15 Minute Freelancer: Recent Episodes
Louise Shanahan
15 Minute Freelancer is your snack-sized guide to being your own boss and building a business and life you love. In this podcast for freelancers, you'll get practical strategies and behind the scenes stories from your host, freelance health copywriter Louise Shanahan, so you can create a freelance business that works for you.
Did you know this podcast has been going for 2 years? That's a lot of freelancing chat.
In this episode, I share some thoughts about where the podcast is going in 2023 (spoiler in the title?).
And in case you're pondering a similar conundrum about how to move forwards (or not) with a particular project, I'm sharing some questions to consider to help you decide when to quit/take a break/power on, along the following themes:
- Enjoyment vs. value to others
- Scaling back vs. quitting altogether
- Sunk costs vs. maintaining momentum
- Filling up your creativity cup
- Keeping the goal the goal!
Thanks to everyone who has supported the podcast so far. Until next time (whenever or wherever that is), happy freelancing!
Stay in touch!
Newsletter: 15minutefreelancer.substack.com
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Support the podcast! If you find this podcast helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated.
This is part two of my conversation with visual storytelling expert Jude Charles. If you haven’t yet listened to part one, go back and check that out first.
“As a freelancer in 2023, it is no longer an option whether or not you tell stories, it is imperative for you to tell stories.”
In this episode, Jude shares more tips and examples of how visual storytelling can build trust with clients, and we dive into the practicalities of using video to market ourselves.
We cover:
- 5 different ways to tell an unforgettable story using visual strategies
- Why (and how) you should take people behind the scenes of your business
- How to get shy clients to contribute to video case studies
- How to leverage your video to get more eyes on it.
Get bonus clips and tips in the 15 Minute Freelancer newsletter: 15minutefreelancer.substack.com
Mentioned in this episode:
Website: http://JudeCharles.co
Newsletter: http://JudeCharles.co/newsletter
Dramatic Demonstration: https://judecharles.co/book
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in regular snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Support the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated.
How can a pair of white shoes help someone land a new client?
Jude Charles is an expert in visual storytelling – and specifically, using video to tell stories that build trust with potential clients. Because Jude had SO much brilliant advice to share, this episode is split into two parts.
In this first part, Jude explains how to harness the power of storytelling to connect with clients. As well as telling a few of his own inspirational stories, Jude also shares:
- Why sharing more of your personal story can help you stand out from the crowd
- How to tell stories that get clients to sit up and pay attention
- Why you need a "story book" journal and how to create one
- The moving story behind those white shoes.
Get bonus clips and tips in the 15 Minute Freelancer newsletter: 15minutefreelancer.substack.com
Mentioned in this episode:
Newsletter: http://JudeCharles.co/newsletter
Story Bank Journal: http://storybankjournal.com
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in regular snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Support the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated.
Today we're taking a look at what the future of freelancing might look like as working culture evolves. My guest is Paul Evans, director of Fourth Estate Creative and creator of the Freelance Fellowship platform. As a small business owner and someone who hires freelancers, Paul sees the opportunities and challenges from both sides.
Our conversation unpicks what recent shifts in working culture might mean for freelancers, including:
- The drivers behind the growth of the freelance economy (plus benefits and pitfalls to watch out for)
- The gig economy and workers' rights
- How to spot knowledge gaps in companies you'd like to work with
- Combining your skills to become a "triple threat"
- The power of collaboration between groups of freelancers
- How Paul works with freelancers in his own business
Get bonus clips and tips in the 15 Minute Freelancer newsletter: 15minutefreelancer.substack.com
Say hi to Paul:
LinkedIn: Paul Thomas Evans
Fourth Estate Creative website: https://www.fourthestatecreative.com/
Freelance Fellowship website: https://www.freelancefellowship.com/
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Support the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated.
Keeping the project pipeline flowing means we always need to be on the lookout for the next lead. But rather than chasing down new clients, why not focus on creating an amazing experience for your existing clients?
Happy clients are more likely to come back again and again – and refer you to their contacts.
My guest today is Gigi Davarashvili from Yocory, an all-in-one business hub for freelancers and small business owners. Gigi joins me to chat about how she creates memorable experiences for her clients that keep them coming back, including:
- The difference between "good enough" and "WOW"
- How to sprinkle a little gold dust at the end of a project to surprise and delight your clients
- Does automation help or hinder the client experience?
- How to avoid awkward conversations and set firm boundaries from the start.
Get bonus clips and tips in the 15 Minute Freelancer newsletter: 15minutefreelancer.substack.com
Say hi to Gigi:
Website: https://yocory.com
Instagram: @yocoryapp
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Support the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated :)
Support the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated :)
It's the last episode of 2022, which means it's time for everyone's favourite format at this time of year: the annual review.
Do you review the ups and downs of the previous year? Do you set goals for the following year? We don't need to get too corporate about it, but since we don't have a boss to do a performance review, we have to do our own.
In this episode, I share my review process, reflect on 2022 and share three wins and three not-so-wins.
You'll also hear how I'm setting my goals for 2023 and how my business will have to change as a result.
Until next year, happy freelancing!
Get bonus clips and tips in the 15 Minute Freelancer newsletter: 15minutefreelancer.substack.com
Mentioned in this Episode:
Episode 43: How to set goals to grow your freelance business in in 2022
Episode 66: My 6-month review: what worked and what didn't?
Episode 64: A day in the life of a freelance copywriter
Episode 29: Land your wishlist clients with cold pitching (with Bree Weber)
Episode 57: Build your own board of directors
Dr Julie Gurner's newsletter
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Website: thecopyprescription.com
This week I take you behind the scenes at the Magazine Street conference.
(You may remember my interview with Nikki Simpson, organiser of Magazine Street, back in Episode 75.)
I share my top takeaways from a few of the many brilliant speakers who shared their stories of creativity, resilience and problem-solving – relevant to all freelancers, not just those in the magazine industry.
- A cocktail-loving couple who demonstrated the power of listening to your audience
- A brand new magazine creator with a simple idea that's already inspiring others
- A remarkable turnaround story that goes from Dragons Den rejection to international title and the lessons learned along the way
- How a mountain biking community defeated a website hacker
- How understanding your audience can help you grow your reach
- What we can learn about writing from producing news reports for 9-year-olds.
Vox-pop quotes from other attendees and speakers will be included in the 15 Minute Freelancer newsletter: 15minutefreelancer.substack.com
Mentioned in this Episode:
International Magazine Centre: https://internationalmagazinecentre.com/
Magazine Street Speakers: https://internationalmagazinecentre.com/magazine-street/
Episode 75: Create your own conference! (With Nikki Simpson)
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Ask a question for a future episode on memo.fm/15/
Support the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated.
"All freelancers should have an email newsletter for their business, 100%, without a doubt!"
My guest today is Eman Ismail, email strategist, email copywriter extraordinaire and host of the excellent Mistakes That Made Me podcast. If you've been thinking about starting a newsletter, this episode is packed with tips to help you get set up, grow your list, and use email marketing to attract clients.
We discuss:
- Why freelancers shouldn't overlook email marketing as a key way to build their business
- Why email is actually better than social media for marketing
- Eman's insights on what to write and how often
- Building an email list full of the right people (and what to do if you attract more fellow freelancers than potential clients!)
- Eman's favourite email marketing platforms
Get bonus clips and tips in the 15 Minute Freelancer newsletter: 15minutefreelancer.substack.com
Say hi to Eman:
The Email Rules: https://data.inkhouse.org.uk/the-email-rules/
Website: https://emancopyco.com/
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter at The Copy Prescription. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites. Find her on LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan.
Support the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated.
Are you missing a trick if you don't use TikTok to market your freelance business?
My guest today is Chloe Barnes, a freelance copywriter at The Write Chloe who successfully operates a TikTok-first marketing strategy for her business. Chloe shares her top tips for navigating the platform and makes creating “real person TV” easy and effective, including:
- What makes TikTok different from other social media apps
- Why you should think of TikTok as “real person TV”
- How she got her first client via TikTok when she had just 29 followers
- How to find clients on TikTok (or help them find you)
- How to create content the TikTok algorithm (and potential clients) will love
- Spontaneous vs. scheduled content
- How TikTok fits in Chloe's wider marketing strategy
And since we had SO much to talk about, there are not one but TWO bonus clips in the 15 Minute Freelancer newsletter (previous issues listed here too): 15minutefreelancer.substack.com
Say hi to Chloe:TikTok: @thewritechloe
Instagram: @thewritechloe
Website: thewritechloe.com
Say hi to Louise:Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Support the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated
It's the health episode! Working alone, from home, jumping from one task to another – it's all too easy to forget to take care of our physical and mental well-being properly.
Sally Duffin is a freelance writer and nutritional therapist, and she joins me to share some of her favourite healthy habits to help you feel and perform at your best.
We pack a lot into this one, including:
- Why we must stop self-care from falling off our radar
- Tips for building healthy habits into your day (and sticking to them)
- Eating for mental well-being
- Small changes that have a big impact on stress
- How menopause can affect freelance life + Sally's advice on recognising and managing perimenopausal symptoms
Get bonus clips and tips in the 15 Minute Freelancer newsletter: 15minutefreelancer.substack.com
Mentioned in this episode:
Ep. 64: A day in the life of a freelance copywriter
Book: ‘Natural Nutrition for Perimenopause: What to Eat to Feel Good and Stay Sane’
Say hi to Sally:
Website: www.nutritioninyork.com
Instagram: @nutritioninyork
Twitter: @nutritioninyork
Facebook: Nutrition in York
LinkedIn: Sally Duffin
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Leave me a question or comment on memo.fm/15/
Support the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated.
One way to charge more (and work less) as a freelancer is to shift from implementing the client's brief to selling strategy. When you help to set the direction for a project, you're also far less likely to find yourself navigating the awkward gaps in expectations that can arise from missing or outdated strategies.
But how do you transition to selling strategy? What do the deliverables look like? How much should you charge?
