TUNE IN: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Stitcher

Looking for closed captioning or a transcript? Watch the episode on YouTube!

A Sneak Peek at the Episode

[02:15] I If you’re freelance, certainly you have the ability to work from different places and that kind of lends itself to visiting loved ones more often. We would like to help you avoid making this mistake thinking that you’ll be able to get the same amount of work and the same type of work done.

[04:31] One of the first tips when it comes to working remotely from a loved one’s house is to really not take on as much work during that time period that you’re visiting as you normally would.

[05:16] You don’t wanna be so pressured to get things done so to add to that pressure by putting the stress on yourself to deliver things like you normally would, it’s just unrealistic. And you’re setting yourself up for not the best at home visitation.

[07:35] You can have a blur on your background so that people can go about their day and not feel like they’re disrupting you. But noise will happen. Save your important meetings for another time.

[09:28] When I break for lunch, that lunch might take a little longer than expected. And I think that’s okay to remember that we do this to have a work life balance.

[10:26] I think when possible too, travel as much as you can take time off. But again, build it into your rates so that you do feel comfortable knowing that okay, I’ve built this into my project rates.

[10:50] How much money I wanna make each month roughly on average. You’ve done that math so that you can take 3, 4, 5, whatever number of weeks off that you’ve kind of accounted for.

[12:02] There are also workarounds if you absolutely have to get things done. Make sure there’s a place you can go. The Starbucks; a library near there; if you prefer more silence versus coffee and coffee shop environment, that’s always an option as well.

[13:03] Adjusting your schedule also in terms of when is your peak creative time? My early hours are my best time, I might have to figure out a way to carve some of that out at my parents’ house.

[14:56] The last little point is just make sure that you have a go-to kit of what you will use, what you need to have with you when you travel.

[15:19] You can just grab your travel kit. Things that you might need, earbuds or headphones, chargers for your computer, chargers for your phone, chargers for if you use a tablet or something, chargers, earphones or earbuds or whatever you use.

[17:04] Before you’re starting to travel and you’re making these plans, just have a conversation with whoever you’re staying with, friend, family member. Just setting some expectations to begin with and then not being afraid to remind people of that.

[18:46] We also can spend quality time together and maybe just work it out in advance so that you go in with a plan and then you don’t have to let resentment build or get stressed out.

Must-Hear Takeaways

“It’s not the same as working from your house. even if you tell your parents and friends, even if you carefully explain that when I’m on my computer, I am working. Things just don’t go as plan. ” – Nicki

“If you’re traveling around the holidays, just give yourself a little more buffer than you normally would.” – Kate

“Put yourself in your loved one’s shoes too. Maybe not realistic to make the entire household be silent, is not a great plan to begin with.” – Nicki

“Is it derailing the work that I need to get done? But what’s ultimately more important in our lives? Am I gonna remember the project that I was supposed to be working on when I’m 80 years old in a rocking tree? or am I gonna remember kind of quality time spent with friends and family?” – Kate

“I think that this is part of why we do this to be flexible so if we have the opportunity to focus on our loved ones instead of work, let’s take that. Build that into your schedule” – Nicki

” We should be using these opportunities to go spend time with our families. None of us are gonna be around forever. Our career is flexible and we should be taking advantage of that to spend more time with people we love.” – Nicki

Mentioned on This Episode

• 6 Must-Pack Items to Write Copy Overseas

Related Links

• Is it Really Possible for Copywriters to Work Entirely Remotely?
• 7 Tips to Living the Digital Nomad Lifestyle as a Copywriter
• How Can I Work Remotely from Anywhere in the World?

Tell us what you love about the podcast and what you hope to hear next! When you do, you can get access to an exclusive bonus recording featuring five wildly successful entrepreneurs who share what they do (and don’t!) look for when hiring copywriters. You do not want to miss it! 

Get all the details on how to get your recording here »

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 20+ 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.

See Previous Episode

The post Episode 193: Tips for Copywriting While Staying with Friends & Family 😳 appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

One of the most common questions i get from people who are interested in getting into copywriting is, “Great, I’m interested—but when will I start to make money?”

It makes sense: we want to know what the earning potential is before we jump headfirst into a new career.

So, I’ll answer this question, but I’m going to presuppose that you’re on an actual copywriting study tract. One of the biggest mistakes that trips people up (and keeps them from making money) is trying to get copywriting work without actually knowing how to write copy.

Copywriting is a skill just like any other and requires training to learn it. No one’s going to hire you to be a cowboy if you don’t know how to rope a steer and ride the range.

That’s actually the reason that we created our own copywriting training: It’s been hard for people to find good copywriting training, much less a training that’s both affordable and thorough.

2 Must-Haves to Make Money as a Copywriter

Back to the answer. Well, in a nutshell, you can start making money as soon as you know what you’re doing. That sounds like a very vague answer, I know. But, really, anyone who tries to give you a specific answer is just BSing you.

Training

Just like with becoming a pilot or becoming an accountant, becoming a copywriter requires training (though, significantly less training—and less expensive training—than becoming a pilot).

You don’t need to pay thousands of dollars for portfolio school or get any b-s copywriting certification (more on that here). What you do need is a course that will teach you copywriting principles, including how to distinguish features versus benefits, how to write an effective call to action, and how to create strong ad concepts.

It also helps if the course teaches you how to find and land clients so that you can get the next must-have: experience.

Experience

As soon as you start to have a basic grip on copywriting, you can start finding yourself some small business clients. I always recommend starting out with small business clients because you will almost always know so much more than they do about copywriting and marketing.

And I don’t mean that in a superior way. I mean that you can start helping them very quickly. And, again, depending on how much you want to learn and how quickly and how well you assimilate the information, you could conceivably start trying to get your first clients within a couple of weeks.

Then, as you learn more and as you get more samples for your portfolio, you can start branching out to design studios and ad agencies and in-house agencies.

Your Timeline to Becoming a Copywriter Is Up to YOU

The time it takes you to start earning money is really all on you. There are some people whose schedules are packed and can’t dedicate a ton of time to learning or who want to take it at a slower pace and there are some people who will go at it, guns blazing.

