When you’re starting a new business, it feels really important to get everything right. “Perfect”, even. (PSA: Perfect is not a thing. Give it up.) And, yes, especially with things like pitch letters and portfolio sites—and client work!—you most certainly do want to put your best foot forward. But sometimes wanting to “get it right” can lead us to overcomplicate things … [Read more...]
Beware the Copywriting Influencer Trap (a.k.a. Why You Don’t Need the World’s Most Beautiful Website as a Copywriter)
I’m almost reluctant to admit it, but until someone in the CCA Facebook group mentioned well-known and “famous” copywriters, I had no idea famous copywriters were a thing. 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 … [Read more...]
Do You Need to Incorporate?
First, a caveat: I am neither an attorney nor an accountant and none of my advice should be taken lieu of talking with a professional. Never let a blog post make your legal decisions for you. Also, all of this information is based on US law and law as of the date of publication. That said, this blog post is based on a few facts, my experience, and my advice based on these. … [Read more...]
Tips for Your Professional Headshots
Your work—your samples in your print and online portfolios—are your biggest selling points. But there are other elements that impress prospective clients and sway them to choose you. One of them is your very own professional headshot. Today we’re going to talk about what your photo needs to look like in order to speak to your own professionalism. But first, I want to … [Read more...]
Copywriting Q&A: 4 New Trends in Portfolios
It used to be that your simply portfolio entailed a big binder with printouts of all of your best work. But welcome to 2016 kids—here’s what portfolios are looking like today... Today’s question comes from Nedda H., who asks, “I’ve worked hard to make my samples awesome. Is there anything you can recommend to make the way I present them awesome, too?” First, let’s start … [Read more...]