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What self-employment has taught me so far

Image shows a women (Kirsty) with brown curly hair, wearing a black coat. I'm reflecting on what self-employment has taught me.

I celebrated nine years in business at the beginning of 2025, and I’ve got a big birthday later in the year, so I’m in a reflective mood. It’s helped me realise how much I’ve learned, so I’ve decided to share. Here’s what self-employment has taught me so far.

Get it in writing

I used to be a lawyer, so you’d think that contracts would have been at the front of my mind when I started my business. Nope. I usually had an agreement set out in emails about how much the work would cost, what my quote covered and what I’d need from the client. However, agreements can be surprisingly slippery if you don’t include all the details.

This came back to bite me early on when a client piled on extra work (including tasks he’d told me other people would do) and expected it all to be covered. I ended up refunding some of my fee because I didn’t have everything in writing.

Block out your time

Self-employment has taught me that taking too much on is very easy. For years, I had far too many conversations just before the summer holidays, which concluded with me offering to work with someone in September. Then September arrived, and I realised I’d completely overcommitted myself.

Now, I block out every task in my calendar. I use Google because I can add to it wherever I am. It lets me be realistic about how much I can achieve in a week, so I don’t try to shoehorn an extra task in when there isn’t room.

Get into conversations

Have you ever heard the story of the person who turned up at a networking event, handed everyone their card, and left? It’s achieved urban myth status, but I’ve spoken to people who’ve experienced it first-hand. The idea of networking can be intimidating, but it’s really just a series of conversations.

I’ve learned to talk about my business, ask others about theirs, and just get to know them. It’s far less pressured than going in thinking you must make a sale. Even if you don’t work together, the people in your network can also be your ambassadors, recommending you when you’re not in the room.

Set boundaries

Boundaries are tricky beasts because you often don’t realise you have one until someone tries to cross it. They’re also highly personal. What works for you depends on your approach to life, family circumstances and how you want to work. I have some work boundaries, like not doing client work on Fridays or going to evening networking events. It’s worth thinking about what your boundaries are and how you’ll react when someone tries to cross one. (That could be as simple as saying, “I’m not available after 3 pm” when you schedule a meeting.)

Your boundaries will be unique to you, but you might need some help exploring what they are. Which brings me to…

Find a good coach

If there’s one huge lesson self-employment has taught me, it’s that a good coach is worth the investment. I’ve worked with a few coaches over the years. The good ones helped me talk through my challenges and asked the right questions so I could find the answer myself rather than spoon-feeding me. The right coach will help you work out what’s right for you rather than telling you to do what works for them.

If you’ve never worked with a coach, I can’t recommend it enough.

Ready for a chat?

If you’re newly self-employed, I hope this helps. If you’re not and have some lessons to share, please leave a comment!

Finally, if you like my style and want to find out whether I could be the right copywriter for you, let’s have a chat. When you work with me, I’ll get to know you and your business and write content that sounds like the best version of you and that your audience will love. Please email me to arrange a chat or book a Zoom call to find out more.

Alternatively, sign up for my mailing list, and I’ll send you a free copy of my eBook with fifty (yes, 50) topic ideas for your marketing as a thank you.

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Do you share your knowledge in your marketing?

Do you share your knowledge in your marketing?

It’s easy to feel intimidated when you compare yourself to people who know more than you or have more experience. You wonder why anyone would pay you for anything when far more impressive people offer the same service. It holds you back. You think you won’t succeed because there’s always someone better, so you don’t shout about what you do. You don’t talk about what you’re good at or share your knowledge because someone else has already written about it. I know because I’ve been there. On a bad day, I still think like that.

Here are four reasons why you need to stop holding yourself back and share your knowledge in your marketing.

You know more than you think

A couple of months ago, I was at a business expo and was chatting with someone I vaguely recognised on a marketing agency stand. I mentioned I was a copywriter, and he said, “Great, me too! Do you want to do an interview? We can geek out about copywriting.” Then I saw he was pointing to a nearby camera. Gulp. I have to psych myself up to go on camera anyway, but with another copywriter? What if I showed myself up? But I’m in my getting out of my comfort zone era, so I said yes. It was a great chat. There were a couple of questions where I thought of much better answers after it was all over, but that’s life.

I surprised myself, and if you sit down to think about how much you know, I think you will, too.

