What is Good Shout?
Good Shout is a project about making marketing and communications more accessible, understandable and effective, particularly for small organisations and people doing good things.
It’s a growing repository of resources, advice, guidance and practical tools designed to help people understand communications and get better at doing it themselves.
Alongside the resources, I also offer freelance marketing and communications services. So, if you’d rather have an experienced professional help you develop a strategy, run a campaign, produce content or manage your communications, I’m available for hire.
Essentially, Good Shout is here to help you do better communications, whether that’s by showing you how, helping you work it out, or rolling up my sleeves and doing it with you.
Do you offer freelance marketing and communications services?
Yes! I’m a freelance marketing and communications professional, offering a full-service service from initial research and strategy through to planning, production, delivery and evaluation.
I work with organisations that need additional expertise, capacity or strategic direction, whether that’s for a one-off project or ongoing support.
Who do you work with?
My main focus is charities, community organisations, social enterprises and Community Interest Companies (CICs), although I also work with small businesses and private individuals.
I have particular experience working with organisations that have limited resources, small teams and no dedicated marketing or communications staff.
What services do you offer?
I’m a full-service generalist, with particular expertise in strategy, research, evaluation and video production.
My services include:
- Marketing and communications strategy.
- Audience research and insight.
- Campaign planning and delivery.
- Branding, messaging and tone of voice.
- Digital marketing and social media.
- Content planning, creation and copywriting.
- Website content and communications.
- Public relations and media communications.
- Video production and editing.
- Event filming.
- Marketing and communications consultancy.
- Fractional marketing leadership and ongoing support.
If you’re not sure what service you need, that’s absolutely fine. We can work that out together.
Can you help if we don’t have a communications strategy?
Absolutely. In fact, that’s a great place to start.
A lot of organisations come to me knowing that something isn’t working, or that they need to improve their communications, but aren’t quite sure where to begin.
I can help you understand your audiences, identify opportunities, establish priorities and develop a practical strategy that works for your organisation and its resources.
Do you only provide strategic advice, or can you do the actual work too?
Both!
I can help you work out what needs to happen, develop the plans to make it happen, and then roll up my sleeves and get on with it.
That might mean developing a campaign strategy and then producing its content, managing a social media campaign, filming and editing a video, or providing ongoing communications support.
I don’t believe in handing over a beautiful strategy document and leaving you to figure out the difficult bits.
Can you work with organisations that don’t have a dedicated communications person?
Of course. Most of the smaller organisations I work with don’t have dedicated marketing or communications teams.
I’m used to working directly with chief executives, project managers, fundraisers, trustees, volunteers and people who have somehow ended up responsible for communications alongside seventeen other jobs.
You don’t need to be a marketing expert to work with me. That’s rather the point.
Do you understand how charities and community organisations work?
Yes. I’ve spent seven years working in digital communications roles across charities operating at local, national and international levels, alongside experience with regulators and government organisations.
I understand that communicating for a charity isn’t quite the same as marketing a pair of trainers.
Funding arrangements, governance, legal obligations, safeguarding, impact measurement, organisational values and stakeholder relationships all influence how you communicate.
I’m familiar with those realities and understand the particular challenges that come with working in the third sector.
How much do you charge?
It depends on the work, the organisation, my availability and what’s involved in delivering it.
For example, an on-site project for a large organisation will generally be priced differently from remote support for a small community group.
I’m flexible and would always encourage you to get in touch, explain what you need and let me know what sort of budget you’re working with.
I’ll see what I can do. If I can’t make it work, I’ll still try to give you some pointers and suggest how you might approach things yourself.
Good communications shouldn’t be exclusively available to organisations with big budgets.
Can you work with a very small or non-existent budget?
I regularly work with organisations that have limited resources, and I’m used to finding practical ways to make things happen without enormous budgets.
That doesn’t mean every project can be delivered for next to nothing, but it does mean I’m happy to have an honest conversation about what you can afford and what might be achievable.
Sometimes the best thing I can do is help you identify where to focus your efforts rather than sell you a service you don’t need.
Do you offer an initial consultation?
Yes. And there’s no obligation attached.
I’m happy to have an initial conversation, find out a bit about your organisation and what you’re trying to achieve, and offer advice where I can.
If I think you need paid support, I’ll explain what I could offer and how we might work together.
If I think you can solve the problem yourself, I’ll tell you that too.
I’m not particularly interested in charging people for things they don’t need.
Can you provide ongoing communications support?
Yes. I can work on individual projects or provide ongoing freelance support.
This might involve a regular number of days each month, supporting your existing team, providing strategic oversight or taking responsibility for particular areas of your marketing and communications.
We can work out an arrangement that suits your organisation.
What is fractional marketing leadership?
Fractional marketing leadership means bringing in an experienced marketing and communications professional to provide senior-level direction and support without employing someone full-time.
This can include developing and overseeing your marketing strategy, managing campaigns, supporting internal teams, coordinating suppliers and helping your organisation make better marketing decisions.
It’s an option for organisations that need experienced leadership but don’t necessarily have the workload or budget for a permanent senior appointment.
Do you offer video production?
Yes. I provide full-stack video production, from initial concept and planning through to filming, editing and final delivery.
I have my own production kit, including cameras, associated lenses, microphones and lighting.
For projects requiring more specialist equipment, I can arrange additional rentals, with those costs agreed with the client beforehand.
Video can be commissioned as a standalone project or incorporated into a wider marketing and communications campaign.
Do you provide event filming?
Yes. Event filming is a distinct service I offer alongside my wider marketing and communications work.
I can provide filming for conferences, presentations, talks, community events, performances and other occasions.
Depending on the event, this might involve recording the full proceedings, producing edited highlights, creating promotional content or capturing material for future communications.
Event filming requirements vary considerably, so get in touch to discuss what you need.
Where do you work?
I’m based in Scotland and work with organisations throughout the UK.
I’m happy to work remotely, which is often the simplest and most cost-effective option.
I’m also available for in-person work and travel, although additional travel and accommodation costs may apply depending on the location and requirements.
Can you take on urgent work?
Potentially. I have limited capacity for urgent and short-notice projects, so it’s always worth asking.
Availability will depend on my existing commitments and the nature of the work.
How do I get started?
Tell me a little about your organisation, what you’re trying to achieve and where you think you need some help.
You don’t need a detailed brief, a completed project plan or even a particularly good explanation. We can work that out together.
No obligation, no intimidating sales pitch. Just a conversation.
Can I use Good Shout’s resources without hiring you?
Absolutely! That’s the whole point.
Good Shout’s resources are there to help people understand marketing and communications and become more confident doing it themselves.
You don’t need to be a client, and there’s no expectation that using the resources will lead to paid work.
If you find something useful, brilliant. If it helps you do a better job of communicating what your organisation does, even better.
And if you eventually decide you’d like some professional support, you know where to find me.
If you’d like to say thanks but my resources were so amazing you don’t need to hire me – you can make a donation to one of my favourite charities.