220 Blackfriars

Tone of voice, messaging and brochure copy

If patience is a virtue, faith and a sense of humour are its equally virtuous sidekicks.

7th June 2024. I get an email:

Hey Jonathan, Hope you are well. Just checking what your availability is in the coming weeks – anything available next week/week after?

Thankfully I was well, and I had some space. Hooray, looked like another project was on its way from one of my longest standing design agency clients.

Four days later:

Thanks for coming back to me. I’ll confirm as soon as possible – just waiting for some feedback from client and will keep you posted.

No problem.

Eighteen days later:

Hope you are well and enjoying the heat. Just checking in to see your availability in the coming weeks?

Eight email exchanges and another 17 days later, I had a copywriting brief in my trembling mitts.

Then, 4 days later, I sent brand story, strapline and a bunch of headline messaging options for review.

Here are a few of my favourite headlines from round one (for context, this is for a very smart, new London workspace, with a central theme of community, history and location):

Your old workplace is already feeling jealous

Our foundations go as deep as the 18th century

Southbank? Lunch? How long have you wanted
to be able to say that on a Monday morning?

So that was round one.

Then 12 email exchanges and 25 days later, I received my client’s clients’ feedback.

I made some tweaks. And another 37 days later, more feedback.

Then another eight, E I G H T months later, the brief had expanded into a brochure copywriting job.

Two and half months after that (18 and a bit months from the initial enquiry), I put my final invoice in.

Then another eight months go by and I see they’ve turned my brochure copy into a website.

I’ve just checked my inbox.

Fifty nine client emails. Three zoom catch ups. Two false starts. Three rounds of changes.

So, next time you get a quote from me and you think, “how much?”, just remember, you’re not only getting a cracking Copywriter, you’re getting the patience of a saint.

Want more copywriting goodness? Have a look at this project for dollop creative.