Do great work. It’s as simple as that.

OK, there’s a little more to it, otherwise we wouldn’t have written a blog post.

When you’re first starting out as a copywriter, especially if you want to or have already quit a full-time job, it’s super tempting to rush to land clients.

And that’s great if you feel ready and like you can add value for your clients.

But that’s the key: you want to make sure you’re offering value. Otherwise, you may get a few one-and-done clients and then…that’s it.

When you do great work, clients want to work with you again. And again. And when you do great work, they’re more likely to refer you to their contacts that may benefit from your services.

Getting referrals or repeat work with a client you’ve already worked with and who liked working with you is much easier than landing brand-new clients. And the more you work with a client, the more value you’re able to add as you gain a deeper understanding of the client and their business.

For Copywriters at the Start of Their Journey

If you’re just starting out and you want to make money as soon as possible (and who doesn’t?!), you need to make a plan one of two ways:

Plan Option #1: Work Forwards

Make a list of all the steps you need to take to achieve your goal. Really: break out a piece of paper or open a Word document and write every single little step. Try to put them in order of what you need to do first, knowing there may be some overlap.

For example, you’ll want to start by learning the fundamentals of copywriting and practice flexing your copywriting skills. But you may also want to start working on your portfolio and finding designers to create spec ads.

Whether you wait until your portfolio is in tip-top shape or you want to land work before your portfolio is finished, you’ll want to pitch clients. Once you have all the tasks you need to complete—broken down into small steps—add these to your calendar. What actions are you going to take on which day? Once they’re all added to your calendar, you have a sense of how much time you need to get where you want to go.  

Plan Option #2: Work Backwards

Choose the date you’re aiming to achieve your goal, whether that’s launch your website, have a handful of clients, scale back on your full-time job, or any other goal. From there, take the steps you need to complete and fill them in on your calendar.

Depending on your date and what steps you need to complete, it may be an aggressive timeline, which may mean using weekends or increasing the amount of work you need to tackle each day. Or it may mean honestly assessing whether that date is realistic or if you need a slightly longer timeline.

No matter whether you choose to work forwards or backwards, come up with a schedule that works for you and stick to it. If you schedule dates are on your calendar and treat them as seriously you would any other appointment on your calendar, you’re more likely to treat your copywriting work as a business versus treating it like a hobby.

By ensuring you’re learning the ins and outs of copywriting first, you can lay a strong foundation for delivering value to your clients.

For Copywriters Who Have Landed Clients

Once you’re working with clients, it’s critical to deliver your best work. That means getting crystal clear on the creative brief so you can write copy that hits the right tone and meets the intended goal. It also means asking for feedback from clients and making sure you get all the information you need to revise that copy until your client is thrilled with it.

Whether your clients have a lot of edits or a few edits, you want to ask for feedback on what they like and why they like it. This will give you additional knowledge that will help you the next time you work with the client or it might give you new ideas to pitch them.

But beyond feedback on the copy, you’ll want to ask about the process. What did they like about working with you besides nailing the copy? Are there things you can do to improve the client experience?

These questions not only help you provide better service moving forward, they show you care about your work and your clients (and they may also prove to be fantastic testimonials for your portfolio!).

You may be the best copywriter in the world, but if you’re inflexible, unresponsive, or unfriendly, your client may not want to work with you again. These less concrete qualities go a long way to building rapport with your clients.

When you’re a freelance copywriter, you’re a copywriter, but you’re also head of your customer service department. Make sure you’re offering the kind of customer service that makes your customers come back for more.

Want More Career Advice?

If you’re looking for more advice for a successful copywriter career, we’ve got it! Here’s how to get a promotion, when to make a change, and other tips. 

Your Turn

What are your tactics for getting repeat client work? Let us know in the comments below!

The post The Surefire Way to Get Repeat Copywriting Work appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

Okay, let’s face it: It’s not going to be hard to beat 2020. Even if you were lucky enough to avoid the illness and catastrophe that some people faced (and even if, like many of our students, you actually made a lot of progress on making your dreams come true)…2020 was still a rough one.

Globally, I think, we’re all tentatively optimistic that 2021 will turn things back around. But I also think that’s a lot of hoping and wishing for external forces to make our lives better. Personally, I firmly believe in being proactive, doing the best that I can, and celebrating the wins, big and small.

