Before you make a decision about choosing or changing a career, you want to have some indication that you’ll actually be successful at it, right? While great copywriters can come from any gender, race, age, and more, there are a number of traits that the most successful copywriters share.
Nicki and Kate dig into the top traits (11 of them, to be exact) that the most successful copywriters share.
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A Sneak Peek at the Episode
[2:10] A natural affinity for writing is possibly one of the most important traits. You need to enjoy working with words. If you’re the person friends and family go to when they need a cover letter or resume written, this is likely a good indicator you have a natural writing ability. You still need training to understand what makes copy effective
[4:12] You may love to write and love some of what you’re writing, but there will be times when the client asks you to completely rework it. So, you need to build resilience and remember this is a collaborative process. The best way to build resilience is to continue getting and incorporating feedback.
[7:40] Projects and dates change. Having flexibility and being able to roll with the punches is crucial. Being flexible does not mean rolling with changes like if the scope changes. It’s being open to other points of view. It’s providing great customer service.
[11:39] If you’re not hustling, there is someone else who is more than willing to do so and get the job done. You cannot miss a deadline. But it’s also doing the work to build your own business.
[13:53] There’s always more to learn, and it’s crucial to have the humility to ask clients the questions you need to get the job done. This also goes hand-in-hand with another trait: the ability to be objective. Your work is not you. You are writing for your target audience.
[19:53] Copywriters need a willingness to speak up. There is a sense of “picking your battles,” but when you’ve chosen specific words or phrases for a reason and you feel your client needs to know that before making a decision on the copy, you need to let them know. Nicki and Kate also dig into why this is not something that should concern those who are more introverted.
[28:46] Copywriters need to have patience and persistence. It’s going to be rare that your first draft is perfect. There is a lot of editing in copywriting. That also requires digging in and being persistent.
[32:03] Being pleasant to work with will also take you a long way. As a human, it’s really easy to be defensive. Handling clients can be frustrating. Remember they’re human, too.
[35:55] Creativity isn’t about being witty. It’s coming up with new ideas, but more often, combining two different ideas and coming up with something new. It’s brainstorming, or as we refer to it in the creative industry, concepting.
[39:10] A willingness to learn is crucial to growing as a copywriter, but also to growing personally and within the marketing industry as a whole.
[41:17] Be proactive. Notice when there’s a challenge, and brainstorm possible solutions. Do your due diligence to try and solve a challenge before you throw it on someone else’s plate. You want to respect other’s time, reach out with purpose, and know you’ve done all you can on your end.
Related Links
- The Top Trait for Building a Successful Business
- 6 Habits of Highly Successful Copywriters
- Do You Have What It Takes to Become a Copywriter?
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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 15+ 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 December 16, 2022