WHAT DRIVES US

There is an infinite number of reasons to get out of bed in the morning, from the practical (loo stop, earning money) to the stuff that truly drives you.

Here are some things I’m very proud to support in some way:

Garvan Institute:

Breakthrough medical research. Many people have been touched by cancer or Parkinsons or a hundred other horrid diseases and conditions, including my childhood best friend, my uncle, my girlfriends. I love sport, but aren’t researchers the true heroes?

Kiva:

A non-profit group facilitating micro-loans to alleviate poverty. For our first loan years ago, we chose a mother of four who lives in rented premises; she wanted the funds to buy toys to sell at Christmas. Although Kiva says upfront the loans can be a risk, we’ve never had a default. It’s not tax deductible in Australia, but that’s not the point: in my opinion, every time is 25 bucks well invested for the hand up (not out).

beyondblue:

Suicide rates in regional and rural communities are double that compared with capital cities. Suicide is also the leading cause of death for Australians aged 15-44. Having lost someone to it, there’s stuff to be learnt at beyondblue.

Outside The Locker Room (OTLR):

A mental health support program. You can make a donation to help this one-of-a-kind program for local sports clubs to have their players mentored by the OTLR team in a 12-month commitment or you can buy some of their hot gear.

Wildlife Victoria:

I’ve always been a sucker for animals – my first duck was a “kindergarten reject” and our dogs (not that they’re native…) have always been free-to-a-good-home types (mainly from farms – but Rum came from the pub!). Wildlife Victoria responds to some 60,000 calls a year about sick, injured and orphaned wildlife, and that’s just the ones they know about, and just in Victoria! I took over decorating a cousin’s engagement cake once, when my aunt just couldn’t balance feeding the wombat his four-hourly bottle with a smooth icing job. The icing turned out well, but donating here turns out even better. 🙂

I’m also pretty driven to help my clients communicate with their clients. It’s something I just really enjoy. So please see how I can help you.

What our clients are saying about us:

Gallagher contracts the services of Sam Schelling at The Word Co. for our local area marketing testimonials and product update editorials.

Sam is tasked with contacting our customers and interviewing them directly about our products and services. In doing so, Sam’s friendly but professional approach means that our customers are put at ease and come through with some insightful — and often surprising — editorial.

Sam can take a brief and, in turn, submit a piece that is not only very easy to read, but also very easy to get published. I highly value Sam’s skills, and would not hesitate in recommending her services.

Andrea Friar, former Marketing Services Manager, Gallagher Australia

Samantha (or “Sam” to me) has always delivered outstanding content — even when we have had really tight deadlines.

She is adept at presenting complex concepts in easy-to-read, digestible articles that engage the readers across both online and print media.

And I can definitely vouch for her attention to detail, having been caught out on commas and hyphens!

Sam is a people’s person and an exceptional professional. It’s always a pleasure working with her.

Devna Dayal, Marketing Specialist

It is with great pleasure that I provide this testimonial for Sam Schelling of The Word Co.

I consider myself to be able to write pretty good business letters. But that’s the problem – they’re business letters. What I needed were some templates for clients and prospective franchisees that would create excitement, as well as get across the main business points required.

Sam really knows her stuff and can turn something pretty boring for some (bookkeeping) into something exciting – she met the brief perfectly and delivered exactly what I needed!

Sam is always helpful with suggestions and quick with turnaround times – I tend to leave things to the last minute so really appreciate Sam getting things back to me so promptly!

Aside from the great work output, Sam is always very friendly and helpful on the phone – even when I forget the time difference between Queensland and Victoria and call outside of business hours!

Thanks Sam, I don’t know what I’d do without you!

I would have no hesitation in recommending Sam to meet your writing needs.

I have had the pleasure of dealing with Samantha over the past seven years during which time she has contributed a number of articles on behalf of her clients to magazines I have edited.

I have always found her copy extremely well written and professionally presented. Her research is thorough, her arguments sound, and her attention to detail commendable.

Samantha consistently demonstrates a clear understanding of her subject matter and how to pitch it to the target audience.

Lindy Hughson, Assoc. Pub., Business Press , Yaffa Publishing Group

As a virtual assistant, my forté is making sure that my clients’ presentations and reputations always shine, but when it actually comes to highlighting and showcasing my own capabilities, well, that’s another story!

I approached The Word Co. to write a quarter-page ad for a specific audience. After completing an extensive questionnaire, The Word Co. came back with an article that blew me away. In fact, I still use the same ad which is as good now as it was when it was written. One client made the comment, “You are precisely the type of person I am looking for” — can’t beat that!