And, again, I can’t make you any promises, but I can tell you how the timing worked out for one of my students.

Example Timeline: Christina’s Journey to Leo Burnett

Christina started working with me just a little over nine months ago. Like a lot of people, she wasn’t happy at her job and, on top of that, things at her company were a little shaky. So, she decided she needed a change. She was looking for a career she’d enjoy, a career she could grow in, and a career she could makes some money in.

Like many CCA students, she’d always enjoyed writing and she thought maybe copywriting might work for her, but she didn’t really know much about it. She’d never done it before.

Well, she found us and started training. (And wouldn’t you know it, just a few weeks after she started training, she lost her job. But she kept pushing on anyway.) Our training is all self-paced, so she could do it when she had time to do it. And then, of course, too, she started being able to find herself some copywriting work to bring in some cash.

So, skipping forward a bit, about a three months ago, I got an email from her. I hadn’t heard from her and she hadn’t joined in the student calls for a month or two. So, I was curious to see how she was doing. Well, it turns out she was doing pretty darn well. She had just landed a full-time, freelance position at Leo Burnett in Chicago. And if you’re not familiar with Leo Burnett, it’s a major global advertising firm.

She was thrilled and I was thrilled for her. So, timeline? She landed that about six months after she started training with us. That’s right: six months from knowing nothing about copywriting to working with one of the biggest and most powerful ad agencies in the world.

And there’s no magic to it either. She learned. She took the steps we gave her to build her portfolio and she took the steps we gave her to network. And she made it happen.

Could it take you longer? Of course; it depends on the time you dedicate to learning and to building your portfolio. Could you do it faster? Sure. It’s all up to you.

See More CCA Student Journeys & Timelines

There are as many timelines for making money as there are copywriters!

If you’re interested in hearing more about all the various ways Comprehensive Copywriting Academy students build their copywriting careers, check out our student journey playlist here >>

You can also see more student wins right here >>

And listen to one of our successful students discuss how he landed a senior copywriter role here >>

The post How Soon Can You Make Money as a Copywriter? appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

One of the major reasons people avoid freelance copywriting (and freelancing in general) is the lack of benefits. But the truth is, freelancers have a huge opportunity to build their benefits package the way they want—not the way their employer wants. And that includes saving for retirement as a self-employed freelancer.

As a freelancer, you set your own rates, and you should be setting them in a way that factors in all the usual benefits of working on staff—including vacation and retirement.

When it comes to freelancers and self-employed individuals saving for retirement, you have a few options to explore.

How Self-Employed Freelancers Save for Retirement

When it comes to retirement, freelancers have some huge benefits over on-staff employees—if you know how to take advantage of those benefits!

There are several ways to save for retirement as a freelancer. Each option has ways it can reduce your taxable income (the amount you own the government in taxes). Talk to your tax prep professional to make sure you’re maximizing these benefits in a way that makes sense for you.

Self 401(k)

A self 401(k)—also sometimes referred to as a one-participant 401(k) or solo 401(k)—is a great option if you’re running your business, well, solo! Contributing to a self 401(k) is especially beneficial for freelancers who had a lucrative year for business and want to lower their taxable income.

Your contributions to your retirement account lower the amount you’re able to be taxed on. (For example, if you made $125,000 and contribute $20,000 to your retirement, your taxable income is now $105,000 versus $125,000. You may, of course, have additional deductions that lower your taxable income further.)

If you are a freelancer that has no employees (you’re a sole proprietor or a one-person LLC), you can contribute to the plan as both the employer and employee. You can also contribute to a self 401(k) plan if you hire your spouse.

Employee Contributions

As the employee_, you can contribute to the 401(k) just as you would to an employer-offered 401(k) plan. The maximum amount you can contribute to the plan varies year to year ($22,500 in 2023). (If you’re over 50 years old, you may be able to make catch-up contributions. Talk with your tax pro for your specific situation.)

You must make your employee contribution by the end of the calendar year. (For example, if you want to contribute to retirement in 2023, you must do so by December 31, 2023.)

Employer Contributions

As the employer, the math is a little trickier. You can contribute 25% of “earned income,” which the IRS defines as “net earnings from self-employment after deducting both one-half of your self-employment tax, and contributions for yourself.”

This is why you have until you file taxes to make your employer contribution.

Note: When you have $250,000 or more in assets in your self 401(k) plan, you must file Form 5500-EZ each year with the IRS.

IRA

Another option is to contribute to an IRA (individual retirement arrangement or account). There are two types of IRAs: Roth and Traditional.

Roth IRA: Your ability to contribute to a Roth IRA depends on how much you earn. For 2023, you can contribute if your modified adjusted gross income (your income, minus certain allowable deductions) is less than $153,000 (or $228,000 if you’re married and filing taxes jointly). If that all sounds confusing, consult your tax prep professional! The perks of contributing to a Roth IRA is that the money is not taxed when you start withdrawing in retirement.

Traditional IRA: Anyone can contribute to a traditional IRA, regardless of how much you earn.

The perk of a traditional IRA is that you may qualify for a tax deduction in the year in which you make a contribution to the account. Traditional IRAs also assume you’re likely making more money now that you will be in retirement. So, you’ll likely be taxed at a lower rate when you begin withdrawing money in retirement.

SEP IRA

A SEP IRA, or Simplified Employee Pension plan, allows you to contribute up to 25% of your net self-employment earnings, up to $66,000 (in 2023). Unlike a self 401(k) that allows you to contribute as the employer and employee, a SEP IRA allows you to contribute only as the employer.

Like other options, contributing to your SEP IRA reduces your taxable income (and, therefore, reduces the amount of federal income tax you owe).

SIMPLE IRA

Like a self 401(k), a SIMPLE IRA allows you to make contributions as both the employer and employee. You can contribute all your net earnings from self employment in the plan, up to $15,500 in 2023 (plus, catch-up contributions if you’re over 50).

However, employer contributions to a SIMPLE IRA are a bit different than a 401(k). SIMPLE IRAs require either a 2% fixed contribution or a 3% matching contribution.