My guest today is Austin Church, a brand strategist, business coach, host of the brilliant Freelance Cake podcast and all-round entrepreneur. He shares his experience of shifting from selling implementation to strategy and his tips on how you can do the same.
We cover:
- Where to start with selling strategy
- How strategy engagements can be a great way to vet clients
- Managing the paradigm shift from "order taker" to guide and advisor
- How to work out what to charge for strategy
- How to sell strategy services to clients
Get bonus clips and tips in the 15 Minute Freelancer newsletter: 15minutefreelancer.substack.com
Say hi to Austin:
LinkedIn: Austin L. Church
Website: https://freelancecake.com/freelance-fixes
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Ask a question for a future episode on memo.fm/15/
Support the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated.
Do you have a niche or specialism as a freelancer?
Choosing a niche can be a powerful way to use your expertise to stand out, attract clients and charge more – but what if you want to change your mind?
People have big opinions on this topic, but the truth is you can run a perfectly successful business whether you decide to niche or not.
And crucially, that decision isn't irreversible.
In this episode, I'm joined by website consultant Tom Garfield to hear about his experience of choosing (and changing) his business niche.
We talk about:
- Different ways to specialise and make yourself stand out
- Transitioning from one specialism to another
- Is it better to niche by service or industry?
- Pros and cons of niching
- How to figure out your "natural niche"
- Why "affinity positioning" might be an effective new approach to niching
Get bonus clips and tips in the 15 Minute Freelancer newsletter: 15minutefreelancer.substack.com
Mentioned in the episode:
Episode 77 - Don't be afraid to change your business (with Heather Pownall)
Episode 56 - Dave Harland: how to stand out on LinkedIn
Say hi to Tom
Website: https://tomgarfield.co.uk/
LinkedIn: Tom Garfield
Twitter: @TomGarfield_
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Leave me a voice note on memo.fm/15/
Support the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated.
So you know you should be working ON your business as well as IN it, but how do you actually do that when you're busy? If you've got more work than you can handle, need some help to trim your to-do list, or want to outsource but are not quite sure where to start, this episode is for you.
Outsourcing expert Lisa Tennant runs a virtual assistant service and joins me on this episode to talk about all things delegation and outsourcing. Letting someone else into our business for the first time can be a daunting prospect, but Lisa shares some great tips about how to go about it.
Our chat includes:
- Why do we find it so hard to delegate
- How to know when it's the right time to start outsourcing
- How to carry out a time audit
- How to not be a control freak about outsourcing (lol)
- Finding people you can trust
Get bonus clips and tips in the 15 Minute Freelancer newsletter: 15minutefreelancer.substack.com
Mentioned in the episode:
Toggl: https://toggl.com/
Say hi to Lisa:
Website: www.ltvaservices.com
LinkedIn: Lisa Tennant
Instagram: @ltvaservices
Twitter: @LTVAservices
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Record a question or leave a voice note on memo.fm/15/
Support the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated.
Want to attract great freelance clients? You've probably tried content marketing and cold pitching – but what about PR?
My guest for this episode is Melissa Hobson, a PR consultant who is here to help us with how to get started with PR and get those all-important eyes and ears on our businesses. We discuss:
- Why you shouldn't overlook PR as a strategy to attract clients
- Melissa's "tea and biscuits" PR strategy
- How to identify the right outlets and prepare your pitch
- How to get over the fear of speaking to journalists
- Planned vs spontaneous PR tactics
Get bonus clips and tips in the 15 Minute Freelancer newsletter: 15minutefreelancer.substack.com
Mentioned in the episode:HARO: https://www.helpareporter.com/
Help a B2B Writer: https://helpab2bwriter.com/
prrequest: https://twitter.com/hashtag/prrequest
Say hi to Melissa:Website: www.melissahobson.co.uk
LinkedIn: Melissa Hobson
Say hi to Louise:Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Ask a question for a future episode via voice note on memo.fm/15/
Support the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated.
Regular listeners know that I love hearing how other freelancers stay organised – if you do too, I think you'll enjoy this episode.
Bonnie Harrington, freelance writer, host of Tomato Tuesdays, and Pomodoro enthusiast joins me to discuss:
- The life-changing magic of the Pomodoro technique
- Using Pomodoros for time tracking so you can charge correctly for future projects
- Pomodoro co-working for accountability, networking and connection
- Bonnie's favourite tools and systems for performing at your best when you work alone.
Get bonus clips and tips in the 15 Minute Freelancer newsletter: 15minutefreelancer.substack.com
Find out more:
Tomato Tuesdays: wordsbybonnie.com – AM session or PM session
Say hi to Bonnie:
Website: wordsbybonnie.com
LinkedIn: Bonnie Harrington
Twitter: @_wordsbybonnie
Instagram: @wordsbybonnie
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Leave me a voice note on memo.fm/15/
Support the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated.
Are you worried about what the current economic situation might mean for your business? If so, please know you are not alone.
In this solo episode, I share the questions I'm considering to prepare my freelance business for economic disruption, including:
- How is the downturn affecting my niche?
- Should I change my services?
- Should I raise or lower my rates?
- How can I bring in more work if needed?
- How can I make my business more financially resilient?
- What are the potential upsides of an economic downturn for freelancers?
Our financial situations and businesses may be different (I'm not a financial advisor and this isn't financial advice), but hopefully this will spark some ideas to consider for yourself.
Get bonus clips and tips in the 15 Minute Freelancer newsletter: 15minutefreelancer.substack.com
Find out more:
Episode 54: Make yourself ridiculously referrable
Episode 21: Stress-free accounting with Martin Brooks
Want to feature in my Ask Me Anything episode? Record your question here: memo.fm/15/
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Leave me a voice note on memo.fm/15/
Support the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated.
Do you need to make a change in your business? Feeling a bit daunted? This episode is for you.
My guest is Heather Pownall, a media marketing and comms specialist who has been making some big changes in her business. Heather shares what prompted her to pivot and how it’s going so far.
We discuss:
- The scary vs exciting aspects of change
- Reframing change as an opportunity to learn new things
- Adding a subscription model to your business
- How to step outside your comfort zone
- The benefits of being an "expert generalist"
Get bonus clips and tips in the 15 Minute Freelancer newsletter: 15minutefreelancer.substack.com
Say hi to Heather:
LinkedIn: Heather Pownall
Twitter: @Heathershub
Website: https://www.hmhub.co.uk/
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Ask a question for a future episode at memo.fm/15/
Support the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated.
Forget those "find your purpose" pdf worksheets that get forgotten about as soon as you hit save and get back to the day job – this episode will help you figure out what really drives your business so you can transform it from ticking along to truly thriving.
Matt Saunders, former freelance web designer and creator of the Freelance Business Builder, shares how finding his vision set him on the path to building a successful and scalable business.
We discuss:
- What happens when you have a clear business vision – and what happens if you don't
- How to figure out what your purpose actually is (not the one you think you should have)
- How a shared purpose can reduce client conflicts and make pitching easier
- How to make decisions that keep you moving in the right direction.
Get bonus clips and tips in the 15 Minute Freelancer newsletter: 15minutefreelancer.substack.com
Say hi to Matt:
Freelance Business Builder: https://mattsaunders.uk/course/fbb
LinkedIn: Matt Saunders
Twitter: @MattSaundersUK
Website: https://mattsaunders.uk/
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Ask a question for a future episode at: memo.fm/15/
Support the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated.
Joining me for this episode is Nikki Simpson, someone who truly embodies the idea that if you want to see something exist in the world, then you should just go ahead and create it yourself. Nikki is the founder and director of the International Magazine Centre and the brains behind the brand new conference Magazine Street, which takes place on 29 September 2022.
We chat about:
- All the details for the upcoming Magazine Street conference
- Behind the scenes when organising an event
- Why you should consider running an event
- How to get the most out of attending events
- And how, if you are attending Magazine Street, you may end up featuring on a future episode of 15 Minute Freelancer!
Get bonus clips and tips in the 15 Minute Freelancer newsletter: 15minutefreelancer.substack.com
Get tickets to Magazine Street:
https://internationalmagazinecentre.com/magazine-street/
Say hi to Nikki:
LinkedIn: Nikki Simpson
Twitter: @NikkiSimpson3
Website: https://internationalmagazinecentre.com/
Say hi to Louise:Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Leave a voice note on memo.fm/15/
Support the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated.
One of my goals for 2022 was to shift from working five (or sometimes seven!) days a week to a consistent four-day week. If you listened to episode 66, you'll know how that has been going... My guest this week heard that episode and offered to share her experience of reducing her hours while still delivering fantastic work for clients.
Alicja Tokarska is a freelance translator and subtitler who, after working round the clock for far too long, made the decision to transition to a new working pattern and now works Monday to Thursday.
Alicja shares her experience of moving to a four-day week along with tips on how she makes it work, including:
- What prompted her to make the transition to four days a week
- Overcoming mental and practical obstacles to working fewer hours when you're used to being 'on' all the time
- Managing client expectations around availability
- How the move has changed her business
- What an average week looks like now (and how others can do the same).
Get bonus clips and tips in the 15 Minute Freelancer newsletter: 15minutefreelancer.substack.com
Mentioned in this episode:
Boomerang for Gmail: www.boomeranggmail.com
Episode 66: My 6-month review: what worked and what didn't?
Episode 23: Saying no and beating burnout with Sarah Townsend
Say hi to Alicja:
LinkedIn: Alicja Tokarska
Instagram: @polkadottranslations
Website: www.polkadottranslations.com
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Leave me a voice note on memo.fm/15/
Support the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated.
Let’s be honest, running a freelance business is hard work! It’s normal for motivation to ebb and flow. This week Louise shares her 7 top tips for riding out those dips in motivation and pushing through to the other side, including:
- Why does motivation dip?
- When to "sail" and when to "row"
- How picnic mode can help you master motivation
- What your gym instructor can teach you about motivation
- Avoiding shiny object syndrome
- When it's time to quit
Don't forget to sign up for the 15 Minute Freelancer newsletter for bonus clips and extra resources: 15minutefreelancer.substack.com
Mentioned on this episode:
The Dip by Seth Godin
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Ask a question for a future episode on memo.fm/15/
Support the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated.
