I am not a believer in "slow seasons are a fact of freelancing."I've been doing this long enough (20+ years) to know that 99% of the time, a slow season happens when you stop reaching out to clients (both past and present).Now, some copywriters lean into these slow seasons and enjoy the break. To these copywriters I say, build in your vacations so you're not waiting for a slow … [Read more...]
Episode 291: Are You Skipping this Crucial Copywriting Step?
I'm being cryptic on this one, because I need you to promise me that if you listen no other Build Your Copywriting Business podcast episodes, you'll make time for this one.In addition to your creative brief (that you need for every project), you need to start with this step—before your fingers even hit your keyboard to write copy.Too many copywriters … [Read more...]
Episode 288: 3 Keys to Unlimited (Really!) Copywriting Success
I know: the 3 keys to unlimited (really!) copywriting success sounds like a big promise. But we (really!) follow through on it. And frankly, these are the steps for success at anything, not just copywriting. Whatever goals you have for yourself, you CAN achieve them. The only way to "fail" is if you don't get started. Or if you stop doing the work.OK, I'm going to stop … [Read more...]
Episode 287: Write Case Studies That Get Clients Clamoring to Work with You
Any guesses on the fastest way to make people believe what you're selling? Show them proof. That's exactly what case studies do. And it's why case studies are one of the most valuable pieces of copy you can write—for your clients or your own business. On this week's Build Your Copywriting Business podcast episode we're talking all things case studies so you can use … [Read more...]
Episode 286: Why VIP Days Make 0 Sense for Copywriters
A client hires you for a "VIP day." Suddenly, you're tasked with: Kicking off the project Writing a creative brief Coming up with a strong concept Outlining the copy Writing the copy (for how many deliverables is another question ...) Getting feedback on that copy Incorporating that feedback Getting final sign off … all in the span of 8 hours. And let's be real: … [Read more...]
Episode 284: What if Someone Could Find Clients for You?
Time to put on your business owner hat: On this Build Your Copywriting Business podcast episode, I'm not asking you to commit to hiring someone to do any of these things. But I'd encourage you to listen to this episode and explore the possibilities. If you charge your clients $75/hour and you can hire someone at $25 or even $50/hour to do a task better and faster for … [Read more...]
Episode 283: Copywriting Pricing Guides Are Complete Garbage
How much does a banana cost for you? At Trader Joe's they may be 26 cents (maybe a bit more for organic). At Whole Foods they may be around 70 cents. But a banana costs relatively the same amount wherever you go, right? It's a difference of a few cents. Copywriting is a not a banana. And, even if we agree on that, I don't think you're going to like this episode of … [Read more...]
Episode 282: The To-Do List Trap
Do you love a to-do list as much as I do?I loooove a to-do list.Well, mostly I love checking things off that list. But on this week's Build Your Copywriting Business podcast episode, Kate and I dug into how we've been rethinking the to-do list so we don't fall into what Kate is calling the "to-do list trap." If you ever put things on your list … [Read more...]
Episode 278: Hot Takes on Banner Ads (With Actual Examples)
Ever wonder what makes a banner ad actually work? As in: what separates a scroll-past banner ad from a stop-and-click banner ad? While Kate and I don't have the data from these ads, we do have some thoughts on 8 different banner ads. Some of these banner ads are single frames. Some are dynamic (meaning, they switch frames every few seconds).Some have solid … [Read more...]
Episode 276: Here’s Exactly What I’d Say on a Discovery Call
OK first things first so we're on the same page: A Discovery Call is one of the most important calls you have as a copywriter. This is where you and a client get on a 15 or so minute call and determine if you want to move forward together on a project. But what does that look like? And how do you move forward with the project? In this podcast episode, I'm sharing exactly what … [Read more...]