Contributions are deductible.

When Should You Start Saving for Retirement When Freelancing?

As with anything when it comes to personal finances, it’s really dependent on you and your specific situation. For most freelancers, the first step is to have an emergency fund. But you may also decide to contribute to both your emergency fund and retirement simultaneously. After all, the benefits of compound interest are bigger the sooner you get started.

Start With an Emergency Fund

How much is in your emergency fund is dependent on your lifestyle. Everyone has different recurring costs (rent/mortgage, car payment, grocery bills, etc.).

A good rule of thumb is to save anywhere from three to six months worth of expenses. Some people may want to save even more—it really depends on you and your comfort level.

High-yield savings accounts are a great place to save your emergency fund. These savings accounts offer a higher interest rate than normal savings accounts, meaning you earn more interest. You want your emergency funds easily accessible, which is why putting them in a savings account makes sense. But you also want to earn as much as possible for that money sitting in the account.

Determine How Much You Want to Save for Retirement Each Month

The sooner you can start socking away money in a retirement account, the longer it has to grow. You can use this compound interest calculator to see just how much opportunity there is for your initial investment to grow the sooner you start and the longer you let it grow.

Play around with the numbers. Yes, you eventually want to nail down how much you want to contribute each month, but seeing how much more your money can grow if you invest just a little more each month may sway what number you choose.

Aim to contribute a percentage of your pre-tax earnings each month. Again, this number will depend on your situation, including how much you’re earning and your age (if you’re playing retirement catch-up), among other factors.

For example, you may aim for 15-20% if you’re starting to invest in your 30s, or 25-30% if you’re starting in your 40s. But you may also aim to contribute more if you’re able or less if your business has slowed for one reason or another. You can always adjust as needed, but it’s best to choose a number so you can automate your processes as much as possible. This way you can ensure you’re saving and don’t have to waste valuable time figuring out what you need to do each month.

Automate Your Retirement Contributions

Really—automate it! If you can automatically deposit money from one account to another consider this option. If you can’t, add a recurring calendar invite for yourself to make the deposit.

Your Turn! How are you saving as a freelancer? Share your tips in the comments below!

Note: We are not legal experts or tax preparation professionals, so always consult an accountant, tax prep professional, or attorney if you have concerns. This information is aimed at copywriters in the United States. Copywriters in other locations may find this information useful for determining what questions they need to ask and answer based on their city, country, or region.

The post How Do I Save for Retirement If I Am Self-Employed? appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

One of the major reasons would-be copywriters and copywriters who are working a full-time job don’t go freelance is because of benefits. The common misconception is that as a freelancer, you don’t get the same benefits as an employee. And that’s just not true. The truth is, you have to build those benefits into your rates.

And, while that may seem daunting, actually gives you much more control over your income and where you spend it.

See, what your employee doesn’t tell you—and what most people overlook—is that the company is factoring in all those benefits (and the cost of those benefits!) into your salary or hourly rate. That’s just one of the reasons on-staff copywriters typically make less per hour than their freelance counterparts.

But what if you don’t want that $300/year gym credit or you don’t want to be on your employer’s healthcare because you’re on your spouse’s? That doesn’t change what your employee pays you.

As a freelancer, you have the flexibility to build your benefits package how you want it.

Read on for some of the most common benefits and how to build them into your freelancing rate.

Healthcare Benefits as a Freelancer

For most US-based copywriters, figuring out healthcare is often the most daunting of all the benefits. Where do you begin? Can you afford it?

The best place to start is healthcare.gov. From here, you can select your state and get taken to the right place to explore plans and costs for your state. Most states have an estimate tool that you can use to see if you qualify for any savings on your monthly cost.

Take the time to research your options and see what coverage you need for your specific situation. You can do this long before you even decide to go freelance! Digging into the options and numbers will start to dispel the fear of the unknown.

Most freelancers can also deduct healthcare expenses from their taxes. Check with your tax preparation professional to make sure you get this deduction if you qualify.

Vacation Time for Freelancers

The biggest misconception people have—including working freelancers!—about vacation time is that taking time off means time you’re not making money. On the surface this is true: if you don’t work, you don’t get paid as a freelancer. But this is where knowing your numbers is crucially important.

You get PTO (paid time off) at a company because the organization is factoring it into your salary or hourly rate.

So, you’ll do the same thing. Comprehensive Copywriting Academy students know that there’s an entire course on pricing in the CCA. As a very, very basic starting point, do some research on salaries for copywriters in your area and at your level of experience. This will give you an idea of common annual salaries. But, if you want to make more, great!

With this number in mind, divide it by the number of weeks each year you want to work. Give yourself at least two weeks vacation. The benefit of being freelance is you can build in your vacation time when and how you want. If you want four weeks, great! Then divide that number by the number of hours in a week you want to work.

Play around with these numbers! See what happens if you work more. See what happens if you work less.

Of course, ground your numbers in reality. If you want to make $100,000 a year, it’s absolutely possible. Can you hit that number working 5 hours per week with 6 weeks vacation? Not likely as a one-to-one service provider (e.g. one copywriter providing services to a handful of clients).

How Freelancers Can Plan for Retirement

Yes, some companies offer a 401(k) match. But freelancers have a huge advantage over full-time employees when it comes to saving for retirement.

If you are running you copywriting business yourself (as in, you don’t have employees), you can open up a self 401(k), sometimes called a solo 401(k), self-employed 401(k), or one-participant 401(k).

The huge perk for freelancers is you can contribute as the employee and the employer. As the employee, it’s very similar to any other 401(k): you have a maximum limit you can contribute each year ($22,500 for most plans in 2023; check since contribution limits can change from year to year). You must contribute by the end of the calendar year.

As the employer, you typically have until you file your annual taxes to make the employer contribution. Your employer contribution is a bit tricky, so ask your tax preparation professional to help you understand the limit of what you can contribute as the employer of your business. It’s based on your “earned income,” which is defined as net earning minus one-half of the self-employment tax and contributions for yourself. (The IRS explains how to do the math here and gives examples here.)