Two firsts for the podcast this week, a quick-fire question round and a GIVEAWAY!
My guest is the queen of website copywriting herself, Gill Andrews. In just 15 mins, Gill answers all your burning questions about the dos and don'ts of freelancer websites.
Listen in to find out:
- What's the most important section of your website?
- Why "contact me" might not be the best call to action for your freelancer website
- Should freelancers have a blog on their website?
- How much detail to share about your experience and past projects
- A freelancer's guide to SEO
- My most-used tip from Gill's book, ‘Making Your Website Work’
- How to enter the giveaway so you can get your hands on a signed copy of Gill's book!
Get bonus clips and tips in the 15 Minute Freelancer newsletter: 15minutefreelancer.substack.com
Say hi to Gill:
Website: https://gillandrews.com/
LinkedIn: Gill Andrews
Twitter: @StoriesWithGill
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Ask a question for a future episode on memo.fm/15/
Support the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated.
One for the quiet freelancers.
We're often told that creating a successful business requires us to "just keep putting yourself out there". But what does that mean if you're more introvert than extrovert? Self-promotion can be tough for anyone, but if you're the quiet type, common strategies for sales and marketing can be energy-draining and uncomfortable.
In this episode, I’m joined by Carmel Finnan, a freelance Communication & Storytelling Consultant. Carmel shares her thoughts on how quiet freelancers can be found by the right clients in a noisy online world.
Our conversation includes:
- Should we even use the word "introvert"?
- Recognising that modern marketing tactics were developed for big personalities and big businesses
- How to manage your energy as an introvert so you can be visible on your own terms
- Marketing options when you don't want to post every day on social media
- Why (and how) you need to build a business that aligns with your personality.
Resources:
Get bonus clips, insights, resources and "15 Minute Actions" in the 15 Minute Freelancer newsletter: 15minutefreelancer.substack.com
Carmel’s blog post about Marketing for Introverts: https://storydialogue.com/blog/marketing-for-introverts/
Say hi to Carmel:
LinkedIn: Carmel Finnan
Website: https://storydialogue.com/
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Leave me a voice note on memo.fm/15/
Support the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated.
"You can't be everyone's cup of tea, or you'd be a mug!"
Advita Patel is the founder of Comms Rebel, which aims to revolutionise workplace and business culture by encouraging us all to be a bit more rebellious. She's also the co-founder of A Leader Like Me, which is a membership for underrepresented women looking to progress in their careers.
Her message for freelancers is to be bold, brave, and step outside our comfort zone to thrive. To develop our careers, we need to find the confidence to take risks to find new opportunities.
We discuss:
- How to unleash your inner rebel (especially those who have been urged to follow the rules)
- The importance of being visible and talking about what you do
- Celebrating yourself and not waiting for validation from others
- Why we all need to do the work to understand our purpose and our values
- The small steps we can take to bring more rebellion into our lives.
Get bonus clips, insights, resources and "15 Minute Actions" in the 15 Minute Freelancer newsletter: 15minutefreelancer.substack.com Mentioned in this episode
Comms Rebel: https://www.commsrebel.com/about
A Leader Like Me: https://aleaderlikeme.com/
Calm Edged Rebels Podcast: https://calmedgedrebels.com/podcast/
Book: Rebel Ideas: The Power of Thinking Differently by Matthew Syed
Say hi to Advita:
Website: www.advitapatel.com
LinkedIn: Advita Patel
Instagram: @advitap
Twitter: @Advita_p
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Ask a question for a future episode on memo.fm/15/
Support the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated.
Do freelancers ever need a CV? Before this conversation, I'd have said no – after all, I can just send potential clients to my website, can't I?
But Jenny Stallard has a different take. Jenny is a freelance writer, business coach, speaker, and the brains behind Freelance Feels. She makes a compelling argument for why we should all have a CV (or even more than one) as freelancers.
In our conversation, we cover:
- Could you be missing a trick by not having a CV that showcases your experience and expertise to clients?
- The difference between a portfolio and a CV
- What to include and what to leave out!
- How to decide which projects to include to attract ideal clients
- What to do if you don’t have much experience or have gaps in your career history
Get bonus clips, reflections, resources and "15 Minute Actions" in the 15 Minute Freelancer newsletter: 15minutefreelancer.substack.com.
Say hi to Jenny:
Instagram: @freelance_feels
Twitter: @freelance_feels
Website: https://www.freelancefeels.com/
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Leave me a voice note or question for a future episode on memo.fm/15/
Support the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated.
Do you follow your gut instincts when making business decisions? Or do you prefer poring over logical lists of pros and cons?
Intuition and logic might not be as far apart as you think. On today's episode, Helen Pamely, a former city law firm partner turned wellness coach, helps us figure out how to tune in to our intuition and why it can be such a powerful guide in business. We cover:
- What is "intuition" and how do we know what it's telling us?
- Is intuition something you're born with or can it be learned?
- How do we tell the difference between gut instinct about red flags and a fear that's holding us back?
- How to explain intuitive decisions to clients who may be looking for concrete data.
Get bonus content, reflections, resources and more "15 Minute Actions" in the 15 Minute Freelancer newsletter: 15minutefreelancer.substack.com
Say hi to Helen:
LinkedIn: Helen Pamely
Instagram: @helenpamely
Website: https://www.helenpamely.com/
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Leave me a voice note on memo.fm/15/
Support the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated.
"Stop building boring businesses!"
Kirsty Waite is a business coach who firmly believes that running a business shouldn't be serious all the time. Being yourself in business takes a bit of practice, but giving ourselves permission to have some fun while we work can make us happier, open up new opportunities and help us attract our ideal clients.
In this convo, Kirsty shares her tips for unlearning corporate rules, having fun while still taking your business seriously, and giving yourself permission to break the rules.
Bonus clips! Sign up for the 15 Minute Freelancer newsletter: 15minutefreelancer.substack.com/about >>
Check out Kirsty's Thriving in Business Mastermind!
Say hi to Kirsty:
LinkedIn: Kirsty Waite
Website: www.kirstywaite.com/
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Leave me a voice note on memo.fm/15
Support the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated.
Are you on track to meet your freelancing goals this year? We're now halfway through the year, which means it's time for a 6-month check-in. In this episode, I dig into what's worked and what's been a bit sticky in my business over the last 6 months, using my 6-step framework for setting and reviewing goals.
P.S. We have a newsletter now! Check it out at 15minutefreelancer.substack.com
Mentioned in this episode:
- Ep 43: How to set goals to grow your freelance business in 2022
- Ep 15: Is it time to raise your rates?
- Ep 47: Q+A on negotiating your freelance rates
- Emma Cownley – Kiss My A's: Using quarterly reviews to build a better freelance business
- Mai-Kee Tsang: Converse with Consent workshop
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Leave me a voice note on memo.fm/15/
Support the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated.
Podcasting is a great way to connect with people, but it's also a bit of a one-sided conversation. How do we cultivate a community vibe?
This week, 15 Minute Freelancer's very own editor Charles Commins gets on the other side of the mic to join me for a chat about community-building. We focus on podcasts but the lessons apply to any kind of content you create, e.g. newsletters, blogs and YouTube channels.
We cover:
- how to build a thriving podcast community (or any content-based community)
- ways to foster connections with and between listeners
- how to set the tone for friendly banter and support (and handle bad behaviour)
- pros and cons of Patreon, Slack, Meetup and Discord
- the monetization question
Mentioned in this episode:
MIC’s Podcast Club - https://www.meetup.com/micpod/
It’s all Cobblers to Me - https://cobblerstome.com/
Say hi to Charles:Charles' website: vibrantsoundmedia.comTwitter: @charlescommins
LinkedIn: Charles Commins
Instagram: @charlescommins
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Leave me a voice note on memo.fm/15/
Support the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated.
Follow me for a day! In this episode, I take you behind the scenes of a typical day as a freelance copywriter, including:
- Revisiting theme days as a way to structure your week
- Do I really work just five hours a day?
- Reducing decision fatigue and making the most of "shark mode"
- How I split my day between deep work and shallow work
- Figuring out your anchor actions to get the important bits done.
"One of the things that I love most about working for myself is the flexibility. I couldn't spend my days like this if I didn't work for myself. But that flexibility and freedom does require a bit of planning and discipline to achieve."Mentioned in this episode:
Being Freelance Episode 268 – with Louise
Episode 6 - Spend less time on client work with theme days
Episode 63 - How to take a break as a busy freelancer
Copy Hackers
Cal Newport - Deep Work
Brain FM
Jill Coleman
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Leave me a voice note on memo.fm/15
Support the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated.
When was the last time you took a whole week off from your business, switched off your emails, and relaxed?
We all need time off to recharge our batteries, but as freelancers, many of us find it really difficult to take a proper break.
In this solo episode, I share my tips for how to take time off without worrying that your business will disappear while you're gone, including;
- How to plan for your break
- Budgeting for a pause in income
- How to tell clients you will be away
- How to step away from those emails and enjoy your well-earned time off
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Support the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated.
A podcast episode about podcasting! Have you ever considered appearing as a podcast guest to share what you do with a new audience - or even start your own podcast as a way to get freelance clients?
My guest is Anne Claessen, founder of Podcast Babes, and in this episode, she shares with us her tips and tricks on how to use podcasting to grow your freelance business.
In our conversation, we cover:
- How podcast guesting is an underrated way for freelancers to grow their businesses
- How to pitch yourself as the perfect podcast guest (and who to pitch!)
- How to prepare and be a great podcast guest
- What it takes to build a successful podcast
Say hi to Anne:
Website:thepodcastbabes.com/
Instagram: @thepodcastbabes
Facebook: @thepodcastbabes
Pinterest: @thepodcastbabes
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Support the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated.