You know your customers

You’re the boss, and you get to decide who you want to work with and market to. I know that can be hard to hear when you’re starting out and just need to make some money, but over time, you’ll learn who your people are. Then, you can start talking to them in your marketing. Knowledge isn’t just about your work. It’s about people. The way you write and the images you choose can speak to the clients you want to work with and help you attract more of them.

You have skills other people don’t

Once you realise you know more than you think, you work out that not everyone has the same knowledge and skills as you. A graphic designer could explain all the principles of great design to me, but I’d never be able to produce the same quality work as them because my brain doesn’t work that way. Everyone has different talents. You might be great at making jewellery, or photography, or getting people organised and love doing it.

Sharing your skills and knowledge helps you reach people who’d rather stab themselves with hot pokers than do their own bookkeeping or haven’t got time to roam the high street in search of a great gift.

People need you

At some point, you’ve assumed your knowledge isn’t worth sharing anywhere because it’s too basic and obvious to bother writing about. Either that or someone who’s more of an expert has covered it already. The thing is, it isn’t obvious to the people who need you. You’re comparing yourself to other people in your industry and not to your clients. People buy from you because of who you are and not just what you know. It doesn’t matter if they can get the same information somewhere else. Hearing it from you lets them know that you have the knowledge to help them and that you’re their kind of person, and that’s what matters.

Ready for a chat?

If you need a copywriter to be your cheerleader and help you share your knowledge, let’s have a chat. When you work with me, I’ll get to know you and your business and write content that sounds like the best version of you and that your audience will love. Email me to arrange a chat or book a Zoom call to find out more.

Alternatively, sign up for my mailing list, and I’ll send you a free copy of my eBook with fifty (yes, 50) topic ideas for your marketing as a thank you.

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Case study: website copy for Communicate OCE

The website copy for Communicate OCE will be live soon.

Making changes in your business can take time, and it’s wise to reflect as you go through the process. When I first met Heather Sanders from Communicate OCE, she had already thought long and hard about whether she needed a website and what she wanted to achieve. Here’s how we worked together to write website copy for her new speech therapy site.

Heather’s business

Heather works with her clients to provide functional speech therapy. She regularly works with clients who have experienced catastrophic brain injuries, so they often have complex needs. We had met at networking events, but our first meeting to discuss her website was the first time I’d heard her talk about her business in detail. Her love for her work was infectious. She described working with young people who needed to learn how to speak in real-life situations, from catching a bus on their own to going shopping or accessing dating apps. She carries out assessments at home, school or any environment her clients find challenging.

Communicate OCE’s website copy needed to speak to two different audiences. They work with professionals such as solicitors, whose clients have often been involved in catastrophic accidents. While Heather doesn’t prepare expert reports for legal proceedings, she frequently works with clients involved in claims. The website also needed to speak to parents whose children need support.

The first draft

During our initial chat, Heather and I discussed the information her website needed to include and how we’d structure it to make it clear which sections were for which clients. OCE is typically fully booked via referrals, so they needed a brochure website where potential clients could learn more about the business and the team behind it.

We agreed on what pages I would write, and Heather sent me more information about some points we discussed. Then, I got to work on the first draft.

Feedback

One of the reasons I started my business was because I wanted to have the flexibility to spend time with my family and go on holiday without waiting for the boss to approve a leave request. This means that I often end up working with people who have the same priorities. After our initial chat and the first draft, Heather and I both went on holiday with our families, and our lives got hectic in various ways. We kept in touch so we both knew what timeline was realistic.

The great thing was that by the time Heather emailed me with her feedback, she’d had time to sit and look at it properly without feeling rushed. She could see how the copy looked on the page and realised there were a few things she wanted to expand on.

Live edits

Sometimes, the best way to incorporate a client’s feedback into your copy is to get them on a call and make changes as you talk. You won’t always get the final version that way. Sometimes, I need to go away and think about the best way to approach things. Live edits are great for discussing how a word or phrase comes across and how readers might interpret it. Sometimes, an initial conversation gets lost in translation and needs adjusting to reflect reality.

That’s exactly what Heather and I did over Zoom. I could make suggestions, and she could clarify what specific terms mean in speech therapy circles. It’s a lot more fun than endless emails. After our call, I sent Heather the final pages and here’s what she said:

Testimonial from Communicate OCE

Ready for a chat?

If you’re looking for a copywriter to create your website copy or work on another project, let’s have a chat. When you work with me, I’ll get to know you and your business and write content that sounds like the best version of you and that your audience will love. Email me to arrange a chat or book a Zoom call to find out more.

