My website clients already get a lot of guidance on how to write copy to maximise their site for SEO (which basically means, helps get more search hits from your ideal clients) but I am not a copywriter, so I’ve never been able to include a full copywriting service to my website packages. Until now!
Welcome to Debs. She is a copywriter and voiceover and will be working with me to craft the very best in website copy.
Let’s get to know Debs a little better…
Tell us a little about yourself
I’m Debs Wardle. I’ve been copywriting for various companies since 2014. I have a background in creative writing and scholarly publishing, both of which feed into it nicely. I’ve been working as a voiceover for the past four years, mostly doing character and TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) work.
Where might people have heard your voice or seen your work?
If you’re not currently learning English in another country then you may not be familiar with my recent work, but I have various exciting projects launching over the next few months so do keep an eye on my socials. And if you happen to be at The Wandering Kitchen in Wallingford this autumn, my voice will guide you round their spooky Halloween trail.
Which elements of your brand and/or website have you outsourced?
I initially outsourced all the visual elements of my brand – website design, logo, photography, etc – as making things look good is not in my skill set. I felt it was important to get a bespoke website built rather than trying to shoehorn my information into an off-the-peg site.
Share some business lessons you’ve learned
1. Work with people who know your business!
I really put the cart before the horse when it came to my website, I was new to the world of voice over myself and hired a designer who did a great job but knew nothing about voice work. I’ve since had to do a lot of reverse engineering which took up time and energy that I could have spent in the booth.
A far better use of my resources would have been to hire somebody who knew the business well enough to build me a website that would showcase my work in a way that would hook in potential clients, instead of just making it look pretty.
2. Be really clear on who you are and how you want to present yourself.
There are still certain elements of my branding that don’t quite feel like me because I put them together before I was fully confident in who I am as a voice artist; and so didn’t speak up when other people’s ideas didn’t sit quite right. Obviously these things are always a work in progress and will evolve as you do, but the more you can get right at the start, the more in control of your career you’ll feel.
What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve been given?
You never know where your next opportunity is coming from.
It can feel a lot like you’re screaming into a void when you’re marketing and networking, and the only people listening are your peers (who are naturally busy with their own Void Screaming). I’ve certainly found this very disheartening at times, but you know what? Some of my best jobs have come to me through referrals from other voice artists.
You never know who’s going to see your tweet or come across your business card in their desk drawer, realise that they need a voice for something, visit your website, then get in touch with a great job. So put yourself out there, tell everyone what you do, and don’t get too hung up on trying to figure out who’s a potential client and who isn’t (because, spoiler alert, everybody is a potential client).
What does voiceover success look like to you?
I find that there’s a sweet spot where I’m confident in what I’m doing but haven’t done it so much that it becomes repetitive. In other words, I quickly get bored doing the same thing day in, day out. Voice work is great because no two jobs are the same and I’m always learning and expanding my skill set.
So to me, voice over success is in the variety – the joy of a new script, the opportunity to work with new people, developing a new character voice and finding out who said character is – but also in the security of knowing that I know what I’m doing.
Being able to pay my bills doing something creative is a wonderful feeling (and not just because of all those people who told me I’d never use my drama degree).
Some quickfire questions…
Recommend a podcast
The Cryo Pod Tapes by the brilliant Ted Huggins. If you’re into classic Sci-Fi/horror, then you need to go and check it out.
What superpower would you love to have?
Telekinesis. Mostly because I’m lazy and quite like the idea of being able to get things without having to stand up.
Early bird or night owl?
Night owl for sure – I’m really bad at mornings, as anyone who encountered me before midday at the last couple of One Voice Conferences can attest to!
Worst job you’ve ever had?
I once spent twelve harrowing hours “doing tables” in the restaurant of a department store. The state of some of the tables I had to clear still haunt my nightmares…
How can people find you?
My website is debswardle.co.uk, I’m on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
I have yet to brave TikTok.
Anyone who wants Debs and myself to craft your website and copy, pop to my website services page and let me know you would like copywriting when we chat about your project.
Debs will also be writing a few blogs here that will be jam-packed with copywriting tips for your demos, website and proofreading, so watch this space!