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

A Sneak Peek at the Episode

[2:10] Pricing copywriting services is more of an art than a science—there’s no exact formula that will work every time. Be wary of online tools and calculators for pricing as they are often unreliable and produce unrealistic figures (like the calculator that suggested Kate charge $13,800 for a homepage—good luck finding a client for that!)

[5:00] Every single client and project is different. As professionals, our strength lies in adapting to each project’s unique needs and tailoring solutions for our clients. Fixed pricing doesn’t allow us to be the partner that we should be for our clients.

[6:50] It’s important to understand the specifics before setting prices, especially since clients who aren’t copywriters may not know what questions to ask initially. Don’t feel pressured to provide a quote until you have a clear understanding of the project’s scope and requirements from the client’s perspective.

[12:10] Nicki and Kate discuss key factors to prioritize (and disregard) when establishing baseline prices and hourly rates, including project scope, rush time, previous pricing, and more.

[15:00] How do you know how long a project will take? Nicki and Kate discuss the importance of timing tasks like drafting emails accurately, and to consider factors such as revisions, client communication, and urgent project requests.

[17:37] Avoid providing a quote during a discovery call. Take into account all necessary elements before preparing and sending the quote to your client!

[22:44] There are a number of elements that you want to factor in as you’re coming up with your quote.  Kate and Nicki encourage us to work at a rate we are happy with instead of comparing your rates to other copywriters.

[28:50] Nicki and Kate touch on some of the other ways people charge, including by the word and hourly work. As a copywriter, you want to avoid clients that are asking to pay by the word!

Must-Hear Takeaways

“Part of what makes us valuable as professionals is that we go into each project fresh and build a solution for a client based on their individual needs and that individual project. So if we say, ‘This is the only thing we offer, and this is the only price for it,’ then we’re not being the partner that we should be for our clients and not offering them everything that they need in order to accomplish their goals.” – Nicki

“You can’t have templatized costs for things because it’s going to vary from client to client. And you can’t base your prices on what other people are quoting either. Sometimes in the group, our students will ask, ‘OK, guys, what are you guys quoting for this?’ And I completely understand that impulse because everybody wants to know, ‘Am I in the right area? Am I in the right ballpark?’ But it’s going to be so different from client to client and from project to project, and even the area that your client is based in.” – Nicki

“There are lots of questions you want to dig into before you even start working on the pricing. And bear in mind too that clients don’t know what to ask. They’re not professional copywriters. So the only thing they know to ask is, ‘Oh, are you a copywriter? Are you available? And how much does it cost?’ That’s the only thing they know how to ask. So instead of automatically going, ‘Oh, I have to figure out what to tell them my’, take a step back and you can say to them, ‘You know what, that’s a really great question, but I can’t really quote you a price until I have a better understanding of your project.'”

Related Links

• Why Most Advice About How to Price Your Services is Dead Wrong for You
• Copywriting is Only 1/3 Writing, Here’s Why That Affects How You Charge
• What Copywriters Charge for Content Writing
• When and How to Raise Your Copywriting Rates

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.

The post Summer Rewind: Ep. 17 How to Set Your Copywriting Rates appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

TUNE IN: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Stitcher

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

A Sneak Peek at the Episode

[1:44] Our hosts welcome business and operations strategist Jessica Lackey. After climbing the corporate ladder at Nike, Jessica began to feel the impact of putting profit over people. Now, she combines her expertise in business strategy with a human-centered perspective to help entrepreneurs grow and scale sustainable businesses.

[5:15] One of the biggest mistakes freelancers make when scaling their business is jumping too far beyond the stage of business that they’re in.

[9:52] If you want to move out of the early stages of business, Jessica encourages us to focus on gaining a breadth of experience with client work so you can start to see patterns in who you like to serve. You also need to dedicate time to start building your portfolio.

[14:00] As humans, we want to be where we see the future is and we want to be there right now. Jessica advises focusing on one big system in your business every season and one concrete project every month.  

[18:57] What we think is the problem is not always the problem. For example, if a copywriter is thinking, “I’m just I’m not sending out pitches and it’s so hard”, the *real* problem might be that they’re trying to do it at a time of day when they have low energy.

[22:00] Jessica explains how the “five whys” concept can help you go below what seems to be the solution and help you identify the true problem.

[24:07] It’s important to separate your emotions from the objective truth if you want to make effective changes in your business. Grounding exercises can help to make sure you’re in a regulated enough space to notice a truth you may have been ignoring. 

[27:56] Instead of dwelling on missed goals, take a look at whether you executed the plan fully. If not, try to pinpoint the gap—safety, skill, or desire—and address it.