How to position yourself in the market and set your rates can be one of the biggest challenges as a freelancer. If you can't describe your services, process and value in a way that resonates with clients, you'll struggle to charge the rates you'd like.
Maybe you know you're undercharging, or you want to move away from using an hourly rate that you KNOW isn't working for you, but you just aren’t sure how to sell your new pricing to your clients.
In this episode, I chat to Samantha Anderl and Andrea Wildt, who are the founders of Harlow. Harlow is an all-in-one freelancing tool to provide the resources, templates and workflows that you need to run a thriving freelance business.
In our conversation, we cover:
- The pitfalls freelancers can fall into with pricing
- How to demonstrate the value you bring to a client
- Why you should set project rates than an hourly rate
- When you should (and shouldn’t) compare your rates to other freelancers
- How consistent messaging and a compelling story can help you charge more.
Resources on pricing:
https://meetharlow.com/guides/freelancer101/how-to-figure-out-your-pricing/
https://meetharlow.com/blog/when-to-raise-your-freelance-rates/
https://meetharlow.com/blog/how-to-discuss-freelancer-fees-with-your-clients/
Say hi to Samantha and Andrea:
Harlow: meetharlow.com
Twitter: @MeetHarlow
LinkedIn: Harlow
Instagram: @meetharlow
Facebook: MeetHarlow
TikTok: @meetharlow
Samantha’s Twitter: @SamanthaAnderl
Andrea’s Twitter: @thelittlestflea
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Support the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated.
Support the podcast! If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. Donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated.
In this episode, Louise is joined by Fi Shailes to talk about what it's like running a freelance business while also holding down a full time job. Fi works at award-winning B2B marketing agency twogether as a social strategist, and is a part-time freelance content writer. Here, Fi shares:
- The advantages and disadvantages of having a foot in each camp
- How she balances her workload and manages her time
- Thoughts on marketing yourself and finding freelance clients while still employed
- How to manage client communications and expectations
- What to tell your current employer about your freelance work
Mentioned in this episode:
Content Club UK: #ContentClubUK
Say hi to Fi:
LinkedIn: Fi Shailes
Twitter: @Fi_digitaldrum
Website & blog: https://digital-freelancer.org/
LinkedIn newsletter: Content Therapy
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. All donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated!When SaaS writer and content consultant Annabel Fay lost almost all of her clients overnight at the start of the pandemic, she wrote to 200 of her LinkedIn contacts and asked for a favour...
On this episode, Annabel shares her steb-by-step approach to LinkedIn referral hacking and how it might help you grow your freelance business:
- How to decide who to contact (it may not be your actual target)
- What to say in your initial message (and what not to say)
- How to keep track of hundreds of responses and conversations
- Should you offer a referral fee to people who put in a good word?
Connect with Annabel on LinkedIn: Annabel Fay
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
On this episode, Louise is joined by freelance podcasting royalty! Frankie Tortora and Steve Folland are not just co-hosts of the brilliant Doing It For The Kids podcast, but they've also been co-mentoring each other as freelance business owners (with kids and mammoth side projects) over the last few years. Here, they share their experience of co-mentoring and the impact it's had on their businesses and their lives. Listen in to hear:
- What is co-mentoring and how it can change your business (and your life!)
- Why it's so important to have someone to cheer you on and challenge you
- Frankie and Steve's top tips for structuring a co-mentoring session
- Where to find the right co-mentor (and how to ask them)
- Pros and cons of co-mentoring vs. masterminds
Say hi to Frankie and Steve:Frankie Tortora is a freelance graphic designer and founder of Doing It For The Kids, a community for parents who work freelance. Steve Folland is a freelance video and podcast creator and founder of the Being Freelance community.
Doing It For The Kids
Website: https://www.doingitforthekids.net/
Podcast: https://www.doingitforthekids.net/diftk-podcast/
Facebook group: Doing It For The Kids: Community
Instagram: @doingitforthekids_
Being FreelanceWebsite: https://www.beingfreelance.com/
Podcast: https://www.beingfreelance.com/the-best-freelance-podcast
Course: How to get started being freelance
Facebook group: Being Freelance Community
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. All donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated!
Who's on your imaginary board of directors? In this episode, Louise shares a fun strategy for figuring out business problems with a little help from your (imaginary) business friends).
Say hi to Louise:Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. All donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated!
In this episode, freelance copywriter and LinkedIn superstar Dave Harland shares his unique approach to making marketing fun. Dave's known for stirring up trouble on LinkedIn, poking fun at self-acclaimed thought leaders and brightening up the feed for the rest of us. Here, he breaks down his strategy and tells us:
- How he uses humour and parody to stand out on LinkedIn
- How he creates content and manages his time on social media
- Selling silliness to serious stakeholders
- How his marketing has changed over the years
- What he'd do if he was just starting out
- Uncle Tony's response to clients that shift the goalposts
Say hi to Dave:
LinkedIn: daveharland
Twitter: @wordmancopy
Website: www.thewordman.co.uk
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. All donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated!
Discovery calls – those introductory conversations with prospective new clients where you size each other up and decide if you want to work together – are often seen as an essential part of securing new business. But for some freelancers, they're a major source of stress, wasted time and frustration.
Imagine if you could skip them altogether! In this episode, PR expert Kerri Watt shares how she sets up her processes to avoid time-consuming discovery calls and focus only on her most valuable leads:
- How to avoid time wasters who are just after free advice
- When you should take the call
- How to make it easy for people to buy from you
- Why you should write your own business rules and take ownership of your time
Mentioned on this episode:
Get your copy of Kerri's free checklist, PR in 15 Minutes: https://mailchi.mp/1b9144ae70fc/pr-in-15-minutes-freebie
Say hi to Kerri:
LinkedIn: /kerrilwatt
Twitter: @KerriLWatt
Website: https://www.kerrilwatt.co.uk/
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. All donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated!
As a freelancer, it's lovely to get that little ping in your inbox from someone saying you've been recommended as the number one person to help with their next project.
But those referrals don't just happen by accident. There's plenty you can be actively doing to make sure that you are making yourself as referrable as possible.
In this solo episode, I talk about:
- How you can become the first name that comes to mind for a referral
- My five top tips for getting referrals
- What not to do when requesting a referral
- How to stand out from the crowd and make sure it's YOUR name that is passed around.
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. All donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated!
Do you know if you’ve been pwned? If you don’t even know what that means, don’t worry, you’re not alone.
The world of internet security can be a scary place, and it’s not always easy to know where to start with protecting ourselves online. But as freelancers, it’s a subject we can’t afford to just ignore and hope it won’t affect us.
In this episode, Ross Wintle, a software developer and former freelancer, shares his tips to keep our online assets safe and sound. Listen in to hear:
- The four critical services we should make sure we are protecting
- Why a password manager is an essential investment for your business
- How to check if you have been "pwned" (and what it means!)
- Some easy steps you can take to keep your information – and business – secure.
Resources:
Article by Ross on cybersecurity: https://rosswintle.uk/2020/01/stepping-up-the-security-ladder/
Have I Been Pwned: https://haveibeenpwned.com/
LastPass: https://lastpass.com/
One Password: https://1password.com/
Say hi to Ross:
Website: https://rosswintle.uk/
Twitter: @magicroundabout
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. All donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated!
Have you ever considered partnering up with another freelancer to expand your business? Teaming up could be a great way to attract bigger projects, expand your services and grow your business without doubling your hours. But how does it work? How do you find the right business partner? What happens if you disagree?!
In this episode, I chat to Adam Pearson, one half of the research powerhouse that is PS Research, which he runs with his business partner, Emma Slater. He shares his experiences of going from being a solo business owner to forming a successful partnership:
- Why Adam made the jump from company of one to forming a partnership
- How to find the right person to partner with
- Unexpected upsides of working with a partner
- How to figure out working styles, money stuff and holidays
- How to market your partnership to new and existing clients.
Since Adam is just back from paternity leave, we also discuss how he planned for a chunk of time off – and how other freelancers can do the same.
Mentioned in this episode:
PS Research: https://pearsoninsight.co.uk/
Emma Slater: https://twitter.com/emmapsresearch
Gareth Hancock: https://www.thatcontentshed.com/
Frankie Tortora: https://francescatortora.com/
Dave Smyth: https://websmyth.co/
Martin Brooks (Gold Stag Accounting): https://www.goldstagaccounts.co.uk/
Being Freelance Podcast: https://www.beingfreelance.com/
Say hi to Adam:
Website: www.psresearch.co.uk
LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/pearsoninsight
Twitter: @adampsresearch
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. All donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated!
Freelance graphic designer and creative lead at Freelancer Magazine Angela Lyons joins Louise to talk all things learning. Keeping your skills fresh is essential if you want to stay on top of the latest industry trends and do the best possible work for your clients. And let's not forget the strategy, finance and marketing skills we need to build a sustainable business. It's a lot to fit in! Listen in to hear:
- How Ange has been using #Write52 to record her journey as a 'forever learner'
- The mentorships and courses that have had the biggest impact on Ange's business over the last year
- How to avoid shiny object syndrome and figure out what courses you really need
- How to budget your time and money for learning (incl. Louise's £1 rule of investing!)
Mentioned on this episode:
- Freelancer Magazine: https://www.freelancermagazine.co.uk/
-
Write52: https://www.write52.com/
- Google Digital Garage: https://learndigital.withgoogle.com/digitalgarage/
- Enterprise Nation: https://www.enterprisenation.com/
- HubSpot Academy: https://academy.hubspot.com/
- The Marketing Meetup: https://themarketingmeetup.com/
- Hannah Williams: https://scribbleinc.co.uk/
- Penny Brazier: https://the-mighty-pen.co.uk/
- Carla Frank: https://www.carlafrankcreative.com/
- International Magazine Centre: https://internationalmagazinecentre.com/
Say hi to Ange:
LinkedIn: Angela Lyons1
Twitter: @AngeLyonsDesign
Insta: Ange_Lyons
Website: www.angelalyons.com
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. All donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated!
