about me

BACKGROUND
journalist > technical writer > blogger > digital copywriter
HOBBIES
reading, writing, fitness, anything outdoors, eating + drinking tasty things
FAVORITE PLACE
any beach, anywhere
GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT
becoming mom to two boys and a girl

LOCATION
madison, wi, usa
EMAIL
hello@kimkruegerwriting.com
COPY INSPO
copyblogger, jeff goins, copyhacker, quicksprout, mashable
LIFE GOALS
publish a book, live somewhere tropical, climb a mountain, learn how to snowboard

Hi, I'm Kim.

Welcome to the place where I'm forced to talk about myself!

Here's what you need to know about me:

In college, I studied Journalism. Got a fine piece of paper to prove it.

I took that fine paper out into the world and immediately fell into...technical writing.

I was lucky to land a job right out of college at Epic, a world-renowned healthcare software company. I wrote installation guides, user manuals, training documentation, high profile compliance documentation, sales documentation, RFPs, and lots and lots and LOTS of release notes.

Most people thought it sounded nerdy and boring.

I loved it.

I loved translating complex developer speak into simple, direct user speak. I loved sorting through code and tinkering in the UI, solving little puzzles all day long. I loved learning how to ask great questions. I loved finding 5 succinct, actionable words to replace 10 overly intellectual, passive ones.

(We also had amazing in-house chefs, a two story indoor slide, and a conference room in a treehouse, so really, there wasn't a lot to complain about.)

I stepped down from Epic with the birth of my first son, and transitioned into freelance writing to continue my writing career. Demand was high and work was steady.

I had the opportunity to work with a wide variety of clientele: a hospital, an accounting firm, a jewelry store, a law firm, a web design agency, a high end kitchen goods store, an ultrasound repair company, and dozens more.

I wrote fully branded web copy, brochures, Facebook ads, and email nurture campaigns, plus the occasional blog post and magazine article. I contributed regularly to our city's Moms Blog (including an article that went viral and was subsequently republished to Upworthy) and eventually joined the executive team as a project a manager. I also spent a year with a marketing agency, prior to the birth of my second child.

I'm so grateful for the exposure to all of these industries and writing flavors. Each one has taught me something new, and uniquely contributed to my expertise and value as a writer.

As an employee...

I am obsessed with learning and growing. I embrace discomfort and failure as necessary tools for growth. I throw myself into everything I do with 100% commitment. I admire grit and can't stand apathy.

I'm wildly protective of my mental energy and serious about personal habits that maximize performance. I'm energized by the question "what if?" and thrive in both big picture and detailed thinking. I love fixing processes, finding root problems, and challenging deeply ingrained habits. I love not knowing exactly what to do next.

Which brings me to my question for you...

What's next?

 

 

what I do

  • I've planned and written all kinds of email marketing campaigns, but I think I've learned my biggest lessons as a RECIPIENT of all kinds of email marketing campaigns. I pay attention to which emails actually get my eyeballs on them, which get a curiosity click out of me, and which drive me straight to Unsubscribe.

    Read more

  • Most businesses are happy to invest in a quality website, but when it comes to putting words on that site, they suddenly get the DIY itch. Out pour the longest, most tedious About Us pages in history, with homepages battered by cliches and calls to action that might as well say, "Exit this Website." This writing thing is harder than it looks.

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  • The feature writing I do currently is for BRAVA magazine, a local women's print magazine. I love magazine work because my black and white words get published next to someone's funky graphics and crazy-awesome photography...which means the pressure's even greater to get eyes on my writing. So, hot visuals, if you're listening: it is ON.

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  • I get so sad when I see businesses blogging just to blog. Because some smart-sounding article told them to. Blogging should be done with purpose. And, almost always, that purpose should be to address customer problems (including the ones they don't know they have). The #1 takeaway I want readers to get from a business blog post? "These guys GET ME."

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  • At this point, every business owner knows they're supposed to have a "brand." But many still don't totally know what that means or how to execute it. The big fish can hire fancy agencies to work their brand-y magic, but what about small-to-medium sized companies and start-ups? Ain't nobody got time (or money) for that.

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  • To me, web copy editing isn't just grammar and punctuation (although it amazes me how many sites still desperately need that). It's about building an experience that speaks to clients. What are readers looking for, and (here's the key) what words would they use to describe it? What are they afraid of? What do they really want (that higher level thing they can get through a product or service)?

