Category: Radix News

A balancing act: three things to avoid as a new B2B copywriter

Posted on by George Reith

Hi! I’m George. Yes, I have the same name as the new prince. I get that a lot.

I recently started working for Radix Communications, nabbing a sweet post within a great team. Having struggled with the mighty daemon of post-university employment after graduating, Unlocking Potential came to the rescue as my knights in shining armour. They’re an organisation who have helped tonnes of confused graduates find their way in the big bad world of business, and they were kind enough to give me the same treatment. They set me up with Radix, and it was love at first sight, but there were lessons to be learnt.

I swaggered in on my first day only to discover three important tips that I would like to share with anyone else hoping to enter the daunting world of B2B copywriting:

Don’t be too clever

I was an English student. Yeah, I know what you’re thinking: He’s one of those pseudo-bohemians who talks about panopticon societies and Hamlet’s Epicurean bathos. I was never a bohemian, but I was certainly used to a more pompous style of prose. A cigar is never just a cigar in the world of academia. I quickly learnt that there is no room for this in copywriting.

My first assignment was an email campaign on chat support centres, an area that I needed to research before I began writing. The sheer banality of some of the buzz words used in enterprise technology was enough to make me repent from all the times I used the word post-modern in vain. Tech copy is rife with BS already, and I had to quickly understand that my job was to cut through the jargon rather than add to it.

Don’t be too stupid

Throughout my university life, I wrote a lot of articles for gaming websites. Yes, I was that guy who got paid to play games, but the majority of my job was writing these reviews up. There is a certain style to games journalism that is in direct opposition to academic prose though. If you use any lengthy words, or don’t get the phrases “super-awesome,” “immersive gameplay” and “next-gen graphics” into your article, you’re considered a bad journalist or a pretentious goon. Most of my readers considered me both.

That said – you can’t get away with being this informal in copywriting. You get straight to the point, and you certainly don’t use the word “awesome.” [Editor’s Note: you can most definitely be informal and use words like ‘awesome’ in B2B copywriting, just probably not for this particular client…] I learnt this the hard way, with my attempts to inject excitement into a description of enterprise resource planning software falling on deaf ears. Just don’t write like an eight-year-old and you’ll be on the right track.

Don’t ignore loose screws

A screw fell out of my chair in my first week and, putting it to one side, I have yet to fix my seat. I now live in a state of continuous angst, paranoid that my throne will crumble under the dense mass of my well-sculpted calves. Stay safe folks, and always fix your chair if you see any problems on the horizon.

In conclusion, my first few weeks have been an important and enjoyable learning experience. I’m now only pompous about 70% of the time, I’ve met some great people and I have an excuse to wear flashy suits, all because of starting on the copywriting ladder with Radix. There’s still the problem with my chair, of course, but two out of three ain’t bad, right?

Radix is looking for a junior account manager

Posted on by Sophie Reynolds

Radix is a fast-growing, specialist copywriting agency, based in beautiful riverside offices in Penryn, Cornwall, with a client base that stretches from London to California and sometimes beyond.

The role

We’re looking for an extremely organised, customer-focused junior account manager who can act as first point of contact and ongoing relationship manager for a group of Radix clients.

Reporting to our Operations Director, you’ll handle the scheduling and project management for every writing project that comes in from your clients, working with a team of in-house writers and editors.

In the course of a typical day you will:

  • Act as first point of contact for clients requesting work
  • Advise clients on our availability
  • Agree costs and delivery schedules
  • Determine the right writer or team for the job
  • Schedule or reschedule the work in the team’s diaries
  • Liaise with and manage external writers and designers as needed
  • Ensure the timely delivery of the work
  • Provide regular updates to your clients
  • Keep our project management system (ProWorkflow) up to date with your project activity
  • Work on developing great relationships with Radix clients

You’ll also attend client meetings, usually in London and the Thames Valley, which sometimes involve some pretty early starts and long train/car journeys.

Who we are

Radix is a copywriting agency based in Penryn, Cornwall.  We work exclusively in the enterprise technology sector (that’s IT to you and me), and our clients are a mix of technology firms and their marketing agencies. We write for a range of major global brands as well as smaller, niche brands.