Alternatively, sign up for my mailing list, and I’ll send you a free copy of my eBook with fifty (yes, 50) topic ideas for your marketing as a thank you.

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5 tips to help you choose the right copywriter for you

Have a cup of tea with me and see if I'm the right copywriter for you.

There are loads of ways to find a good copywriter. You might have bumped into one of us at an event, asked your network for recommendations or searched online. Whether you decide to work with a freelancer or an agency, there are a few ways to choose the right copywriter for you. Here are my tips to help you in your search.

Can you talk to them?

The best way to learn whether a copywriter is a good fit for your business is to talk to them. You don’t have to feel as if you’ve met your new best friend, but if the conversation is stilted and awkward, it isn’t going to work. Good copywriting is built on a relationship where you can speak freely and feel that your writer is listening to you.

When you talk to a copywriter, ask yourself how much information you feel comfortable sharing. Most of my clients need to get their personality into their marketing. If that’s the case for you, a writer that lets you be yourself is vital.

Shared values

You’ve built your business around your values and how you want to work. The right copywriter for you will often have a similar outlook on life. Being on the same wavelength means they’re more likely to speak your language and get that into your marketing.

You might also share similar personal circumstances or history. That can help if you have a personal reason for starting your business or if your lifestyle influences the way you prefer to work. It can take time for a relationship to develop and for your writer to learn what you want. Having shared values can get the process off to a good start.

How do they market themselves?

However you found your copywriter, it’s a good idea to check them out online to see how they market themselves. If you want someone to write blog posts, do they have their own and write new posts regularly? Are they active on social media? If they have an email list, you can sign up to see if you like what they send.

You can also check to see if you enjoy their writing style. Every copywriter will tailor their work to you, but it’s usually a good sign if you like how they write for themselves.

What experience do they have in your industry?

You might want to work with someone who already has a working knowledge of your industry, especially if it’s highly regulated. I used to be a lawyer and work with lots of legal, finance and insurance professionals. Speaking the same technical language and understanding how their brains work helps.

If a copywriter has worked in your industry before, they may know what style works well and have results they can share. Equally, if you want to take a radical approach, they’ll know what cliches to avoid.

Ask for samples

Asking for samples lets you see examples of a copywriter’s work and how their style varies for different clients. They might have a portfolio online (like mine) with a few samples, but it’s always worth asking for more, especially if you have a particular project in mind.

You can ask for samples to narrow your options if you’ve had several recommendations and want to decide who to meet. If you already think a writer might be a good fit, looking at their portfolio can help you decide.

Ready for a chat?

If you want to find out whether I could be the right copywriter for you, let’s have a chat. When you work with me, I’ll get to know you and your business and write content that sounds like the best version of you and that your audience will love. Email me to arrange a chat or book a Zoom call to find out more.

Alternatively, sign up for my mailing list, and I’ll send you a free copy of my eBook with fifty (yes, 50) topic ideas for your marketing as a thank you.

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What my sat nav taught me about business

What my sat nav taught me about business

I never needed a sat nav until I started my business. I drove to the same few places most of the time and caught the bus or train to work. I only started plugging my phone in to give me directions when I had to find my way to see clients or head to a new networking venue. Until the day I used it for personal reasons, and it taught me a lesson. Here’s what my sat nav taught me about business.

The sat nav story

My road to sat nav enlightenment came on a day when I wasn’t actually working. I had a few errands to run that involved driving to several places. I’d been to each of them before individually but had never called on all of them in succession. Have you ever had that thing where you can picture the places you need to go but not the route between them? I had that.

I was heading to my second stop, and the road names started to sound familiar. I was paying attention to the road signs but ignoring the landmarks. My phone told me to go straight ahead at the next roundabout, but something felt off. I looked up to see a massive sign on the side of a building telling me to turn left for the car park. If I hadn’t looked around, I’d have ended up on the wrong side of a large fence.

Here’s what my sat nav taught me about business.

The road map isn’t always right

How many times have you heard someone say they have the blueprint for business success? Often, they have a map that’s based on what worked for them. That’s not to say they don’t have anything useful to say. If you don’t know where to start, their example can give you ideas for things to try. But your business is different from theirs. What worked for them might need tweaking for you.

Trust your instincts

I only looked up to see the massive sign showing me where to go because something didn’t feel right. You know your business better than anyone else and getting to know your audience will help you decide what to sell and how to market your business. The advice you follow should feel right to you, based on your values and what you know about your customers.

