Needing a “five-year plan” might be the most common misconception in career planning. Here’s why it’s such a mistake when it comes to your copywriting career, and here’s what you should do instead. Asking about someone’s five-year plan is just like asking a five-year-old what they want to be when they grow up—and, nowadays, the answer is likely to be just as … [Read more...]
The Three Steps to Career Change
There’s a good chance that you’re not going to stay in one career for the rest of your life. But once you identify what direction you want to go, the steps you take will make the difference between success and failure. And guess what? Most people take the wrong ones. This is one of my favorite topics. First, it’s a great topic because there are few changes you can make … [Read more...]
Email Copywriting Snippet Tactics
Email snippets are lines of copy that show up in your inbox after the subject lines. But, as you’ll see from your own inbox, most companies mess them up. So today, we’re going to dive in deep with snippets and learn how to write them well. Email snippets (sometimes called pre-headers) are lines of copy that offer extra explanation for your subject line. They’re the first … [Read more...]
How and Why to Collect Copywriting Testimonials
Building a great portfolio is fundamental to landing work—there are no two ways about it. But there’s one other element that can help “sell” you to potential clients and employers before they even meet you: copywriting testimonials. Once you’ve done work with clients, one of the best ways to get additional copywriting work is to re-pitch those same clients. … [Read more...]
Break Into New Copywriting Industries Using Spec Ads
If you’re new to copywriting, you’re probably wondering how to build your portfolio before you actually have things to put in it. Having an online portfolio site is crucial because it helps “sell” you to prospective employers and clients before they even meet you. The samples in your portfolio prove that you know how to write copy, work with a designer, write to a brand … [Read more...]
Copywriter Job Satisfaction: Why Copywriting Is a Good Career
Copywriting seems like a fun job…but is copywriting a good career? Here we explore the truth behind copywriter job satisfaction and get into the nitty gritty of what the day-to-day life is like. First, let’s talk a little about what copywriting entails. In the broadest terms, it involves taking a company’s offering and creating a way to convey that to its target audience in … [Read more...]
What Do the Best Copywriter Resumes Include?
Many new copywriters want to know what the best copywriter resumes look like. And I’ll certainly answer that question, but there’s actually and even bigger consideration that entirely outweighs the resume. Must-Haves on Your Copywriter Resume 1. Benefit to Consumer There’s one simple swap that will make your copywriting resume stand out above all others. In fact, this … [Read more...]
How to Put Together a Copywriting Portfolio (Even With No Experience)
One of the most important things you need to do to build your copywriting career is to build your copywriting portfolio. It's how you prove to clients you know how to write copy well, even before you work with your prospective client. But where do you even start? How do you create a copywriting portfolio website? How to you get samples? Here's how to put together a copywriting … [Read more...]
The Importance of “Eff You” Money: How to Financially Prepare to Leave a Job
It should go without saying, but let's get this out of the way: expletives aren’t generally appropriate in the workplace. They are, however, sometimes appropriate to use in your head. Directed toward your workplace. Sometimes, you just gotta get out of there. But you need to make sure you can. Now, to be entirely clear and avoid any liability lawsuits, we're not financial … [Read more...]
What Your Headlines Are Missing
On the quest to make our copy as effective as possible, there’s one tool we can wield that takes our power up a significant degree. You already know about benefits; now meet deep benefits. These can take your headlines to the next level. The first place to start when thinking about creating copy for any product or service—or anything you’re trying to persuade people to do or … [Read more...]