I have no hesitation in recommending The Word Co. for any type of project that requires a skilful use of words that stand out in the crowd.

I have worked with Samantha Schelling at The Word Co. with regard to website content and a newsletter, which we started from scratch.

I would have no hesitation in recommending Sam.

This is not only for the quality of the work produced, but I’ve found her ability to project manage each engagement, seeking input when required, to be of great benefit. This hasenabled me to spend more time in my business, and receive a quality output, on which I have received positive feedback from clients.

Caroline Bell, Principal & Representative, Summerhill Financial Services

Sam subedits CrazyCow In Print (an international all-breeds dairy magazine), and has also become a volley board for me with some of my creative process.

She is professional, accurate, thorough (without exception) and good for a laugh when the pressure is on.

She is also incredibly quick at knowing where I am headed with a story, and had an astounding grasp of the technical side of our operations early on. She has certainly been an asset to our businesses.

Subediting is a delicate field that adds the necessary polish to publications — yet is often foolishly underestimated.

I could not recommend Sam more highly — just as long as she still has time for us!
Dianna Malcolm, Co-publisher

Sam is always helpful with suggestions and quick with turnaround times – I tend to leave things to the last minute so really appreciate Sam getting things back to me so promptly!

Aside from the great work output, Sam is always very friendly and helpful on the phone – even when I forget the time difference between Queensland and Victoria and call outside of business hours!

Thanks Sam, I don’t know what I’d do without you!

I would have no hesitation in recommending Sam to meet your writing needs.

Dianna Malcolm, Co-publisher, CrazyCow

Sam Schelling is an absolute pleasure to work with.

She consistently endeavours to meet all deadlines – including particularly tight ones! – and does so with a positive demeanour.

She is exceptionally conscientious with her work, taking due care to independently research the subject matter and to meet the brief.

She takes on feedback in a professional manner and is a talented writer. Recommended.

Lauren Carlin, former Account Manager, McCann WorldGroup

I’m no longer a young man. After a working career spanning almost half-a-century I have worked with many experts, consultants and service providers. Some were pretty average. You’ve met them: they promise the world but deliver short.

But on occasions, I have worked with some pretty cluey and dedicated people. Samantha Schelling, who runs The Word Co., is one such person.

My expertise is in charity fundraising. With 600,000 community organisations within Australia, all competing for donors, volunteers and event attendance, it’s hard to stand out from the crowd. The same is true when it comes to copywriters. I can tell you that Sam stands out, and that is why I have used her for the truly “special” tasks that needed to be done.

One project that was very close to both our hearts involved Sam right from the beginning until its ultimate launch. She was part of the “brainstorming group” too.

I think you will agree that Sam’s work speaks for itself. Go on, give her a try!

Graham McKern, The Fundraising Incubator web site

The Australian Federation of Medical Women wanted to put together a booklet, as a report on a 12-month project. We worked with Samantha on this.

Sam is enthusiastic and reliable, delivering excellent results on time. She kept me informed throughout the process, had great ideas and showed superb initiative.

Her top qualities are that she’s personable, good value and has high integrity.

I would have no hesitation in hiring her again and highly recommend her services.

Jillian Tomlinson, Surgeon & Secretary at The AFMW, The Australian Federation of Medical Women (AFMW

Samantha Schelling is MannaCare’s choice when it comes to professional writing.

Over the past 5 years she has completed a variety of writing projects for us, ranging from newsletters to the annual report to website copy.

Sam is gifted with a warm and engaging personality and sense of humour that helps to cultivate an excellent working relationship. This is backed up with substance — being the consistent production of written work of the highest standard on time and to cost.

I would have no hesitation in recommending Sam to meet your writing needs.

Ross Dawson, CEO, MannaCare

I’ve had the pleasure of working with Sam Schelling of The Word Co. since 2002. We determined that we needed to significantly raise our profile within the Australian coding and labelling industry. The firm needed a consistent, energetic and professional message across all targeted business media. The Word Co. delivered that outcome!

Sam was able to deeply understand our complex business and the markets it served. We then developed key communication themes and messages together, and she integrated those messages in to all of our market facing communications; whether trade press, advertising, direct mail or website.

What we appreciated about working with Sam was that she would take the initiative to develop communications with very little input from ourselves. She developed strong — and respected — relationships within the media in our industry, which meant our message was often picked up by the industry press.

Above all else, working with Sam Schelling is a real pleasure. She’s professional, fun and engaging!

Phillip Biggs, Managing Director, Iqua Technologies Pty Ltd