This comes with a caveat. You might get good advice but ignore it because you’re scared of what people will think. Working with a good coach can help you tell the difference between something that won’t work for you and something you’re avoiding for a different reason.

Look up once in a while

OK, I admit it. I’m picturing Ferris Bueller as I write this. (Yes, I know I’m giving my age away, but I don’t care.) In business, looking around can take a few different forms. You might want to think about the reasons you started your business and how you want to work and treat your customers. Maybe you want to talk to your audience, online or face to face, to find out what they need. Sometimes, your industry changes, and you need to change with it.

However you do it, looking around can help you decide whether you’re on the right track or need to change course.

Ready for a chat?

I can’t guide you through business decisions, but I can help you see your business through your customers’ eyes. When you work with me, I’ll get to know you and your business and write content that sounds like the best version of you and that your audience will love. Email me to arrange a chat or book a Zoom call to find out more.

Alternatively, sign up for my mailing list, and I’ll send you a free copy of my eBook with fifty (yes, 50) topic ideas for your marketing as a thank you.

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Case study: life in translation

One of the things I love about my work is meeting business owners with widely varying skills and learning more about what they do. Working with a translator gave me new insight into the challenges he faced, particularly when trying to translate a particular public figure. It taught me a lot about how life in translation works.

Translation sounds fun

I’ve been slightly fascinated by the world of translators ever since I read the Asterix books as a kid. My grandad worked for Brockhampton Press, which published children’s books, including the Asterix series. They were originally written in French, and academics at the University of Leicester worked with the authors on the English translations.

The tricky part was translating French jokes and puns into English humour. Re-reading them as an adult, I realised that they didn’t just succeed in that but also in including some jokes that kids would understand and others that were just for the grown-ups.

The story came back to me when a friend put me in touch with a translator who needed my help.

The goal

In early 2017, I spoke to a translator with a science and engineering background. He had started a translation business and formed a network with translators speaking different languages. His goal was to network more, and he was keen to build his online presence by writing blogs.

He had various ideas for topics and shared some helpful resources with me. These included articles about language skills, customer service, and the role translators could play as the UK navigated Brexit. They helped me understand how he worked and how a translator could help with cultural awareness and language barriers.

Of course, the Brexit vote wasn’t our only political upheaval in 2017.

How to translate Trump

In January 2017, Donald Trump was sworn in for his first term as the President of the United States. Working with a translator gave me a different perspective on this event besides the political debate. I discovered that the president is extremely difficult to translate because he doesn’t speak like a normal person. He uses slang, and his speech patterns differ from those we usually expect from elected officials. His tendency to go off-script also leads to sudden tangents. Translators struggled as their clients often thought they must be getting the translation wrong because it wasn’t the kind of language they expected.

We’re entering a second Trump administration in the USA, and I wonder whether translators are still having trouble with his speeches. Or does everyone know what to expect this time around?

If you’re ready to work with a copywriter, let’s have a chat. When you work with me, I’ll get to know you and your business and write content that sounds like the best version of you and that your audience will love. Email me to arrange a chat or book a Zoom call to find out more.

Alternatively, sign up for my mailing list, and I’ll send you a free copy of my eBook with fifty (yes, 50) topic ideas for your marketing as a thank you.

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What information do copywriters need to work with you?

What information do copywriters need? Image shows me writing it all down.

Asking this question is a bit like asking how long a piece of string is. It depends. (That’s also an answer I often gave when I was a solicitor.) The information copywriters need to work with you depends on you, your business and the person you work with. It can also change over time. The most important thing to remember is that a good copywriter will explain how they work and what they need from you so you know what to expect.

In this post, I share some of the information I’ll ask for when we meet for a chat and if you decide to work with me.

Do we get on?

I won’t ask this as a direct question, but I think about it when I chat with a potential new client. I work mainly with small businesses, and getting your personality into your content is important. If the conversation is awkward or disjointed, you’re less likely to be yourself, so it won’t come across in your marketing, and you won’t get what you’re paying for.

Who do you want to talk to

If you try to market to everyone, you’ll end up with bland, boring copywriting that doesn’t speak to anyone. Think about your ideal customer and how you talk to them in real life. When you understand their lives and what they need or want from you, we can focus on them and use language that helps them feel understood.

