Why did you choose a career in copywriting, and how did you get into it?
Did I choose the copywriting life? Or did the copywriting life choose me?
I was good at English at school, but had no desire to become an English teacher (sorry, Mr Shaw). When I left school, Tim Berners-Lee selfishly hadn’t yet taken it upon himself to invent the internet and I’m not convinced that Huddersfield Library was expansive enough to stock Confessions of an Advertising Man, so I had no clue about anything, least of all copywriting, for many years.
It was only after I’d been temping as a receptionist/flogging ad space in a newspaper/and getting fired from a gig selling double glazing that I clocked that multiple people were asking me to edit various bits of ‘business writing.’ And that somehow, I could make them flow and tell a compelling story.
Of course, it was the reception and ad sales work that was the most help when I started writing. Real people – real situations. Although I enjoyed my three years at University – reading Sylvia Plath, eating Gregg’s vanilla slices, and exploring the power of treble vodkas to fuel all-nighters at the legendary Rockshots.
I secured my first paid gig after replying to a random tweet. It was for a sales letter and brochure for a business that repaired alloy wheels.
I quoted, panicked, then bought Andy Maslen’s Copywriting Sourcebook to work out what to do. And that was the start.
I remember writing my first drafts in a random McDonald’s as the sun set. Golden hour inspiration beneath the Golden Arches. Unbearable romance.
What work are you most proud of, and what makes it stand out for you?
We get to learn and write about such random things in this job, don’t we? There’s lots to be proud of.
I loved working for RubyCup. It’s a Spanish business that sells period products. They have a ‘buy one, give one’ offer. For every menstrual cup purchased, they donate another to someone without access to safe period products and provide education around menstrual health.
It’s such a simple idea—but it means that girls without access to safe period products can keep going to school, even when they’re menstruating. I wrote a series of guides and blogs for them that were fun to do—and I learned a lot too.
For impact, it would have to be a script for the Northern Cancer Alliance on FIT testing—which is where you send off a sample of poo to be tested for bowel cancer. The team I worked with were lovely and it feels like it was an important piece of work.
And pride? The ‘strictly under NDA’ stuff I’ve done with Forepoint in Preston. They’ve invited me into rooms that I’d never have had access to on my own and trusted me with some hefty briefs that my Dad would have be chuffed to know I was involved with.
Oh, and sitting in a super swanky office with one of my oldest friends from way, way back when our kids used to have dippy eggs and soldiers for tea every Tuesday.
Our meeting was with two department heads from a global organisation and there was a real ‘pinch-me-is-this-real?’ moment about it all. That piece of work, also strictly hush-hush, shifted things in their operational departments and saved lives.
03 What piece of copy do you wish you’d written?
I think the first piece of copy that I read and understood its genius was the classic, “At 60 miles an hour the loudest noise in the new Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock.”
- Because it made me think.
- Because it could only have come into Ogilvy’s brain after oodles of research.
- Because it’s true – old school Rolls Royce cars were almost silent. I only ever rode in one once and it was shhhhhhhhhhhh exquisite.
04 What principles guide the way you work with clients and approach your craft?
I love what I do, which I think comes through in my client conversations. And I’m stupidly nosey, happy to ask basic questions, and I won’t pretend to understand something if I don’t have a clue what’s being said. It helps to make sure things are communicated as clearly as possible.
05 Do you have any favourite copywriting hacks or techniques you’d care to share?
The most effective trick I know is the age old ‘read it aloud.’ If your writing sounds forced or as if it’s been said by someone you’d move away from at a party, rewrite it until you’d want to lean in to hear more.
06 How has AI affected your work as a copywriter, and what do you think about its role in the industry going forward?
I’m watching and waiting and ‘doing something less boring instead’ (showing my age) while the dust settles. It seems to feel like a game changer for many businesses, doesn’t it? It can appear to fill in the blanks, but for how long? And with what?
I predict that AI will take many organisations back to producing the homogenous corporate blurb they used to hire us to get rid of in the first place.
Today, copy that makes you feel a feeling, that makes you think, that creates a difference and a distinction feels more like a breath of fresh air than ever. If it can make you smile, multiply that feeling by a gazillion.
See: ‘Lines I don’t reckon AI could write’ on Pinterest. Collated and curated by Vikki Ross, it’s everything AI is not and will never be.
07 What do you do when you hit a bit of writer’s block?
More research. Then stop. Walk away. And go and look for dolphins. I moved to a tiny Northumberland village last year and they appear out at sea almost daily when the sun shines.
Words need to percolate like good coffee. And, like good coffee, they don’t like to be rushed. Especially when they belong to someone else.
” Like those honeyed pastries in Turkish stores. Only when you’re almost too full of information are you ready to start exploring what’s in the pot and understanding what should stay and what should go.
I’ve realised that this is why I like working directly with clients. Even with an agency in the mix. Details can get sanitised and lost in translation when an agency briefs. I work best when I’m given an all access pass to what’s going in a client’s business – and to the people who work there.
08 Any copywriting pet hates?
In this age of AI… who knows. The robots have scraped the good stuff and are passing it off as their own. It feels like we need to know the rules, know how to break the rules, *and* ignore the rules completely to prove we’re human now that classic copywriting formulas can look robotic.
It’s a wild time. Thankfully, stories still sell. Expect more focus on what it means to be human, warts and all.
09 What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve been given?
“Change the bloody name, woman.” The inimitable Andy Maslen on renaming my agency. Haydn was my mum’s maiden name and she was a phenomenal writer. Grey makes it sound posh.
10 What advice would you give to people starting out on a copywriting career?
Read the classics. Fine tune your ears to the world. And be patient. The AI noise will quieten.
11 How does ProCopywriters membership support your goals?
I’ve met some fabulous people via my membership. And the website is packed with resources. I’ve also spoken at CopyCon, which was a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to being a part of the upcoming online event this year.
12 Where can people find out more about you?
I’ve just repositioned my offer to include AI for clients. Revamped website. New pics. New colours. It’s super lovely www.haydngrey.co.uk
AI doesn’t float my boat because all my processes are so analogue. I talk to clients. Ask questions. Listen – hard. The most AI thing I do is to transcribe conversations using Otter.ai. But I know that clients are using AI to craft copy, so I’ve woven it in as a final step – get good, solid foundations in place with a distinctive brand voice, clear personas etc. Then use AI tools to scale—editing and refining as you go.