If you’re interested in copywriting or you’ve begun your business, you may be curious about how much you’ll need to invest to get your business off the ground. Good news: you do not need to shell out a lot of money to start a copywriting career. In fact, there’s only 1 thing you need as a copywriter: your website.
On this episode, Nicki and Kate dig into all kinds of free tools available to copywriters and break down common software and services that copywriters think they need why you don’t actually need to spend money on them. Remember: anything you invest in should pay for itself. Be careful of confusing making progress with making a purchase.
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A Sneak Peek at the Episode
[0:53] Are you interested in learning about the startup costs for being a copywriter? Nicki and Kate chat about the costs and debunk the idea that you need to spend thousands on software and office supplies. They explain why the only thing you actually need once you know how to write copy is a website. Depending on the website service you choose, this would mean a start up cost of about $10–$15 a month and that’s it!
[1:34] Nicki and Kate chat about free options available to use instead of buying subscriptions for software. Kate mentions Google Docs, Google Excel and DropBox because not only are they free, they are saved to the cloud. She goes further in explaining the importance of saving things to a cloud service because if your laptop breaks, you won’t lose all your files.
[3:23] With so many free options out there, it is easy to minimize your startup costs. Nicki and Kate talk about email being one of the free options and how you do not need a professional email address ending. Kate explains that as long as your email is not still your AOL Instant Messenger screen name but a professional name, that email should be good to use for copywriting purposes.
[5:21] Nicki and Kate explain their rule when it comes to buying software or services for your business—it needs to pay for itself and then some, either in time saved or earning you that money. For example, if an invoicing program is $50 a month, does it save you $50 worth of your time each month or earn you more than $50 a month to pay for itself?
[6:01] Prioritizing your money when you’re starting out is essential. Nicki explains how you shouldn’t start your business and immediately think “what do I need to invest in?” because the technology might not actually make things easier for you. A lot of websites might suggest that you need certain software or services but it is usually an affiliate link so they want you to purchase it.
[9:01] Nicki and Kate share why it can be beneficial to start off without utilizing additional software or services. They explain how you can wait to determine your own pain points and choose to buy something down the line to solve a problem. Whereas if you try to use the software first, you’ll end up using a system that might be unnecessary and maybe more complicated than the free alternative.
[12:34] Nicki and Kate chat about one expense to consider when starting out: business cards. However, they emphasize not to go buy 1,000, as your style may change and frankly you do not need that many. Start with 100 and see how long that lasts you.
[17:46] Remember, you are starting a new business and as a business you need to be judicious with the things you purchase. Nicki and Kate discuss how it can be very exciting to buy software or you might have the mindset that in order to feel professional, you need a great looking office. However, it is important to work first and prioritize your spending on things that will get you work and repeat clients – those should be your top priorities.
[18:24] Nicki and Kate emphasize that the start up costs for being a copywriter are very low and the only thing you need is a website. As you continue to make money and have enough to splurge a little, then look into things you might want but wait until you are earning regularly before you start investing in software or services.
Mentioned in This Episode
Related Links
- How Much Does it Cost to Set Up a Copywriting Business?
- 3 Knock-Out Copywriter Portfolios and Why We Love Them
- 4 Things Most Copywriters Get Wrong on Their Portfolio Websites
- Why Every Copywriter Needs a Standalone Portfolio Site
- How Do You Build Your Portfolio?
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About the Build Your Business Podcast
Ready to turn your love of writing into a successful copywriting career?
Join professional copywriters Nicki Krawczyk and Kate Sitarz to get the tips, tools, and training to help you become a copywriter and build a thriving business of your own. Nicki and Kate have 20+ and 10+ years of experience, respectively, writing copy for multi-billion-dollar companies, solopreneurs, and every size business in between.
Whether you want to land an on-staff job, freelance full-time and work from wherever you want, or make extra money with a side hustle, the best place to start learning is right here.
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Ep. 37: Improve Your Copywriting Productivity and Professionalism
Last Updated on March 22, 2024
