My live interview with ProCopywriters – the professional association for copywriters in the UK – focused on the wellbeing aspects of freelance life…

…the ups and downs, the importance of boundaries and balance, the need for community and the importance of asking for help. All topics covered in my guide to freelance life, Survival Skills for Freelancers.

Ready? Let’s go.

Q Welcome to #ProCopyChat, Sarah! Tell us a bit about yourself.

A Hello! I’ve been a freelance marketing copywriter for 20+ years.

I love freelance life, but it took me the best part of 15 years to get good at the business end of it – and I made a lot of mistakes along the way.

I’ve written a book for freelancers – Survival Skills for Freelancers – to share my experience and help freelancers get more enjoyment from self-employment.

Q Sounds great! Can you tell us a bit more about the book for freelancers, and how it came about?

A Sure! Most of us decide to go freelance because we have a skill we want to share. In most cases, we’re utterly unprepared for how relentless the business end of freelance life can be – let alone the challenges freelancing can present to our mental health.

The book is designed to help freelancers become more successful by working smarter, not harder – and to learn from the things I’ve done that worked, as well as the things that didn’t.

It’s a combination of real-life, heart-on-your-sleeve anecdotes and tried and tested advice – all backed up by research, resources and quotes from 120 freelancers.

And now there’s a brand new 2025 edition.

Q How and why did you become a freelancer?

A I was working as an editor and account manager for a magazine publisher in Clifton, Bristol when I became pregnant.

I knew I didn’t want to go back to full-time work, and liked the idea that I could fit freelance work around family life. My employer promised to provide work to keep me going, so it seemed like a good decision.

I worked on my brand and sent out cold enquiries while I was on maternity leave, then worked three days a week while my daughter was at nursery.

My business grew as my family grew. And here I am – now with grown-up kids – still loving freelance life.

Q What do you believe are the most important qualities to make it as a freelancer?

A I don’t think you have to be a particular type of person to make a successful freelancer. There are always exceptions. But there are traits that help and others that hinder.

Skills and talent alone aren’t enough to guarantee success.

It helps if you’re determined, motivated, organised, ambitious, disciplined, confident, outgoing, flexible, reliable, personable, patient, thick-skinned… it’s a pretty long list!

Q What would you say to anyone reading that list who knows they don’t have all those qualities?

A Don’t worry too much. No one will tick off every quality on the list.

If you don’t have any of them, you might struggle more than most – but I’m neither patient nor thick-skinned and I haven’t let that hold me back!

Q Isolation is a real challenge for many freelancers. How do you recommend we deal with it?

A It absolutely is. So many of the freelancers I talk to loved the idea of working from home but found themselves completely unprepared for the loneliness! It’s easy to feel like no one understands what you’re going through – but they do!

Connection is vital when you’re freelance, and there are three fundamental ways to find it:

• online communities (like this one, or the many Facebook groups that exist for freelancers)
• networking groups and events
• coworking spaces and coffee shop working

The great thing about the online community is that it spills out into real life with events and conferences.

It’s possible to make great real-life friendships with people who are in the same boat as you.

People who really get it.

Q How have you dealt with the unpredictability of freelance life over the years?

A You never really get used to the peaks and troughs of freelancing.

Quiet spells are pretty rare for me now, but I still keep a list of projects I want to work on, blogs I want to write and books I want to read, in case work drops off.

Having too much work can be just as problematic as not having enough, though.

Either you work yourself into the ground, boundaries go out the window and your mental health suffers as a result, or you can do what I do – have an arrangement with a small team of trusted freelancers who you can pass work on to when you need to.

You’re solving the problem for your client and helping another freelancer into the bargain.

Q There’s a lot of talk about imposter syndrome. Do you suffer from it, and how do you deal with it?

A Yes, absolutely – even now.

Self-doubt can hold you back if you let it, so don’t let the fear of failure get in your way. Celebrate your wins – even the little things – so you can see how far you’ve come. And don’t compare yourself to others!

It’s easy to put things off if you keep striving for perfection but there’ll never be a right time and you’ll never be completely prepared. Just do the best that you can do.

Sometimes good enough really is good enough.

Q You have a chapter in your book about avoiding burnout. Can you share a few tips here?

