Okay, you already know that one of my favorite ways to get the word out about your impressive skills and even more impressive copywriting service is to directly pitch clients. ‘Nuff said. (Or, if not enuff said, check out this post.) But, honestly, if ALL you do is send pitches and follow-ups you’ll land clients…but you’ll also get bored. There are more ways to get out there … [Read more...]
Can You Become a Copywriter If You’re Not a Grammar and Punctuation Dynamo?
A confession: I can’t diagram a sentence. I mean, I could once. In seventh grade, I was a master. But now…participles, gerunds, modifiers? I’ve got no fricking idea. It’s important to understand the rules of English so that you can intelligently break them. Unless you’re teaching English or writing academic papers, the logistics of gerunds (et al) don’t really come … [Read more...]
You Don’t Have to Work With Clients You Hate
First, let me reassure you: There is absolutely NO shortage of copywriting clients out there. In fact, it’s exactly the opposite: There’s a shortage of skilled copywriters. Lots of people who need great copy and too few great copywriters to write it. (Pretty great for us, huh?) I want to be sure to mention this because I think that some people let the idea of who they could … [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 Sneaky Distractions That Will Block Your Copywriting Career Progress
When people think of the things that might get in the way of being successful in their copywriting careers, they tend to all think of the same things: not enough time, other commitments, having trouble finding clients, etc. The good news is that all these are easy to identify and surprisingly easy to surmount with a good plan. But it’s the other distractions—the sneaky … [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...]
One Question That Can Literally Change Your Life
Okay, the bad news is that your mind doesn’t want you to be happy. (There's good news coming too, but bear with me for a moment.) The oldest part of your brain, the lizard brain, doesn’t care if you’re happy as long as you’re safe. And that means it’s going to use aaaaaall kinds of sneaky tactics to keep you in your comfort zone—even if the rest of you wants out of … [Read more...]
Will the Market Be Flooded with Copywriters?
A few nights ago, someone left a comment on one of our Facebook ads essentially saying, “Your training is all well and good, but when the market is flooded with copywriters no one will be able to find work and everyone will have to work for peanuts.” Well, that’s a pretty dire prediction. But as you’ve likely heard me say before: The people who know the least about a topic … [Read more...]
Recessions Are Huge Opportunities for Copywriters. Here’s Why.
The first time I made six figures as a copywriter was in 2008...right in the middle of the Great Recession...right after I left my full-time job to go freelance. Why then? Especially knowing that period was when, sadly, companies were laying off staff left and right. But here’s the key: **Companies still needed copy because copy drives business.** Remember, copywriting … [Read more...]
Is Handwriting Ads a Real Way to Get Copywriting Practice?
When I first heard about this tactic, I was shocked. Someone left a comment on a post asking if there was any use in hand-copying other people’s ads to learn copywriting. Then, someone else sent an email to the Filthy Rich Writer team. And, after that, I found out that a few copywriting courses make hand-copying ads a major pillar of their teaching. Let me make something … [Read more...]