In your copywriting career, it’s likely that you’ll be asked to sign an NDA (non-disclosure agreement) or a non-compete agreement. These are standard documents businesses ask you to sign so that they can feel comfortable letting you in on internal secrets in order for you to do your best work.
In this episode of the Build Your Copywriting Business podcast, Nicki and Kate explain all of the need to know details surrounding each document and how to handle them throughout your copywriting career.
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Looking for closed captioning or a transcript? Check out the episode on Youtube!
A Sneak Peek at the Episode
[0:47] Nicki and Kate introduce the focus of today’s episode which is NDA’s (non-disclosure agreement) and non-competes. They explain that companies ask you to sign this because as a copywriter you are going to have access to inside information that is meant to keep private, at least for some time.
[2:44] Nicki explains that in general, NDA’s are not a big deal. Make sure you read through anything you sign, but there is no harm in signing a standard NDA. Plus, you still will be able to use your work for your portfolio as long as you wait until each project is completed and out in the world.
[4:00] Kate says that when in doubt if you can use something as a sample in your portfolio or not, just ask! Most businesses understand your wish to use samples for your portfolio and will be happy to let you do so!
[7:30] Another way to use a sample of your work for your portfolio is by sharing it directly with the prospective client. However, you MUST ask the business you created it for to have permission to do this so that you aren’t breaking an NDA by accident!
[8:07] Remember, even if you aren’t sure you’ll be able to use a sample or not, you should save them just in case! You never know when one will help you land work!
[9:10] Kate brings up the second document the hosts touch on in this episode: non-compete agreements. A non-compete agreement is meant to keep you from working with a direct competitor and sharing trade secrets with them. Since non-competes are more complicated, be sure to ask questions!
[13:07] Kate explains that companies ask you to sign non-compete agreements simply so that you aren’t using similar messaging and copy to help direct competitors reach the same target audience.
[13:44] Nicki closes the episode with the reminder that neither an NDA nor a non-compete agreement should scare you, and they are just documents that are part of being a copywriter. Remember, when in doubt ask plenty of questions so that you never sign anything that you don’t fully understand!
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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 September 10, 2023
