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:

How can your write for my business when you don’t know about it?

Good question!

Written content is a conversation with the audience and that’s where we always start – with a conversation. I’ll meet with you, learn about you and your business and also about the people you want to reach. That’s the start of the process – and you’ll be amazed at what I can pick up from an hour’s chat.

You see, that’s what writers are skilled at – the ability to understand and communicate a message. Just as an actor might take on a role that isn’t aything like their true character, a writer can interpret information to make it engaging to the chosen audience.

So, when the first draft arrives in your inbox, our aim is for you to go: “Wow – that sounds just like me!”

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.