How much time, effort and frustration do you waste on the creative elements of your business, when you'd rather be getting on with what you do best?
It's really hard to see yourself, your brand and your business when you are knee-deep in the day-to-day-ness of working in it. That's when it helps to have a creative friend to support you with your marketing and communications; to help you find the right words; brainstorm ideas; find your audience, your voice and your 'look'; and to get things done!
That one person, in your network or tribe, you can call on to help thrash out a creative problem or take it off your hands completely and do it for you.
And that's where I can help.
services
how i can help
As your creative friend I can provide as much or as little support as you need - an hour-long brainstorming session; a week of intensive work; or a monthly retainer for regular content or support. Whatever creative help you need, we can come up with a plan. Some ways I could help you might be:
words, words, words
Writing is my first love, so if you struggle to find the right words, at the right time, for the right audience, then let me do it for you. From newsletters to blog posts, training materials to presentations, brochures to e-books, I can use my wordsmithery skills and research experience to save you time and stress.
marketing ideas
Marketing isn't just about social media - although you could be forgiven for thinking so. Are there other avenues you haven't explored or hadn't even considered? We can brainstorm ideas for campaigns, both online and off, and even consider some retro options, just to mix things up!
getting your message right
Does your website explain what you really do or is it just full of industry-specific jargon and soundbites? Chances are, if you've written it yourself, you're too close to the source and might not have explained yourself clearly. Work with me and get to the heart of what you want your customers to know.
understanding your audience
Do you know who you are selling to? The easiest way to market yourself effectively, in terms of cost and time, is to narrow your audience and get specific. Together we can zone in on your perfect customer and where to find them.
tone of voice
Does your brand have a distinctive tone of voice or are you holding back and playing it safe? How do you want to be perceived and how much of yourself are you willing to share? We can work on creating a genuine and consistent tone that feels true to you and will resonate with the right type of customer.
professional presentation
Don't let your message get lost in sloppy or amateur-looking presentation. If you provide content
on your website such as e-books, newsletters or downloadable resources, provide me with the facts and let me make them look consistent, on brand and gorgeous!
Creativity is intelligence having fun
Albert Einstein
about me
who is sam?
I have worked in Marketing & Communications for the past 25 years, in various sectors including industry, charity, independent education and with SMEs. I'm an ideas person who makes things happen.
I love words, and have an English degree and a Masters by Research. But more than that, I have two decades of 'sleeves rolled up, day in, day out', personal marketing experience. From 2008-2012 I founded and ran the award winning Mum's the Boss networking group, supporting businessmums all over the UK. I am a Trustee for a children's mental health charity, a cause close to my heart. I am also a big fan of cats, books, theatre, comedy and gin (but not necessarily in that order!)
i promise i will be...
approachable - at heart I'm an awkward introvert, so I go above and beyond to make others feel at ease.
plain speaking - not in a rude way, but in a 'let's cut through the rubbish and get to the point' way. And my language can get colourful when I'm expressing passionate opinions!
jargon free - I promise I won't talk to you using acronyms and buzzwords. Just plain, old-fashioned English, so we both know exactly what we're talking about.
reliable - if I say I'll get it done, I will get it done. I don't miss deadlines.
glass half full -I always like to look for the positives and I really do believe that all change is opportunity.
what are my credentials?
writing & research
I am passionate about words, having spent my whole life as an avid reader (and teenage writer of unrequited-love-themed poetry). I have written and produced internal newsletters for four different organisations, and wherever I work I end up becoming the resident wordsmith - that go-to person when you need to write a difficult email, sense check a proposal or edit a document. I have experience writing press releases, web copy, advert copy, blog posts, instructions, training materials - you name it.
More than two decades after I passed my BA in English Literature, I went back to university to study a Masters by Research. For my research project I studied online audiences response to specific book/film adaptations. As part of the process I had to unlearn the punchy sales and marketing copy I was accustomed to writing, and learn the art of academic writing and referencing. 50,000 words later I defended my thesis to a panel of professors who told me my thesis was 'a real page-turner'. This is the greatest compliment I have ever received about my writing.
working with small businesses
In 2008 I ‘accidentally’ started a business. I say 'accidentally' - I was a new mum who had bought into a rubbish franchise with the dream of working from home. By some miracle I connected with my now friend Helen who was in the same boat. We met up in a café and thrashed out an idea about arranging a local networking group for mums like us, with businesses, but the difference being we would provide childcare. And so Mum’s the Boss was born.
In 2010 MTB was awarded the Best Business Support award at the Mumpreneur Conference and Awards and were finalists in the mumandworking Business Parent of the Year awards. Our blog became a national resource, attracting corporate advertising. We ended up running networking groups across 6 counties in the UK. We even found ourselves invited to 10 Downing Street by the then Prime Minister's wife Sarah Brown. The whole MTB experience was a labour of love, creating a brand, a scalable service and a community (online and face-to-face) from scratch, learning as we went along.
other reasons we might get along
I am the other side of 50 (as attested to by my naturally silver hair!) and with age comes authenticity - I am past trying to be something I'm not. I am motivated by helping others and using my skills and experience (and my sage old-lady wisdom) to save others time and stress. I am a fierce and relentless advocate and a supportive person to have in your team.
And if we work together I promise it will be good fun and we will have a laugh!
To create is to bring something into existence that wasn't there before.
Rick Rubin
bookings
'getting to know you'
Book a free taster call to see if I am the right person to work with. If I don't feel I have the knowledge or expertise to fulfil your brief I am happy to signpost you to someone who can. Even if we don't end up working together, it's good to connect. Who knows what the future holds.
Drop me an email at sam@wordkind.co.uk
monthly retainers
These packages reserve a set number of hours per month
every month, for creative input.
4 hrs p/m = £200 8 hrs p/m = £350 12 hrs p/m = £500
Packages are ideal if you need a small, regular amount of creative support to complement the service you provide. I can create content for social channels; design and format training materials or presentations; write articles for newsletters or blogs; or help with branding and messaging.
Packages are payable in advance and can be cancelled at any time, with 1 months notice.
day or week rates
I charge £350 for a whole day - ideal for short creative projects . Or £1000 for a whole week - perfect for longer projects .
Larger or smaller projects costed on request.
Hourly copywriting rates on request based on size of project
brainstorm hour
Two heads are better than one, so if you have an idea or a problem whirring round inside your brain, for £99 let's get it out of your head, onto paper, explore some options and make an action plan. You'll be amazed what we can achieve in 60 minutes!
testimonials
"MTB played a massive part in my business journey. It was at your meetings that I realised I could run my own business because you & the other women I met encouraged me."
"I can say for a fact that I would not have such a successful business today if it wasn't for Mums the Boss."
"Sam is capable, precise and reliable, and also one of the friendliest people I have had the good fortune to work with."
"Sam is both very approachable and hugely inspirational. In her warm, good-humoured way she is extremely effective at making things happen."
"MTB were definitely pioneers when it came to the needs of self employed parents."
Want to know more?
Or book a chat?
sam@wordkind.co.uk
A true friend accepts who you are, but also helps you become who you should be
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