[32:05] As James Clear says, “We don’t rise to the level of our goals, we fall to the level of our systems.” So how can you spend some time every month putting the infrastructure in place to make working on your business easier?

[34:26] Systems are not about restrictions, they’re about holistic organization—people, processes, and tools. They provide freedom by preventing chaos and uncertainty. With systems, you are in control, knowing what’s ahead and where everything stands.

Must-Hear Takeaways

“I think one of the problems is we tend to see people take on methods that are meant for businesses scaling that actually take you away from the core methods that you need to tend to seeds and sprouts. And so we’re doing a lot of work, but it’s actually work meant for a business that’s not ours or a business that’s more senior than ours or more experienced than ours, because that’s what we see our teachers doing. So it’s how can we level set and be like, okay, I am where I am in my business and what do I need to focus on at this stage of business?” – Jessica

“Yes, revenue and numbers are important and yes, we want to make money, but I would rather at the seed and sprout stage see you get more reps in and doing client work and getting those patterns versus being as focused on the pricing per project. Again, we never want to be unprofitable, but I think too many times I see people worrying about the right pricing and the right structure for the offer and I’m like, just go do the work, get, you know, 10 to 20 reps and see what types of patterns are emerging in the type of work you’re doing. And then set aside time to do the heavy lifting in our own businesses that we never want to do again. Update that copy, put that portfolio together, make dedicated time to start building that infrastructure. That’s really important.” – Jessica

“Who doesn’t want to go overnight from a seed to a tree with fruits, like a mature tree, even though we know nature says that you grow a ring every single year and it takes some time to build. But I think we’re human. We want to be where we see the future is and we want to be there right now. That’s, I think, why it’s so hard.” – Jessica

Mentioned on this Episode

• Visit Jessica’s Website
• Follow Jessica on LinkedIn
• Follow Jessica on Instagram

Related Links

• The Fastest Way to Grow Your Copywriting Business
• Career Resolutions to Make Right Now
• Your Copywriting Business Plan for a Successful Year
• Preventing Burnout as a Copywriter
• 5 Ways to Instantly Improve Your Copywriting Portfolio Site

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

Ep. 176: How This Ex-Teacher Joined the Filthy Rich Writer Team—As a Copywriter – Rebecca’s Story

The post Episode 177: Reframing Your Copywriting Goals to Align with Your Values – with Jessica Lackey appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

TUNE IN: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Stitcher

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

A Sneak Peek at the Episode

[1:44] Any money that you’re leaving on the table in your copywriting business undercuts the goal of having a free, exciting, and fulfilling life. When you’re pricing out projects for your clients, there are certain things you need to remember to factor in.

[2:51] If you are just factoring in meetings, writing time, and some editing, you’re overlooking many tasks that can end up taking a lot of time when you add them all together.

[4:37] If you can do something special for a client like delivering a project early, let them know that it’s something special. Otherwise, you’re just breaking your boundaries and letting them think that’s normal. 

[5:38] It takes the human brain a little bit of time to transition into different projects so it’s important to factor in time for task switching.

[7:58] It can take a bit of time to get your brain in the right space for writing copy. As this is part of the process, it’s something that you should be charging for.

[9:30] Definitely factor in the discovery call (and the prep work you did!) when charging your client. You might also think about factoring in a small portion of other discovery calls that you’ve had that have increased your skills, experience, and abilities.

[11:28] Estimate the time you spent creating and sending your quote, as well as the time for any research you had to do for that input call and the time you spent consolidating your notes from the call.

[13:57] You shouldn’t have that many unbillable hours when doing work for your copywriting business. Project management systems like Asana can help account for time spent on tasks for specific projects.

[17:08] Don’t forget to factor in the creative review meeting, as well as a couple of rounds of edits. Even if you do a great job first time round, they end up getting the final copy faster, which is a benefit to them. 

[19:20] Your client is paying for the end result, not the individual hours to get there. They only need to know the deliverables they’re getting rather than an hourly breakdown of your time.

[23:30] If you are outsourcing admin tasks or elements of copywriting projects, make sure you know exactly what kind of profit you want to make. Dig into the numbers and factor in all the time it will take to get them up to speed to avoid losing money on the project.

[25:37] Invoicing is still part of the project and this time should be accounted for.

[27:46] When you work with a client and they drag their feet or make things a bit more difficult, consider charging what Nicki calls a PIA (pain in the…rear end) tax!

[29:39] Kate reminds us that if your client uses a payment software with a fee attached, make sure to include it in your project price as it is a convenience for your clients that you’re offering.