A Freelancer burnout is something I feel very strongly about and I go into a fair bit of detail about it in the book.

In a nutshell, it’s about setting boundaries, asking for help, learning to say no, and taking simple steps to look after yourself.

It takes time to learn what works for you, but most people need fresh air, exercise, a balanced diet and decent quality sleep as a minimum.

It sounds obvious, but if you’re not feeling your best you can’t do your best work.

Above all, it’s important to know that it’s okay not to be okay.

You’re not alone, you’re not the only one who feels this way, and you are perfectly normal. Respect your boundaries, prioritise your own wellbeing, and keep talking!

Q Where can we get hold of your book for freelancers? 

A The 2025 edition of Survival Skills for Freelancers – which busts the eight myths of freelance life – is available on Amazon worldwide in paperback and Kindle. The original 2020 edition is still available on Audible.

The client: Asaro

Founded in 2012, Asaro create extraordinary events for guests travelling on luxury yachts around the globe.

They work with captains and crew of superyachts and mega yachts to create and deliver unforgettable experiences – from Ancient Olympic-style games in Greece to epic pirate adventures – that show their clients the world in a whole new light.

The need

With a small but solid base of repeat clients, George and Kirsty Brooks, founders of Asaro, were ready to increase awareness of the unique services they provide.

Their aim was to attract a new and wider audience of forward-thinking superyacht captains looking to transform their events programmes and exceed the expectations of their guests.

With marketing to the superyacht industry holding its own set of distinctive challenges, due to the privacy and discretion of the clients involved, how could they go about this?

The solution

I was introduced to George and Kirsty by brand specialist Paul Barrett, who had already done some in-depth work with Asaro to establish where they were as a brand and where they wanted to be.

My brief was to write Asaro’s new website, brochure copy and case studies, after starting with some initial messaging work to establish their new tone of voice (TOV), and producing helpful guidelines for Instagram postings.

Messaging strategy and tone of voice guidelines

I began by creating comprehensive TOV guidelines that focus on using powerful and emotive language to show potential clients how it felt to be part of an Asaro experience, rather than telling them.

I also went into some depth to describe who Asaro are as a brand, the way language supports their brand pillars, a guide to using plain English, and examples of their new TOV in action.

TOV guidelines were supported by a detailed house style guide – which covers everything from using the active voice and contractions to the formatting of dates – so that anyone writing about Asaro can do so in a consistent manner.

Website and brochure copywriting

Once the guidelines were approved, Paul and I met with Asaro’s chosen design agency, Green Chameleon in Bristol, to discuss the design approach for both the website and brochure.

Writing copy based on the tone of voice guidelines I’d created, we worked closely with George and Kirsty to create a stunning website and high-end brochure, plus standalone case study cards that brought to life each of the four types of Asaro event.

Positive feedback

George and Kirsty were delighted with the end result, and showcasing their new brochure and case studies at the 2018 Monaco Yacht Show generated some very encouraging feedback from the superyacht industry.

The project was a perfect example of how a small team with big ambitions and a fabulous service offering can benefit from bringing in experienced consultants to support their marketing, instead of expanding their own team.

Just weeks after its launch, the new website was awarded both the CSS Design Awards and AWWW awards for website of the day.

In the client’s words…

“Sarah recently supported us on our brand evolution project, which included reworking and rewriting a healthy amount of web copy for our new website, our new brochure and also a very helpful set of tone of voice guidelines and Instagram tips for our team.

“It was our first time working with Sarah, but she quickly got to grips with our core services and turned this into brilliant copy and was then very patient and flexible when working with us and our appointed design agency to deal with changes.

“We felt confident leaving this project with Sarah as she exudes positivity and passion for her craft, and showed a real interest in what we do and how to best present us.

“We’ve already had brilliant feedback for our new website, which we know is down to a combination of brilliant design and compelling copy.”

Kirsty Brooks, Founder and Director, Asaro
asaro.co.uk

The client: Toffeln/WearerTech

Established in 1978, Toffeln develops supportive, protective and comfortable footwear for professionals who spend their working lives on their feet, with a core audience of nurses, surgeons, and chefs.

The need

Toffeln had a strong heritage as a British-based family business, plus a solid track record of sales – particularly in the medical and catering industries.

