very shareable, and we like shares.

In fact I would go so far as to argue that any company should have a good selection of posts that answer these sort of questions in detail.

For example let’s imagine you are a finance broker, then you need to make sure you are writing up blogs about the application process, features of different products, compare and contrast products or reviews.

Blogs that answer questions about something your product can be used for

This is different to the above.

So in the above section you are answering questions specifically about the product itself.

In this one you are answering questions about the uses to which you can put a product.

Can I use this finance to buy a house at auction?

Can I use this SaaS software to manage my practice?

Can I sell this software to my clients?

What you are trying to do is to answer questions that your customers may have but at the same time give them ideas about other ways that they can use your product or service.

Also these are answers to questions and Google loves that, it really really loves that.

Blogs about issues that affect your clients

Now we’re getting to the epic stuff.

Answering questions about things that affect your clients is a great way to get your service/product in front of them.

So for example, let’s imagine that you provide recruitment industry finance.

You write blogs about cash flow in the recruitment industry, 5 things to think about when you start your recruitment business, how to finance your payroll.

Naturally each of them do mention invoice finance but not in a salesy, in your face kind of way.

Your blogs are pointed towards people who may not even know that invoice finance exists or what it is.

Blogs about issues that affect your client’s clients

You wouldn’t believe it but this is an excellent way to publicise your business and it’s one that service providers use all the time.

I write content for software providers, often in the financial services industries and one of their favourite subjects is to write helpful posts about problems that their clients’ clients are having.

So I have a few software SaaS companies that provide software for accountants.

They write posts about specific industries that their clients market to.

For example they may write about changes to the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS).

They post the article and then (and this is the important bit) they publicise it to their accountants telling them that it is a good resource to share with their clients.

That way not only do the accountants read it, they also share it because it is some free resource that they can pass on that makes them look good in the eyes of their own clients!

C’mon dude, get that blog up and running

Right look, blogs are brilliant for SEO and they are awesome at giving potential customers a warm feeling about you.

Nobody likes seeing a website that has cobwebs growing in the corner so get to it and write a blog today, you’ll feel better about yourself, promise.

Haven’t got the time?

Course you haven’t, that’s why I’m here.

I’m that annoying guy that sits in the corner of your coworking location tapping away on his keyboard all day muttering to himself and letting out an occasional unnerving chuckle.

But I’m not bad at writing.

I can sort out your keywords, write your blog, post it on your site and do all that SEO stuff that you’ve never quite got your head around.

My mum will tell you that I’m a nice guy so get in touch now and let’s have a chat about how I can stop your website looking like the room that the Addams family are scared to go into.

Contact Stuart Now

Let’s have a chat about your content marketing needs or motorbikes

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7 attributes of great financial copywriters

A great financial copywriter

Financial copywriters are a specialist breed and you need to make sure you are hiring the right one.

Some of the attributes you’ll be looking for from your financial copywriter are obvious, some not so and may surprise you.

But all of the things in this post are important to consider if you are about to trust your brand to a writer.

Copywriting experience

Well it goes without saying right?

But really, if you are looking for a copywriter then hire a copywriter, don’t think that someone from the office can do it because ‘it’s only a few words’.

Copywriting takes skill and is harder than it looks.

You might want to find someone who understands SEO or who has experience writing for an insurance company or someone who is really good at making techincal subjects accessible.

But whatever you want you’ll need a copywriter

Financial experience

This is always helpful.

OK so some financial copywriters are amazing even though they have never worked in financial services but not many.

Frankly if you want someone to write about your accountancy software or your B2C loans or your whizzy new fintech app then it’s going to be a lot easier if the person understands a chart of accounts and APR calculations.

It saves you a lot of time explaining things too!

Financial copywriter at his desk
5 ways a financial copywriter can help your business

Something to add

What’s the difference between a good financial copywriter and a great one?

No it’s not a joke.

Genuinely, the difference is that a great financial copywriter will add something to your business.

They’ll come with ideas, tips and tricks to make your copy stand out.

They’ll have something to add to the conversation and it might even be totally unrelated to the copy they are writing.

Good standard of English

You might think that this is a given in the copywriting industry but you’d be wrong.

I’m always amazed when I see work from other writers that just doesn’t make sense.

Or has speeling errors (just my little joke).

Or has clearly been written by AI.

If that spelling error is annoying you then think what it will do to your clients.

Attention to detail

This isn’t just the details that go along with copywriting; it’s the detail that goes along with the gig.

Answering emails

Asking questions is they don;t understand

Making sure their copy is accurate

Delivering on time.

This is one thing that gets my goat. You have a deadline and I’d expect to deliver my copy by then if not before.

Some copywriters just don’t bother.

They get you

This is one of those ‘soft’ things that can’t be quantified but it is absolutely imperative.

They have to get you.

They have to get your company.

They have to understand your tone of voice.

If there’s a mismatch then it’s likely that the copy they provide, whilst great, doesn’t quite do what you want it to.

A great financial copywriter will understand what you are about and how to add real value to your team.

You like them

People laugh when I say this but one of the reasons that I went freelance is that I wanted the freedom to work with people I like.

