I started writing for Credit & Business Finance (CBF) while I was at PrettyGood PR, creating the copy for their new website (and for the new site of the Global Trade Credit Alliance, of which CBF was one of the founding members), as well a few direct mail letters. After I went fully freelance, they were recommended to me by my former boss, as they had need of someone to write web articles (for both customer engagement and SEO) and create a quarterly digital newsletter that would drive traffic to their new site. Working to their brief, I created an on-brand Mailchimp newsletter template, and collaborated on setting a suitable content list for each issue – including a good mix of expert advice articles and more people-orientated company news (such as new staff announcements and charity fundraising events), so that key communications objectives could be achieved without the messages being off-puttingly ‘salesy’.

I initially wrote all the articles for the website, and advised on suitable stock images for illustration where appropriate, as well as doing the copy, layout, administration and a post-issue report for each newsletter (which went out to a list of almost 800 customers, partners and prospects, separated into 10 segments so that versions could be tailored for each audience).

Unsubscribes were consistently low, open and click-through rates were above the industry average, and thanks to the data on the most popular articles, we were able to plan future content accordingly, resulting in better open and click-through statistics (following the inevitable drop after the first issue, which is fairly unavoidable). Industry partner feedback was excellent, and we got high praise from a number of key figures, including from the CEO of the UK’s largest provider of credit insurance.

It was always part of the plan for CBF to eventually take production of the digital newsletter in-house, and after 18 months or so their staff began to write some of the articles themselves – using me in an editorial capacity instead – and now, at the beginning of our third year of working together, the responsibility for layout, administration and reporting has passed to their in-house team (though I’m still involved as a communications consultant). I’m now used as a scalable resource, offering advice on their newsletter activities, copywriting for the newsletter itself and occasional articles, editing in-house and guest articles, and also working on additional projects such as e-shots to targeted audiences.

“I have worked closely with Rebecca, primarily on our quarterly newsletter, however also on various other ad hoc projects relating to our websites and company newsflashes,” said Laura Prime, Marketing Administrator at CBF. “Rebecca’s commitment to all CBF projects is first class, and her attention to detail is exemplary – I have 100% confidence in all the marketing material Rebecca prepares and distributes on behalf of CBF. Our intended deadlines can run over due to both internal and external factors, but regardless of Rebecca’s other commitments she is always available to assist me despite last-minute changes to my schedule.”