An Interview With Cate

How long have you been doing what you do and how did you get to be a Content Alchemist?

In this interview with Creative Words, let’s begin at the beginning!

When I was three, I said “When I grow up I want to be a cuckoo clock,” and my Dad knew that I would be a writer. From a very early age, I loved writing stories and being creative. I was imaginative and quirky right from that age.
For a variety of (long and complicated) reasons, I studies Maths and computing at university and then went into the manufacturing industry. This led me into a career as a management consultant where I developed a variety of skills, from project management to staff engagement. I also did two years in the marketing department and got my Diploma in marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing.
Writing was still my passion – I self-published four novels while I was working – and then a friend asked me to help him with the content for his online membership service and I realised that there was an opportunity for me to start my own business as a writer.

Creative Words was set up to be a copywriting business in May 2017 but, within a very short time, I had something of an epiphany.
Many small businesses could benefit from the content I created for them but writing it and handing it back wasn’t enough. They lacked the time to create the content, yes; but before that, they lacked the time to work out what content was best for them and, once they had it, lacked the time to set that content up (be it on a website, as an ebook or in an online membership system). What they needed was someone who they could trust to own the whole content pathway.
From this realisation, Content Alchemy was born – a total content transformation for the business owner, creating gold from the ideas, knowledge and existing materials they already had.

Who are your clients exactly?

I work primarily with small business owners, just like you who have been trading for a few years either as a Limited Company or a sole trader. They have big plans and an exciting vision for their business but lack the time to make their brilliant content work for them. They enjoy collaborating with my team to crystallise their content vision and make it happen.
I work across a wide variety of sectors and my clients include:

What happens if you haven’t yet worked with people in my field?

The startup process for you will include time for us to work together to understand your industry and get to know your team. This will allow you to get to know us and for us to get to know you.

Every client and business is different and we pride ourselves on our ability to work with you to give you content that reflects your business.

How are you different from other copywriters?

Creative Words isn’t just about writing copy for you. It is a full content solution.
If you want a website refresh, we will work with you to agree ideas and what you want to achieve, write the content, set it up on your website and find suitable images.
If you want an e-book, we can write it, get it designed (or work directly with your own designer), create a landing page linked to a mailing list and create the email automations
If you want an online training or membership service we can develop a strategy, plan out the content, arrange for videographers, designers and source the right platform for you to host it. Everything from images to support videos to worksheets can be developed to support your programme.

What type of personality do you work best with and what is expected of me?

I love to work with people who are passionate about what they do and what to make a real difference in the world with their business.
For you to make the most of working with us, we will need to have some of your time to make sure we really understand your business and your clients and are willing to share what is and isn’t working for you as we ‘tune in’ to your particular style.
Being a cat-obsessive is an advantage but not obligatory.

For what type of business is your approach NOT going to work?

This is a bespoke service, tailored to your specific needs. Please know I’m selective in who I work with and I cherry-pick my clients, choosing to (gently) turn away people who aren’t suited for my programs and won’t get the results for which they would have signed up for. (It wouldn’t be fair to them.)
If you are seeking ‘a quick blog’ for your website and want ‘cheap and cheerful’ that probably isn’t us. I can, however, recommend some good copywriters who can provide straight copy for you you, without setup and images.
It is also important to realise that content is only a part of the marketing landscape. Think of us as the delivery part of a content marketing strategy. That means you need to have a strategy and be committed to doing the work to get it into the hands of prospects and clients.

What results can I expect?

That depends on the specific content we are developing for you. Regular fresh content will present your business in a positive light and give prospects and clients more reasons to work with you and stay with you.
More than anything, what we give you is time to work on the things you are great at, while we work on your content.

Can I contact some of your other clients to see what it’s like to work with you?

Of course. Once we have had our preliminary meeting I can put you in touch with clients in a similar situation who can share what Creative Words has done for them.

How quickly can I expect to have content available from you?

This depends on exactly what you are asking for but typically the startup phase where we work together to define your needs and get the plan put together takes about a month, after which you should have initial content within a couple of weeks.

How will we work together and how much time do I need to commit?

In the setup phase we will need up to three hour-long sessions with you, to agree the scope of work and get initial insights into your business. After that, the time required varies.
If the content need after that is for marketing content (e.g. e-mails, blogs, e-books, web pages) then all you need to do is approve the content as it is ready to be published.
If you are looking to create training or online membership content, there will be a greater time commitment as we develop the strategy together. Normally, you would need to commit sufficient time to prepare and film training videos, for example.

I want the costs of this to be predictable. Can we have a fixed rate?

We offer a range of packages for clients, which give you a regular monthly fee for an agreed set of services. Occasionally our clients prefer the flexibility of hourly rates as it allows them to seek out help in a range of content initiatives, as ideas arise. We can discuss which is best for your on our initial call.
What we always agree with clients as part of out discussions is the monthly ‘cap’ to the hours they would like us to apply. If the work we are doing together looks as if it will use more hours than the cap, I will discuss that with you so you can decide to defer work or go over the cap for that particular month.