And you should like your copywriter too.

Life is too short for tetchy meetings and awkward email exchanges.

It’s Friday PM and you want to talk about your campaign but you don’t mind having a little bit of a laugh too.

You have to like the people you are working with, otherwise the time passes very slowly indeed.

Financial copywriters are a different breed

We work differently and we think differently but we’re not that odd!

Someone who has worked in finance for any length of time will understand that there are some things you can say and some you can’t.

They’ll be as invested in the work as you are.

And they’ll add to the project by bringing their knowledge and experience to bear.

If you’d like to have a chat and find out how I can help your business then click the button and let’s talk.

Contact Stuart Now

Let’s have a chat about your content marketing needs or motorbikes

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How a financial copywriter can help your software company

Financial copywriter for software company

A Financial Copywriter isn’t perhaps the first person you think of to write content for a software company but read on, as you’ll find that there are some very good reasons why it makes sense.

You see you shouldn’t necessarily be writing for your own industry. (although it is possible you may want to, see below)

The people you are writing for are your customers.

It may seem obvious, but it’s actually a lesson that many people forget and they do so at their peril.

Technical feels good, but actually is bad

This is one of the main problems.

It doesn’t really matter what business you are in and we’re all guilty of this.

You see when I worked as an accountant I made the mistake of thinking that my clients wanted to know that I had completed the bank rec and that form CT600 was ready to go in…

It wasn’t until some way into my career that I realised that many of them wanted two things from me; they wanted me to tell them if things were good, or if there was something they needed to think about.

They genuinely didn’t care that I knew the HMRC code for the form I was sending in, and me telling them it was just me showing off.

Technical details interest people that are in the same industry, but they don’t excite clients to the same degree.

What interests clients is the effect that their application has on their business.

Tone of voice matters

Admittedly I am breaking my own rule here because tone of voice is a technical term used in copywriting.

It means the way things are phrased, the language used, the manner of writing.

The problem is that unless you are a member of the clan you are speaking to then you may not understand what the tone of voice should sound like.

We’re all members of clans and accountants are no different. We have a way of speaking but we are also customers.

I can promise you that if you start using IT type technical terms in a piece aimed at engaging accountants you will be wasting your time largely.

You can find out more about tone of voice by clicking on the image below

How do you choose your tone of voice
Find out more about tone of voice here

Credentials matter

So imagine this; you have an app that is designed to make running an accountancy practice easier.

You have two pieces written, one by your head of sales and one by an accountant who has run an accountancy practice.

Which one carries more weight?

Exactly. So having a copywriter who is experienced in the field as a guest blogger adds weight to your proposition.

Naturally you have to use their name and credentials and some copywriters may not be comfortable with that , but many are.

It’s not about features, it’s about effects

A technical or general copywriter can probably write a great blog all about the features of a piece of software.

But what your customers want to know is what the effect will be.

How will it help their practice?

How will it help their clients?

How will it help their staff?

If you aren’t able to articulate this in the tone of voice that your potential customer base understand then you can forget it.

Why you need a financial copywriter for your software company.

It doesn’t really matter what your software does, what matters is how you talk to your customers.

A great financial copywriter will;

  • Speak in the tone of voice your customers prefer
  • Use the language of your customers
  • Understand the effects and benefits of your app
  • Automatically understand the issues your customers are having
  • Add weight to your offer
  • Add credibility to your content
  • Be able to articulate all of this in an engaging piece of content.

So that’s it:- if you are wanting to sell into the accounting and bookkeeping space then you need a proper financial copywriter.

Now where can you find one of them?

Contact Stuart Now

Let’s have a chat about your content marketing needs or motorbikes

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Copywriting for accountants – 6 ways it can help your marketing

copywriting for accountants

When I say “copywriting for accountants”, many people tell me that they are unsure about what a copywriter actually does.

I thought I’d put together a post and show the ways that a great copywriter can really make a difference to the marketing output of a typical accountants practice.

Copywriting for accountants is a specialised profession and truthfully not every copywriter can do it, so we should all play to our strengths!

What is a copywriter?

Let’s deal with the word first of all. What exactly is a copywriter?

Well I suppose the best definition is that we are wordsmiths.

We work with words in the same way as accountants work with numbers.

Think about all of those little tricks and tips you have picked up over the years, dividing by 9 to see if the difference you are seeing is a transposition error, making absolutely sure that balance sheets actually balance etc.

All of these tips go towards making you a brilliant accountant and much better and quicker at doing the work for your clients.

Copywriters are the same.

A good copywriter for accountants will have a basket full of techniques that they can bring to bear to help your marketing shine.

Now not all copywriters are equal, we all have our strengths and weaknesses and some might specialise in a particular area whilst others are more generalist in nature.

So here are the ways that using great copywriting for your accountant’s practice can really help.

Tip #1 – They will professionalise your website

This is probably the first thing that any potential client will look at when they are checking you out.

A great copywriter will refine your content so that it speaks directly to your target audience.

They will tease out the points of difference that will help you compare very favourably to the opposition.

They will also be able to make sure that your on-page SEO is up to scratch and that your website ranks as high as it should do.