The benefit of this? If you make a lot of money in a given year, you can decide to contribute more to your retirement accounts and lower your taxable income.

Educational Benefits for Freelancers

While some employers cover all or part of the cost of advanced degrees for their employees,

But freelancers do have the perk of being able to deduct certain educational costs from their taxes.

Additional Freelance Benefits

There are, of course, tons of benefits of being a freelancer that on-staff workers typically do not get. Here are just a few of them:

• Your rates. As an on-staff employee, your salary is your salary. You may have a conversation with your boss each year, asking for a raise. Or maybe the company adjusts your salary 3% to keep up with the cost of living. As a freelancer, you can decide to bump up your rates project to project.
• Your amount of time off. Build in as much as you want and take it when you want. There’s no fighting your fellow team members for prime vacation days or being capped at two weeks. Of course, give your repeat clients as much advanced notice as possible.
• Where you’re working. Post 2020, this has become a bit more flexible as companies have realized not everyone needs to be in an office to get the job done. Nonetheless, freelancers have the perk of working from wherever they want. We have CCA students in the UK working with clients in the US; students in Canada working with clients in the UK; students in the US working with Australian clients—the opportunities really are limitless.
• Your schedule. This is also a bit more flexible post 2020, but, again, freelancers are always 100% in control of their hours. If a client asks you to take a meeting, it’s when it works for both of you—there’s not necessarily an expectation that you’re holding certain office hours as they are with a full-time job.

Watch More

On Episode 49 of the Build Your Copywriting Business podcast, Nicki and Kate discuss why benefits should not be something that holds you back from freelancing (if that’s your goal). They share tips for building your own freelance copywriter benefits package—one that’s far more attractive than what any employer can offer you since it’s tailored to your needs.

Your Turn! What benefits did we miss? What additional benefits have you built into your own copywriting business? Tell us in the comments!

Note: As with anything regarding taxes, consult a tax professional. We are not CPAs or tax professionals, so use this as a starting point to ask your tax professional questions about your specific situation.

The post Freelance Copywriter Benefits: How to Build Your Own Benefits Package appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

An important part of business is creating and executing your copywriting business plan. To help you plan a successful year ahead, you need to look back as well as ahead.

Here we look at some key elements of your business plan as well as some other elements of life (relationships, health, etc.) that also need to be working well for you to ensure your success.

Take some time to write down your answers to the following questions. It may take a couple sessions over a few days, but, believe me, it will be worth it.

Looking Back to Move Forward

What Went Well This Past Year?

• What did you accomplish in your career?
• Were there any goals you didn’t accomplish?
• What new (and positive) relationships did you cultivate?
• What old (and positive) relationships did you strengthen?
• What were your three biggest successes? To what can you attribute these successes? Were there any specific actions you took that led to them?
• What new skills did you add to your abilities?
• What was your most fun day?
• What was your proudest day?
• When did you feel and give the most love?
• What would you like to see more of in the new year?
• In what ways do you feel you were moving closer to your ideal life?

What’s going well in each of these areas?

• Family
• Friendships
• Relationships
• Career
• Health
• Fun

What Didn’t Go Well This Past Year?

• What didn’t you accomplish that you wanted to? Why didn’t you?
• What could you have done differently to have seen more success?
• What setbacks or disappointments did you experience? To what can you attribute these setbacks/disappointments? Were there actions that you did or didn’t take that led to them?
• In what ways did you stay in your comfort zone instead of challenging yourself? Why?
• Was there a way that you let yourself down this past year? Why did it happen?
• Were there promises that you made to yourself that you didn’t keep? Why not?
• What do you wish you’d done differently? What do you wish you’d focused on or worked on more?
• In what ways do you feel you’re moving farther away from your ideal life?

What needs to be improved in each of these areas?

• Family
• Friendships
• Relationships
• Career
• Health
• Fun

As I said, be gentle but honest as you answer these questions. They’re essential for helping you craft a crystal-clear vision for the coming year that will make you excited and motivated to hit the ground running.

Essential Questions for Your 2024 Copywriting Business Plan

You don’t have to answer every question, but here’s a little tip: If you come up against questions that you resist answering, it’s probably a sign that you need to answer them.

Overall Goals: What Do You Want More of in 2024?

Let’s start with some overall goals before we dive deeper into specifics in each area. Here’s a short list of possible words to choose from to help you frame your thinking about the more specific questions to follow. Feel free to add words; just be sure that they’re things you can be in control of! For example, “respect” might not work if it requires other people to respect you—you can’t control that—but “self-respect” absolutely works.

Peace
Confidence
Income
Freedom
Fulfillment
Happiness
Contentment
Creativity
Fun

• What word or phrase do you want to be your theme for 2024? Why?
• What commitment(s) are you willing to make to ensure that 2024 is your best year yet?
• How will you feel if you meet the goals you set for 2024?
• How will your life change?
• Imagine yourself as someone who’s already met that goal? How do you do things differently than you do now? How do you think differently? How do you act differently?

For more specific questions below, if you want to dive deep, ask yourself these questions:

What are five things you can do to help you meet that goal this year, and what are three tasks you need to do each week to help you meet that goal?

Career

• What’s your greatest career goal for 2024?
• What are five to 10 steps you need to take to get there?
• What new skills will you need to acquire?
• What do you want your business/career to look like by the end of 2024?
• Is your current career/job meeting the characteristics of your ideal work?
• If not, what is the very first, smallest step you can take on that path?

Finances

• How much money do you want to make in 2024?
  • Is there any ramp-up time involved? (Will you need time for learning/training, building up clientele, etc.?)
  • Minus the ramp-up time, how much will you need to make per week to meet your goal? Per hour? (It is okay to estimate that ramp-up time; we’re looking for estimates here.)
• What do you need to know, be, do, or have to do to make what you want this year?
  • Do you need to invest in yourself to make this happen? If so, how will you finance this (savings, a credit card with a plan to pay it off, a loan from a friend or family member, taking on part-time or short-term work, etc.)?
  • How much do you want to make? How many hours do you want to work? How much does that mean you need to make per hour?

