As a freelance copywriter I am approached by business owners from all walks of life looking for me to provide them with a tone of voice and a way of communicating with their target audience. However, sometimes I write content that is so niche and so obscure, I do sometimes wonder what on earth I will do with all this extraneous information. And then, of course, it came to me. As in a bolt of lightning. I will write a blog. So here for your reading pleasure is the five most obscure and niche jobs I have ever undertaken.
- The opera charity
I’m not even sure where to start with this one. Essentially, they were a charity that worked with schools to get students more involved in opera. However, there was a twist to this, already rather, odd mission statement. The opera, which had been written by the head of the charity, also aimed to promote in the kids a sensitivity to the environment and the world’s limited resources. I feel it goes without saying that the heads of this charity were rather posh (we met in Notting Hill) and frightfully nice (they offered me lunch).
- Radio builders
I do a lot of work in the property sector, for investors, managers, kitchen fitters – you name it and I’ve probably written for it. That being said, one of the oddest projects I wrote for in this sector was a radio station aimed at builders. Which taken by itself is rather niche. However, the brief asked me to write in a tone of voice that was a mix of “maxim” (the lads’ mag) and Construction Weekly. Certainly made a change.
- Thermoplastics
What on earth are thermoplastics I hear you ask? Well that would be the paint that is applied to roads as markings. Except you can’t call them paints, not ever. They’re thermoplastics and for a few weeks I could recite you to the different hues, variations and functions of this specific product. Sadly, none of my friends really seemed to care. However, on the plus side, if thermoplastics ever come up on a pub quiz – challenge accepted.
- Awnings
For those of you who don’t know what awnings are, they are the material that protrudes out of restaurants, cafes and the occasional Chinese takeaway and, basically, make it all look a little more glam. It’s one of those things that you don’t even think about it…until you write a ten page website about the various shapes, colours and styles and see them everywhere. Seriously, I dare you not to notice them now.
- Waste disposal company
One of my oldest clients based up North required me to write weekly blogs on the subject of waste disposal, recycling and the like. I have to be honest it wasn’t always the easiest subject matter, but I was constantly amazed at the number of conferences and expos taking place in the waste sector and you’d be surprised just how passionate individuals got over all that jazz.
If you have a complicated niche or specific sector you are working within and fancy a little bit of copywriting help please feel free to get in touch. Naturally, I am contactable through a myriad of ways: by phone – 07826 857 882, email – helena@helenabaker.com or we can always meet up for a Chai Lattee and a chat. My offices are based in Finchley, but I work around London and am always happy to meet.