Featured member: Jenny De Lacy

 

Jenny De Lacy | Bio

If the purpose of great copy is to let clients get to know, like, and trust you – then video lets them connect with you as well.

It’s the next best thing to meeting people in person.

Or if you’re an introvert, it’s the best thing.

I know it can be awkward and cringe-worthy to see and hear yourself on video.

That’s why I create video marketing strategy to suit you, your budget and your clients. From strategy, to content planning, and scripts that suit your personality and get your message across.

My 25 years experience with audiences from 2-200 – crafting messages and presentation confidence, is core to my business. I can make video marketing work for your business too.

 

Tell us about life before you became a copywriter, what did you do?

I’d worked in learning and development across multiple industries for 20-odd years. I studied a Masters in Education and Training, and saw my future in a corporate training room with senior leaders.

But a full time contract in 2014 put a stop to that.

Although the team were expertly skilled and dedicated to providing the right learner focused training and support, the overall team was riddled with corporate bully types, and I, (and my kids), just couldn’t put up with it.

I decided not to work with clients that weren’t a ‘good fit’ ever again. Or even full time hours, until I had wrangled the boys through secondary school.

So I learned as such as I could about copywriting. And ignored that plenty of my new peers had advertising and marketing backgrounds.

I knew I could write client-centred copy. I also knew that I could take a vague ‘project brief’ and turn it into a final product that made everyone happy.

 

Why did you decide that copywriting was the right career for you?

I have been crafting audience focused messages for more than 20 years, and knew I wanted to keep doing just that.

I needed to work family-friendly hours, be a professional addition to a client’s virtual ‘team’, and be able to wear leggings and ugg boots.

I needed a career where clients could benefit from my skills and expertise, and I still delivered on my commitments without going crazy.

 

What challenges have you faced since becoming a copywriter?

I am a natural extrovert. The traditional copywriter is not. Sitting behind my laptop without speaking and interacting with people does not a happy Jenny make.

So I turned to interactive online groups, The Clever Copywriting Community at the top of the list, to keep me sane.

 

Tell us about your favourite client so far?

It’s a close race between my biggest video marketing client who involved me in the whole process from strategy, to scripting and editing videos for their email marketing.

To ongoing clients who trust that I ‘get them’, and so provide wonderful and heart warming feedback to all who’ll listen.

 

Tell us about your worst client experience so far and the lessons you learned?

Interestingly, since my self nominated ‘corporate bully’ clients, I cannot say I have had a terrible copywriting client.

I put this down to how much I have learnt from Kate Toon about systems, client management, and choosing contracts we can do, without losing our minds.

 

How has becoming a copywriter changed your day to day life?

I have been able to balance my desire for learning, connecting, making a difference and gaining recognition for a job well done.

I moved from a ‘contractor’ mentality to ‘business owner’. And I get to wear ugg boots when it’s cold, which is more than six months a year in Melbourne.

 

What one tip would you pass on to someone looking to make the move into copywriting?

Run your own race – find someone you admire, but don’t try to compare to everyone out there or you will constantly doubt your ability.

Choose your speciality and dive into learning as much as you can about it to improve your skills to make maximum difference to your clients.

 

Over to you

Have you had any similar experiences to Jenny? Please share in the comments below.