Do you cringe at the thought of walking into a networking event? Waste hours trying to find the right people to connect with on social media? As a freelancer, you know what they say – your network is your net worth... or at least a nice steady pipeline of leads, collaborators and people to cheer you on when you need it. So how do we go about building a network?
In this episode, Katie Sandow, marketing consultant and founder of The Marketing Forum, shares her advice on the art and science of networking:
- Why weak ties could be the best kind of network to build
- The 'be one of a kind' strategy
- How to be the most useful person at a networking event
- How to feel confident when meeting new people
Mentioned on this episode:
- The Marketing Forum's new programme, Up Your Game: Confidence, Creativity, Connections!
Say hi to Katie:
Insta: @themarketingforum_
Twitter: @marketingforum_
YouTube: The Marketing Forum
LinkedIn: Katie Sandow
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. All donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated!
Planning the next step in your career can be tricky when you aren't following a conventional path. When you work for yourself, you have to plan our own careers – there's no management programme or promotion pathway. In this episode, career wing woman Laurie Macpherson shares her advice for freelancers who are pondering the next step. We cover:
- how to ease the transition into self-employment so you can hit the ground running
- what to do if family and friends don't get it
- how to manage growing pains as your freelance business starts to take shape
- how to tell if freelancing isn't for you and make the switch (back) to employed life
Say hi to Laurie:
- Instagram: @_laurie_macpherson
- LinkedIn: LaurieMac
- Facebook: Laurie Macpherson Career Wing Woman
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health and medical copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. All donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated!
"Productised services" are when you package and sell your freelance service as if it were an expensive pair of jeans or a tasty vegan sausage roll. In other words: it's a service that's designed and delivered the exact same way, every time.
This episode covers:
- Why you should consider offering productised services as a freelancer
- How much to charge for your productised service to help build a sustainable business
- What worked and what didn't when Louise created a productised service
Mentioned on this episode:
- Sales page for Louise's Copy Health Check: thecopyprescription.com/copyhealthcheck
- Copyhackers advice for freelance copywriters
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Wanna buy Louise a coffee? If you find this episode helpful and you'd like to show your appreciation, consider leaving a tip over at ko-fi.com/15minutefreelancer. All donations help cover the cost of running the podcast and are very much appreciated!
This episode is a Q+A on some gnarly freelance pricing issues, which popped up when Louise was a guest on a recent ContentUK panel on freelance pricing.
Find out more about ContentUK: contentuk.co
Mentioned on this episode:
- Ep 15: Is it time to raise your freelance rates?
- Ep 4: The pricing advice I HATE
- Ep 3: How to find your best-fit clients
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Wanna send Louise a voice note? Go to memo.fm/15 and leave a question or comment.
It's much easier (and mroe fun!) to build an audience and attract your ideal clients when you know what you stand for. But figuring that out can be tricky. Gill Hill is a brand voice expert, copywriter and editor, and on this episode she shares the secret to authentic personal branding and how to own your voice.
The discussion covers:
- how to feel confident marketing yourself online
- finding your voice by uncovering your purpose
- building a personal brand that feels easy and authentic
- is it ok to share your political views when building a freelance brand?
- how to bring your whole self to work without over-sharing
Get Gill's free guide, Build Your Brand Basics and Uncover Your Brand Voice >>
Say hi to Gill:
- Gill's website: gillhillwritingservices.com
- Instagram: @gillhilledits
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Diane Wiredu is a Messaging Strategist and Conversion Copywriter, and the founder of Lion Words. Diane is an expert in using storytelling and customer research to attract perfect-fit clients, and in this episode, she shares how freelancers can use the same strategies to market their services. We cover:
- How Diane came up with her ROAR framework and how having a structured way to talk about your services helps you stand out from the crowd (and makes discovery calls much easier)
- How to come up with your own framework to describe your services in a snappy, memorable way
- Diane's favourite storytelling techniques for creating attention-grabbing content
- Why you shouldn't be afraid to pick a fight when marketing your freelance services
- Diane's top tips for asking clients for feedback and testimonials
Get Diane's free voice of customer research template and the interview and survey questions she uses in every project >>
Say hi to Diane:
- Diane's website, Lion Words: lionwords.com
- LinkedIn: Diane Wiredu
- Twitter: @DianeWiredu
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Continuing on a theme of getting into good freelancing habits to kick off 2022, this episode looks at 7 bad habits or pitfalls that you might be accidentally falling into when you're working with clients. Get ready for some tough talk about why ditching these habits is important if you want to build a successful freelance business.
Remember, you're the boss!
Mentioned on this episode:
- Ep 10 with Sophie Cross
- Ep 30 with André Spiteri
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Wanna send Louise a voice note? Go to memo.fm/15 and leave a question or comment.
It's time to dive back into business after the new year, so of course we had to talk about if and how you should set goals to grow your freelance business in 2022. In this episode, Louise shares her six-step process for setting goals that actually mean something to you (so you can actually achieve them!), plus her number one business goal for 2022. What do you have planned for your business in 2022?
"If you don’t make plans or set intentions about how you want your business to look or to evolve, it will just plod along in its default setting. Maybe that’s fine, but maybe you would like something a bit different? What could 2022 look like for you?"
Mentioned on this episode:
- Kirsty Waite business coaching
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and a big fan of finding your freelance niche. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Wanna send Louise a voice note? Go to memo.fm/15 and leave a question or comment.
It's a freelancing podcast–YouTube crossover! Emma Cownley is a freelance copywriter, heavy metal hobbit (her words), and host of the irreverent freelance writing show on YouTube, Kiss My A's. On this episode, she shares her experience of building an audience on YouTube, the ups and downs of creating a side project, and how a side project can help you attract freelance clients who really get you.
Bonus! We also recorded a video for Emma's channel. Head over to Kiss My A's for a special ep on how to use social media to grow your freelance business.
Find out more about Emma:
- "Kiss My A's" YouTube show
- Twitter: @EJCownley
- Emma's website: jotjotboom.com
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and health tech white paper writer (and a big fan of finding your freelance niche). She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Wanna send Louise a voice note? Go to memo.fm/15 and leave a question or comment.
What are your red flags when it comes to deciding whether or not to work with a freelance client? Do you have any orange flags – the situations that could be turned from a definite "no" to a "maybe" if certain criteria are checked off? As we head into 2022, it's worth thinking about what makes you say "hell yes" or "no way", so you can make faster and better decisions in your freelance business. In this episode, Louise shares her top 9 red (and orange!) flags and some strategies for avoiding them in the first place.
"The vast majority of clients are brilliant to work with. But unfortunately, there are a few out there that we might want to politely sidestep. And if we pay attention to the red flags, or sometimes orange flags, we can avoid a world of pain further down the line."- - Louise Shanahan
And s/o to HAMYAW on YouTube (now Instagram) for inspiring this episode. with their convo about pink flags for online business owners.
Mentioned on this episode:
- Ep. 34: Should freelancers ever work for free?
- Emma Cownley's 'Kiss My As' YouTube channel
Say hi to Louise:
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Wanna leave me a voice note? Go to memo.fm/15 and leave a question or comment.
A huge thank you to everyone who has listened and subscribed and supported the podcast over the last 40 episodes! To celebrate this nice round number, this episode is a look back on what I've loved and learned on this little podcasting journey, answering listener questions such as:
Why did I decide to start a podcast in the first place?
How did I land on the 15-minute format?
What tech do I use and how long does each episode take?
what are my favourite episodes?
Have there been any unexpected upsides to having a weekly podcast?
What have the challenges been?
Do I make any money from the podcast?
What will the podcast look like in 2022?
Enjoy!
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and health tech white paper writer. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
Say hi to Louise:
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Wanna send Louise a voice note? Go to memo.fm/15 and leave a question or comment.
Many freelancers and small businesses use Facebook, Google, and other big tech companies to attract clients and deliver services. There's a growing movement of freelancers that would like to be less reliant on these tech giants, but where do we start?
Whether you're concerned about having all your eggs in someone else's basket (where the rules can change on a whim), or you're concerned about data privacy, digital ethics, or surveillance capitalism – Dave Smyth has some suggestions for you.
Dave Smyth is a co-founder of the ethical web design company, Scruples; the founder of the Below Radar community for small businesses who want to be less reliant on Facebook, Google and the like; the brains behind the No To Spy Pixels Campaign – and more.
In this episode, Dave shares his tips and tactics for making intentional choices about the tools we use to run our businesses.
Find out more about Dave's work:
- davesmyth.com
- belowradar.co.uk
- scruples.studio
- notospypixels.com
- Cyber Empathy podcast
Resources mentioned:
- Fathom Analytics
- Fastmail
- Whimsical
- Skiff
- The Ethical Move (pledge)
- Digital Minimalism, by Cal Newport
- An Ugly Truth: Inside Facebook's Battle for Domination, by Cecilia Kang and Sheera Frankel
- Subprime Attention Crisis: Advertising and the Time Bomb at the Heart of the Internet, by Tim Hwang
Say hi to Louise:
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and health tech white paper writer. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Wanna send Louise a voice note? Go to memo.fm/15 and leave a question or comment.
FreelanceChat is a weekly Twitter chat for freelancers around the world, hosted by Michelle Garrett (@PRisUs) on Thursdays, 12 noon ET. On 21 October, Louise had the pleasure of co-hosting a chat about designing freelance services that get results for clients, but are also enjoyable, practical and profitable for you to deliver.
This episode of 15 Minute Freelance is a super-fast round-up of all the brilliant tips and advice shared by the #FreelanceChat community in response to these Qs:
- How do you strike a balance between offering what clients need and doing what you enjoy most?
- Choosing a niche can be one way to keep your services focused, whether by industry or by type of client or project. Where do you stand in the great niche debate?
- Fixed or flexible – do you prefer to offer services with a set process or create a bespoke proposal for each project, and why?
- Once you’ve decided on your services, how do you go about pricing them?
- How do you build in packages, upsells or added extras to help clients get more bang for their buck?
- Do you ever team up with other freelancers to offer a specific service or package, and what tips do you have for anyone considering this?
