When it comes to finding clients, the keys are to be systematic, but also to cast your net wide. Facebook makes for a great place to cast some of that net—though not all of it. To mix metaphors, don’t put all of your eggs in one basket! What makes Facebook so great? Well, it’s already a place that billions of people go to seek information, find recommendations, network with … [Read more...]
Beware the Copywriting Influencer Trap (a.k.a. Why You Don’t Need the World’s Most Beautiful Website as a Copywriter)
Thinking about all the professional copywriters in my network, none of them have a major presence beyond their online portfolio. We’re all heads down, working on projects, and, generally, see ourselves as part of a larger team pulling off great work (designers, creative directors, strategists, developers, etc.). You could make the case that I’m not “up” on what’s … [Read more...]
4 Perks of Working in an Office Before Starting Your Own Copywriting Business
Wanting to start your own business is a fantastic (and doable!) goal as a copywriter. It’s a major reason why many of us pursue this career—because we can increase our work-life balance and make a fantastic income. But laying a solid foundation for your copywriting career is crucial, especially when you’re first starting out. One of the best ways to get the foundation … [Read more...]
Use an Entrepreneur Mindset to Double Your Copywriting Income
Normally, I’m wary of using a clickbait-y style headline like "This One Tactic Will Double Your Income." But in this case, it’s true: Making this change will easily double your income, if not increase it even more. And I warned you that it’s subtle, so I’m going to need you to stick with me for just a bit to explain exactly how implementing it will make such a monumental … [Read more...]
Copywriting Contracts: Do You Need to Send Them to Clients?
Everybody needs a copywriting contract, right? After all, we need to be safe—to protect ourselves and ensure the project doesn't fall through! But…to protect ourselves from what, exactly? Like the topic of whether or not to bill upfront, the question of contracts comes from the same impulse to “protect ourselves” from nefarious clients. People believe that having … [Read more...]
The Real Math on Job Bidding Site “Success”
Those freelance bidding sites like Upwork or Fiverr or Freelancer where you can submit quotes on copywriting projects seem like a great deal. You get to just scan through listings, submit a quick proposal and quote to potential clients, and land tons of work. Great, right? Wrong. Freelance bidding sites are great for clients … and a waste of a good copywriter’s … [Read more...]
The Most Expensive Copywriting Mistake I’ve Ever Made
I’ve been a professional copywriter for more than 20 years, and I’ve had a lot of successes and worked with a lot of fantastic clients in that time. But part of what’s fueled that success has been learning from mistakes…and making sure I never make them again. Lucky for you, you don’t have to make all of them in the first place; you can learn from my mistakes, instead! And … [Read more...]
Why Landing Pages Are the Perfect First Copywriting Projects
If you’re looking for a way to get started with a potential client—or, perhaps, a good piece of value to bring to a potential client to convince them to work with you—landing pages might just be the perfect place to start. What's a Landing Page? Landing pages are where a visitor “lands” after taking an action like clicking an ad or link or opting in. Landing pages have … [Read more...]
How NOT to Pitch Potential Copywriting Clients
You already know that pitching clients is the #1 way to affect and control your workload and your income. But I know…the idea of reaching out to people seems scary. It seems soooo much easier to just watch those job-bidding sites and respond when you see something posted. (Which is a great strategy for frustration and underpayment.) What you’re not aware of is how very, … [Read more...]
Why the Way Most Copywriters Look for Work…Doesn’t Work
I’ve heard it, you’ve heard it, we’ve all heard it: “Writers don’t make any money!” Or even more specifically: “Copywriters don’t really make any money—it’s all lies.” (In fact, there are many misconceptions and myths about copywriting. We look at more of them in this blog post. >>) As someone who, when I’m focused on just copywriting, has no problem hitting six … [Read more...]