And if 2021 turns out to be pretty good as a whole, then more’s the better.

So, I’d encourage you to join me and to commit to making 2021 as good as it can be. And there’s a strong possibility that if you really commit, do the work, and follow these steps, it can be one of your very best years yet. Ready? Let’s dig in:

Schedule time for a daily planning session.

Set aside 15 minutes at the beginning of every workday. It’ll help you get clear on where you are, what you’ve done, and what you need to work on next. This, alone, is a huge game-changer. And, of course, actually schedule it on your calendar each day or you’ll forget about it.

Ask yourself this question every morning.

During your daily planning session each day, ask yourself “What is the ONE thing I can do today to move my business/career forward?” and then make that your day’s number one priority.

Evaluate your energy.

We don’t have access to equal amounts of energy and creativity throughout the day. Take some time to figure out when YOU are most energetic and creative and schedule your most high-impact (or most creative) work then.

Commit to knowing that you CAN do it.

Look, whatever your goal is with your business, it CAN be done. And if it’s possible, then you CAN do it. Sure, some things will be harder than others and some things might take more work or longer hours than others, but it’s POSSIBLE. So drop all of the “What if I’m not good enough/smart enough/anything enough” and just commit to knowing you CAN do it. Repeat after me, “Some parts of this will be hard, but I CAN DO IT.”

Commit to countering your inner critic.

This goes along with that last one. Committing to the fact that you can do it is a big deal, but that doesn’t mean that your inner critic, or the voice of your Resistance, is going to quiet down. In fact, it might even get louder. So EXPECT that. EXPECT to hear from your inner critic and know that it’s part of the process. And, every time you hear it, literally respond by saying, “I hear you, but I know it can be done. And if it can be done, I can do it.” Truly, the more you make this a habit, the faster your life will change.

Explore the consequences of not doing the work.

As humans, we move toward things we want and away from things we don’t want. Sometimes the drive to move something that we want is strong enough to get us to take action (“I want a career I love! I want to make a great income! I want flexibility!”) and sometimes it’s not. When it’s not, it’s time to also really think through the consequences of not doing the work. For example, some days it’s easy to say, “You know what? I’m going to go easy on myself today. I’m going to watch a little Netflix instead.” And that seems reasonable until you go back and realize how much time you’ve devoted to Netflix instead of to your business.

So, when you’re tempted to skip the work, explore what the consequences of that action will be. You’ll have to spend longer in a career you don’t like, money will be tight for longer, you’ll be exhausted and frustrated by your job for longer, etc. By skipping the work, you’re CHOOSING all of those negative consequences. So when getting down to work is hard, make sure you have a full understanding of what not doing the work means.

Write out your goals for the year.

Everyone talks about this, but it’s shocking how few people actually take this step. So, be one of the few—be one of the winners. What are your career/business goals for 2021? How much do you want to earn? What do you want your working life to look like? And what will you have to accomplish each month to get there? (AKA, what goal for each month will put you on track to meet your yearly goals.) Really: Take 15 minutes right now and write out your goals. You can’t get where you want to go if you don’t know where that is.

Your turn! Will you commit to doing any of these things in the new year? If so, which ones? Let us know in the comments below!

The post How to Make 2021 The Best Year Yet appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

We all have dream clients: Companies that are so cool or so interesting or so inspiring that it would rock our worlds to write with them. 

And maybe you can even expand that to a whole group or list of clients that seem interesting or exciting. They certainly don’t need to fall into the same niche (and probably shouldn’t—learn when to break the copywriting niche rule), but they appeal to you personally.

That’s great.

But they shouldn’t encompass your entire client list. There are four very important reasons to work with clients that don’t initially interest or excite you. 

1. Limiting Yourself Limits Your Business

First, let’s just be practical here: There are a whole lot more clients in the world than just the ones you’re interested in and limiting yourself is going to limit your business. Why impose a limit on your business??

Plus, these falls under our “don’t make assumptions” rule. Assumptions will cut your copywriting business in half (if not more!). You have no clue whether you’ll enjoy working with a business until you at least hop on a discovery call with them. Even then, it’s hard to know until you actually start doing work. The best part about being a freelancer? You can always wrap up a project and move on to the next client!