Health and Well-Being

• What’s your health goal for 2024? What small action(s) will you take each day to move toward your goal?
• Your daily schedule proves what you TRULY value. If necessary, what are you willing to give up to reach your goals?
• What’s your greatest fun goal for 2024?
• When can you schedule mini check-ins to evaluate your progress throughout the year?
• What will you say to yourself to keep yourself committed to meeting your goals when you feel distracted, discouraged, or demotivated?

Relationships

• What’s your family goal?
• What’s your relationship goal?
• What’s your friendships goal?
• Who do you want to spend more time with and how will you accomplish this?

Copywriting Tasks to Tackle Early in 2024

After you’ve reviewed your overall goals and plans for the year, it’s time to get a bit more actionable and add a few key items to your to-do list.

These are to-dos you should schedule now and aim to tackle in Q1.

Review Your Portfolio

As time goes on as a copywriter, it’s easy to neglect your portfolio. But it’s crucial to keep your site up to date. Set aside time to ask yourself the following questions and do a thorough audit of your site. Then, schedule time to tackle any additional to-dos that come out of your audit.

• Are there any dated portfolio pieces you need to remove?
• Are there any new projects you’ve worked on you need to add?
• What kinds of pieces do you want to have more of (direct mail, email, banner ad)?
• What types of clients do you want to work more with (tech, finance, real estate, startup, Fortune 500, etc.)?
• Does your USP need updating?

Consider Your Connections

If you didn’t reach out to past clients and connections before the start of the new year, it’s never too late to send a note and reconnect. (Of course, always consider how you can add value.)

Now is a good time to take stalk of relationships you’ve built and what new professional relationships you may want to explore.

• How many graphic designers are in your network? How many would you like to add to your network?
• What organizations for creatives and marketers/advertisers are in your area? What ones will you join?
• How many testimonials will you request from clients each month? How will you word that request?
• How many clients will you ask to refer you to their network?

Explore Professional Development Opportunities

The most successful professionals never stop learning. And, since you’re here, we’re willing to bet you’re one of them.

Consider your strengths and weaknesses as a copywriter. How can you lean into your strengths further?

How can you improve your weakness(es)? Are there trainings, conferences, or events you can attend to fill this learning gap?

If you ask me, part of what makes this time of year so exciting is the potential for positive transformation in the new year.

But guess what? True transformations don’t happen by accident. If you want an amazing 2024, you must PLAN for an amazing 2024.

Watch More

Before setting goals for your copywriting business, you need to make sure take the *right* approach. In this episode of the Build Your Copywriting Business podcast, Nicki and Kate break down how to make our goals more effective, more fulfilling, and more fun!

Your Turn!

What are your top three goals for a successful copywriting business plan in 2024? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Your Copywriting Business Plan for a Successful 2024 appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

Retirement is an achievement and, for some, a time to completely close the door on the “work” chapter of their lives. But, if you’re like many others, you may miss having a job—or at least something in your day that offers structure—you may be toying with the idea of a retirement side hustle or even starting a new career. Or maybe you want to supplement your retirement savings with additional income.

Your retirement side hustle doesn’t have to feel like a chore. In fact, it can—and should!—be fun.

If you have an affinity for writing, then copywriting may be the perfect retirement job or side hustle.

1. Work on your schedule

One of the best parts about copywriting? Its flexibility. Once you know how to write copy, you can shape your career any number of ways. Want more interaction with other adults? Look for in-person roles. You can look for full- and part-time roles. But if you’re thinking, “I retired for a reason! I don’t want even close to that many hours,” good news: there are plenty of in-person contract and freelancing opportunities for copywriters, too.

Prefer working when and where you want? Focus on freelancing. Freelance copywriters work on their schedule (of course, with the occasional client meeting you may need to find time for).

2. Partner only with clients you love

As a copywriter, you quickly realize just how much opportunity there is across all industries. Businesses and organizations of all types and sizes need effective messaging to, well, stay in business! That includes nonprofits.

That’s good news for you. You didn’t retire to start a new job that makes you groan as you get out of bed every morning.

If you have an affinity for dogs, for example, you can work with dog shelters to get their message out. Or, if in your prior career you were a nurse, you could look to write copy for healthcare companies. Or maybe you feel strongly about supporting environmental efforts. You can look to work with nonprofits or other organizations in the sustainability space, contributing to their mission with your writing.

You get the idea! Think big and think broad—there is so much opportunity for copywriters.

Copywriting may be your opportunity to help organizations you love.

3. Don’t stress your resume

If you’re like most people who get into copywriting, your background has nothing to do with marketing. That’s completely fine and, when used to your advantage, a strength. You can use all your past experience to look at copywriting challenges from a unique lens.

And, as for your resume, it’s not the most important data point for clients looking to hire you. In fact, most won’t even ask to see one! What they will want to see is your portfolio—samples of work that show you know how to write copy (there’s an entire course in the CCA that walks you step-by-step through this process).

4. Earn extra income in retirement

The system we teach students for finding and landing clients in the Comprehensive Copywriting Academy (CCA) allows you to dial up and dial down the amount of work you have at any given moment. Want to do absolutely no work over the summer? Great! Want to take on a little extra work to upgrade your hotel on your next vacation? Done. You have ultimate control over how many projects you take on.

It is absolutely possible for copywriters to make six figures (and, in fact, some CCA students make six figures working part time!). But it’s also possible to make an extra $1,000 or $2,000/month if that’s your goal. You determine how much you want to work.

Learn More: Building a Copywriting Side Hustle in Retirement

Explore your opportunities in copywriting: get our free online training “How to Get Started in Copywriting.”

Click here to learn more about the free training >>

The post Starting a Copywriting Side Hustle in Retirement appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

There are so many paths for pursuing a career as a copywriter. It’s easy to gravitate toward the idea of being a digital nomad copywriter, working from anywhere in the world, or even from your kitchen table as a full-time freelance copywriter. Working in an office as a copywriter may seem like the last thing you want to do!