We strive to be the best copywriters in the tech industry, worldwide, and our growing international client base reflects the care, pride and skill we put into every job. Our friendly team of 14 people is based in newly-refurbished, eco-efficient riverside offices in Penryn’s Jubilee Warehouse.

Who you are

You are someone who enjoys building and maintaining good client relationships. You’re a real team player – you’ll need to work very closely with your team to get the job done. You’re extremely organised, unflappable under pressure and happy working at a fast pace.  You’re a multi-tasker who takes pride in delivering a great service to your internal team and external clients.

You’re happy talking to clients at all levels of seniority, and have the confidence to push back and negotiate deadlines with clients when things get busy!

Your skills and experience

Ideally you’re someone with 1+ years’ experience in a client facing role in a busy creative or marketing agency. If this isn’t you, but you do have extensive customer-facing experience in a high-pressure environment, we’re keen to hear from you.

You’ll be comfortable with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook) and quick to pick up new applications.

You don’t need copywriting skills or a deep knowledge of the IT industry or enterprise technology to excel in this role, but a genuine interest in business and technology would be a definite advantage.

As our client base is international, taking in many nationalities, experience of overseas travel or working with people from different countries and cultures would be another advantage.

Hours

This is a full-time role, 37.5 hours per week, Monday-Friday. There is some travel as part of the role, typically 1-2 trips to London/ the South-East per year.

Salary

£21,000 plus annual profit-share bonus and private health cover.

How to apply

To apply for this role, please send your CV with a covering letter explaining why you’d be ideal for this role, to:

Sophie Reynolds
Operations Director
Radix Communications Ltd
Studios H and I
Jubilee Warehouse
Penryn
Cornwall TR10 8AE
Email: [email protected]

Deadline for applications:  12th January 2018
Interviews:  w/c 22nd January 2018
Start Date: 5th March 2018

How many Radix employees does it take to plant a tree?

Posted on by Claire Goodfellow

Since partnering with Plant One last summer, we’ve pledged money for 223 trees to be planted  to help protect our local ecosystem here in Cornwall. But while we know funding trees is fantastic, we also wanted to get hands on, and actually plant them.

So for one windy day in December, a group of us swapped our keyboards for shovels and got involved at a Plant One event just across the river from our offices, at Tregew Barn in Flushing.

How to plant a tree

Eleven of us arrived at 9.30am to face a muddy field – I mean, this is Cornwall after all. But apparently not all of us had thought this far ahead. And so, wearing ten pairs of boots and one pair of converse, we made our way through the mud to a steep hill waiting to be filled with trees.

Before we could start planting, we needed a lesson in how actually to plant a tree.

The planting process itself was definitely simpler than I was expecting. Make a slit in the ground with the shovel, put the sapling in, firm the soil, place a protective tube over it, and stake. But unsurprisingly it became less simple once we started. You’d think the wet ground would make it easier to dig. Nope.

The tricky part was finding a spot of ground soft enough to push the shovel in. It was tempting to just try to force it rather than searching for a more amenable spot but, after a couple of battles between shovel and ground and a slight bend forming in the metal, it was clear the shovel would usually lose.

Despite the hard ground, we soon found our rhythm and began to make steady progress. The site had been divided into three and soon enough we had finished the first third and were ready for a coffee break. By the time we had finished the second we were ready for lunch. Most of the volunteers were ready to call it a day at that point, too (and I don’t blame them.) But Team Radix ploughed on, determined to complete the site.

If you build it, they will come

This habitat – ancient woodland bordering the tidal river – is rare and vital for wildlife. The aim for the day’s work was increase the cover of woodland next to the river by a quarter. And together with employees from St Austell Printing Company and Scence Skincare, alongside 15 members of the public, we planted 497 trees over the course of the day.

No wonder our arms were still aching three days later.

To mimic the woodland that we were extending, we planted Cornish and English Oak, Holly, Elderberry, Hawthorn, and Rowan trees. And added Wild Cherry and Grey Willow to improve the biodiversity and resilience of the habitat.

Hopefully in 20 years’ time we’ll be able to go back and visit a growing woodland. The expert tree planters at Plant One checked our efforts, so there shouldn’t be too many casualties despite the Cornish weather.

