Since starting my business, I have connected with so many incredible creative business owners across Australia and around the world. I never expected to make as many biz friends as I have, or to have a community of like-minded people to lean on.
Hannah Cole from Dilettante Copywriting & Content and I crossed paths when we both joined a copywriting business mentoring program in 2024, run by Bossy Copywriting. And since then, Hannah and I have kept in touch.
Mostly, we reply to each other’s email newsletters and then somehow always end up chatting about the horror movies we are watching over the weekend. This year, I had the absolute pleasure of meeting her in person, and she’s just as lovely IRL.
Hannah is a fellow copywriter (and a fellow greyhound mum!) social media whizz, and tone of voice expert. She honestly has the coolest fashion sense, and I wish I could pay her to be my personal stylist. She also has a way with words on Instagram (of course), and she pulls you in with her whimsical charm.
I caught up with her for a chat about all things biz, so grab your coffee or matcha (all the drinks you need) and let’s get into it.
Hannah and Sarah get down to business!
1. How did you start your business, and what is your ‘why’ behind ‘Dilettante’?
Dilettante Copy was a long time in the making! Honestly, it was a confluence of factors falling into place that landed me my dream job (one that really makes sense, considering 16-year-old blogging me). We moved to the South Coast, which meant 50% leaving my fashion PR gig in Sydney (I worked part-time remotely for a while).
The remainder of my weeks were spent expanding the freelance writing roles I’d previously been managing on the side — across multiple publications and brands, I wrote so many random things, learnt about many industries and intricacies I’d never expected. Long story short, I decided to go out on my own and have a crack at the small business thing.
My why? Small businesses are the backbones of our communities. They sustain us with caffeine and conversation and beautiful things; we make friends in these third spaces and feel part of something. This was my experience when we first moved to the coast (I’d plan a weekly visit to the health food store just because the chats felt as close to friendship as possible at the time).
And, while they’re creating room for these connections, they’re also balancing a billion hats/plates. My passions combined <3
2. What interests you about writing for social media for your clients, and what is your unique approach?
My mantra from the beginning has been to ‘scrap purposeless posting’. It was the first thing potential clients would read when I shared a proposal. I believe that social media (I’m talking Instagram, in particular), should be a space that we curate and ultimately is a nice place to be. We make friends, find connections, follow new hobbies, etc.
So I meld social media with a copywriting background to ensure that every post has a reason to be in the feed and is part of the overall storytelling. The occasional ‘must-have’ generic post (like boring opening hours, for example), is okay — but if we can, why not make it on-brand? Why not let that info share also expand on our point of view?
That, to me, is interesting. It’s fun. It’s a puzzle. (And I am obsessed with tracking and tweaking too, which helps.)
3. Tell me about your recent ‘Bite-Sized Basics’ email series:
What was it about? What was your thought process and intention behind it, and will we be seeing it in another format soon?
I had so much fun with Bite-Sized Basics — a series of email newsletter sends that broke down my process for establishing a brand tone of voice and social media strategy. Like a DIY approach for the small business owner.
At the time, it sounded like a fun project and a good way to get me far more regular on the newsletter sends (or at least give me a framework — I love a project). It was also a way for me to give a legitimate helping hand to the small business owner who wasn’t ready to sign on for a full package, and maybe needed something to work with in the interim.
One of the things I hear most in passing conversation or potential client enquiries is, ‘I need help with my social media.’
I had lots of positive feedback over the course of the nine/ten sends, and I’m looking forward to launching this online soooooooooooon. Watch this space, but expect the same content, repackaged for downloads and DIY workshops.
4. What would be your number one tip for businesses that want to inject more personality into their copy?
I have two! <3
Firstly, write down key words or descriptors about ‘who’ your brand is. Use these as a frequent reference point — print them above your desk or save them in your Notes app, and give a once-over when you’re writing something, anything.
Secondly, don’t overthink it. Seriously. While we have these guidelines, the worst thing to happen is that you get overwhelmed (and pull up the brake / stop posting altogether) or bored.
We never want to be bored in our biz — and remember, your brand is meant to continually evolve. Little sways here and there are expected, and necessary.
5. Do you have any personal projects coming up or any exciting client projects you’d like to tell us about?
Many, many ideas are sitting in docs and sheets and lists right now. But I’m stewing over a new Instagram Audit offer — planning to launch before the end of the year — which is another option for the small business owner who needs a touch of social media support and inspiration.
6. If you weren’t a copywriter, what would you be doing?
Trying to launch my own magazine. (Long live print media! My first copy love — I just can’t escape words.)
7. What’s something you particularly love right now? E.g. book, playlist, activity, etc.
I joke that I am the most offline ‘social media manager’ in the world, because I barely reach for a scroll outside of business hours. I love that as a concept, generally — we are so much more interesting and inspired when we’re feeding different passions and hobbies, when we know the most useless bits of information. So my ‘analogue’ activity of choice is cross-stitching. Practice for my retirement as a Knitting Nanna.
Edie, Hannah’s beautiful rescue greyhound.
8. Where can others find you?
Follow me on Instagram and sign up for the Dilettante Dispatch if you’re after extra tips, social media ideas and small biz chat. And for something more personal, this fun (pleasurable) hobby letter (which I had the pleasure of interviewing you for!) Note: she means me, Sarah (hi).
Check out Hannah’s Substack:
A Small Pleasure: Because there are small pleasures and a few good things to be found everywhere. I notice the little (and sometimes big) things, then wax lyrical about them for a while.
About the guest gal:
Hannah Cole is a brand tone expert and copywriter based on Yuin Country (NSW South Coast). From brand tone of voice to social media strategy and email newsletters, her goal is to seed the stories of small businesses and share their stories — with a strong emphasis on community building.
