The CopyWriting Fox
Hi, my name’s Gillian Fox and I run my own business as a sales copywriter.
You know, all this came about because I joined Daniel Wagner’s Internet Marketing Group as a Platinum Member a few years ago to learn more about building an internet marketing business.
I created two health-related sites, and started to see money going into my Clickbank account - the penny dropped and I realised “wow, this is exciting – making money without having to be in the office all the time!”
Through the Group I met Nick James (one of the best Copy Writers in the business), and decided to study at his exclusive Copywriting Academy to learn all the skills needed to write Killer Sales Copy, so that I could help other people make money on-line too.
You see, I realised how important sales copy is for anyone with an internet business, and as I was searching for a fulfilling role where I could use my language and presentation skills, plus my new found knowledge of internet marketing , this was the ideal niche.
Plus, over the years, I’ve acquired a shed-load of skills which I bring to my Copy Writing business…..
Starting with the basics! I trained as a Secretary – “learn shorthand and typing dear, and you’ll always have a job” – was my Mum’s advice, and yes it turned out to be very good advice – I have a good knowledge of business language, and how to present work in a professional style.
I worked my way up the clerical/secretarial ladder (this was the late ’60s and my first job was with the BBC in London at Broadcasting House – Radio One had just started up – imagine being a celebrity struck 18 year old junior clerk and getting in the same lift as Tony Blackburn, Dave Cash or John Peel – the great DJ’s of that era) – it was so cool!
The Copywriting Fox (c1969) working as a Clerk/Typist at the BBC, Broadcasting House, London
Jobs were plentiful and I moved around doing lots of different ones in different companies – including a stint as a Rental Rep for a well known car rental company at Heathrow Airport (another fun job with a great crowd of people, and where I learn to deal with a huge range of customers, drive a load of different cars, adjust to shift working and wear a badge with the immortal sales slogan “We Say Yes” – our rivals, Avis, had badges proclaiming “We Try Harder” – oh how times change!).
Great fun for a while, but shift working plays havoc with both the body clock and social life, so I went back to the Secretarial path – one of my jobs was with a firm who were selling the new-fangled word processing machines and packages, so I learnt all about cutting-edge WP and used to help out with training new users as well!
Then it was onwards and upwards to the Personal Assistant pinnacle – working for the MD and Chairman of a Recruitment Consultancy and Advertising Agency.
This was the late ’70’s and it was a great place to be – we had branches all over the country, business was good – our niche was sales and engineering personnel – companies were recruiting and wanted to us advertise their vacancies.
My role revolved around the MD – PA/secretarial support, helping to screen advertising response when we had campaigns running for clients, attending Board Meetings and Management Meetings and taking the Minutes (and typing up the versions without the scatalogical language!), liaising with our in-house advertising agency and checking copy- oh, and making coffee.
And so it was for 8 years, the company was successful and went public, and the MD moved on to form his own business, with me in tow – by that time I had become a VERY Personal Assistant and, yes, “Reader, I married him”!
Life was fantastic – we lived on a farm, had our own recruitment/advertising business in a converted barn opposite the farmhouse and cows and horses grazed in the paddocks around us. Occasionally the cows would stage a mass break-out and sprint past the office windows, at which time all the consultants would down tools and run outside to help us round them up – much to the startled amazement of any hapless applicant who was being interviewed at the time!
We opened 3 more branch offices and grew the company. But then, much as now, came the Recession. Companies were not recruiting and did not want to advertise for staff, so reluctantly we closed our doors, talked tactics and made a life changing decision – to sell up and sail.
Sailing round Portugal, and yes, that’s me at the helm!
The original idea of “around the world” stumbled when we got to Portugal – we sailed up a magical river and fell in love with this remote and unspoiled part of the country that, we planned, would become our home base. So (as you do) we bought some land, hired some local labour and started to build. Yes, we were living the dream.
And as sometimes happens, fate takes over and life changes instantly.
Its at times like that you learn two things 1)- who your real friends are, and 2) – how strong you are.
I’d promised my late husband I’d finish the house – so I did. It took 3 years and a lot of help from wonderful family, friends and neighbours and was my focus and my therapy, and when it was finished, my retreat.*
“You’ve got a choice” – I said to myself - ”Sit in a corner and moan, or get up and get on with life” – guess which one I picked?
So I took this steep learning curve into property development in the UK – I had a mantra when things got tough “if I can do it in Portugal I can do it in the UK!”. I loved reviving and re-styling those properties, and decided learn more by studying Interior Design at the Ivy House Design School in Bath (where I gained a “Highly Commended” Certificate), and taking some professional property development courses.
So, when I discovered Internet Marketing, I knew I could combine my knowledge of property with my language and presentation skills – to write copy, and compose e-mails campaigns for the property sector…
And guess who my first clients were? A Personal Development Coach then a Hypnotherapist! So I’m versatile too! (You can see what they say about me in “Testimonials”).
That’s the joy of copywriting – my 15-step strategy to producing GREAT copy can be matched to your specific needs.
So, if you’re looking for a copywriter who:
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Takes time to understand your personality, as well as your business
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Builds long-term relationships that reflect in words your individual style and voice
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Gains an in-depth knowledge of your services or products to give a genuine enthusiasm and power to the copy
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and who you can trust again and again to write perfect copy for your style of website
Contact me now if you want to maximise your business sales potential and promote your products and services with the power of words.
Just fill in the “Enquiry” box top right, and we’ll have a chat.
I look forward to working with you,
Gillian Fox
p.s. * I’ve recently written my first book “Promise Me – A Personal Journey” recalling some of the highs and lows of life on the ocean wave and beyond.