    Read more

Work Experience

june 2012 - present
Kim Krueger Writing (Freelance Writer)
digital marketing freelance writer

As a freelance writer, I've written conversion-focused website copy, landing pages, and email campaigns for a wide variety of clients, developing the nuanced skill of writing for specific, unique audiences. I've also developed business branding and marketing strategies for clients that have led to sales increases. One of my biggest clients is a web design company, which whom I've maintained a 7+ year working relationship. I contributed to BRAVA Magazine and wrote monthly blog posts for the Madison Moms Blog, and I also spent 2 years on the executive team of MMB as a project manager.

sep 2013 - july 2014
Stephan & Brady (full-service marketing agency)
digital copywriter

I was S&B's internal content manager, which meant that I owned the agency blog and social media accounts. I was responsible for generating weekly posts, wrangling monthly internal guest posters, and representing the agency through a thoughtfully branded social media presence. One of the first things I did on the job was redesign and relaunch the blog, giving it an updated look that better reflected the personality of the company. In addition to my content management duties, I also wrote creative ad copy for clients, including content for print and online ads, advertorials, email and Facebook campaigns, company newsletters, and others.

Sep 2007 - July 2012
Epic (international medical software company)
technical writer

This was my first big gig out of college, and it was a transformative one. Going through Journalism School, I had no idea I'd wind up in technical writing, but it ended up being an amazing fit for me. I wrote how-to documentation and training manuals for complex medical software systems, transforming jargon-laced information from developers into easily digestible language for IT analysts. Those 5 years taught me so much about choosing words wisely, organizing information, catering language to specific audiences, and writing with the true, earnest intention of helping people.

Education

2007 / JUN
University of Wisconsin - Madison
Bachelor : Journalism

My Intro to Journalism course prided itself on knocking down the over-confident academic: almost all of us got D's on our first assignments. (Luckily, we "improved" so dramatically that we made it back to A's by the end.) My favorite and most memorable course: creative nonfiction.

2007 / JUN
University of Wisconsin - Madison
Bachelor : Spanish

One of my Spanish professors once called me into her office to confront me about a paper I'd written because, apparently, it was suspiciously well written. (To be clear: I didn't cheat.) Too bad I could never speak the language as well as I could write it.

portfolio

Lioness Fitness :: Web Copy
UnityPoint Health-Meriter :: Web Copy
Upworthy :: Feature Article
Armor :: Web Copy
Zenxel :: Web Copy
BRAVA Magazine :: Feature Article
EAB Solutions :: Web Copy
BRAVA Magazine :: Feature Article

testimonials

It's rare to come across a talent like Kim. I've worked with Kim for the last 5 years to help us build out a content strategy for not only Madtown Agency, but for clients as well.  Kim isn't like most writers, who simply edit the content you give them or come up with content that doesn't get results. She has the guts to tell you what you need, even if it's not what you want to hear. If you value your brand's messaging and want effective copy that's delivered quickly with minimal revisions, you're going to love working with her. To put it plainly: if you're focused on outcomes, Kim will help create awesome copy that does its job by getting you more customers.


Jay Baron, CEO, Madtown Agency

Kim is a versatile, jack-of-all-trades type of writer. She is thorough and detail-oriented, which allows her to write sound, coherent and convincing copy; yet, when you give her a little room to be herself, is equally capable of writing in a wide range of different styles. Whatever the occasion, however, her own unique voice always manages to shine through in everything she writes, which is not always true of every writer. A quick learner, Kim knows what questions to ask, and when to stick to her instincts. She'll get to the bottom of every task and tackle it from all angles. She is also highly efficient and able to churn out high-quality work as quickly as it is needed. More importantly, while she's polished and professional, she is also a genuinely kind, fun and down-to-earth person - with Kim, what you see is what you get.


Jane Koh, Associate Creative Director, Stephan & Brady

Kim is a huge asset to our writing team. She is timely, talented, creative and detail-oriented. Her writing style is both professional and always interesting to read!


Alisa Sleep, Owner, Madison Mom's Blog

We love working with Kim Krueger. She's always on-time, on-target and accurate, and her dynamic pieces make for great reads. We appreciate that she always bring something extra to her assignments, too, especially when it comes to assigned pieces she's glad to dig in, do some research and suggest alternate angles - that suggests a writerly investment that goes beyond taking on "just another assignment."


Kate Bast, Editor in Chief, BRAVA Magazine