Despite this, brand awareness among their target audience was low, and a clear marketing strategy was needed to grow the business further. What makes their shoes stand out in the professional footwear market is the science, research and customer feedback that go into them – but they were missing an opportunity to shout about it.

There was huge potential to capitalise on the company’s credibility and position within the marketplace, and to build on what they had already achieved – particularly as little had been invested on marketing in recent years.

Big changes were afoot within the company, fundamentally affecting the structure of the business and its sales channels, as well as the way they market their products. This included the introduction of a planned approach to marketing through two key channels – the catering trade, and the medical profession.

Without an in-house team to support him, their new marketing director needed help – and fast.

The solution

I was initially recommended to Toffeln by Mat Jolly, owner of Cheltenham-based design agency, Jolly Good. Things kicked off with a day of naming work, in which we helped to create a new brand name and tagline that summarises the care and technology that goes into Toffeln’s latest range of shoes. They liked one of my suggestions – WearerTech – so much that they decided to use it on the shoes themselves, and to transform WearerTech into an entirely new brand, with a new website and marketing materials.

This work has developed into writing product brochures, sales process and marketing emails, video scripts, website copy, sign-up copy, packaging materials, and documents for both staff and distributors.

I’ve helped the company to establish a clear messaging strategy, and developed an informal, friendly – sometimes slightly irreverent – tone of voice that’s now being used across the board to communicate with their target audience.

Mat and I continue to work closely as part of Toffeln’s extended marketing team (a rebrand means they’re now known as WearerTech) often brainstorming ideas and discussing projects, while regular production meetings with their marketing director keep things running smoothly.

This is a perfect example of how a business with little in-house resource can benefit from using skilled and experienced consultants to support their marketing, instead of expanding their own team.

In the client’s words…

“Sarah is the kind of person that just ‘gets it’.

“She’s incredibly professional, always meeting deadlines and she delivers content that always exceeds expectations.

“The combination of her creativity, flexibility and her ability to put herself in the shoes of both our distributors and direct customers to deliver engaging and effective content, makes her a key part of the team.

“I know there is never a need to worry when Sarah is working on a project.”

Justin Rocyn-Jones, Marketing Director, WearerTech

Let’s get this out the way first, shall we? Social media is as much a pain in the backside as it is a blessing and a way of attracting new clients.

If you’re not disciplined – scrap that… even if you are – it can be a huge, momentous, gargantuan distraction.

It’s also an enormous source of pressure. It sits there in the digital ether mocking you. “Have you updated your LinkedIn profile recently? You really should’ve asked that client for a recommendation by now!” “Wait – you mean you haven’t thought of something acerbic and brilliant to share on Twitter this morning? What’s wrong with you?” “C’mon, you know there’s no point even having a Facebook page these days unless you’re prepared to dig deep and advertise!”

Social. It wants a piece of you. And it wants it NOW.

If you take just one piece of advice away from this post, it should be this: unless you have literally no work – and if that’s the case, I humbly suggest you have bigger problems than how to manage your social media presence – you don’t have time to master all platforms.

You’re not omnipotent. Or is it omnipresent? Or both.

Pick one or two platforms that are best aligned with your client base and do them really, really well. No more.

Sure, you can establish a profile on every platform out there, if you really want to cover all bases – that certainly won’t harm your Google ranking – but as long as your information is up-to-date and relevant, leave it right there, thank you.

Then back slowly away from the time-sapping, energy-draining social media vortex.

Which will you choose?

Those of you with visual businesses – hotels, florists, designers, manufacturers of cute-looking-OMG-I-just-HAVE-to-have-thats – you’ve got it made. In fact, I hate you. Just a tiny little bit.

Your business can flirt with any one of the social platforms and get those customers clicking and buying like a match made in retail heaven. Take your pick. Then take your pics. (Sorry.)

Instagram and Pinterest

Once you know your audience, and you’ve nailed your brand (and I know just the guys if you need help with that) make sure everything you post reflects your brand’s values and a professional image – by that I don’t mean business speak, I mean mistake-free – and you’ll soon be attracting those clients like a match made in retail heaven.

Get busy with that camera and learn to make your business look great. Great social media content doesn’t need expensive gear. Get your smartphone out and get snap, edit, and post happy.