Do you accept credit cards?

Not just yet – but you can pay via PayPal which allows you to put the payment through on your credit card or via your bank account.

OK, I know what content I want. How do we get started?

Great! Did you know that one of the most prominent characteristics of successful people is that they take action? They take educated risks, are decisive, take action, and they move forward towards success faster as a direct result of this. It’s a well-known fact these people make decisions based on their gut instinct. So, that being said, since this feels right for you, then lets get going.
The first step is to set up a ‘Getting to Know You’ call. This lasts up to 90 minutes and allows us to explore your aims for the business and how content can help you. To request a session click the button below:

REQUEST A GETTING TO KNOW YOU SESSION

Please Note: While the session is free, there is some pre-work required, which is sent to you when you request a session. This is to make the call productive for us both. I reserve the right to cancel the call if I have not received the requested information.

If I‘m not sure I’m ready to get started, how can I sample your work at low cost to see if it’s the right solution for me?

The best thing to do is to buy my online course – Demystifying Content. This will help you work out what content you could be producing and also shows you how to create outlines for articles.
The course costs £120 but if you then go on to work with me (within 3 months of purchase) the initial scoping session is free (in essence this gives you your money back on the training).
You can buy the course here:

DEMYSTIFYING CONTENT - ONLINE COURSE

You might also like to sign up to my newsletter – this comes out every fortnight and includes my latest thoughts and advice on the world of content as well as the links to my blogs and Facebook videos.

Click here to sign up.

OK, I’m ready to do this, but I have a couple of additional questions. Can I call you?

Great to hear. If you have additional questions, you can book in for a 30 minute exploratory call with me. This will allow you to ask any final questions and we can decide whether you are ready to get started.
You can schedule a session here:

How we work

At Creative Words we will take care of all the pieces that are needed in order to make your content happen. Whether it’s project management, publishing content, coordinating with designers, printers, web developers, etc.; whatever steps are needed to get your content out into the world, we are able to take them.

Creative Words really is the gift of time for small business owners.

We provide support in all content areas, from the written word to podcasts, videos, presentations, training courses, and more. And, if we can’t create your content directly ourselves, then we usually know someone who can!

The unique and exceptional thing about working with Creative Words, is that we ensure there is always at least two pairs of professional eyes on every piece of content created. This ensures the quality and standard of our work is always high.

We provide Content Alchemy in a number of different ways…

We Create, Support, Train and Partner

Create Support Train Partner

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We ensure content happens for your business

Do you know the value of your time?

This is one of those questions that business owners seldom know the answer to, yet it’s something that really matters. Let’s explain why it matters by sharing a recent testimonial:

“I had been struggling with copy for our new brochure for weeks and it still wasn’t right. I asked Cate to help and within a few hours I had the result I needed. It just goes to show, always invest in an expert”.

In those hours of struggling, our client could have been making money doing the things he’s great at. That is the value of his time.

This is why we offer all our clients an end-to-end process that ensures content happens for your business. Maybe your business simply needs a one-off piece like writing your website? Or perhaps what you really want is a range of different content, with regular ongoing support in a bespoke Alchemy package? Whatever your requirements we can create the perfect solution for you.

We co-ordinate all the elements that make up great content

Our writers at Creative Words are Content Alchemists because they work magic with content.

We come up with different content ideas, we know different ways for your content to be presented, and we co-ordinate all the elements that make up great content with designers, developers and others.

If a ‘done for you’ services isn’t the right fit, we can support you in creating your own content. Perhaps you want to write your own brochure but would like it copy-edited or to get a second opinion on it? Or maybe you just want someone to hold you to account to make sure your content happens? Whatever support you need, our team at Creative Words is her to provide it for you. We run workshops, we carry out one-off reviews, and we provide advice. In a nutshell, we support people!

We help you work out what content you have to offer

The training that Creative Words offers is geared particularly towards micro businesses, sole traders and small businesses that don’t have the budget to have a content creator of their own. These businesses really understand the value of content, but just need someone to show them how.

At Creative Words we offer training in a couple of ways – via online training courses and also through our own blogging. We have a library of ‘how to’ articles on a range of topics that can help micro businesses get going with creating their own content. Or if you feel a bit baffled by it all and are wondering exactly what content is, our ‘Demystifying Content’ online training course will help you bust through a few myths and help you work out what content you have to offer.

We partner with web developers, graphics designers, printers and marketers

At Creative Words we love to collaborate!

We partner with web developers, graphic designers, printers and marketers – anyone for whom content is a core part of their process.

For example, when a web developer designs a beautiful website and the project gets stuck because their client doesn’t have the time to write the content. That’s where Creative Words steps in – we are the gift of time to anyone who’s stuck in this cycle. We’ll partner with the developer so that content can happen within their process and delays can be minimised for you.