Does the word “sales” give you the heebie jeebies?
It did for Jared, too.
Jared was working in tech when he started a blog about customer success, software as a service, and other tech topics.
But … he was in technology. He wasn’t a writer, right? And he certainly didn’t want to sell his services. Ick.
Spoiler: he’s now partnered with the largest entrepreneurship network in Arizona.
On this episode of the Build Your Copywriting Business podcast, Jared is sharing his story from how he went from being unemployed for nine months to launching a thriving copywriting career.
He’s also sharing his tips for working through questions like, “Are they interested in my services?” and “Am I really worth what I am trying to sell? Is my pricing right?”
The big secret? Getting curious.
Listen in to hear Jared’s tips for using curiosity as a super power.
TUNE IN: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Stitcher
Looking for closed captioning or a transcript? Watch the episode on YouTube!
A Sneak Peek at the Episode
[03:30] In 2023, Jared was laid off from a job in the tech industry. As he shares, the tech job market right now is really bad. It’s been going on since about mid 2022 and unfortunately hasn’t stopped. It was a very dark time in Jared’s life, but the silver lining? It’s what got him into copywriting.
[05:47] The very first client Jared signed is still his client to this day. As Jared was learning, he was also trying to implement what he was learning by writing for people and trying to pitch clients.
[09:34] Removing the word “sales” from the way you approach copywriting can completely reframe how you view it. If you’ve very good at writing, you have a skill to offer that other people don’t have. And they have skills that you may not have. You’re helping your clients by offering this skill.
[09:52] Jared emphasizes the need to be curious. Ask people about their business, what they’re doing, what they’re struggling with, and that’s how you “sell.” Just genuine curiosity.
[13:05] Jared shares how he has partnered with the largest entrepreneurship network in Arizona, writing weekly emails, a newsletter, and promoting events. He shares how imposter syndrome hit him like a ton of bricks. “‘Oh my gosh, am I ready to do this and put myself out there to all these people that are so successful?’ But it’s exciting, so I’m just gonna do it.”
[18:20] Building up his networking, including posting pretty actively on LinkedIn, has helped Jared attract clients. People were familiar with his writing and his personality from his blog. So, when he was reaching out to people, it made it easier for him to continue conversations he’d had with them in other contexts.
[20:27] Jared mentions the Skool community he’s a part of, sharing tips with entrepreneurs who want to learn how to write better copy for their businesses. It’s another way that he’s building up an audience, building up his credibility, and and building his brand.
[20:40] Jared explains that he does a lot of cold pitching obviously, but has a lot more fun with these other methods.
[22:19] His advice? Figure out who your dream clients are and make a list and put it up somewhere where you can see it so that they’re top of mind. Eventually, as we feel comfortable with taking action as you build up your confidence, then you can start working your way down the list and pitching them.
[24:40] If you’re just starting out with copywriting, just learn as much as you can. But, Jared recommends that as you’re learning, you start implementing it. Either just writing it out yourself, building out your portfolio, or asking people if you can write it for them.
Must-Hear Takeaways
As with every episode, we highly encourage you to listen to the entire conversation! But here are a few of the highlights:
“I reached out to a lot of the people that I interviewed on my podcast. It was just leveraging people that I had spoken to. Now, it’s 100% possible to be a successful copywriter and not have a network. But if you have one, leverage it. It’s huge.” – Jared
“When you put good content out into the world, as you do Jared, you are benefiting anybody who comes across it. And what a fun side benefit that it also gets you some work.” – Nicki
“People get so caught up in the information gathering phase, like picking your brain phase and learning phase, which is all good. But very few people just jump into the action. So, I say, learn and then take action as you’re learning. To me, that is the best way to learn anything, especially copywriting.” – Jared
Mentioned in the Episode
- Jared’s Portfolio: www.sharpbrandcopy.com
- Join Jared’s SKOOL Community
Related Links
- 8 Tips for Networking Success
- Use Copywriting Networking to Help Land More Clients
- 5 Keys for Getting Valuable Connections on LinkedIn
- BONUS: Build Confidence & Overcome Imposter Syndrome as a Copywriter
- BONUS – Laser Coaching: A Copywriter’s Guide to Creative Thinking
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About the Build Your Business Podcast
Ready to turn your love of writing into a successful copywriting career?
Join professional copywriters Nicki Krawczyk and Kate Sitarz to get the tips, tools, and training to help you become a copywriter and build a thriving business of your own. Nicki and Kate have 20+ and 10+ years of experience, respectively, writing copy for multi-billion-dollar companies, solopreneurs, and every size business in between.
Whether you want to land an on-staff job, freelance full-time and work from wherever you want, or make extra money with a side hustle, the best place to start learning is right here.
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Last Updated on November 3, 2024