Even if you’re full-time, nothing says you have to stay in a job for a certain amount of time any more. You, of course, want to give it enough time to distinguish moving outside your comfort zone with true dislike for the work.

The more you can identify what is maybe a challenge and pushing you to grow versus what truly drains your energy, the more opportunities you’ll have.

2. Challenging Yourself Grows Your Copywriting Skills

Second, challenge is good for you as a person and especially as a copywriter. Remember that a big part of your job is putting yourself in the target audience’s shoes, and if that’s not a perspective you naturally have it’ll be a great growth experience. As a copywriter, you’re tasked with making a message interesting to the target audience, even if you, personally, don’t find it interesting.

Learning how to make something interesting to a group that you don’t innately understand is a VERY important skill to develop as a copywriter.

3. Digging Deeper Will Likely Spark Interest

Third, there’s a good chance that once you once you dig in and learn more about companies, what they’re offering, why they’re offering it, and why their target audiences want it, you WILL find it interesting.

One of my most interesting clients ended up being a residential tractor company! I would have NEVER thought I’d be interested in it at the outset, but learning more about what they had to offer, the unique subset of people that were looking for that unusual product, and WHY they wanted it became fascinating.

It becomes a puzzle that you need to solve. How can I best connect this target audience with the solution to their need?

4. Taking Diverse Work Makes You a More Valuable Copywriter

Fourth, having a variety of work for a variety of different types of clients broadens your client base, of course, but it also broadens the types of work in your portfolio—and that makes you much more interesting and appealing to other types of clients.

Remember, you’ll get the most success by demonstrating the depth and breadth of your skill in your portfolio and working with clients you’re not initially “wowed” by can do just that. 

Watch More: How To Write Compelling Copy

On episode 153 of the Build Your Copywriting Business podcast, Nicki and Kate are digging into how you can write powerful, compelling copy—even when the product or service initially doesn’t seem all that compelling.

The truth is, as a copywriter, you’ll likely write for companies where you are not the target audience. This isn’t a bad thing! In fact, it’s quite the opposite. You can bring a fresh lens to projects. That’s the fun of being a copywriter; you get to put yourself in the target audience’s shoes. You get to solve a puzzle in which the end product is compelling copy that makes the target audience say, “Oh my goodness they get me!”

Watch for more tips on how you can make your copy compelling—and even reframe how you’re thinking about what is “compelling” in the first place.

Your Turn

So, there you have it! Have I convinced you? Are you open to working with clients outside of your “dream” list? Let me know in the comments below!

The post The Huge Benefits of Writing for Clients that Don’t “Wow” You appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

This isn’t going to be a major revelation but in to be a professional copywriter and have a successful career, you need, well, clients. Paying clients.

And to get those clients, you need a proven system for finding, pitching, and landing those clients. (All of which we teach in the CCA, so if you’re a student, no worries there.)

But all this invariably leads to the question: “How do I know when I’m ready to pitch clients?”

The truth is that you’ll never feel 100% ready. There’s always going to be a voice in your mind with a reason to wait or something else you “should” do before you get started.

There are only three essentials to being ready to pitch.

1. You’ve Learned Key Copywriting Techniques

You understand both the fundamentals and the advanced tactics of writing copy. You’ve watched the videos, you’ve taken notes, you’ve evaluated the copy you see around you every day. You may have even rewritten pieces of copy you’ve come across to strengthen the benefit to consumer or make the CTA even clearer. And you understand that copywriting is about connecting people who have a need with the best solution to that need and doing it by writing in a way that connects with that audience. That kind of pushy selling isn’t what copywriting is about.

2. You’ve Practiced Copywriting

Until you take the time to write copy (like with the action sheets we provide in the CCA), edit your own copy, and ask for feedback, you don’t really know how to write copy. As good as our training is, you do have to do the work to master the techniques!

For most new copywriters, this will involve creating spec ads (though some copywriters opt to start pitching small businesses and nonprofits first).

3. You Have a Process for Pitching

You can’t just send out an email asking for work or, worse, send out a mass email to a bunch of contacts. You need to learn the system for sending out pitches that are so full of value for the recipients that they welcome your pitches and they’re much more likely to get in touch. (This is also in the CCA. I didn’t call it “comprehensive” for nothing.)