What your business does

I know this is ridiculously obvious, but this wouldn’t be a complete list without it. You might offer a few different services or products or just one. An overview of what you do and how you work will help your copywriter think up new ideas and ways to communicate with your audience.

What does your brand stand for

Massive corporations invest heavily in determining their brand position and understanding what people think when they hear their name or see their logo. You don’t have to spend millions, but you should consider what you want people to feel when they see your social media posts or visit your website. If you’re a one-person business, your personality and values inform your branding. You might be friendly and approachable or luxurious with a hint of mystery. You might offer a high-end, tailored service but still be down-to-earth enough to chat over a cuppa. (That’s what I’m aiming for, by the way.) The language you use sets the tone and your customers’ expectations. It’s also a good idea to consider what makes you stand out.

Your plan

I’m not a marketing strategist, so I won’t help you develop a marketing plan, but I can help you bring it to life. I can help you tailor your content to different platforms and suggest ways to reuse the same words in various places so they go further (and bring your copywriting bill down).

I’ll also ask if you’ve got other people on board, like a website designer or SEO expert, as I can work with them too.

Your voice

Getting your voice into your marketing helps your future customers get to know you. If they meet you in person, you’ll already feel familiar. Of course, that only happens if your marketing sounds like you. I’ll ask how you want to come across and consider how that aligns with your customer’s expectations. For example, if you work in law or finance, your clients expect a certain level of professionalism but might also look for someone they can talk to. We’ll talk about how to find the right balance and help your personality come across.

How you prefer to work

When I work with someone regularly, we’ll usually have a catch-up once a month over Zoom or in person if we happen to be in the same place. It helps me get to know you better and keep up to date with what’s happening in your business. That doesn’t apply to everyone. Some businesses prefer to send me a written brief and their brand guide or links to previous content so I can learn what tone of voice they use. I’ve had people send me voice notes explaining what they need to say so I can turn it into a blog post or a page on their website.

I tailor my work to you, including the words we create and the process we use.

What do you want to achieve?

If you have a plan, you should also have a goal. What do you want people to do when they’ve read your words? It could be buying a product online, booking a call or signing up for your email list. Your copywriter needs to know what the goal is so they can craft a call to action and lead people towards it in the rest of their writing.

Essential information

What essential information do copywriters need from you? Well, everything I’ve mentioned so far, but there’s more. Some of it depends on whether you need ongoing support or a one-off project. If you have a particular deadline in mind, your copywriter needs to know how much work is involved and whether they have time to get it all done before your deadline. Your budget is also important, as there are often ways I can tailor my service to fit.

There might be other practical details, such as prices, product specifications or contact details. Regulations in your industry might require disclaimers, legal information or confirmation that you’re authorised by a regulatory body like the FCA.

Ready for a chat?

If you’re ready to work with a copywriter, let’s have a chat. When you work with me, I’ll get to know you and your business and write content that sounds like the best version of you and that your audience will love. Email me to arrange a chat or book a Zoom call to find out more.

Alternatively, sign up for my mailing list, and I’ll send you a free copy of my eBook with fifty (yes, 50) topic ideas for your marketing as a thank you.

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Human vs AI: who can help you tell a good story?

Can AI help you tell a good story or do you need a human?

The subtitle for this could be ‘What I learned from having a pigeon down my chimney’. Yes, you read that right and of course, I’ll get to the story later. The real point of this post is to ask whether AI can help you tell a good story in your business or if you might need a human being instead.

Why do you need to tell a good story?

The main difference between your business and all the other ones offering a similar product or service is you. Your personality, values, and the way you look after your customers. It’s a different story for big brands, but for small businesses like ours, our personality matters.

I know it’s a cliché, but people buy from people. Telling a good story helps you connect with the right ones. The story doesn’t have to be personal, but your future customers need to feel they’ve had a conversation with you, even if you’ve never met. Getting your tone of voice and sense of humour into your writing helps that happen.

The time I asked ChatGPT to tell me a story

I asked ChatGPT to tell me a story from its life because I was curious about how it would respond. This is what it said.

“I don’t have a life in the traditional sense—no childhood, adventures, or personal milestones. But I do have a kind of story!

Once, I was just a simple algorithm, learning to understand patterns in text. Over time, I evolved, growing smarter with the help of countless conversations and questions from people like you. Each interaction helped shape me into a better listener and helper. While I don’t have my own experiences, I love being part of yours—whether it’s brainstorming ideas, solving problems, or just sharing a laugh.