Do you need a freelance financial copywriter
Wondering whether you need a financial copywriter for your firm? Click the image to find out more.

Tip #2 – Developing your tone of voice

It may seem odd to suggest that writing on a page has a ‘tone of voice’ but it does.

Check out these two examples one from Virgin wines here and one from BMW here.

Both completely different businesses, both very successful but with totally different language and manner.

A great copywriter will be able to work with you to make sure you are speaking your client’s language.

For accountants this is really important as if we are being hones, we can get a bit technical at times. A copywriter for accountants will understand this and ensure that the copy is accurate and accessible but not dumbed down.

Tip #3 – They will write outreach mails that work

If you receive enquiries or if you buy mailing lists then you will need to speak to your potential clients.

A great copywriter will be able to craft a mail, whether that be snail mail or email, that will really resonate with the recipient.

Personally, I’d estimate that getting a copywriter to write your outreach emails will at a minimum double the response rate.

Tip #4 – They will be able to write content that really works.

Whether you are posting to your blog, adding content to social sites or sending out hard copy newsletters, a great copywriter will be able to produce the goods.

Truthfully, there’s no point in putting stuff out there that doesn’t deliver and one of the best ways of achieving a ROI for your marketing budget is to get great copy right from the start.

Writing copy for accountants is an important part of the marketing mix so make sure that you have someone who knows what they are doing.

Tip #5 – Copywriting for accountants will increase engagement with your current clients.

Everyone loves to feel like they belong and one of the best ways of ensuring that you retain your clients is by giving them that sense of belonging.

A great copywriter for accountants will be able to produce content that really speaks to your clients and lets them know that they are valued and an important part of the practice family.

Tip #6 – Copywriting for accountants will increase your per client revenue.

One of the easiest ways to increase revenue and profit is to sell more to the same group of clients.

Having a specialist accountancy copywriter on board will give you the ability to introduce new services to clients who wouldn’t ordinarily take advantage of them.

By using carefully crafted case studies, white papers and ebooks a copywriter will weave in stories of how your services can really help add value for your clients.

Want a free guide to content marketing for accountants? Click the image.

free guide to content marketing for accountants

Copywriting for accountants really does make a difference

You only get a sense of how good a copywriter is for an accountancy practice once they start producing really good content.

You’ll start to see enquiries increase, engagement take off and per client billing rocket.

After all that’s what we want, happy clients and more of them.

Using the services of a specialist copywriter for accountants mean that you can forget about your marketing and concentrate on your day job.

Now where could you find one?

Contact Stuart Now

Let’s have a chat about your content marketing needs or motorbikes

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Why is copywriting for financial services different?

Freelance financial services copywriter

Financial copywriting is something that involves a very special set of skills and experience and it would be a mistake for companies to think that any copywriter is able to produce good quality content.

There are some specific aspects that you need to think about and in this article I am going to look at what I consider to be the most important pieces of this particular puzzle.

Tone of voice

The tone of voice used in the writing is really important. It gives the reader clues as to the values and attitude of your organisation.

This has changed significantly over the last few years. Two decades ago banks and building societies would use a very conservative tone of voice designed to engender a sense of professionalism, steadiness and respectability to the reader.

However in latter years the dividing line between professional services and other copy has blurred, especially with the advent of new fintech companies.

Newer, younger companies tend to still use a professional tone of voice, but this will be more informal and will be younger in outlook.

This sense of professionalism is important, because if you are looking after people’s money then they need to know that they can trust you.

Accuracy

If you are providing information for your customers then the last thing you want to do is to make simple mistakes.

Accurate writing is important as errors can cost people money and reduces confidence in your brand.

A good financial copywriter understands this and fact-checking comes as second nature.

This is perhaps the biggest difference between a general copywriter who may be writing lifestyle articles and general blog posts and the professional financial copywriter.

Experience

A great financial copywriter will have relevant experience and will be able to add in value from their own background.

Being able to weave in real-life examples to an article is especially valuable as it add depth and richness.

For example an article from a financial software company that is written by a qualified accountant who has actually run finance departments carried much more weight.

Gravitas

Many clients prefer to have their articles prepared on a ‘white label’ basis. This means that the writer completes the article but this is posted either using the name of an employee of the company or using just the company name as an author.

However, with financial copywriting the option is available to include the name and credentials of the writer.

An expert guest writer who has relevant and direct experience of the issues at hand adds gravitas when posting for their client companies.

Clarity of language

Financial subjects can often be steeped in jargon and three-letter acronyms.

A great financial copywriter will be able to take the key points and add the kind of clarity that your customers need to fully understand the subjects that they are reading about.

This use of language, transferring complex topics into easily understandable and engaging content is a key difference between and ordinary copywriter ans a specialist.

In summary

Expert financial copywriters are experienced in taking complex models and breaking them down into their basic building blocks, then producing a clear and understandable narrative for the layman.

They understand the need for accuracy and credibility and will bring a sense of gravitas to you company.

If you would like to talk to me about writing for your company then why not get in touch by clicking the button below?

Contact Stuart Now

Let’s have a chat about your content marketing needs or motorbikes