What did we make of our first tree planting day

Personally, I can say that I really enjoyed taking a day out of the office to plant some trees and do some lasting good. I can’t wait to do it again once we’ve pledged even more trees to plant. But what did everyone else think?

Lisa says: “It was a really great day, not only being outdoors in the fresh air planting trees that will be there for future generations, but also to hang out with and have fun with the Radix team – many of whom I hadn’t seen in person since the start of the pandemic. It’s surprising how many trees you can plant in such a short amount of time too.”

“Tree planting wasn’t quite what I expected,” Ben P adds. “But then again, I rocked up in a tattered old pair of Converse and still managed to have a really good time. I recommend planting trees.”

And Jordan says: “It felt great to be active and outdoors and to feel like we were all contributing to a great cause. As someone who rarely gets into the office these days, it was brilliant to be involved in something like that with my friends and colleagues.”

And it’s not just Radix who had a great day, our fellow planters from other Cornish businesses did too.

Bryony Simpson, Digital Print & Design Assistant at St Austell Printing company says: “This was my first trip out with my new team at St Austell Printing Company and it was a pleasure to be included in such an inspiring event – working as a team to create a better future together.”

Beth Mayman, Operations Manager at St Austel Printing Company, agrees: “Tree planting seems like such a simple thing to do, but to plant trees on this scale actually takes a huge amount of planning, with a good dose of expertise, energy and enthusiasm – which the Plant One team have in bucket loads! It was a rewarding day spent with a great bunch of people, coming together to make a difference. Count us in next time!”

So how many Radix employees does it take to plant a tree?

Apparently, five. (Plus another six to keep the photographer busy!)

Tree planting is a team effort

Radix and Lungfish join forces to meet B2B content demand

Posted on by The Radix Team

Two of the UK’s most prominent B2B copywriting agencies are to join forces, creating one of the UK’s biggest agencies focused on business-to-business writing.

The agreement, combining the operations of Penryn, Cornwall-based Radix Communications with those of near neighbour Lungfish, comes in response to a sustained rise in demand for B2B marketing content.

In recent years, the two fast-growing agencies have written for global brands including Xerox, Mitsubishi, Sprint Mobile, AT&T, Fujitsu Siemens and Oracle, working with B2B agencies and marketers in the UK, America, Europe, India and the Far East.

The new organisation, retaining the name Radix Communications Limited, will maintain its focus on writing business-to-business marketing copy and content for the technology, engineering and professional services sectors.

David McGuire joins Radix as Creative Director

David McGuire

Lungfish founder David McGuire will join the Radix board of directors as Creative Director, bringing extensive experience of enlivening dry subjects, and advising B2B clients on marketing strategy.

Fiona Campbell-Howes, managing director of Radix Communications, said: “The B2B sector is undergoing something of a marketing renaissance. Brands of all sizes are looking for high-quality, creative copy with a distinctive voice, to set them apart from competitors. With our combined resources and experience, Radix and Lungfish are ideally placed to meet this need.”

David McGuire added: “Content marketing in particular has reached that point where great writing isn’t a bonus; it’s the price of admission. We want to talk to marketers who are hungry to do really great work – and the truth is, B2B is where it’s at.”

Photos by Andrew Wright Photography.

I spent four weeks as a professional B2B copywriter. Here’s what I learned.

Posted on by The Radix Team

Spending four weeks as part of the Radix team has been an invaluable experience.

My writing has improved, I have a better grasp of the industry that I’m working towards joining, and I’ve had the chance to learn from a team of skilled writers. I’ve even learned that working in an office isn’t as bad as you might think (well, not at Radix anyway).

But why do you care?

Well, I picked up five tips that could make your marketing copy more direct, engaging and powerful from the first draft.

To help bring everything together, I’ve revisited a piece of copy that I wrote prior to coming to Radix, to show what I would do differently now.  (It’s a travel piece that I wrote for my university’s newspaper about spending a summer working at a summer camp in the US.)

Rather than bog you down with every little detail of how my writing has improved, here are the big things I’ve taken away from my time with the Radix team:

#1 Less is usually more

Remember the phrase ‘quality over quantity’? Well, in the world of B2B copywriting, it couldn’t be more true. Writing copy that’s powerful, concise and direct is difficult, but when it’s done right it packs a punch.