Apps such as Over, Canva and Spark Post help you combine text and images for eye-catching posts, while free apps such as Snapseed and Afterlight are great for editing your pics.

Experimenting will teach you the hashtags and style that works for your audience, and remember, there’s no harm in taking inspiration from competitor businesses that do Instagram and Pinterest well – just no outright copying, please. No one likes a cheat.

Then feel a teeny bit smug – and certainly grateful – that you don’t have to think of clever ways to illustrate being a goddamn freelance copywriter. Because, let’s be honest, Instagram and Pinterest aren’t a lot of use to service businesses. I know. I am one.*

*Okay, so I do them both anyway, but I do them for fun. Any business I get on the back of them is incidental, not planned. Sorry, social media gurus.

LinkedIn

I’m going to stick my neck on the line and say whatever business you’re in, you need a profile on LinkedIn. Not a company page. A personal profile.

LinkedIn doesn’t have to be one of the two or three platforms you decide to do really well. You don’t have to sit on there day in, day out, engaging, liking and posting – but show up and be present.

If I meet someone at a networking event, the first thing I do when I get back to the office is connect with them on LinkedIn. If they’re not on there, I assume either they don’t take their business seriously (and if they don’t, why should I?) or that there’s something fundamentally wrong with them. And believe me, I’m only being a tiny bit tongue in cheek when I say that.

Think of LinkedIn as your virtual CV.

I’m in my 19th year of working freelance, and if anyone is out of touch enough to ask me for a CV, I refer them to my LinkedIn profile. Because even if LinkedIn wasn’t one of my three (it is) it would sit there, up-to-date and relevant, showcasing my skills and experience to anyone who wants to work with me.

That’s the bare minimum.

If you want to do LinkedIn well, start by optimising your profile. There are plenty of people out there who’ll happily tell you how to do that. Keep it open in your browser and check it once a day. Keep your profile up to date. Like and comment on relevant posts. Ask your clients for recommendations (I’m up to 102, at the last count). Congratulate people on their new jobs.

But be authentic. Don’t like and comment and share for exposure. That doesn’t feel good.

You might even consider posting your own articles on there, just like this one.

I’ve had such good results from my LinkedIn articles that I’ve started posting all new blogs on there and using my other social media accounts to drive traffic to the post on LinkedIn, rather than to my website.

I know. Controversial.

But it’s not, really. Engagement on my most popular post – remember the secret confessions blog? – looked a little something like this: a tiny little circle representing all 3,200+ of my LinkedIn connections, and a great big circle representing views from second-tier connections. That’s a LOT of engagement, and a lot of quality leads heading my way.

Thanks, LinkedIn. I love you, too.

Twitter

I love Twitter. There are still predictions of it going down the pan. I hope that doesn’t happen.

But people still get it wrong. They post things like this:

Looking for a copywriter? Let me write your website for you!

*hides eyes*

Has it gone yet? Seriously, that’s the quickest way to turn people right off your business. Social should be just that – a chance to engage with people. Be professional, but don’t be afraid to share your personality. People deal with people, remember? Not bland, faceless companies, bun-fighting for every job that comes along.

So dial down the desperate, and start engaging, informing, and entertaining.

Get your name out there as a trusted source of information on your area of expertise. Share tips, tricks and advice. Reply to questions. And be nice.

Facebook

I’ve never been convinced about Facebook pages as a tool for service businesses, but perhaps that’s simply because it doesn’t work well for me.

If you’re in the business of selling cupcakes, jewellery, or another photo-friendly product, it can work really well – and there are many pages out there that prove it.

That said, I keep my page up to date, and aim to post daily. Language-relevant funnies and thought-provoking questions get the best engagement for me, but trial and error will show what works for your business.

Whatever business you’re in, you’re more likely to attract new customers and sales through Facebook if you’re prepared to advertise. And that’s a whole other subject.

So, that’s it. I know – I haven’t touched on the virtues of scheduling, the value of video, or the pros and cons of narrative vs ephemeral content (think Snapchat and Instagram stories), but then I’m a copywriter, not a social media guru. Besides, I can always save that for another day.

Which platforms work best for your business? Drop me an email and let me know.