Finding the right words can be hard, which is why at Work.Life we’re proud to have many talented copywriters among our members. In Reading, journalists George and Sarah Hamilton get vocal about vocab to help clients in the UK, Americas and Asia create engaging communications strategies and content.
We caught up with them to find out more about their business and being Local Work.Life members.
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Can you tell us a bit about Inquisitive Type?
We’re a communications agency staffed by journalists. Our core service is copywriting, but as well as writing everything from blogs to speeches and company presentations, we also offer the full range of communications support. Marketing strategy, video, advertising, internal comms, translations, photography, design, PR … you name it, we’ve done it and do it.
Your team has written for publications including The Sunday Times, The Independent on Sunday, The Mail on Sunday and numerous local newspapers. How does your background as reporters help with the business?
Reporters are all naturally curious people, and curiosity is our driving force. By asking our customers a lot of questions, we gain a rapid and full understanding of their business and what they are trying to achieve. Clients don’t have to spoon-feed us content, and our nose for a story means we proactively ‘dig out’ angles that might have otherwise been missed. And of course, as daily newspaper reporters we’re used to boiling very complicated concepts down into engaging, eye-catching and easy-to-understand copy… always to deadline and within legal constraints.
What have you been working on recently?
Lots! Blogs and social campaigns for global software companies, trade show messaging for expos in New York and Tokyo, video voiceovers, eBooks, product naming, customer journey storyboards, an independent retailer blog … and plenty of PowerPoint presentations!
Our client list stretches from start-ups to the Fortune 500, and we’ve been covering topics and industries such as robotics, customer experience, digital transformation, independent and global retail and speciality manufacturing. Sarah is also involved in media training, working primarily with the armed forces. The variety keeps things very interesting.
Why do your customers use Inquisitive Type?
They value our ability to quickly understand; we save them time and money because they don’t need to brief us extensively. Give us your phone number and 15 minutes of your time, and we’ll generate useful, thought-provoking content that your customers and colleagues will be interested in.
What’s the best thing about being entrepreneurs?
Every day is a learning experience.
And the worst?
Long hours and sometimes waiting an eternity for invoices to be paid.
Tell us a little known fact or two about yourselves.
Sarah is an award-winning playwright, and brings her storytelling skills to our customers’ campaigns and brands. George used to run one of London’s oldest street markets, Lower Marsh in Waterloo. The traders there had a few storytelling skills too…
Why did you choose to call Work.Life home?
We wanted work to be a ‘place we go’. Before we were shuffling between cafés (totting up expensive coffees), hotel lobbies and home. Work.Life means work and home are separate things – a much healthier way of working. Also, Saturday and Sunday opening was a big one for us. Often they are our most productive writing days, as there’s little email and conference call distraction. Plus, we’re in daily contact with clients in China and the USA; the time difference can be demanding but with Work.Life we have the facilities and resources around us to manage this.
How has being a Work.Life member helped you?
The sense of community is superb, and made us realise how lonely a life of shuffling between cafés can be. The dogs in the office help keep our stress levels (relatively) under control. It also feels like we have a bigger team, because we know that Chloe, Beth, Danielle and Naomi (Work.Life Reading staff) will do everything in their power to help us succeed.
Anything else you’d like to tell Work.Life members?
Get in touch – we love meeting entrepreneurs. We also offer a day of our time for free to anyone who recommends us to a paying client. Help spread the word about our words, and you could have some free support. Just email sarah@inquisitivetype.com.
Thanks to George and Sarah for sharing their thoughts with us. Stay tuned for more Work.Life member profiles over the coming months.
Thinking about a Work.Life membership? Pop a date in the diary to come and say hello and book a tour here.
