You already know that a portfolio site is essential for copywriters—no ifs, ands, or buts. (And luckily, there are plenty of sites that make creating your own site super easy. No sweat!) But there are several common copywriting portfolio mistakes our team sees time and time again that can mean the difference between landing work and having clients leave your page. Your … [Read more...]
4 Perks of Working in an Office Before Starting Your Own Copywriting Business
Wanting to start your own business is a fantastic (and doable!) goal as a copywriter. It’s a major reason why many of us pursue this career—because we can increase our work-life balance and make a fantastic income. But laying a solid foundation for your copywriting career is crucial, especially when you’re first starting out. One of the best ways to get the foundation … [Read more...]
Can You Become a Copywriter If You’re Not a Grammar and Punctuation Dynamo?
A confession: I can’t diagram a sentence. I mean, I could once. In seventh grade, I was a master. But now…participles, gerunds, modifiers? I’ve got no fricking idea. It’s important to understand the rules of English so that you can intelligently break them. Unless you’re teaching English or writing academic papers, the logistics of gerunds (et al) don’t really come … [Read more...]
Tip for Success: Take a Vacation From Your Business
If you’ve been a part of this community for a while, you might have read that headline with one eyebrow raised. After all, I tell you again and again that the key to your success is taking action consistently and persistently. (And that is still VERY much true. Write it down somewhere you’ll see it every day. Get it tattooed backwards on your forehead so you’ll see it in the … [Read more...]
You Don’t Have to Work With Clients You Hate
First, let me reassure you: There is absolutely NO shortage of copywriting clients out there. In fact, it’s exactly the opposite: There’s a shortage of skilled copywriters. Lots of people who need great copy and too few great copywriters to write it. (Pretty great for us, huh?) I want to be sure to mention this because I think that some people let the idea of who they could … [Read more...]
Freelance Copywriting for Introverts
Maybe it’s because writing itself requires so much time alone, but it seems that a lot of people who love to write also require solitude to recharge their batteries. It makes sense, then, that we get a lot of questions about whether freelance copywriting is a good career for introverts. And it can seem like the perfect career for introverts—freelancers get to work from … [Read more...]
3 Things to Remember if You’re Brand New to Copywriting
Our team gets asked a lot if our training is appropriate for people with no background in copywriting—for people who are brand new to copywriting. The quick answer to that is: Absolutely. We teach you all of the basics, and then we help you refine your skills as we teach you the more advanced tactics. A lot of our students actually come in with no experience at all. But … [Read more...]
Use an Entrepreneur Mindset to Double Your Copywriting Income
Normally, I’m wary of using a clickbait-y style headline like "This One Tactic Will Double Your Income." But in this case, it’s true: Making this change will easily double your income, if not increase it even more. And I warned you that it’s subtle, so I’m going to need you to stick with me for just a bit to explain exactly how implementing it will make such a monumental … [Read more...]
Copywriting Contracts: Do You Need to Send Them to Clients?
Everybody needs a copywriting contract, right? After all, we need to be safe—to protect ourselves and ensure the project doesn't fall through! But…to protect ourselves from what, exactly? Like the topic of whether or not to bill upfront, the question of contracts comes from the same impulse to “protect ourselves” from nefarious clients. People believe that having … [Read more...]
The Real Math on Job Bidding Site “Success”
Those freelance bidding sites like Upwork or Fiverr or Freelancer where you can submit quotes on copywriting projects seem like a great deal. You get to just scan through listings, submit a quick proposal and quote to potential clients, and land tons of work. Great, right? Wrong. Freelance bidding sites are great for clients … and a waste of a good copywriter’s … [Read more...]