Headlines are tricky: You need to write them so that they grab people's attentions and entice them to read the rest of the page. But just how do you do that? And what headlines are appropriate when? It's pretty common that there's a lot of confusion around headlines—and most of that has to do with the fact that there's a lot of confused information out there. Some websites … [Read more...]
Copywriting for Love or Money
How you organize your time can have a major effect on how much money you bring in. But what should you do when you have a project that you want to work on that won't pay you very much? There are going to be many points during your career when people want you to work for them but for less than your standard rate or just generally less than you deserve. When this happens you … [Read more...]
What’s a CMS?
Often, writing involves creating your copy deck, sending it to your designer, and then working together to make tweaks. But what happens when, instead, it involves inputting your copy directly into a computer system? You'll likely be interacting with a CMS, or content management system. Here's what it is and how it comes into play in your copywriting. What Does CMS … [Read more...]
8 Copywriting Books Copywriters Need to Read to Build Marketing and Mindset Skills
I’m a big believer in continual learning...especially for copywriters who tend to write about a variety of topics. If you ever think you know everything about something, you’re in BIG trouble. There's no end to your education, but that education should stay fun, don't you think? To that end, we've compiled a list of eight copywriting books you need to add to your … [Read more...]
Why “Practice Makes Perfect” When It Comes to Copywriting Is Wrong
If the way to get to Carnegie Hall is practice, that must be true for copywriters too, right? Not quite. Instead of focusing on writing, writing, writing, and churning out ads every hour of every day, copywriters should adopt a different technique instead. Why "More" Doesn't Mean "Better" They (whoever "they" is) say that for writers to improve, they need to write. … [Read more...]
How to Keep a Project from Falling Through
It's heartbreaking: You find a potential client, put together the perfect proposal, they say "Yes!" and then...the project just dies. No project...and no paycheck. Let's talk about why that happens and what you can do about it. First, let me just say that this premature project death happens to the best of us, even the very best. Clients that were extra jazzed about moving … [Read more...]
5 Easy Tips for Maximizing Your Time
Twenty-four hours often doesn't feel like enough time to do everything you need to do—especially when you're building up your new copywriting career. So, short of bending the rules of time, what's a person to do? While I can't add extra time into the day (yet...I'm working on it), I can offer you some suggestions for maximizing the time you've got. A lot of time management … [Read more...]
How to Deal With Haters (a.k.a. Loved Ones Who Don’t Understand Copywriting)
Wouldn't it be wonderful if the world were always a bright, shiny place and everyone was always supportive? Oh, it would. It would. But that's just not the case. So let's talk about how to stay up when other people are bringing you down. The simple fact of the matter is that people—including our family and friends—are going to have opinions about what you do. To be clear, … [Read more...]
The Big Secret About Changing Careers
Most people consider changing their careers at least once during their working lives, but few who attempt it actually succeed. Why is that? We're going to break it all down for you today as we reveal the big secret behind successfully changing careers. Most copywriters, including the majority of people who join the Comprehensive Copywriting Academy, do not have a background … [Read more...]
7 Ways to Burn Bridges Like a Champ
We focus a lot on ways to be a better copywriter, but let's turn things around a bit. Here we focus on the not-to-dos: seven things that will make you a worse one and earn you the dislike of your boss/client and coworkers, if not help you lose your job. To begin with, obviously, the best way to keep your job is to work hard, work well, be friendly, and be … [Read more...]