And, of course, you need to make sure your pitches aren’t sales-y.

Getting Over the Fear of Pitching

Once you’ve crossed those off your list, you’re ready to get pitching. Will there still be things for you to learn? Of course! This is a full career; there will ALWAYS be more things to learn. You’ll be developing your skills for the rest of your life!

You’ll be developing your pitches, too. You won’t just send out one batch and be done; you’ll refine your pitches to make them more and more effective the more you work with clients and the more you refine what you have to offer.

But you can’t do any of this until you get started. And you don’t get over the fear of pitching until you do it. And do it again.

As I tell our students, you can’t wait to “feel like it” before you take action. You have to take action, whether you feel like it or not! And that extends to feeling ready—you have to start pitching before you feel ready. Because, again, you will likely never feel completely ready.

Just set yourself a deadline or set aside some time on your calendar to do it…and do it.

And, if you’re concerned about the reaction from businesses? That’s a mindset switch. Business owners want your pitches (read more on why that is here).

Do You Need a Portfolio Before Pitching?

This is one of the most common questions. Our answer? Not necessarily.

Obviously, the ideal scenario is to have your portfolio site live and chock full of fantastic samples before you start pitching. But we don’t live in an ideal world.

If you see great opportunities to pitch out in the world, if you identify clients you want to work with, or even if you need to bring some cash in right away…don’t let waiting to get your site live get in the way.

Get it live as fast as you can, but don’t let it get in the way of pitching if you identify opportunities you want to go after. If a potential client asks to see the website you don’t have yet, you just reply with the truth: “I’m actually right in the middle of getting my site up, but I think I can make a huge impact on your business, so I didn’t want to wait to get in touch.”

Start training yourself to have a bias toward action and it will pay off (BIG time) in your business.

Watch More: Avoid These Mistakes When Pitching Freelance Clients

Have you been pitching freelance clients but never getting a response? You’ll want to listen as Nicki and Kate break down how not to pitch. On this episode of the Build Your Copywriting Business podcast, they dive into the biggest mistakes to avoid when pitching freelance clients and why those mistakes are hurting your business.

Your Turn

What’s your deadline to start pitching? Do you dare to make a commitment right here and now? Let us know in the comments below!

The post How Do I Know If I’m Ready to Pitch Copywriting Clients? appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

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 are usually the loudest in giving their opinions.

At the same time, maybe you’ve wondered this, too. Maybe you’ve seen the testimonials on our site and thought:

“If all of those people are already successful, is there even any room for me?”

In a word, yes.

In three words, very much yes. But let’s dig in a little further.

There Aren’t As Many Copywriters as You Think

First, I think it’s interesting that no one’s ever concerned about the markets being “flooded” with doctors or accountants or mechanics or any of those and institutions of higher learning are churning people in those professions out in the thousands upon thousands upon thousands every single year.

But I get it, someone sees my Facebook ad a couple of times and assumes that we’re doing the same. Let me assure you: Our numbers are nowhere near that high.

And, considering there are really only a handful of consistently running copywriting courses that actually teach marketable copywriting skills, there’s not going to be any market-flooding any time soon.

The Internet is very good at showing you more of what it thinks you want. So, if you’ve expressed interest in copywriting, you’re going to see a ton of copywriting content. That makes it feel like the world is filled with copywriters. But don’t let that fool you. Look at the actual data.

The Opportunity for Copywriters is Large

Let’s look at it from the other side—the opportunity side.

You’ve probably heard me say before that there is so much more need for good, skilled copywriters than there are good, skilled copywriters to fill it.

That’s very true. And no matter how long I have this company and no matter how many copywriters I train, that will remain true.

Why? Because there are SO MANY companies and organizations out there.

The simple fact of the matter is that every single company and organization uses copy. Copy conveys their messages and allows a company or organization to meet its goals. Copy is essential to ALL companies and organizations.

Now, will every single one of them hire a copywriter? Of course not. But you don’t need them to.

The most recent statistic I could find (2019) conveys that there are more than 32.5 million businesses in the US. Along with that, there are more than 1.5 million nonprofits in the US.

(Global students and readers, I just used US numbers because they were easiest to find instead of tracking down and adding up the numbers for all English-speaking countries and companies.)

That means that there are more than 34,000,000 businesses and organizations operating within JUST the US that have a need for copywriting.