Getting someone to read your copy is the first achievement, but keeping the reader interested is where the job really gets tough.

Using shorter sentences and paragraphs can help make your copy more digestible. But ultimately, the most valuable thing I’ve learned is the importance of writing with authority. If what you’re saying has enough authority, it won’t need a high word count or complex vocabulary to prove it and keep people interested.

For example, I cut…

After the majority of a year saving my pennies and working full time in my local corner shop, I was just about ready to pack my rucksack with whatever I could carry and cross the Atlantic Ocean.  

down to…

After working and saving for over a year, I packed my rucksack and crossed the Atlantic.

The latter sentence tells the same story, but it sounds more exciting. It’s active and confident.

#2 Layout is key

In the world of academic writing, we’re used to striving to hit lofty word counts – often leading to long paragraphs and impenetrable walls of text. But in the real world, big blocks of text are off-putting, and can have a serious negative impact on the quality of your copy, so be careful not to let this habit slip into the workplace.

I’ve learned to use helpful tools like:

  • bullet points – helping me convey lots of information concisely
  • headers – which ensure the copy flows from point to point clearly (and make your content more scannable when used well)
  • box outs – giving me a chance to pull focus to specific points or statistics

Using these breaks up the copy into readable sections that are much less daunting at first glance.

Using bullet points, headers and box-outs lets you pull focus, and makes your copy less daunting

#3 Know your audience

Shaping the tone of your copy to suit the context and the audience is vital in ensuring that the content is read as intended.

When writing B2B copy, your aim is to get the reader to think about or do something in particular. And they’re far more likely to do that if they feel like you’re speaking their language.

With the writing example I revisited, I was writing for a university newspaper, so the tone was informal and conversational.

And it was easy for me to embody that voice as it was one that came naturally to me.

Being at Radix I’ve discovered just how challenging it can be to write for personas you don’t personally relate to – for example, CFOs at multinational Financial Services companies.

But if you want to write in a way that makes an impact and drives an action, it’s essential to put yourself in your audience’s shoes – no matter how uncomfortable that footwear may feel.

As an intern I have found that the best way to get myself in a CFO’s shoes is to do background research into the company they work for and to figure out the solutions they need and why.

Another great resource is the brief. This will give you insight into the needs the copy should fulfil and can help you decipher the tone that will be most suited.

The beginning of a new era for Radix

Posted on by The Radix Team

At work there are good days, there are bad days, and there are landmark days.

Landmark days don’t come along very often, but today is one.

Not because it’s Radix’s 11th birthday, even though it is. And not because we’ve just finished our most successful and most profitable year ever, even though we have.

It’s because today is Radix’s first day under brand new ownership.

On Friday I handed over a baton I’ve held for the past eleven years – and I couldn’t be happier that Radix’s new owners are none other than our operations director Sophie Reynolds and our creative director David McGuire.

(You can see the official news here.)

I’m not going anywhere, incidentally – I’m staying as Radix’s chief executive officer for the next two years, to oversee the transition and guide us through whatever challenges Brexit might bring.

The duo behind our winning proposition

Sophie and David have played key roles in Radix’s growth since they joined six and three years ago respectively. They’re the duo behind our value proposition to B2B tech marketers and their agencies: efficient delivery of high-quality writing.

Sophie Reynolds, Radix

Sophie: queen of efficient delivery

Sophie joined us in 2012 as our first full-time project manager, and immediately set about making Radix an incredibly efficient, productive and client-focused agency. She not only organised our work and standardised our pricing, but she also chose and implemented an outstanding project management system – Proworkflow – that’s been the foundation of our profitable growth.

(Seriously, if you run a smallish creative agency, check it out – it’s the first time-recording and project management software I’ve used that absolutely no one complains about, ever.)

Less than a year after Sophie joined, we won the silver for Most Dynamic Growth Business at the 2013 Cornwall Business Awards. That’s how good she is.

We swiftly promoted Sophie to operations director, and since then she’s built a team of exceptionally committed, organised and client-oriented account managers; the kind who move clients to tell us things like “I actually don’t know how you do it” and “You know that saying ‘you can have it cheap, good or fast, but only 2 at a time’? Well Radix is the exception.”