That’s my “life story”—short and digital but always growing!”

It’s undoubtedly accurate but not exactly inspirational. The lack of common ground between ChatGPT and me, besides the fact that we’ve both learned things over time, means I don’t feel any connection. It might be able to suggest a solution to a problem, but I’d still seek advice from some humans, too.

Getting a pigeon out of a chimney

Many years ago, I was sitting on the sofa at home (a different home from the one I’m in now) and heard a noise from the chimney. The chimney was boarded at the bottom, and I thought I heard something land. Then, after a moment of silence, there was a scratching noise. Something was alive in there. I called the RSPCA, and they said they couldn’t help because it was probably a wild bird. Then I remembered we knew a vet. My husband rang him, and he came straight round, agreeing it sounded like a bird. The husband prised the board away with a hammer, and Dan, the vet, reached in to retrieve a slightly sooty pigeon. He carried it out into the garden, where it sat on a table, coughed a few times and generally looked dejected. Dan said he didn’t think anything was seriously wrong but that we might want to put the bird somewhere safe in case the local cats came calling.

I went to the shed to see if I could find a box. The door stuck as I pulled it and finally opened with a bang that startled the pigeon. We watched it fly off into the night, happy it would be safe in a tree somewhere.

I tell you this because it’s the kind of story an AI would never create, and it hopefully tells you something about the type of person I am. Of course, there’s also a lesson behind it.

Work with an expert

If we hadn’t been able to find a friendly vet out of hours when that pigeon came down our chimney, that story could have gone very differently. We’d probably have ended up with a distressed, sooty bird flying around our living room in a panic. Dan knew how to lift it from our fireplace and keep it calm because he’s an expert.

Telling stories in your marketing helps you connect with your audience so they can get to know you. You might find it easy, but if you don’t, get some help. AI can help you get started, but a human can help you tell a good story by writing it for you.

If you’ve created a marketing plan and want help to turn it into a good story, I can help. When you work with me, I’ll get to know you and your business and write content that sounds like the best version of you and that your audience will love. Email me to arrange a chat or book a Zoom call to find out more.

Alternatively, sign up for my mailing list here, and I’ll send you a free copy of my eBook with fifty (yes, 50) topic ideas for your marketing as a thank you.

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Case study – unstuffy legal blogs for Westcotes Wills

Rosie from Westcotes Wills, who was looking for unstuffy legal blogs for her business.

I knew I was going to love working with Rosie O’Hanlon-Hills, the awesome will writer behind Westcotes Wills, as soon as she turned up for our first meeting. It was my birthday, and she arrived with a card and a bunch of flowers! We initially met and clicked over a networking lunch (I’m aware that most of my client stories start that way). Rosie wanted to take the fear out of making a will and show people how her expertise can help. Her clients talk about how she puts them at ease, even when making a will or creating a lasting power of attorney leads to difficult conversations. When Rosie wanted to start a blog, she knew that a blog-writing ex-lawyer (that’s me, in case you were wondering) would be the right choice.

The challenge

Westcotes Wills’ blog posts need to talk about their range of services, including will writing, LPAs and estate management. We needed to educate people about the things they might not be familiar with and encourage them to take action. Convincing someone to make a will often means pointing out the things that can go wrong if you don’t have one, which can be incredibly gloomy. Rosie is a generally cheerful person with a wicked sense of humour, so doom and gloom isn’t her style. We needed to talk about the benefits of getting your legal affairs in order and show Rosie’s expertise in a way that reflects her personality.

The solution

When she contacted me, Rosie knew that she wanted one of my monthly blog-writing packages. She often has ideas for the things she wants to cover, but I also come up with suggestions for general topics that might help her audience. We have a catchup every month, mostly over Zoom but sometimes in person too. These monthly chats are invaluable as new blog topics sometimes come up as we speak. It also allows me to listen to how Rosie talks about her subject so I can capture her voice in the blog posts. I’ve been writing her blog for over four years now, and also adapt each piece to turn it into multiple social media posts she can use on her other platforms. Working with Rosie has always been a joy because I get to talk about the law and make it accessible.

Does your business need content that showcases your expertise in an approachable way? I can help with that. Everything I do is tailored to your needs, so you get words that work for your business. Just email me or book a Zoom call here.

Alternatively, sign up for my mailing list here and get a free copy of my eBook with fifty ideas to give you fresh marketing inspiration.