And don’t forget, you can write for businesses and organizations in any English-speaking country AND any company that is marketing to English-speakers, wherever that company is located.

For example, for several years I worked with a Brazilian company that made videos for other Brazilian companies that wanted to reach English-speaking audiences.

And, don’t forget that 543,000 new businesses are started EACH MONTH.

Now, again, not every single one of these will hire copywriters. (Even though they should.)

But if only ONE PERCENT of the 34 million companies hired copywriters?

(The real percentage would much, much, much higher but I’m making a point here.)

That would be 340,000 companies or organizations IN THE US ALONE.

How Many Clients Copywriters Need vs. How Much Work There Is

Considering the average copywriter needs, oh, 5 or 6 clients (on average) a month to make an excellent full-time living (and retainer clients, who keep working with you over and over, decrease the number of new clients you need)…

There is SO MUCH more need for good copywriters than there are good copywriters to fill it.

Not only will we not “flood the market” with copywriters, but there remains (and will remain) an actual drought of copywriters.

And the companies that are looking for copywriters? Many of them are looking for multiple copywriters! Ad agencies have teams of copywriters. Internal marketing teams often have several copywriters, if not an entire team. Small businesses may work with several copywriters. And that’s not even touching on maternity leaves, overflow work for busy periods, and more!

Don’t let fear-mongering or misinformation from misinformed people scare you off. If you love writing, if you have a natural talent for it and if you’re open to learning and willing to follow the steps that you’re given…

Copywriting is, and will remain, a HUGE career opportunity.

Watch More

Listen as Nicki and Kate dig deeper into the math and why how we feel about things isn’t always how they actually are. They also discuss why not all copywriters are created equal—so even if there are people calling themselves copywriters, it doesn’t mean they know how to write copy (which means there’s even more room and opportunity for trained copywriters!).

Your turn! Has this information changed how you feel about copywriting? If so, how? Let me know in the comments below!

*543,000 new businesses each month

*34.5+ million businesses in the US

*1.5+ million nonprofits in the US

The post Will the Market Be Flooded with Copywriters? appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

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 is writing that’s designed to sell or persuade. It’s emails, websites, sales pages, banner ads, direct mail, even billboards.

Copywriting is about making connections — connecting people who have a want or need with the solution to that want or need by writing in a way that resonates with them.

So while companies were laying off staff, they were also bringing on freelancers to help them keep their businesses afloat and continue making money.

Two Things You Need to Have (Especially During Challenging Economic Times)

Now, look, I’m not making—and I never make—any income guarantees. I can give you the steps, but you have to take the action. 

And I’m not telling you that you shouldn’t be concerned about a financial downturn. 

But what I can tell you is that, at any point,—and most especially during challenging economic times—there are two things you need to make sure you have:

First, you need to have a skill that helps businesses make money. In an economic downturn, businesses slough off tasks, teams, and even divisions that don’t directly contribute to revenue and they focus attention and resources on those that do. 

Second, you need a skill that you can do as a freelancer. The great thing is that most skills can be done freelance—the key is that you need to be ready and willing to take on the freelance mantle if need be. 

I’m not saying you should quit your job—far from it!—but if you want to make sure that you weather an economic downturn with as little turbulence as possible, you need to make sure you have the skills—and the systems—to find and market yourself to clients.

It’s probably not a surprise at this point, but copywriting fulfills both of those qualifications. Even if you don’t want to write copy full-time, it might be worth thinking about investing in a side hustle skill; something that can add income in the good times and help keep you stable in the challenging ones. 

Caution: Blog Writing is NOT Copywriting

One quick note, though: 

Blog writing is NOT the same thing as copywriting. Blogs are content — or writing that’s designed to educate, entertain, or inspire. Content helps companies establish their expertise, get ranked on search engines, and can help get some traffic to a site.

Copy drives action. Content supports attention. Both have their place in a business, but one earns a writer much more money. Hint, hint: It’s the one that can drive sales.

Unfortunately, that’s not the case with content. Content is important, absolutely, but it’s not a business necessity. Content writers — blog post writers — will have an *extremely* hard time getting work and clients in any kind of economic depression.

(And that’s on top of already being faced with a flooded market and competition that’s willing to write for two cents a word.)