David McGuire, Radix

David: on a mission to make everyone a better B2B writer

David eventually became part of the Radix family in 2015, when we merged with his copywriting agency, Lungfish, to form what he’s fond of calling “the UK’s first B2B copywriting supergroup”.

I say “eventually” because I’d been hassling David to come and join us for a good few years before that – almost from the moment I became aware of his existence. His writing is among the best in the sector, anywhere in the world, and I couldn’t believe our luck that there was an experienced B2B writer of this calibre right on our doorstep in mid-Cornwall.

I’m incredibly thankful that he agreed to be our Creative Director – and if I’m honest, also a tiny bit triumphant that no one else got there first.

David’s enthusiasm for making dull topics interesting and his determination to elevate the quality of B2B copywriting have seen him become something of an ambassador for our profession.

If David seems familiar – and you’re not already one of his hundreds of friends – it could be because you’ve read his articles in B2B Marketing, seen him speak at an industry conference, listened to a Radix podcast, or attended one of his sell-out copywriting training days.

And if you don’t know him but you now feel he might be the copywriting guru you’ve been missing all your life, I highly recommend you follow him on Twitter.

The finest B2B copywriting agency team on Earth (even if I *am* biased)

If you asked David and Sophie what motivated them to take over from me as owners, I can guarantee they would say it’s in large part because of the team we have here.

Of the 18 people Radix has hired since 2007, 16 are still with us – and together they form the most talented, the most engaged, the most thoughtful, and the most supportive (not to mention the funniest) team that Sophie, David and I could possibly wish for.

I’ve seen them grow from being colleagues to being friends, who often say that the main thing that keeps them at Radix is “each other”.

As someone who perennially worries that the work we’re asked to do is too difficult to be truly enjoyable (have you ever tried writing a paper about differential privacy for sensitive datasets, or the possibilities and limitations of flammable refrigerants?), I’ve found it hugely rewarding to see our writers and account managers stick around – for years – because they love working together.

That bond has benefits for our clients, too – it means they get work that’s done by experienced, enthusiastic and motivated people, who naturally organise themselves to deliver the best quality writing to the required deadline. And because people leave us so infrequently, we’ve been able to offer a continuity of service that’s rare in an agency relationship.

No change to our mission – to be the industry’s go-to copywriters

Radix has never stopped growing, from December 2007 to today. Every year, we’ve taken on more clients, more work and more people. At the last count we were writing for around 100 B2B tech and industrial brands – including Amazon, Danfoss, Microsoft, Oracle and Salesforce – from our converted riverside warehouse in Penryn.

Today I’m handing over the baton of ownership, but our team remains the same – and so does our mission: to be the go-to copywriting agency for the B2B tech industries worldwide. And with Sophie and David at the helm and the Radix team at their side, there should be nothing to stop us.

Webinar: 5 terrifying risks you should definitely take with your B2B content

Posted on by The Radix Team

Five terrifying risks you should definitely take with your B2B content

Here’s a sad fact: behind every piece of bland, lifeless, me-too B2B content, there’s a marketer.

A marketer who wanted to do something different. Who had a better, bolder idea, but had it rejected – or shelved it because they’d never get their stakeholders to agree. Who’s frustrated, because they weren’t allowed to take a risk.

And that’s why the internet is full of  bullshit like “experience our end-to-end digital solution” and “in today’s fast-moving digital world…”

Standout content necessarily involves an element of risk – otherwise it wouldn’t stand out. But the right risk, the right way, at the right time. And that’s what our first ever webinar is about.

Spoiler alert: I’m NOT going to tell you to be braver. But I am going to share five ways you can take a sensible, calculated risk that will set your content apart. Importantly, I’ll also talk about how you can get your clients and stakeholders on board.

After the presentation, we’ll have plenty of time for questions and answers, to swap nuggets of best practice, and to tell stories from the B2B content trenches.

If you write, create or specify B2B content, I solemnly swear it will be a valuable and thought-provoking use of your time.

Hope to see you there.

David

Note: This webinar has now ended. Thanks to all who took part.

We’re a B2B copywriting agency. So why are we planting trees?