That’s a particularly easy dream to have if you’ve been stuck in a 9-to-5 job in a stuffy office with a manager that doesn’t value your work.

And while a heels-in-the-sand office is a valid goal (just keep that sand out of the keyboard!), it makes agency and in-house copywriting jobs seem like a complete drag.

But here’s the truth: There are some fun copywriting opportunities in offices. And working in an office is a great way to kickstart your freelance career (if that’s your goal).

We’re here to bust the top five myths of working in an office as a copywriter.

Myth #1: You Have Less Work-Life Balance

On the surface, it can seem like working remote—whether from home, a coffee shop, or the beach—has more flexibility. To some extent that may be true, depending on the projects on your plate. But you still have to get work done.

The nice thing about an office? When you leave the office, you’re generally done for the day. The physical separation between work and your home can help you turn your mind off.

When you work from home, it takes a more concentrated effort to disconnect.

Plus, there are offices that understand that employees have lives outside of work. They have kids to pick up from school, doctor’s appointments, and emergency vet appointments when their dogs eat the carpet.

As with any job search, you’ll want to get an understanding of the company culture. For example, many companies (particularly since 2020) have shifted to focus on the work employees get done versus the hours they work or when they work those hours.

Anecdotally, all the offices I’ve worked in were extra flexible with things like doctor appointments, working from home with sick children, or really bad breakups (seriously).

Many companies may not post their work philosophy on their website, but don’t write them off because of it. If you’re interested, go through the interview process and ask for what you need to get your job done, whether that’s multiple work-from-home days or working hours that are more conducive to your personal schedule.

The worst case? You get offered a job and turn it down.

Myth #2: It’s a Stuffy 9-to-5 Job

Alright, we already hit on the fact that you may not end up working traditional office hours. But even if you do, it’s not all cubicles and crummy drip coffee.

Many offices have a laid back, permanent casual-Friday vibe that makes them less stressful (and more fun) than traditional, formal office settings.

Some offices let you bring your dog to work. Others pay for continuing education, whether that’s sending you to a relevant conference across the country or covering some—or all—of the costs of higher education. Some jobs offer catered lunches in addition to ridiculous amounts of rotating snacks.

Patagonia famously offers employees the ability to go surfing when the waves are good outside its Ventura, California, office (the founder of Patagonia writes about it in his book).

I once worked at an ad agency in Seattle that always had two local beers on tap and wheeled around a bar cart during the holidays with hot chocolate and all the fixings: whipped cream, sprinkles, candy canes, and more.

When you find the right work culture, it’s usually because the people are great. And when people are great, it makes it easy to want to come to work and do your best.

Myth #3: It Pays Less Than Freelance Work

While it’s true your hourly rate as a full-time employee in an office may be less than your freelance or contract rate, it doesn’t mean you’re ultimately making less money.

As a full-time employee, your employer pays half of the Federal Insurance Contributions Act tax (FICA). This is the amount paid toward Social Security and Medicare that every employee—whether full-time or self-employed—pays. However, if you’re self-employed, you pay the employer and employee portion, which is why you factor this into your rate.

But you do get benefits as an employee. Most companies offer healthcare, retirement plans (often with the opportunity for matching employer contributions), vacation time, paid holidays, sick time, and other paid time off. You can certainly build benefits into your freelance rate (there’s no need to be beholden to the golden handcuffs).

Myth #4: You Can’t Choose Your Projects

When you’re in an agency, it’s true you’re tied to working for the agency’s clients. Similarly, on an internal marketing team, you’re tied to working on projects for that organization, whereas when you work for yourself you can pitch the clients you want.

But just as you can pitch prospective clients as a freelancer, you can pitch your internal teams. Not only will this demonstrate your value, it may also allow you to work on projects you want to work on. For example, if you see an opportunity for a new email within the welcome series, talk to the product or marketing manager! You may be able to get the project added to your plate.

When looking for an in-house or agency role, you can also take a look at the types of projects you’d work on and the clients you’d work with. Apply to the organizations you want to work for. If you’re passionate about sustainability, look at both companies that create sustainable products, but also look into organization’s corporate sustainability programs. There may be companies you don’t even realize are contributing significantly to a cause you believe in.

And remember that as a freelancer, you may end up taking a less-than-glamorous project because a client you work with on an ongoing basis needs extra help on a project. You may not love that one single project, but you love working on most other projects with the client.

Myth #5: It’s a More Stressful Work Environment

In an office, you may find you have more time to work on a project than freelancing.

Generally, project managers build a significant amount of time into projects. This often allows for more concepting, giving you space for additional creativity.

Of course, it can sometimes feel frustrating if there’s a lull at work. You may feel tied to your desk until 5 PM. This is the perfect time to come up with ideas to pitch your internal team, come up with solutions for improving internal processes, and more.

And the best part? You’re getting paid for that!

Will there be times you’re at the office late? Absolutely. Maybe your agency is responding to a request for proposal, or RFP, and there’s a time crunch to get it done. Or maybe internal stakeholders gave last-minute feedback, but the deadline is unmovable.

But you’re in it with a team. And more often than not, you have an experienced project manager providing ample room in the schedule.

It also doesn’t mean you won’t face long days as a freelancer. Sometimes projects inevitably overlap—despite your best efforts to schedule everything so that doesn’t happen. But you want to provide your clients great service, right? So, you’ll get it done. Even if it means a thirteen-hour day.

Having worked in office for about half my career and on my own for the other half, I recognize that, as with everything in life, there are pros and cons to both. And what works for one person may not work for another person. Or what works at one stage in your life and career may not work in another stage in your career.

But that’s what’s so great about copywriting: it’s flexible. You can shift between on-staff, freelance, and contract roles. You can shift from full-time to part-time and back again.

The key is finding what works for you—and reevaluating that every so often to make sure it’s still the best option.

Your Turn

Have you worked in an office as a copywriter? What were the pros? What were the cons? Let us know in the comments below!

Note: This post contains affiliate links.

The post 5 Ways Working in an Office as a Copywriter Is Not What You Think appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

The vast majority of copywriting projects do not need to get completed in a rush. As we like to say, there’s no such thing as a copywriting emergency.

