Meet Stacey Mathis, Copywriter

Stacey Mathis is the founder of Stacey Mathis Copywriting/Consulting, a team of copywriters and marketing content writers who focus on messaging for businesses and professional organizations that target working women, mothers, families, lawyers, nonprofit constituents, and clients of coaches and consultants.

To get an idea of Stacey's work, here are links to a few samples of her writing:

--http://staceythewriter.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Dynamic-Business-Growth-Team-Building-B2B-Web-Content-Revised.pdf
--http://www.nyhealthandwellnessfairs.com/
--http://staceythewriter.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/img032.jpg
--http://www.renaissancecharter.org/

1. When did you start transitioning from your career as a paralegal to your career as a writer, and what motivated your career change?

Even as a paralegal, I always had an interest in English and creative-style writing. In 2004 I discovered that copywriting was a field that I could not only pursue, but one that I could do while maintaining my career as a paralegal. The two fields actually complemented each other.

2. In your experience, what are some qualities that make for effective copywriting?

Copywriters have to have the ability to tell a story. You also need the ability to let go of your own preconceived ideas and be open-minded enough to view things from your target audience's perspective. In essence, you have to become your audience. You have to be willing to take the time to learn what makes your target market tick, so you can craft copy that appeals to their identity. Lastly, you have to patience, because it may take you days to come up with something as seemingly simple as a headline, let alone the days it could take you to write the body of your piece. People think these wonderful words on ads magically happen. It's actually a painstaking process.

3. When a business owner is planning to hire someone for freelance copywriting or content marketing help, what are some tips you'd suggest to the business owner for an effective collaboration?

Copywriting customers should always request to see the portfolio of the copywriter they plan to hire. You want to make sure their style jives with your needs for your project. For example, if you have an obscure product, like you manufacture thermal anemometers, you want to make certain that the copywriter you hire has a background in science and technology. Check their work.

4. What do you most enjoy about your work?

The solitude. I am an extroverted loner, so working unaccompanied is right up my alley. My team is remote and primarily virtual and that suits me just fine. The other aspect of copywriting that I enjoy is helping people improve their businesses. It really gives me so much pleasure to craft messaging that gets results for others. It's why I do what I do.

5. Would you tell us a bit about the work you do to provide other writers with resources to build their own writing businesses?

As a freelance copywriter, I have to stay abreast of all the latest developments in my industry in order to stay relevant. I've simply structured a way to impart this knowledge to new copywriters. My blog, www.staceythewriter.com, provides me with a method for doing this, utilizing various media, e.g., e-courses, a newsletter, special "how-to" reports on the field, audios, infographics, videos, articles, and a Twitter feed. Whatever I learn for my business, I share with my community of blog visitors and now Facebook and Google Plus visitors as well.

Thanks, Stacey!