Posted on by The Radix Team

We’ve been writing B2B copy against the stunning backdrop of Cornwall for more than 13 years – so, we thought it’s about time we start giving back to our environment. And we’re happy to be doing it with our new partner, Plant One.

Logo: Plant One Certified Partner. The words form a green circle, around a number one styled to look like a tree with fresh leaves. It's also a hyperlink to the Plant One website.Plant One is a registered Community Interest Company here in Cornwall,  that plants trees in the ground to benefit the local area, the region, and the world. It partners with small businesses and entrepreneurs, matching them with landowners to help make a positive impact on the environments where they work.

At Radix, we’re pledging trees (one for each member of our team) every time we reach a company target; the better we do, the more we’re able to help. And later in the year, we’re looking forward to visiting the site ourselves, to plant the trees we’ve pledged and see the impact we’ve made.

Our Creative Director and company co-owner, David McGuire, offered his perspective on why the scheme makes such good sense for the company:

“There’s no point in having a successful business if it comes at the expense of the world. As owners of Radix, we’re attracted to the ideas that help us give back and make a positive difference as we grow – so Plant One is perfect.”

So far, we’ve pledged 76 trees in our first quarter with Plant One, and that number is growing fast.

A person in jeans and boots, planting a sapling tree in a woodland.David added: “It feels really good to be doing something so tangible to fight climate change while also improving our local environment. It’s amazing to have such a stake in the future – we’re planting something that might grow for hundreds of years and will hopefully benefit many generations to come.”

Want to partner with Plant One?

If you run a business, and you like this idea, we warmly encourage you to copy us. Plant One is always searching for new small business partners that want to give back to the environment. Explore the website and get in touch to find out how you can get involved.

Want to work with Radix?

If you might be interested in joining the Radix team – and making a difference of your own – have a look at our careers page. We’re always looking for talented writers and account managers, and this is just one of the initiatives we’ve got planned to make sure that when we succeed, our community does too.

Radix employees have taken over the company

Posted on by The Radix Team

On Friday 21st December, we signed papers to set up a new Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), which now owns 100% of our shares. 

The EOT will hold the shares for the benefit of all our employees and, as Radix’s sole owner, gives our team a powerful say in the company’s strategic direction. It can also pay staff bonuses based on profits.

Our directors Sophie Reynolds and David McGuire will stay responsible for running the business day to day.

Sophie said: “As Radix continued to grow, it became obvious that our hardworking people deserved to benefit more directly from their success. We’re one team, and this new structure feels like a good reflection of that. Now we’re ready for the next step of the journey.”

Sophie and David will be joined on the board of the new trustee company by two elected employees, Nick Prescott and Ben Clarke. SouthWestFD regional director and long-time Radix advisor Jeremy Kirk completes the board.

Employee trustee director Ben Clarke said: “We’ve always known that Radix values our perspectives as employees, but with the creation of the trust, it really feels like we have an even greater stake in the company’s direction and success. Nick and I are excited to be representing the rest of the team.”

Radix would like to thank Murrell Associates for their advice, good humour, and sheer stamina in preparing all the many documents we needed. Lang Bennetts also advised on the deal.

If you’re interested in joining a company like this, we’d be delighted to hear from you. Take a look at our careers page.

Welcome to the Radix Copycast – a copywriting podcast for B2B technology marketers

Posted on by The Radix Team
Emily recording the Radix copycast
Emily at the controls in the Radix ‘podcasting studio’

This week we unveil the Radix Copycast – a new podcast exploring trends and issues in B2B technology marketing through a copywriting lens.

Direct download available here (right click and “Save As”). Or listen in the player at the top of the page.

In this first episode, Emily and Fiona discuss email marketing and B2B video marketing.

With 36% of emails now being accessed through mobile devices, what needs to change in email copywriting? What sort of subject line works best? And how can copywriters get to know which tactics work, and which don’t?

We finish with a look at the rise of video in B2B. It’s a relatively expensive medium, so how can content marketers create videos that make the right impact on the audience – and how can the script help with that?

Here are links to some of the things we talk about in the podcast:

Hope you enjoy it, and look out for future episodes, when we’ll be talking about whether it’s OK to use jargon in tech copy, and what Google’s recent algorithm updates mean for online copywriters. We may even have a guest expert or two!

Music by Industrial and Marine.