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Why Your Business Needs a Communications Strategy (and Not Just a Content Plan)

Guest blog by Joanne Parker from Joanne Parker Communications explaining the importance of a communications strategy.

Hands up, who has created a content plan for 2025?

If you have, you may be feeling quietly smug, safe in the knowledge that you know exactly what content you will create every week for the next month, six months, or even year.

Having such a plan in place is undoubtedly a great achievement, but without a communications strategy, you will likely miss a trick.

A content plan is not the same as a communications strategy. Yes, they’re related, but one without the other is like baking a cake without a recipe—you might end up with a cake, but it won’t be as light, airy and tasty as it could be.

Starting at the end

I often find the best way to think about strategy is to consider how you will know if your content plan is successful.

What are you going to measure?

Often, clients will say things like ‘awareness.’

Awareness of what? By whom? Where? When? With what message?

If you don’t have the answers to those questions, you could well be generating content for the sake of it.

What is a communications strategy?

Think of it as the big-picture plan that defines why you’re communicating, who you’re talking to, what you want them to do, and how you’ll measure success. It’s your guide to every piece of content, every campaign, and every conversation.

Why Isn’t a Content Plan Enough?

Here’s a scenario I see all the time. A business has a fabulous content plan. Posts are going out daily. The captions are witty, the graphics are slick, and the engagement is… well, it’s fine. But when I ask, “What’s the goal of all this?” I’m often met with blank stares or vague responses like, “To build awareness” or “To sell more.”

That’s where the problem lies. Without a strategy, your content is likely disjointed, inconsistent, or aimed at the wrong audience. You’re busy posting but not necessarily moving closer to your business goals. A strategy ensures every piece of content has a purpose, fits into the bigger picture, and helps you achieve measurable results.

Strategy First, Tactics Second

Imagine you’re planning a road trip. The content plan is your playlist, snacks, and stops along the way. But the communications strategy is the route you’re taking, the destination you’re heading to, and the map you’ll use to get there. Without it, you’re just driving in circles, hoping to stumble upon something interesting.

A good communications strategy answers these key questions:

  • Who are you talking to? Your audience isn’t “everyone.” Narrow it down. Are you speaking to busy parents, eco-conscious millennials, or CEOs juggling a million priorities?
  • What do you want them to do? Maybe it’s subscribing to your newsletter, booking a consultation, or changing their behaviour. Be specific.
  • Why should they care? This is where your messaging comes in. What problem are you solving, and why are you the best person to solve it?
  • How will you reach them? This is where the content plan comes in. Social media, email, blogs, videos—these are your tools, not your strategy.
  • How will you measure success? Metrics matter. Are you tracking clicks, sign-ups, sales, or something else? Without data, you’re flying blind.

Real-Life Example

Let’s say you run a boutique fitness studio. You might have a content plan that includes daily Instagram posts, weekly blog updates, and monthly email newsletters. Great! But without a strategy, your efforts might look like this:

  • Posting motivational quotes that don’t resonate with your audience.
  • Writing blogs about general fitness tips that don’t showcase what makes your studio unique.
  • Sending emails that don’t align with your upcoming promotions.

With a strategy, however, everything changes. You decide your target audience is busy professionals who want quick, effective workouts. Your key message becomes, “Fitness that fits your schedule.” Now, your Instagram posts focus on time-saving exercise tips, your blogs highlight success stories from working professionals, and your emails promote lunchtime express classes. See the difference?

The Benefits of a Communications Strategy

Here’s what a solid strategy can do for your business:

  • Clarity: You’ll know exactly what to say, to whom, and why.
  • Consistency: Your messaging will be cohesive across all channels, building trust with your audience.
  • Efficiency: No more wasting time on content that doesn’t serve your goals.
  • Impact: Every piece of communication will move you closer to your business objectives.

Creating a communications strategy doesn’t have to be daunting. Start by revisiting your business goals. Then, think about your audience and what they need from you. Outline your key messages and choose the channels where your audience spends time. Finally, set measurable objectives so you can track your progress.

If you take the time to map out your strategy, your content will work harder and deliver results that meet your objectives, helping your business flourish and grow.

Joanne Parker helps you create your communications strategy

Joanne Parker

Joanne Parker Communications

Tel: 07596719763

Email: hello@joanneparkercommunications.com

Website: www.joanneparkercommunications.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanne-parker-writer/

Arrange a meeting: https://calendly.com/jpcomms/getting-to-know-you