Freelance financial copywriter
Terence Martin +44 (0)7740 422755
Clarity. Simplicity. Relevance.
My name's Terence Martin: I'm a financial and a fintech copywriter. I write all kinds of stuff for all types of financial product and service providers. Blogs, white papers, articles, websites, content, emails—you name it, I put it together.
It's not just the requirement to comply that makes financial services copy opaque; the writer also plays a part.
Trials and tribulations
Accommodating the interests of those directly and indirectly involved in the creation of marketing of financial services usually involves compromise. But when the trade-offs knock a piece of copy for six, the writer can become demotivated. Enthusiasm wanes and interest is lost. Benefits are swamped in qualifications and three succinct paragraphs are replaced with a convoluted six. And what was once spirited prose, is at best lacklustre, and at worst, opaque.
fact: there's always another angle, OPTION OR APPROACH to be found—PROVIDING YOU'RE WILLING to look.
An experienced financial copywriter knows what it takes to stick with it from start to finish. It's not just in the writing, it's in the preparation.
Clear and relevant copy evolves when the writer has the confidence, knowledge and experience to:
OTHER THINGS I DO
Teacher: If you’d like me to come in and talk to your people about writing financial copy, I’d be delighted to do that.
Devil’s advocate: Might a subjective overview of an already-written piece of text, a particular item or whole website prove useful or indeed illuminating? Just let me know and I’ll prepare that for you.
Nit picker: When it comes to syntax, punctuation and grammar I’ll make sure that everything is in good order and that all your t's and i's are correctly dressed.
Communicator: Seeking crystal clear and unambiguous English? Then I’m your man.
Auditor: Got a raft of customer comms you want pulling together so they pull together better? Done it. Been there. Got the T shirt.
My first IFA client was Chase de Vere. Through 1997 to 2001, Chase were marketing investment products using direct mail and direct response ads. As well as writing those materials, I also developed a range of guides for investors. Then came the dotcom crash...
In 2004—and primarily because of my work for Savills Private Finance—I was involved in the launch of Purely Mortgages. Purely, a telephone-based whole-of-market broker, was one of the first to use online marketing to generate leads.
I’ve subsequently written for Allenbridge, Atkins Bland, Avalon, Calculus, Clifton Asset Management, Dennehy Weller, Giles Insurance Brokers, Helm Godfrey, Lowes, Manentia (Switzerland), Meridian Trust (Cyprus), Mortgage Next, Openwork, Origen, Paragon Financial Services, Plan Invest, Punter Southall, Reyker, St James’s Place, Sesame,Torquil Clark Totara Financial Planning and UK Wealth Management.
Just to be clear; not everything I do entails reinventing the wheel or a big budget. I enjoy tidying up an existing website or writing a 'one-off' e-mail, as much as I enjoy creating a complete marketing strategy.
Most of my work for the banking sector is website copy. Sometimes it’s not just content that’s needed: I also interview key people and help determine the scope of the site, the architecture and the navigation. If required, I’ll also suggest supporting imagery.
Clients in this sector include Fortis, HSBC, London Capital & Finance, Petrus Private Bank and Zenith Bank (UK).
My fintech clients' products automate pension scheme management, enable wealth managers to digitise information and digitalise processes, provide a platform for securitised lending and help people select and make investments. So over the last couple of years, I've come to know what makes fintech tick. SaaS, managed services, AI, ML, private and public clouds, APIs, blockchain and cryptos—none hold any mystery for me.
My insurance and broker clients usually want me to create copy and propositions that sell their brands and services—not insurance products. But in terms of products, I’ve written direct mail pieces for listed building insurance, private medical, vehicle recovery and warranty, dental treatment, GAP, domestic appliance, motor, key man, income protection and Directors & Officers insurances.
Clients include: Admiral, BFS, Cardif Pinnacle, Denplan, Giles Insurance Brokers and Just Retirement.
Newton Investment Management was my first investment management client. Since then, I've written for Fidelity, Baillie Gifford, Edge Group, New Star, Parmenion, TCF and Threadneedle.Other investment clients include: Allianz GI, Aurum Fund Management, Barclays Capital, Bellprescott, Close Investments, Credit Suisse, Dexia, Hargreave Hale, Invesco, IPM Brokers, JOHCM, Juno Partners, Konstanz Finance, Motley Fool, Nucleus, Samena Capital, Stellar Asset Management, Vanguard Investments and Vega Swiss Asset Management.
As well as mainstream mortgages, my stuff also sells mortgage-related products such as building and contents insurance, conveyancing services, finance for small and medium size businesses and of course, the ubiquitous savings account. My mortgage clients include Chelsea Building Society, Derbyshire Building Society, National Counties, Norwich & Peterborough, Saffron Building Society, Mortgage Next, Skipton, Stroud & Swindon and the West Bromwich.
Although fundamentally financial, this is the place for stuff that doesn’t belong in one of the other financial product categories. For example, I've produced copy for a will writing service, Dark Pool Trading, platforms of one type or another, commercial leasing products and white papers for the European Payments Council. Clients include: Delta Capita (management consultancy), FX World (Forex) Link Financial Outsourcing (Debt Management) Riverside Capital (Property Development) and Tradefair (spread betting).
I’ve written in depth about IHT, annuities, equity release, trusts (of all flavours) SIPPs, SSASs, AVCs and FSAVCs. Auto enrolment? No problem. I also understand the relevance and merits of Business Tax Relief and the ins and outs of the pension rules. Pension clients include: Close, Just Retirement, Partnership, Wesleyan, Winterthur Life and Key Retirement Solutions.
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