Find out what Margaret Paton is like to work with:
Case study: How an on-call skilled writer helps LiveBetter
By Rich Bowden
Introduction
Sim Madigan is the Brand Marketing Manager for disability, family, and aged care services provider LiveBetter. Founded in 1994, this not-for-profit organisation operates throughout regional NSW and Central Queensland.
The Challenge
Sim needs to cover all of her organisation’s marketing needs. But, as a not-for-profit, LiveBetter has limited resources. This means the small team is often inundated with communications work, some of which is unpredictable. Her challenge was to find the right external freelance writer/editor to take up this overflow work.
The Opportunity
LiveBetter’s marketing team handles a variety of work, including brand identity, messaging, brochures, annual reports and press releases, etc.
“We cover the visual and written material, the identity for the brand,” said Sim. “That would include logos, signage along with all our messaging.”
Her team also handles lead generation, the website and “everything across the whole spectrum of marketing, public relations communications, media management etc.”
The lack of internal resources meant there was often more work than they could manage — hence the need for an on-call writer. That writer needed to have a good knowledge of copywriting, content marketing, disability and aged services and the way LiveBetter operates, plus be available at short notice.
Margaret’s wide-ranging skills, including experience in the disability sector, writing and proofreading skills — essential for checking high-volume material such as the annual report — made her ideal to take on overflow work.
Her quick turnaround and understanding are beneficial, said Sim, particularly given the varied and fast-paced nature of the team’s workload.
The Process
The process for engaging Margaret is simple, quick, and effective, according to Sim.
“Usually, I’ll email Margaret, and just ask: How are you placed [to do some communications work]?” she said. “I generally try and give the deadline, so then she can tell me whether [the job] is possible or not. She’s always very open and honest about her capacity. But, she’s never not been able to do something for us, which is fantastic.”
The Solution
The solution for Sim is to have a skilled copywriter available for overflow marketing work as well as emergency editing and marketing work. She also benefits from Margaret’s disability sector experience and receives occasional pitches from her on issues relevant to LiveBetter. Margaret also writes case studies, media releases, takes photographs and interviews subjects by phone or face-to-face to create content for LiveBetter.
“Margaret has been a great resource over the four years we’ve worked together. As an external writer, her service complements my marketing team, so it’s important to have access to her, particularly during busy times,” said Sim.
Case study — Claire Dowler (OneAffiniti)
By Rich Bowden
Intro
Claire Dowler is a Content Strategist at the marketing agency OneAffiniti, where she is responsible for content strategy, briefing, writer management, proofing, and content execution. The company provides content for clients around the world, such as Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), Lenovo, Insurance Australia Group (IAG) and the Bank of Queensland.
The Challenge
Claire’s brief is to look after the content requests of the company’s Australian and New Zealand clients. She manages writers to create content in varied categories such as insurance, business, and technology. Her challenge is to find the right freelance writer for each client and match them to the client’s needs.
Claire looks for writers who are dependable, skilled, enthusiastic, meet deadlines, and are happy to revise/update their writing based on client feedback. Her challenge, therefore, is to find writers who are consistent and fit the requirements of the company’s clients. Reliability is a key need for the company, she says.
“When it’s for such large, globally-recognised companies, you can’t afford to be working with people that aren’t reliable,” says Claire.
The Opportunity
This need for a writer who can deliver quality copy on deadline for OneAffiniti’s high-profile clients created an opportunity for Claire to contact an experienced writer such as Margaret.
Margaret’s experience as a writer in a variety of fields, as well as her strong work ethic, were key advantages.
“We’re always looking for the people that have lived experience and have an amazing portfolio. The writing should take you on a narrative and walk you to the conclusion, without it being a direct sell,” said Claire.
“We never aim for normal [in our writers],” says Claire. “And so we’re always looking for people that can help us achieve that difference. This is why working with people like Margaret is so great because people with her experience and her expertise means that we can deliver that next level of service, that next level of experience to our clients.”
The Process
The process by which Claire notifies Margaret of work is simple, fast, and efficient. Claire works on a two-monthly cycle for OneAffiniti’s global team of writers, some of which have been sourced through Upwork.
Claire used to notify Margaret of each job individually, but now streamlines this process by the more efficient method of sharing Google files. Though Claire knows that Margaret will do her own extensive research on each topic, she says she spends time searching for as many sources as possible to help her start the project. Margaret’s ability to turn round projects quickly and with the minimum of re-writing is vital.
The Solution
Margaret, through her ability, reliability, thoroughness, and consistency, as well her willingness to research topics and suggest topics for articles, has solved a problem for Claire.
There are many occasions when she will suggest a relevant topic to cover or even add points of interest within the brief. Not only does this assist Claire in producing the best content for OneAffiniti’s clients, but it also makes Claire’s work much easier.
Claire, therefore, says she recommends Margaret to anyone who needs a quality writing professional.
As she says in her testimonial: “I think you do a great job. I like the style of content and it is gripping. Content looks great, and is very relevant to my clients.
An absolute professional on Upwork. I’d recommend Margaret to anyone. Easy, friendly, and great to work with.”
“Margaret is a talented research professional and content creator.
She has conducted research interviews and backgrounding with participants from various programs, engaging with people from all walks of life and business.
Her ability to connect with people and extract meaningful insights is truly impressive.
Margaret’s positive attitude and willingness to collaborate are always appreciated.
Margaret always meets deadlines with ease and is available to answer questions and provide guidance.
Overall, I would highly recommend Margaret to anyone seeking a skilled and reliable professional.”
Nicholas Wyman
CEO