Yes, things can get scary during an economic downturn. And no, I’m absolutely NOT promising you smooth sailing. 

But what I can tell you is that it’s a good idea to do what you can to insulate yourself against challenges that might come up—especially since that insulation can only benefit you, no matter the economic situation.

It wasn’t a fluke that I first hit six-figures in the middle of the Great Recession. I had the skills and I had the systems that let me take full advantage of what was a terrible situation for many but that turned out to be a huge opportunity for me.

And that opportunity also supported me in remaining a six-figure copywriter from then on. 

No one can predict the future and, if anything, I tend to be more optimistic about it than many. But I also think it’s just the wise thing to do to help make sure you’re okay, no matter what comes up. 

The post Recessions Are Huge Opportunities for Copywriters. Here’s Why. appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

There are a lot of tasks that require focus and persistence when you’re building your copywriting business.

What we’re talking about today is not one of them.

The process of compiling the companies that you’re going to pitch should be easy, light-hearted, and fun. This is one part of your business-building in which I’m going to actively encourage you to go down rabbit holes.

As my students know, compiling your (ever-growing!) list of companies to pitch starts with identifying a company you’d like to write for (whether that’s based on personal interest, some special insight based on your background, or simply proximity). After that, you’ll research and list companies that are both direct and indirect competitors of those, and then list direct and indirect competitors for each of those.

But again, if you’re in the middle of research and you come across a company that interests you, go down that rabbit hole and research that company and all of its direct and indirect competitors. You can’t have too many companies on your list and you’ll never be able to list even a small, small fraction of the companies you could possibly pitch. It’s fun!

And yet.

Some people find ways to limit this list and, as a result, severely limit their possibilities for pitching. And when you limit who you pitch to, you drastically limit your career.

4 Common Assumptions Copywriters Make

Do any of these sound familiar?

1. “Well, I’m not going to pitch this company because it’s too big—they definitely already have copywriters on staff to do the work.”
2. “I’m not going to pitch this company because it’s too small—they’re not going to have the budget to hire me.”
3. “I’m not going to pitch this company because they’re looking for a full-time copywriter—they don’t want a freelancer.”
4. “I’m not going to pitch this company because they’re going through layoffs—they don’t have the money to hire freelancers.”

Let me make this very clear: You have NO IDEA what is going on within a company. And you will severely limit your career if you don’t pitch companies because you think you know what’s going on inside them.

Why These Assumptions Are Unfounded (And Could Hurt Your Copywriting Business)

As someone who has worked for multi-billion-dollar companies with plenty of copywriters on staff AND hired freelancers, let me assure you that companies with copywriters on their payroll hire freelancers all the time. They hire them for extra help, they hire them for special projects, they hire them to cover on-staff writers’ leaves.

As someone who works with solopreneurs (one-person companies) let me assure you that they absolutely hire copywriters—and they understand the value of great copy. And don’t make assumptions about their incomes either; I personally know several solopreneurs whose businesses bring in multiple seven figures.

Sometimes companies post a job listing for a full-time copywriter because they think that’s what they need when they’d actually be better served by a freelancer. Or sometimes they post for a full-time position because they weren’t sure how to find freelancers. Sometimes they’re just trying to get the word out. Just because they’re posting for a full-time position doesn’t mean they’re married to that.

And companies that are going through layoffs? They’re being extra vigilant about their budgets—which means they’re much more likely to work with freelancers than to hire full-time staff.

The Bottom Line: You Don’t Know What’s Going on Inside a Company

You never know what’s going on inside a company and if you make decisions based on assumptions and unfounded ideas about them, you’ll miss out on hundreds and hundreds of opportunities throughout the course of your career.

The worst a company can do when you pitch them is say “no.” But don’t be the one to do it for them by never even giving yourself a chance to get in the door.

Your turn! Have you let preconceptions limit your to-pitch list of potential clients? What fears have you let stop you? Let me know in the comments below.

The post The Very Common Assumptions That Will Cut Your Copywriting Business in Half appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

You already know that pitching clients is the #1 way to affect and control your workload and your income.

But I know…the idea of reaching out to people seems scary. It seems soooo much easier to just watch those job-bidding sites and respond when you see something posted. (Which is a great strategy for frustration and underpayment.)