However, occasionally clients will have a copywriting need that they need done fast. And in these cases, you will likely want to bump up your rates and charge a copywriting rush fee. By “rush” we mean scenarios like a client reaching out to you on a Friday and needing copy by Monday.

Often this is a result of the client not having a project manager or someone staying on top of the tasks that need to get done for the project. But, should you want to take on the quick turnaround, there are a few things to consider.

What is the Definition of “Rush Job?”

Everyone’s definition of “rush” may vary. It’s your business so you get to decide! Typically, a rush job would be something within 48 hours. You may decide that’s 48 hours excluding weekends and that anything that needs to happen over a weekend is a rush job.

However, be careful you’re not tacking on rush fees due to your own schedule mismanagement. If you and a client kicked off a project and you told them you’d have the copy to them by a certain date, but waited until the last minute to get additional information you needed, that’s on you.

You may decide that within 24 hours you charge a higher rush fee than something within 48 hours. Again, it’s up to you, but it’s best to implement parameters for yourself so you know exactly what to do each time you’re faced with calculating a rush fee.

Calculating Your Copywriting Rush Fee

Once you have your parameters for what constitutes a “rush” job, it’s time to calculate the cost. There are several ways you can calculate a copywriting rush fee.

Percentage-Based Rush Fees

One of the most common ways to charge a rush rate is to charge based on a percentage of the project. It’s like the time-and-a-half overtime rates that some employers use for employees working holidays, for example.

That means if you calculate the project price at $1,000 for a “normal” timeframe, you’ll add a percentage fee on top of this. So, if you were using the time-and-a-half method, it’d be $1,500 for the rush version of the $1,000 project.

The percentage you use is up to you and you may determine that you charge 25% for certain scenarios, 50% for others, and perhaps even more!

Come up with a framework for these scenarios, adding it to the criteria you determined above for what is a “rush.” So, perhaps you charge 25% more if it’s within 48 hours, 50% within 24, 100% if it will involve giving up your weekend.

You may add criteria for the complexity of a project, too. So, one email may be a 25% increase while five webpages may be a 100% up charge.

A Note on Flat Rush Rates

You may decide that you have a flat $100 rush fee for any project that fits your criteria for rush. However, this flat fee doesn’t give you as much wiggle room. A flat $100 fee on a $1,000 project that eats away at your nights and weekends is only a 10% bump.

That 10% may be fine if you can complete your work in normal business hours. But that bump may not feel adequate to you if you’re burning the candle at both ends to get the work done.

Do You Need to Tell Your Client About Your Rush Fee?

No one likes to feel nickled and dimed. When you’re quoting a project rate, incorporate your rush fee into your project quote. You do not need to break it on its own line.

However, you may call it out to your client that the project quote includes the time to tackle this project faster than you would a regular project. Basically, you want to make it clear this is not a normal timeline and you’re helping them out.

Most clients understand this is simply a fact of doing business. So, rather than worry that you’ll lose a client by charging a higher rate (chances are, you won’t!), respect your time and value!

The best scenario is that you disclose your rush rates to your clients before you have to use them. You want clients who plan and respect your time. And you want to equip them with as much information as possible upfront.

If you work with a client on an hourly basis, then you will inevitably need to discuss a rush rate. This is where a time-and-a-half scenario can come into play, too.

When to Waive Your Rush Fee

Sometimes, it may make sense to waive your rush fee. If you have a client that you work with on a consistent basis that simply needs to check “accept changes” on the edits they’ve added to your piece or wants one or two headline options for a landing page you wrote, you may consider waiving the rush fee.

These small asks, particularly with a client you enjoy working with (and want to continue working with), may not be worth tacking on additional costs. Consider it the cost of being a good business partner to them.

Again, it’s your business so you may decide you never waive rush fees, and that’s fine, too!

When to Say No to a Copywriting Rush Job

We almost started the post with this section. That’s because sometimes it may make sense to turn down the job. If your schedule is jam-packed with copywriting projects and squeezing this client in to the front of the line means jeopardizing any of the other projects you already agreed to, then you may want to turn the work down.

A rush job may mean a bigger payout for you, but that doesn’t mean you should risk delivering sub-par work to clients who followed the proper project process.

Rush jobs should be jobs you take on because you have the time.

The other thing you need to consider is whether you can deliver good work within the timeframe! If a client wants a series of 10 emails turned around in 24 hours, that may not be a project you want to take on or even feasible! The stress of delivering your best work in a tight timeframe may not be worth it to you (or your reputation).

Helping out a long-term client who is in a pitch may be the type of rush project that works for you because you already know the brand and voice and have a good working relationship. (Taking on a rush job as your first project with a client is not a recipe for success!)

But, if you have time in your schedule or, for example, you’re willing to give up days you had planned to take off, then you’ll need to determine your rush fee.

If you DO say no to a rush job, but you find yourself with some time say a week or so later, check back in. You may find they haven’t even started that “rush” job!

No matter what you decide when it comes to rush rates, make sure you’re respecting your own time! If you do fast work for clients all the time without adding a fee, the only person you’re hurting is yourself.

Your Turn! Have you ever charged a rush fee and, if so, how did you calculate your fee?

The post Copywriting Rush Fees: When and How to Charge Them appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

First, if you hate numbers and you still are reading this post, congratulations! Many copywriters aren’t math fans, so you’re not alone. But regardless of whether you love numbers or hate ’em, you need to spend some quality time with a few key numbers if you want to set your copywriting finances—and frankly your whole business—up for success.

So, if you’re serious about your copywriting business, here are three steps you need to take to set a solid foundation for your business.

Know Your Numbers

Many copywriters start their copywriting business without knowing their numbers. The numbers we’re talking about here are:

• Your expenses: what do you absolutely need to make to cover your bills, including rent, healthcare, food, etc. Many copywriters who want to freelance shy away from it due to healthcare. But it only seems scary because you haven’t dug into the numbers behind it.
• Your rate: you need to figure out your hourly rate. We recommend charging by the project, but your hourly rate gives you a place to start. Comprehensive Copywriting Academy students have an entire course on pricing, as well as the Write Start workbook—use it to think through your financial goals!
• The hours you know you can or want to work in a day.