Huge thanks to Michelle Garrett and everyone in the #FreelanceChat fam! Participants credited on this episode include:
Teodora Ema Pirciu (@EmaPirciu)
Matthew Fenton (@WinningSolo)
Jessica Thiefels (@JThiefels)
Ilaria Mangiardi (@imjardi)
Tom Basgil (@TomBasgil)
Amy Knightley (@AKnightleyMKT)
Karen Carps (@GuppyFishWeb)
Matt Stebbins (@StebbinsMatt)
Paula Hendrickson (@P_Hendrickson)
Jake Poinier (@DrFreelance) (and his book, The Science, Art and Voodoo of Freelance Pricing and Getting Paid)
Masooma (@inkandcopy)
Holly Leber Simmons (@redpentweeting)
Tripti (@ttgarg_022)
Jen Johnson (@jentimecity)
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and health tech white paper writer. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
Say hi to Louise:
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Wanna send Louise a voice note? Go to memo.fm/15 and leave a question or comment.
Which books have had the biggest impact on your freelancing career? In this episode, Louise shares her favourite books about business, freelancing and creativity.
Mentioned on this episode:
- The Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss
- Tribe of Mentors by Tim Ferriss
- Tools of Titans by Tims Ferriss
- The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
- Turning Pro by Steven Pressfield
- Feck Perfuction (Dangerous Ideas on the Business of Life) by James Victore
- Show Your Work by Austin Kleon
- Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon
- Survival Skills for Freelancers by Sarah Townsend
- Episode 23: Saying no and beating burnout with Sarah Townsend
- Grit by Angela Duckworth
- You Are the Brand by Mike Kim
- Falling Off the Ladder by Helen Hill
(Includes some affiliate links, which means that I get a tiny amount of commission if you purchase one of the books at zero cost to you, which helps cover the cost of running this podcast.)
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and health tech white paper writer. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
Say hi to Louise:
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Wanna send Louise a voice note? Go to memo.fm/15 and leave a question or comment.
This week, Facebook went down! Was your thumb twitching nervously all of Monday evening? Did you rush to update your Pinterest account or sign up for MailChimp? As everyone is reminded yet again of the dangers of building your business on borrowed land (i.e. relying on one company's apps as a source of leads and clients), this episode digs into some of the single points of failure that can arise in a freelance business. Specifically:
- Are you relying too much on one industry, channel or tool?
- How do you keep your business running smoothly if the tools you rely on go down?
- Are YOU the single point of failure in your freelance business? (And what to do if so)
"You don’t ever want to be in a position where there’s a single point of failure in your business. You don’t want there to be a single tool or process where a glitch with that thing means your whole business grinds to a halt. So how can you spread your risk? "
-- Louise Shanahan
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and health tech white paper writer. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
Say hi to Louise:
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Wanna send Louise a voice note? Go to memo.fm/15 and leave a question or comment.
"Being helpful is a rock-solid strategy for attracting clients." And what better place to find people who need your help than on Twitter? In this episode, Louise shares some tips to help you attract more clients on Twitter (and avoid getting sucked into doom-scrolling rabbit holes!).
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and content marketer. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
Mentioned on this episode:
-
ContentClubUK (Twitter chat, Tuesdays, 11am UK time)
-
FreelanceHeroes and #FreelanceChat
- Peak Freelance
- Kat Boogaard (writes a newsletter packed with freelance writing leads)
- Sian Meades-Williams (creator of Freelance Writing Jobs newsletter)
- Ep. 26: How to find more clients on LinkedIn
- Ep. 29: How to land your wishlist client with cold pitching (with Bree Weber)
- Ep. 19: Monkey brain metrics
Say hi to Louise:
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Wanna leave me a voice note? Go to memo.fm/15 and leave a question or com
Would you ever work for free? Most freelancers have been asked to do unpaid work at some point in their career, and usually the golden rule is to grab that big red flag and say no. After all, exposure doesn't pay the bills. But what if there are some situations where it makes sense? In this episode, Louise Shanahan shares three scenarios where working for free might be worth it.
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and content marketer. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
Mentioned on this episode:
- Ep. 8: No portfolio? Do this instead
Say hi to Louise:
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Wanna leave me a voice note? Go to memo.fm/15 and leave a question or comment.
So you had the call with the prospective client, you know you want to work with them, and now... it's time to write the proposal! But what do you include? What can you leave out? What does the client really want to know? Does it need to be a fancy pdf? In this jam-packed episode, Louise shares her step-by-step process for writing proposals that will win over new clients and set you up for a successful project (and won't take more than 15 mins to prepare). Plus, get the scoop on info kits – an alternative to proposals that could save you even more time and stress.
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and content marketer. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
Mentioned on this episode:
- Ep. 15: Are these clauses missing from your contract?
Say hi to Louise:
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Wanna leave me a voice note? Go to memo.fm/15 and leave a question or comment.
What's your freelancer love language? Do you thrive on positive feedback and glowing testimonials, or is a timely invoice payment enough to make you feel appreciated? Do you prefer lots of face-to-face contact with clients, or just wanna get on with the work in peace? When you know what makes you tick, you can build processes that allow you to thrive, do your best work, and build great relationships with your clients so you love what you do.
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and content marketer. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
Mentioned on this episode:
- The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman
- Being Freelance with Steve Folland
Say hi to Louise:
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Wanna leave me a voice note? Go to memo.fm/15 and leave a question or comment.
This episode is a little different... instead of a single topic or interview, we're firing through as many listener questions as possible in 15 mins. Tidbits include:
- How do you respond to vague client inquiries? (Clue: it's all in the intake process!)
- How do you deal with clients ghosting you?
- How to talk about money with clients when you hate talking about money
- How can a coach help your freelance business?
- How do you give yourself a promotion as a freelancer?
Huge thanks to everyone who sent in a question.
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and content marketer. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
Mentioned on this episode:
- Ep 4: Pricing advice I hate
- EP 13: Anatomy of a cringe-free sales call
- Ep 30: Qs to ask as your business grows with André Spiteri
- Amy Posner's Cut To The Copy YouTube show
Say hi to Louise:
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Wanna leave me a voice note? Go to memo.fm/15 and leave a question or comment.
What questions should you be asking as your freelance business grows? How do you scale your business in a way that feels right for you? On today's episode, freelance copywriter André Spiteri shares his experience of the practical questions and mindset shifts that happen as your business evolves, including:
- Questions to ask as your business grows
- How to think about scaling your business
- Setting goals for the next phase of your business
- Choosing clients that share your values
- Steps to take to prepare for growth from day 1
- Working with a VA
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and content marketer. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
Mentioned on this episode:
- Company of One, by Paul Jarvis
Say hi to André
- Website: maverickwords.com
- Twitter: @Andre_Spiteri
Say hi to Louise:
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Wanna leave me a voice note? Go to memo.fm/15 and leave a question or comment.
In this episode, Bree Weber, creator of Cold Pitch Masterclass, joins Louise for a jam-packed run down of her framework for ethical, non-sleazy cold pitching. Yes, cold pitching works! And no, it doesn't have to feel awkward. Bree has an amazing 100% open and response rate and a 60% conversion rate on her cold pitches, and in this episode she tells us how she does it. Whether or not you've tried cold pitching before, you'll feel excited to give it a go after this conversation.
Bree shares:
- How losing her clients at the start of the pandemic prompted her to figure out the secret to effective cold pitching and land her wishlist clients
- Her ethical cold pitching framework, and tips for getting started
- 3 essential ingredients for a cold pitch email
- Common cold pitching pitfalls (clue: it's not a numbers game)
- How to make a minimum viable ask to get the conversation rolling
If you enjoy this episode, you'll want to dig in to Bree's Cold Pitch Masterclass. This usually sells for $97, but Bree is making it available to listeners of 15 Minute Freelancer for the special rate of $37, using this link: https://coldpitchcopy.com/louise
Say hi to Bree:
Website: https://coldpitchcopy.com
Instagram: @thebreeweber
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and content marketer. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
Say hi to Louise:LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Wanna leave me a voice note? Go to memo.fm/15 and leave a question or comment.
Argh! You made a mistake on a client project (or some other part of your freelance business). Now what?
First up, you're not alone. We've all been there. In this episode, Louise shares an embarrassing story of one of her own mishaps and offers 5 steps to take to fix a mistake if something goes wrong on a client project.
"The truth is that running a business is full of sticky moments. We’re all figuring it out as we go. We make so many decisions, so we’re bound to go down the wrong path now and then. You will try new things in your business that don’t work out as planned. So let’s show ourselves a bit of self-compassion, have a sense of humour about it, learn the lessons and plough on."Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and content marketer. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
Say hi to Louise:LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Wanna leave me a voice note? Go to memo.fm/15 and leave a question or comment.
One of the huge advantages of running your own business is being able to support causes that are close to your heart. Maybe you plant a tree for every invoice paid. Maybe you donate a portion of your profits to your favourite charity. Maybe advocating for social change is more your style. If you're curious about how to make social and environmental change a manageable but meaningful part of your business, this episode is for you.
Sally Fox is a freelance copywriter who works with sustainable brands. In this episode, Sally shares how she has built sustainability and social and environmental responsibility into her own business, including:
- tips for figuring out what 'sustainability' means to you
- how to write a sustainability policy for your freelance business
- small ways to make a tangible impact without getting stressed out
- the freelance community's sustainability superpower
- resources to help you find some easy ways to get started
Say hi to Sally:Website: www.sallymfox.comTwitter: @sallymfoxwrites
LinkedIn: Sally Fox Copywriter
Mentioned on this episode:
-
EthicalHour
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and content marketer. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
Say hi to Louise:LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Wanna leave me a voice note? Go to memo.fm/15 and leave a question or comment.
Hate LinkedIn? Tired of a feed filled with boring updates from connections you don't know and thought leaders posting hot takes about the cheese sandwich they just ate? Same.
On today's episode, Louise shares 4 easy ways to make LinkedIn fun, so you can find more freelance clients and maybe even enjoy the process. Plus, we're starting a design-your-own 30-day LinkedIn challenge! You in?
