How to Land Your First Copywriting Clients Without Experience

Nicki Krawczyk, founder of Filthy Rich Writer and the Build Your Copywriting Business podcast

You might be thinking, “Land clients without experience? You are crazy!” But there is a valuable tool to show your potential clients what you can do, even if you have never had a paying client before: spec ads.

In this episode, Nicki and Kate discuss the ins and outs of spec ads, including their many benefits and some common misconceptions. Landing clients without experience is not an impossible task, especially when you are using spec ads to your advantage!

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Looking for closed captioning or a transcript? Check out the episode on YouTube!

A Sneak Peek at the Episode

[2:00] Nobody was born knowing copywriting! The good news is, copywriting is a merit-based career. Nicki and Kate discuss proving you can write copy (through spec ads).

[3:40] Nicki and Kate explain what spec ads are and common worries that copywriters may have, such as writing a spec ad for a company you have no contact with.

[5:15] Could a spec ad count against you? Nicki and Kate discuss what companies are thinking when they see spec ads in your portfolio as well as why someone (even an experienced copywriter) might want to add spec ads to their portfolio. Spoiler: spec ads are never bad!

[8:00] Nicki and Kate compare applying for a job with just a resume versus applying with a portfolio of just a few spec ads.

[10:40] Okay, but how does one approach writing a spec ad? Kate and Nicki go over what’s most important to consider when writing a spec ad. They suggest writing it just like you would a paid ad.

[12:13] How many spec ads should you have in your portfolio before pitching clients? Nicki says 3–5, but there are a few exceptions.

[14:07] Nicki reads a message about success from one of the Comprehensive Copywriting Academy students.

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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 15+ 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.