All of these numbers are what will help you determine what you need to do each month to cover your expenses. Without this information, you’re throwing darts into the dark.

Set a Financial Goal

In order to meet a goal, you need to have a goal in the first place. But this goal should be specific to you and take into account where your business is and where you want it to go.

For example, if six figures is your ultimate goal, but you’ve just started, you need to break that goal down. It’s far more motivating to hit milestones on the way to your big goal than constantly working toward a big goal with nothing to remind you of all your great progress.

So, you may want to say “my goal is to land my first client.” Once you hit that goal, it may become “my goal is to make $1,000” (perhaps you did that with your first client; if so, good for you!). Then, “my goal is to make $5,000/month.” Then $6,000, and so on and so forth.

But make sure your financial goal is your financial goal. What do I mean by that? I mean make sure you’re not setting out to hit a number just because someone else said that was their number. Focus on what makes sense for your business.

Schedule a Monthly Copywriting Finances Check-In

It’s much easier to make smart decisions for your business when you have the information you need to make those decisions. And having a monthly check-in to go over what money came in and what money went out can give you some of the information you need to answer questions like:

• Did I meet my monthly income goal? Why or why not?
• How many pitches did I send last month and did that help me meet my goals? What do I need to adjust?
• How many clients did I work with last month? Was that too few? Too many? Can I repitch them?
• Is the bulk of my income coming from one client? Do I like working with them? Do I need to find a client to replace them?

These are just a few questions to consider during your check-in. With this information you can plan what you need to do for the coming month.

It’s also a lot easier to course correct when you catch something soon after it happens. For example, perhaps no one is responding to your pitches. By digging in and figuring out why that may be, you can make small adjustments before you send out 20 additional pitches with the same mistake.

The more you look at your numbers, the less mystifying they’ll be, the less afraid you’ll be to look at them, and the more successful your business has the potential to be.

Watch More

If you have a financial goal you want to hit, then knowing your numbers is essential. Watch this episode of the Build Your Copywriting Business podcast to get more tips from Nicki and Kate on how you can track your finances and hit your goals.

From putting quarterly check-ins on your calendar to also tracking how much energy certain projects and clients take you, you’ll be able to get a better picture of your finances and the changes you need to hit your goals.

Your Turn! What other numbers do you look at to get your copywriting finances and financial goals in order?

The post Set Your Copywriting Business Up for Financial Success appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

Both new and seasoned copywriters face this question at some point in their careers: should you be combining copywriting and graphic design services to be a one-stop creative shop for your clients?

The answer isn’t black and white, as this is YOUR business, so the decision will always come down to what you want for your career. However, for most copywriters tacking on graphic design services does not make sense.

Here are four things to consider before deciding to offer multiple creative services.

1. Graphic Design and Copywriting Are Different Specialities

As our Comprehensive Copywriting Academy students know, copywriting takes training. Just like someone shouldn’t hop into a pilot seat with 0 flight training, copywriters shouldn’t offer copywriting services until they’ve received proper training.

The same is true for graphic design. Graphic designers know how to work within a client’s brand guidelines, knowing what colors and fonts to apply to a design and what to stay away from.

They also know how to create balance within designs (how the text, images, and other design elements work together in a layout); align design elements in a way that makes sense for the medium; establish hierarchy so a user knows what to read first, second, third and so on; use white space; create movement; and more.

These terms are barely scratching the surface and each takes practice and skill to use in a way that creates an effective design.

2. Ask Yourself: Is This Resistance Rearing Its Head?

Resistance can come in many forms. Hopping into Canva and designing a logo, business card, or any other fun, but unnecessary, project for your business is one of the most common forms of resistance.

Often this comes up when copywriters are creating spec ads. It takes time and energy to find a designer to work with, so why not just create the ads yourself?

It’s fun to flex a different part of our brain. But that doesn’t mean we should go all-in on becoming a designer, too. Your lack of design training will show.

If you are just digging into copywriting, learning the ins and outs of graphic design while simultaneously building your copywriting skills is a good way to spread yourself too thin and burn out. Keeping your focus on one speciality will get you to landing consistent work a lot faster than if you split your time and energy into learning two skills.

3. Plenty of Clients Will Hire You for Copywriting

Some copywriters think that by being a one-stop-shop they can attract more clients. This isn’t necessarily true.

There are plenty of clients who will hire you to write copy and will not expect you to design, too.

In fact, some clients may see it as a red flag that you do it all, especially if they’re savvy enough to know that these are two different areas of expertise.

And, many clients may already have a designer. Seeing that you position yourself as a design and copy shop, they may pass on your services since they don’t need both.

If you do come across a client who needs a designer, what’s when having a network of designers is handy. You can refer clients to those experts when and if they need them.

As someone who has hit six figures year-over-year just writing copy, I can assure you that adding design services isn’t necessary to hitting a financial goal.

4. If You Offer Copywriting AND Design, Master Both (and Charge Accordingly)

If you do decide to combine copywriting and graphic design services, you need to master both skills. Clients can tell when something is designed by an amateur (just like they can tell when copy is written by someone who doesn’t understand features versus benefits).

If you’ve been copywriting for a while, you may already know that you can make a great living as a copywriter, without adding design services. However, you may be exploring ways to grow your business. If that’s the case, you still need to master graphic design.

You may find you can offer clients a high level of copywriting, but a more basic level of design services. This may cause more of a split focus in your client base than you want as you develop the design skills needed to match your copy expertise.

Remember: as copywriters, we are charging for writing copy only. If you’re offering design and copy services, you’re going to need to make sure your rates reflect the work for both services.

The truth is, very few people are great at graphic design and great at writing copy.

And that’s OK! That’s why graphic designers design and copywriters write.

Your Turn! Have you decided to stick with copywriting or have you merged copy and design services? Tell us why in the comments.

The post Should I Combine Copywriting and Graphic Design Services? appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.