Worried about your first clients?Well, it can't be as bad as Kate not showing up for a meeting with a client! I'm not saying that to embarass her (plus, she's sharing all about it in this episode—and how it led to $100K+ worth of work).I'm saying it because we all make mistakes and we live to tell the tales.But we also work things up in our brains.My first clients? … [Read more...]
Episode 293: What to Do When Business Feels Slow
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 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 280: Making Herstory: Nicki Krawczyk & Kate Sitarz
If you're in the Comprehensive Copywriting Academy, you know this community is packed with talented, creative, smart, generous humans. One of those humans is Shelby Stockton. Shelby is a comic, copywriter, and co-host of Herstory, a podcast spotlighting the stories of badas* women throughout history. So, this week's Build Your Copywriting Business … [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...]
Episode 274: Your Next Copywriting Client Isn’t Online
When you think of "networking," what do you think of? 😖 "Hello my name is ..." name tags and business cards being shoved at you like confetti? 😫 Memorizing an elevator pitch that ends up feeling sales-y and robotic? ☠️ A room full of strangers that makes you feel like you're back in the middle school lunchroom trying to figure out what table to sit at? I … [Read more...]
Episode 268: Mistaking “Ease” For “Security”
The other day, Kate and I were talking about the reasons why we like working on staff versus freelancing. Candidly, Kate told me that being on staff can sometimes feel easier (don't worry, I asked her if I could share this conversation with you!). And, hey, some seasons in our lives we just need ease in certain areas. We want to put our feet up for a … [Read more...]
Episode 267: Beyond Translation: Truly Connecting with Hispanic Audiences – Ceci’s Story
Are you (unintentionally) alienating your audience? Kate and I had the pleasure of sitting down with Comprehensive Copywriting Academy student and bilingual copywriter Ceci and WOW! This episode of the Build Your Copywriting Business podcast is a masterclass in connecting with your audience in a meaningful way.And Ceci's story is incredibly inspiring, too.As a Latina … [Read more...]