What you’re not aware of is how very, very easy it is for your pitch to be a bright spot in someone’s inbox. It really doesn’t take much. (But more on that in a second.)

The Don’ts of a Pitch

Let’s take a look at the kind of pitches that are flooding business email inboxes everyday. Prepare for a strong lesson in exactly how not to pitch.

Now, I’m going to completely take this apart. Please understand, I’m not doing this to be petty or to shame her. I’m sure she’d do better if she were taught how. But I want to make it really clear to you what constitutes a terrible pitch…and then how easy it is to be better.

Here’s what’s wrong with this:

1. Mass email. If you can’t take the time to write an email to me, why should I take the time to read it? Especially when you want me to do you a favor?
   
2. Gimmicky, annoying subject line. My assistant forwarded this to me from our general company inbox. If I’d gotten it in my own inbox, I would have immediately deleted it. Also, the “opportunity” that the subject line references is an opportunity for HER, not for me. So, not only does the subject line not have a benefit to consumer, it focuses on the benefit to SENDER.
   
3. Clearly did not research our business. This goes along with it being a mass email, but I’ve seen mass emails that have at least (badly) copied and pasted details about my company. Or at least my name. It’s obvious that the only “research” she managed to do was to find our email address.
   
4. Doesn’t tell me anything about herself. Even if we did accept guest posts (we don’t anymore), she doesn’t give me any information about herself or what makes her able to write a great post for her audience.
   
5. Doesn’t offer me any benefit for letting her post. This whole email is asking for a favor from me—allowing her to publicize herself by putting a guest post on our blog—but she doesn’t give me any reasons why that would benefit me, our company, or our readers. The whole email is basically an “offer” for me to do her a favor.
   
6. Asks ME to do the work of offering topic suggestions! All these elements are pretty egregious, but this might be the worst. (It’s arguable, though.) She wants me to let her guest post on our blog, but she also expects me to do the work of providing her with topics she could write about.

All in all, this is a pretty textbook example of what not to do. But, again, this is what most pitches in people’s inboxes look like! All of which means that when you send your well-crafted, well-researched pitch, you are a breath of fresh air.

The Dos of a Pitch

We have a whole, in-depth training on it in the Comprehensive Copywriting Academy, so I can’t possibly give you all the details you need to know to craft an effective pitch. But, for our purposes, on a high level, your pitch needs to contain:

1. Enthusiasm. The best way to warm up a cold prospect is to convey your genuine enthusiasm for the company, what they do, what they sell, and/or what they stand for.
   
2. Your personality. Your pitch is a way to give people a feel for who you are as a person, for your unique insights, and for your expertise as a copywriter.
   
3. Value. Never, never send out an email to a prospect that isn’t chock full of value—that doesn’t give them a very compelling reason to be glad your email came along. The ideas you share and the resources you send along in follow-ups demonstrate your expertise, give them a reason to get in touch with you, and are beneficial, useful concepts that your prospect could use to improve their business.

Remember, too, when you’re sending good pitches, prospects WANT you to pitch them. They want to find a great solution to their problem with the least effort possible and you could be that great solution just by showing up in their inbox as friendly, enthusiastic, and full of value. That’s how you build relationships and land clients.

The email I received? That’s how you end up getting deleted.

Watch More: Clients Want You to Pitch Them

In this episode of the Build Your Copywriting Business podcast, hosts Nicki and Kate look at pitching from the perspective of the business owner. Reframe how you’re thinking about pitching and see why your ideal clients want your pitches!

Your Turn

Have you been on the receiving end of one of these bad pitches? Or are you still feeling nervous about crafting your own pitches? Let me know in the comments below!

The post How NOT to Pitch Potential Copywriting Clients appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

Let’s imagine you’re sitting in a bar. A member of your preferred partnering gender walks in the door, walks up to you, and says, “Hi, it’s nice to meet you. Will you marry me?”

Would you do it? Of course not! There would be numerous dates and conversations and experiences before you’d be ready to take that step in that relationship.

So then, why do so many businesses operate like that? Why do they push you to buy as soon as you land on the site or walk in the door?

The truth is that business relationships aren’t that different from personal relationships—and businesses have a lot better chance of getting the sale if they spend some time nurturing the relationship with their prospective customers before they ask for the sale.

