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As a kid, did you ever play cowboys/cowgirls?

I confess I lived in my little red cowgirl outfit, riding on our horse shaped see-saw, and playing with non-politically correct guns (… and yes they did progress to bigger things – I used to spend hours sitting on the back step next to the cement pond, shooting the pegs off mum’s clothesline in suburban Campbelltown … but I digress).

Even back then, I only ever wanted to be a white hat cowgirl. I always wanted to be the good-guy – the one chasing the bad dudes into the sunset.

Not much has changed. In the world of SEO, the people that help websites appear well in search engines by honorable means such as darn brilliant content and loads of it, are called White Hats. So it seemed normal that when I went into the world of SEO copy, that I would logically follow the approach of being a White Hat SEO copywriter.

But over the holidays I had a huge aha.

White Hats can also apply to other forms of marketing. I mean, I don’t know about you, but I am tired of copy that makes me feel afraid, bad about myself and the world we live in. I am tired of copy that pushes endless consumerism of stuff that we don’t really need. I am tired of copy that pushes false scarcity in order to make us buy now. And I am tired of copy that puts people down or is so beige that you have no idea what the person is really standing for.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not taking my six-shooter and galloping off into the sunset. I just think there has to be a better way.

Over much of last year I noticed a subtle change in my business. I was more choosy of my clients – I only took on people where I could see their spark of uniqueness and passion. Where they had a gift they were called to share with the world … but they just were stumbling over how to put their uniqueness into words.

In the past year I started only working with businesses that offered an honest service or product, that cared deeply about making their customers lives better (sometimes even at a cost to their own business). And I started only working with people who wanted to make people feel good about themselves – and not resort to fear mongering, dirty tricks or mind games to manipulate people to buy or sign up for stuff.

I think I have always been drawn to that approach. In my decades in Human Resources, my greatest joy was seeing the uniqueness or spark in someone, and helping to fan the spark into something brilliant through coaching, mentoring, leadership development, and helping to systematise things that were getting in the way of them being all they could be. I loved watching people realise that honest conversations were more powerful and created more sustainable change than manipulation, back-biting or politicking anyday.

I believe there is a way to share people’s stories and messages in a positive, ethical and sustainable way – so that the people they need to make a difference to can actually find them.

And my aha?  I want to wear my white hat all the time!

So, who else wants to play? Who else is a dreamer and wants marketing and leadership to be white hat all the time? What would that look like to you?

I would love to hear your thoughts partner.

Ingrid Cliff

Freelance Copywriter & White Hat Cowgirl

Heart Harmony – We put your business into words