Technology has provided us with a lot of more efficient ways to collaborate with peers and clients. Screen-sharing is a game-changer for working with designers remotely and Zoom (and other video conferencing tools) mean you can have a face-to-face meeting with anyone in the world. There’s one technology, though, that gets in the way of great copywriting: using Google Documents … [Read more...]
Questions You Need to Ask Your Copywriting Clients
Starting a new project with a new client is exciting, but don’t let that excitement get in the way of your strategy. To keep your project from getting mired in confused schedules and dozens of rounds of review, you need to start the project off with concrete answers to some important questions. These are essential questions to ask your copywriting clients. You already know … [Read more...]
When You Need to Get Down to Work: The 5 Second Rule
I’d love my clients to think I have a super-human ability to get down to work and churn out amazing copy. However, the truth my students need to know is that I absolutely do not have that super-human ability, and I often find it just as hard to get focused and sit down to work as anyone. And because I know I face this challenge—and because I get the questions about it … [Read more...]
The Case for Slowing Down: Fast Copywriting Doesn’t Equal Better Copywriting
A lot of new copywriters equate speed with getting better at writing copy. And in some ways they’re right—but in others, they’re dead wrong. In fact, sometimes it even makes sense to slow down. Speed does not equal increased skill. Let's dig in to some of the myths behind why so many new, and even established, copywriters have the misconception that faster copywriters are … [Read more...]
A Copywriter’s Digital Toolkit
Building a copywriting career isn’t easy—sometimes we need a little help. As you know, we don't recommend paying for any sort of software for copywriters unless it's going to pay for itself. (Or, unless you're so far along in your business that it doesn't matter!). But there are lots of free apps, sites, and software that allow you to keep track of your work, cut out … [Read more...]
The Creative Review Myth
Every creative project ends with a creative review … or does it? There’s a lot of confusion around exactly what a creative review accomplishes and what you can expect once it’s done. So let’s clear some things up, shall we? Easily the greatest myth about creatives reviews is that they’re going to be “one and done.” The vast, vast majority of the time, you’ll have multiple … [Read more...]
The Biggest Banner Ad Writing Mistakes
Banner ads are all over the internet—and, as a copywriter, it's almost certain that you’ll write them at some point in your career. And there are some great ones…but there are definitely some bad ones. Let’s explore what makes a banner ad especially bad so you can avoid making these mistakes. Succinct = Success A banner ad is an especially challenging kind of … [Read more...]
Email Copywriting Snippet Tactics
Email snippets are lines of copy that show up in your inbox after the subject lines. But, as you’ll see from your own inbox, most companies mess them up. So today, we’re going to dive in deep with snippets and learn how to write them well. Email snippets (sometimes called pre-headers) are lines of copy that offer extra explanation for your subject line. They’re the first … [Read more...]
Building Your Copywriting Business While Working Full-Time
When people get excited about a new career, they often want to jump in with both feet. However, there are big benefits to starting that new career while you’re in your old one. I can certainly appreciate the excitement of going all in on a new career … but I’m definitely not a “jump and build a net on the way down” kind of person. It makes a lot of sense to build up your … [Read more...]
4 Productivity Tactics
Knowing what you need to do is one thing, but doing it is another. Luckily the “productivity” industry is always coming up with new ways to help us get things done. Despite the fact that productivity improvement has been a common goal for at least 100 years, we’re still discovering new and better ways to achieve it. Here are four must-try productivity habits for … [Read more...]