One of the best (and easiest) ways to do that is by creating an email funnel: an automated series of emails that leads the recipient from one frame of mind to another.

Instead of immediately asking someone to make a purchase, a funnel lets the company introduce itself to the customer, teach the customer a few things (and increase its authority), bust a few myths, and get the customer primed and excited to make the purchase.

When a funnel is created well, the recipient should be practically clamoring to take the action the funnel leads to. But, of course, it’s not easy to create an effective funnel…which is why companies need copywriters like you.

And which kind of companies or organizations would benefit from funnels? Oh, just pretty much all of them. Small, online companies would benefit, of course, but so would large companies and nonprofit organizations.

What about brick and mortar stores or service providers? Yep, them too. In fact, one of my clients is a business coach for brick and mortar stores and service providers and one of the cornerstones of what she teaches is just how transformational emails can be for their businesses.

And this is a major opportunity, because not only do many of these businesses not have email funnels, they don’t yet even know about the positive impact they could have on their businesses. The education is pretty simple, and the outcome is huge.

Even online solopreneurs who have a much better understanding of the need for funnels don’t tend to know how to structure them, much less how to write them. And because these business’ revenues often rely very heavily on an effective email funnel, they need your help—and they know they need your help.

Learning to write effective email funnels and sales pages (as we teach in the CCA) can be fun and rewarding for you and, just as excitingly, incredibly rewarding for your clients.

Your turn! Which businesses have you seen that could most benefit from a good email funnel? Let me know in the comments below!

The post Why Your Clients Need Funnels (And Need You to Write Them) appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

I’ve heard it, you’ve heard it, we’ve all heard it: “Writers don’t make any money!”

Or even more specifically: “Copywriters don’t really make any money—it’s all lies.”

(In fact, there are many misconceptions and myths about copywriting. We look at more of them in this blog post. >>)

As someone who, when I’m focused on just copywriting, has no problem hitting six figures and now dedicates a large portion of my time to helping others maximize their copywriting income, too, let me just remind you:

The people who shout the loudest are often the people who have no idea what they’re talking about.

Of course, some really think that they know what they’re talking about—because they way they’ve tried to build a copywriting career didn’t work.

Where Lies the Problem?

And therein lies the problem: It’s not the career that’s faulty. It’s the way that some people try to create that career that’s faulty.

Let’s look a metaphor for a moment. You know that show, “The Bachelor?” (You can pretend not to know it, but I know you do.) The scenario is that one improbably handsome man (or woman, in the case of “The Bachelorette”) gets to choose their ideal mate from among 25 improbably attractive women.

All of which is to say that this is a great deal for “The Bachelor”…and a pretty crummy deal for the 25 women. It’s not a promising ratio for the ladies.

Well, guess what? The way that most people try to pursue a copywriting career is exactly the same: A crummy ratio that is NOT in their favor.

Would-be copywriters see a job or a project listing and apply for it, which seems like a pretty standard tactic, right? And that’s the problem—it’s a VERY standard tactic. Which means that a lot of would-be copywriters are doing it, too.

It’s a ratio of one job to dozens and dozens of copywriters. Not a great ratio for the copywriters.

Make the Numbers Work in Your Favor

But now let’s imagine a different scenario—and a different ratio. Instead of one project and multiple copywriters vying for it, imagine one copywriter (you) and multiple possible opportunities, as many opportunities as you want.

That sounds better, right?

Well, that’s how the pitching process I teach in the Comprehensive Copywriting Academy works. You do the research and craft friendly, engaging, and compelling pitches to send out to prospective clients. (And, for best results, you do it on a regular, systematic basis.)

And, don’t forget, prospective clients want you to pitch them. You’re solving a problem for them (providing a skilled copywriting resource at the ready), and even if they don’t need you now, they’re likely to save your information for later.

Sure, if you see a job or project posted out there, you can absolutely apply for it. But that should definitely not be your main strategy.

Instead of being one of many copywriters applying for a project, you’re one copywriter popping up in many potential clients’ inboxes, offering insightful ideas and a skilled copywriter ready and willing to work with them.

In short, get the ratio right and you can get your career right.

Your Turn

What concerns or questions do you have about pitching? Let me know in the comments below!

The post Why the Way Most Copywriters Look for Work…Doesn’t Work appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.