Wanna leave me a voice note? Go to memo.fm/15 and say hi!Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and content marketer. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
Mentioned on this episode:
- Sophie Cross
- John Espirian
- Gill Andrews
- Dave Harland
- Eloise Leeson
- Bhavini Lakhani
Say hi to Louise!LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Today's solo episode is about shipping before you're ready, lessons learned from 25 episodes of this podcast, and banishing perfectionism.
"Step over any negativity that comes from people who haven't stepped into the arena themselves. There will always be a reason to procrastinate. But if we take the leap before we're ready, and we just start, then we have real data to work with. So don't wait for someone to give you permission. Choose yourself."Wanna leave me a voice note? Go to memo.fm/15 and say hi!Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and content marketer. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
Mentioned on this podcast:
-
- Sophie Cross on the power of community and launching a magazine
-
- Choosing your business name, with Mark Grainger
-
- Stress-free accounting, with Martin Brooks
-
- Should you hire a virtual assistant, with Caroline Marshall
-
- Saying no and beating burnout, with Sarah Townsend
-
- Journal your way to freelance success, with Jen McKeown
- Hillary and Margo Yell At Websites (HAMYAW) - How to handle your perfectionism
Keep in touch!Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Newsletter: thecopyprescription.com/subscribe
Dear Diary, we've got our personal development hats on today! When you're running a freelance business, there's nowhere to hide – you have no choice but to push through and figure things out.
On this episode, performance and leadership coach Jen McKeown talks us through some strategies for reflective practice, self-coaching and journalling, so we can work through the sticky bits and achieve our freelancing goals:
- why it's important to acknowledge the emotional toll that comes with working for yourself
- 3 ways to use journalling as a self-coaching business tool so you can avoid turning every decision into an existential crisis, and turn vague ideas into solid plans
- when it's time to work with a coach (and how to find the right one)
Dr Jen McKeown is mathematician turned performance coach, quietly obsessed with mountains, flow-sports and journaling. She offers 1:1 in-person and online coaching.
Website: www.orangebothy.co.uk
Instagram: @jenjenmckeown
LinkedIn: Jen McKeown
Keep in touch!Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Newsletter: thecopyprescription.com/subscribe
Today's episode is a chat with freelance copywriter Sarah Townsend, author of Survival Skills for Freelancers. One of the best bits about freelancing is being in control of your own work, but that's also a huge challenge. In this episode, Sarah shares her top tips on:
- setting boundaries so you can control your time, avoid burnout and deliver your best work
- practising a growth mindset and remembering 'progress over perfection'
- building a boost bank, to help you celebrate the wins and beat imposter syndrome
- how to get in the right frame of mind to promote your services
Since publishing her bestselling guide to self-employment, Sarah has combined her copywriting work with delivering mentoring, training and events to help the self-employed community tackle the ups and downs of freelance life.
Buy the book: Survival Skills for Freelancers (also available on Audible)
Twitter: @STEcopywriting
LinkedIn: Sarah Townsend
Instagram: @thecopywritersday and @stecopywriting
Website: https://www.sarahtownsendeditorial.co.uk and https://survivalskillsforfreelancers.com
Mentioned on this episode
- Leapers (community supporting mental health of self-employed people)
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and content marketer. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
Keep in touch!Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Newsletter: thecopyprescription.com/subscribe
At a certain point in your freelance career, you realise you can't do it all. Nor should you! Hiring a virtual assistant (VA) is one way to take the pressure off and let an expert take care of your admin and business management tasks, so you can focus your magic elsewhere.
Caroline Marshall is the founder of Upsource, an award-winning virtual assistant agency, and on today's episode she shares:
- how a VA can support your freelance business so you can avoid burnout and focus on growing your business
- how to find the right VA (and get over your fear of sharing your passwords!)
- how to decide what tasks to outsource, and what to keep doing yourself
- how to get your head around the fact that someone might see the messy side of your business (and how they can tidy it up for you)
- favourite productivity tools
- how to get started as a VA
If you're thinking about hiring a VA, you won't want to miss this.
Connect with Caroline:
Website: weareupsource.co.uk
Instagram: @weareupsource
LinkedIn: Caroline Marshall
Mentioned on this episode
- Society of Virtual Assistants
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and content marketer. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
Keep in touch!Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Newsletter: thecopyprescription.com/subscribe
On today's show... what your accountant wishes you knew!
Louise is joined by Martin Brooks, an accountant with expert knowledge of freelance and small business accounts. He shares:
- 3 things to prioritise when it comes to getting your finances in order
- how to know when it's time to go limited
- how to plug the gap when you don't have sick pay, holiday pay or parental leave
- the one mistake we mustn't make when it comes to taxes
Martin Brooks is an accountant at Gold Stag Accounts. Connect with him here:
Twitter: @goldstagaccount
LinkedIn: Martin Brooks
Website: goldstagaccounts.co.uk
Mentioned on this episode:
- IPSE
- Self Employment Income Support Grant
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and content marketer. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
Keep in touch!Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Newsletter: thecopyprescription.com/subscribe
What should you call your freelance business? Should you use your own name or operate under a brand name? On today's episode, Louise chats to fellow copywriter Mark Grainger, who has used both at various points in his business. Mark shares why he decided to change to a brand name, the personal meaning behind the name he chose, and his tips for coming up with a name that feels like you and will attract the kind of clients you really want.
Mark Grainger is a copywriter at Blossom Tree Copy. Find him here:
Twitter: @MarkGrainger
LinkedIn: Mark Grainger
Website: blossomtreecopy.co.uk
Honourable mention: @Andre_Spiteri
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and content marketer. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
Keep in touch!Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Newsletter: thecopyprescription.com/subscribe
What's your barometer of freelance success? Do you find yourself distracted by how many followers you have on Twitter or the size of your email list? Do you have a sneaky peek at what other freelancers' say they're earning? Today's episode is about zeroing in on what really matters in our freelance business and getting permission to ignore the rest.
"When we get more likes and followers and subscribers, we get a dopamine hit. They're monkey brain metrics. All of this takes up time and energy, which are limited resources when you work for yourself. So it's important to be sure that you're focusing your attention where it really matters."
Mentioned in this episode:
- Ep 18: How to ask for (and use!) better testimonials
- 1000 True Fans, Kevin Kelly
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and content marketer. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
Keep in touch!Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Newsletter: thecopyprescription.com/subscribe
Ever feel awkward about asking a client for a testimonial? Never quite sure what to do with them when they arrive? In today's episode, we're going to fix that! You'll get:
- tips on how to make asking for testimonials as painless as poss
- the 9 exact questions Louise asks to elicit testimonials that are a bit more useful than "that was great, thanks"
- three ways to use your testimonials to add extra persuasive power to your website and marketing copy
You'll also find it all nicely summarised in this handy FREE pdf, along with even more tips and details: https://mailchi.mp/thecopyprescription/testimonialsmadeeasy
(That pdf also includes a link to the frankly delightful video Louise uses when asking for testimonials and referrals.)
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and content marketer. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
Keep in touch!Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Newsletter: thecopyprescription.com/subscribe
One of the best bits about working for yourself is that you get to make all the decisions. But that's also one of the biggest challenges! From choosing a business name to figuring out how to reply to that awkward client email, the decision-making process can be tough. Today's episode includes frameworks to help you stop agonising over every decision and just rip the band-aid off.
Featuring special guest: Ziggy the cat
You might also like:
- Episode 6: Spend less time on client work with theme days
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and content marketer. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
Keep in touch!Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Newsletter: thecopyprescription.com/subscribe
One of the big challenges facing many freelancers is the feast or famine cycle. You're either way too busy and stressed out, or your inbox looks like someone cancelled your account without telling you. Navigating these ups and downs can be hard work, both financially and psychologically. But there is a way to break free! Today's episode includes a few strategies that might help you smooth out your workload and income so you can say goodbye to the feast or famine cycle.
Mentioned on this episode:
- Episode 1: 7 simple ways to find freelance clients in 2021
- Episode 6: Spend less time on client work with theme days
- Episode 9: 7 tips for easy freelance finances
- Episode 15: Is it time to raise your rates?
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and content marketer. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
Keep in touch!Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Newsletter: thecopyprescription.com/subscribe
When you don't have a boss to give you a promotion or a pay rise, you have to create your own career ladder! This episode looks at why you should raise your freelance rates, different ways to give yourself a pay bump (not all of which include raising your prices), and how to communicate changes with clients without getting sweaty and weird.
"If you felt like you needed permission to raise your rates, you just got it!"Mentioned on this episode:
- Episode 4: The pricing advice I hate!
- Episode 3: How to find your best-fit clients
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and content marketer. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
Keep in touch!Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Newsletter: thecopyprescription.com/subscribe
Is online marketing a pyramid scheme? A cult? Today, Louise looks at the darker side of the online marketing world and what it means for freelancers. Listen up for the three ways this harms freelancers and what we can do about it.
"Celebrity marketers present themselves as our friends, as boss babes, as the guy next door so we 'know, like and trust' them. We think, 'they're just like me, maybe I can do that too.' But the problem is that what worked for them won't work for everyone. And if you buy their course, and you don't get the results you hope for, that leads to shame, blame, burnout and disappointment. How do we avoid getting sucked in?"
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and content marketer. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
Mentioned on this episode:
- Rachael Kay Albers
- Duped podcast
- Episode 10 of 15 Minute Freelancer with Sophie Cross
- Amy Nolan @ink_va
Keep in touch!Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Newsletter: thecopyprescription.com/subscribe
Feel awkward about sales calls? Lots of freelancers (new and experienced!) dread getting on calls with prospective clients. In today's episode, Louise breaks down how she prepares for 'chemistry calls' with tips for what to do before, during and after the call, to make them as pain-free as poss.
"It's kind of like a first date, isn't it? You're just seeing if you want a second date at this point. You don't need to get married on the call."
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and content marketer. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
Mentioned on this episode (not affiliate links)
- Typeform
- Calendly
- Zoom
Keep in touch!Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Newsletter: thecopyprescription.com/subscribe
In today's episode, Louise answers a listener question about freelance contracts. What clauses should go in your contract?
In today's episode, Louise shares:
- why having a contract in place is about more than making sure you get paid
- where to find decent templates for freelance contracts
- two overlooked clauses that will make running your freelance business easier
Note: none of the information shared on this podcast should be considered legal advice! Always speak to a lawyer regarding contractual issues.
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and content marketer. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
Mentioned on this episode (no affiliate links):
- ProCopywriters Network
- KoffeeKlatch
- Federation of Small Businesses
- Simply Business
- FreshBooks
- Brooklin Nash
- Asana
- HelloSign
- Louise's terms and conditions: https://www.thecopyprescription.com/terms-and-conditions
- Amy Posner
Got a question for Louise? Send 'em here:Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Newsletter: thecopyprescription.com/subscribe
What is a personal brand anyway? Do you really need one? Is it just for Instagram influencers? Why can't you just be yourself (or maybe you can...)?
Today's episode of 15 Minute Freelancer digs into:
- what a personal brand is and isn't
- what it means to be the face of your freelance business
- how you can be more consistent in presenting yourself online and offline
- a top tip on personal branding from Dolly Parton
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and content marketer. She's on a mission to help others build a freelance business that feels easy and works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
Say hi to Louise!Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Newsletter: thecopyprescription.com/subscribe
Freelance marketer and course creator Sophie Cross is the first ever guest on 15 Minute Freelancer!
Sophie is the brains behind Thoughtfully Marketing and founder and editor of Freelancer Magazine, which hits our shelves (literally, it's a real print mag!) on 1 April 2021. Join us while we talk about:
- how a random idea on New Year's Day turned into a Kickstarter phenomenon
- how the freelance community changed Sophie's business
- Sophie's fave online communities for freelancers
- how to nose your way into online communities if you're feeling shy
- one way to make LinkedIn not awful
Mentioned on this episode
Freelancer Magazine
Thoughtfully Marketing
Freelance Heroes
ContentClubUK (Twitter chat, Tuesdays, 11am GMT)
Write 52
Being Freelance
Digital Marketing Union
Sunrise Club
Leapers
LinkedIn for Humans
Say hi to Sophie!
Twitter: @FullyThoughtOut
LinkedIn: Sophie Cross
Say hi to Louise!Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Newsletter: thecopyprescription.com/subscribe
Today we are getting our financial ducks in a row! Money is one of the biggest stresses for many freelancers, but when you get the basics in place, it's easy breezy. Listen for seven tips on how to build strong financial foundations for your business.
Got a question? Submit it to Louise via one of the links below.
Mentioned on this episode (not affiliate links)
Martin Brook (@goldstagaccount) of Gold Stag Accounts
FreeAgent
Starling Bank
Say hi to Louise!Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Newsletter: thecopyprescription.com/subscribe
What do you do when a prospective client asks for samples or a link to your portfolio and you don't have anything relevant to share? How do you get the work to build a portfolio without the portfolio that will prove you can do the work? How do you get experience when you have no experience?
This episode gives you some suggestions for what to do when you don't have examples of previous work to show new clients. (Spoiler: don't make it up!)
"If you're just starting out as a freelancer, or you're offering a new service, what do you do if you don't have samples to share? Some folks would say just say you do, just lie – I totally disagree with this! You don't have to pretend. There are strategies you can use instead. Here are a few of my favourites." -- Louise Shanahan
Mentioned on this episodeJoel Klettke – @JoelKlettke
Case Study Buddy
Say hi to Louise!Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Newsletter: thecopyprescription.com/subscribe
Music credit: Just Smile by LiQWYD
Cover art: Hello I'm Nik
Is niching or specialising as a freelancer overrated or underrated? What do we mean by niching anyway? Some people swear by specialising, while others think it's better to keep your options open. In today's episode, Louise talks about why niching might be misunderstood, what it really is, and why it might be worth considering in your freelance business.
"As freelancers, we want to be helpful and flexible. And we're kind of programmed not to say no to paying work. We might worry about getting bored or pigeon-holed. But I think that's a bit of a misunderstanding. Niching can make everything about your business easier and more profitable." -- Louise Shanahan
Say hi to Louise!Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Newsletter: thecopyprescription.com/subscribe
Music credit: Just Smile by LiQWYD
Cover art: Hello I'm Nik
Running a freelance business can be split in two parts: client work, and business development work. But we often find ourselves saying "yes" to new projects that fill up our time, so the biz dev work has to be squeezed around the edges. How do you make time for both? In this episode, Louise shares how she uses theme days to structure her week.
*"Theme days are a way to take back ownership of your time and energy. Each day, you only work on that day's theme, such as client management, marketing, finance, or whatever. You don't do that work on any other day, and you don't do any other work on that day.
"If you don't control your time, someone else will. With theme days, you'll be able to stop bumping those all-important business development tasks to next week and get it all done without feeling overwhelmed."* -- Louise Shanahan
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and content marketer. She's on a mission to help others build a business and life they love – in weekly snack-sized bites.
Resources mentioned10X Freelance Copywriter by CopyhackersUpsource (virtual assistants – tell them Louise Shanahan sent you!)TrelloFreeAgent
Say hi to Louise!Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Newsletter: thecopyprescription.com/subscribe
Music credit: Just Smile by LiQWYD
Cover art: Hello I'm Nik
If you've been struggling with stress, burnout and just generally not feeling like yourself over this last year, you're not alone. In this episode, Louise shares her experience of 'freelancer burnout' and how she overcame it. Listen up for some easy tactics to help you feel more in control and less overwhelmed, so you can keep your business running smoothly even when your energy starts to dip.
"Sometimes the things we love about working for ourselves are also the things that make it a real challenge. You’re responsible for everything. You make all the decisions yourself and you’re doing all or most of the work yourself. In wanting to be helpful and flexible, we can end up with too much on our plates. When it all gets too much, we can end up feeling burnt out. A few strategies have helped me keep things on track – maybe they'll help you?" -- Louise Shanahan
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and content marketer. She's on a mission to help others build a business and life they love – in weekly snack-sized bites.
[Note: Louise is not a medical professional and nothing on this podcast should be construed as medical advice. Please speak to your doctor if you are concerned about your mental health. Here is a list of organisations and resources that offer mental health support.]
Resources mentionedYoga With AdrieneThe War of Art, Steven PressfieldTurning Pro, Steven Pressfield
Say hi to Louise!Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Newsletter: thecopyprescription.com/subscribe
Music credit: Just Smile by LiQWYD
Cover art: Hello I'm Nik
In today's episode, Louise reveals the one piece of advice she really dislikes when it comes to pricing your freelance services. Can you guess what it is?
Listen up for Louise's step-by-step pricing process and three questions to consider when figuring your own pricing strategy, so you can sell your services without feeling awkward about the money question.
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and content marketer. She's on a mission to help others build a business and life they love – in weekly snack-sized bites.
Say hi to Louise!Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Newsletter: thecopyprescription.com/subscribe
Music credit: Just Smile by LiQWYD
Cover art: Hello I'm Nik
In the third episode of 15 Minute Freelancer, we put a freelancing spin on the concept of product-market fit. Louise shares her process for finding freelancer-client fit, to help you figure out who your ideal clients are and how to create a service that meets their needs and yours.
"Not every client is for you. And you're not for every client either. It's important to find the right chemistry. When you figure out freelancer-client fit, you're on the way to keeping your project pipeline flowing with work that you actually want to do. The marketing will be easier, the sales calls or the intro calls are much easier. And the projects themselves run smoothly and efficiently and just a lot more fulfilling." -- Louise Shanahan
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and content marketer. She's on a mission to help others build a business and life they love – in weekly snack-sized bites.
Say hi to Louise!Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Newsletter: thecopyprescription.com/subscribe
Music credit: Just Smile by LiQWYD
Cover art: Hello I'm Nik
Thinking about starting a freelance business? Worried about where to start? In the second episode of 15 Minute Freelancer, Louise Shanahan reflects on three things she wished she knew when she was making the leap from 'proper job' to full-time freelancer.
"I had a lot of fear around quitting a sensible, well-paid 'proper' job and going it alone. I didn't know any freelancers or business owners. There was no model to follow. But looking back a few years later, it feels like a complete 180. It's been such an adventure! Here's what I would tell myself when I was panicking about getting started..." -- Louise Shanahan
Louise Shanahan is a freelance health copywriter and content marketer. She's on a mission to help others build a business and life they love – in weekly snack-sized bites.
Say hi to Louise!Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Resources mentioned
4 Hour Work Week
Being Freelance
Freelance Heroes
Music credit: Just Smile by LiQWYD
Cover art: Hello I'm Nik
[May include affiliate links]
The very first episode of 15 Minute Freelancer is here! Your host is freelance health copywriter Louise Shanahan. After 10 years in a 'proper' job, Louise started her own freelance business 5 years ago and hasn't looked back since. She's on a mission to help others build a business that works for them – in weekly snack-sized bites.
In today's episode, we're looking at how to find the number one thing every freelancer needs: CLIENTS! Whether you're just starting out or you're a seasoned freelancer having a wee bit of a dry spell, listen up as Louise shares her 7 most effective ways to find clients and keep your project pipeline flowing.
"Clients aren’t going to know why or how to hire you unless you tell them, so if you feel awkward about selling or putting yourself out there, you really need to get over that. The best bit about being your own boss is you get to decide how you generate leads – but you have to find some way to attract people to your business. These are strategies I've used successfully myself." -- Louise Shanahan
Say hi to Louise!Twitter: @LouiseShanahan_
LinkedIn: Louise Shanahan
Instagram: @Louise_Shanahan_
Website: thecopyprescription.com
Resources mentioned
Tom Albrighton - The Freelance Introvert
Louise Shanahan's thank you video on Biteable
Bree Weber's Cold Pitch Masterclass
Music credit: Just Smile by LiQWYD
Cover art: Hello I'm Nik
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