[32:59] It can be frustrating that there is no perfect formula for knowing exactly how much to charge your clients. The problem with calculators is that every project is different, every client is different, and every experience is going to be different. But with each project, you will learn.

Must-Hear Takeaways

“Considering that all of us got into copywriting to start a career, we all get into it to make money as a business, to support ourselves. Any money that we’re leaving on the table or we are forgetting to factor in, or missed opportunities…that just undercuts our goal of having a free, exciting, fulfilling life.” – Nicki

“As a freelancer, as a writer, sometimes we get caught up in our emotion and fear and self-doubt, and all that kind of thing. But as business owners we have to step back from that, put on the CFO hat and look at our actual numbers and make sure that we are getting paid for all of the work that we’re doing. Because a business is not going to succeed and thrive if it’s not getting paid for all of the work that it’s doing.” – Nicki

“I think we underestimate just how much time effective, good communication takes. And so you want to build in and bill for all of those hours because it does add up to hours of your time.” – Kate

Mentioned on this Episode

• The Right Way to Raise Copywriting Rates
• Increase Your Copywriting Pricing Without Burning Bridges

Related Links

• How to Set Your Copywriting Rates
• Why Most Advice About How to Price Your Services is Dead Wrong for You
• Copywriting Is Only 1/3 Writing—Here’s Why That Affects How You Charge

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

Ep. 162: #1 Secret for Copywriting Success

The post Episode 163: Are Your Copywriting Prices Leaving Money on the Table? appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

TUNE IN: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Stitcher

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

A Sneak Peek at the Episode

[2:19] Nicki and Kate introduce today’s topic: the concept of copywriting formulas (and what you should do instead!)

[3:32] No business can be successful without effective messaging, and so these templates are aimed at business owners who are intimidated by their own messaging. They prey upon a need in business owners, without actually fulfilling those needs.

[6:53] One of the dangerous things with formulas is that business owners (and even copywriters who are looking for an easy way out) are doing their clients a disservice. You should be digging into the customer’s particular needs and concerns before you even start writing.

[8:58] Templates don’t let you make sure that your writing actually resonates with your target audience or is written in line with the company’s brand voice.

[11:24] There are a lot of parallels with these formulas and the use of AI for copywriting. Ultimately, if you haven’t identified the right benefit for your audience, then the word choices don’t really matter because the message won’t resonate with potential customers.

[12:48] Kate gives an example of a formula she has seen for creating headlines. It shows that just putting words out there without purpose (the antithesis of everything that copywriting is about!) is completely ineffective.

[15:10] Nicki shares how she received three emails from different companies, all with the same subject line, and all following a similar template. It made those companies look lazy and showed they were not geared toward their target consumers.

[17:08] Don’t forget that when you pitch your services, you are helping business owners with something they are likely struggling with. They might otherwise end up opting for these templates, which put them further behind versus taking the time to really think through their messaging with a professional.

[18:30] As copywriters, it can be very tempting to opt into these templates, especially when they are marketed to us using specific metrics like how much it will increase your open rates. But digging into the deep benefits will be so much more effective than any formula.

[21:21] The easy way out is never the effective way. You want to stand out from anything that’s already been created and the whole fun of what we do is combining creativity with strategy. By relying on templates, you take that fun away.

Must-Hear Takeaways

 “If there was a formula for copy that nailed it, that this is what you do and everyone just plugs and plays and does a mad lib and you have the perfect email or sales page or the perfect whatever… we would be out of work, we wouldn’t have jobs if that is how it worked.” – Kate

“I had 3 emails from 3 totally different companies, and they all had the same subject line. I opened it up and they all had roughly used the same template and just put in their pricing and their signature and that kind of thing. First, it was kind of validating but also how embarrassing for these companies? I certainly was not the only person to receive the exact same emails and it also makes these companies look lazy. You want my business but you’re not willing to put in the time to write your own email? You borrowed it from someone else who told you it would work.” – Nicki

 “It’s putting words out there without purpose and that’s the antithesis of everything that copywriting is about.” – Nicki 

“You want to stand out from anything that’s already being created and again that’s the whole point why AI isn’t going to work because they can just regurgitate what already exists. You want to do something new and different and grab attention and stand out in the space, and that’s never going to happen with any of this stuff that’s been done before.” – Kate

Related Links

• Can Copywriting Software Replace Skilled Copywriters?
• Artificial Intelligence Copywriting: Do You Need to Worry?

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

Ep. 160: How This Teacher Doubled Her Salary and Decreased Stress—Amanda’s Story

The post Episode 161: 1 Copywriting Tactic You Should Avoid at All Costs appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

TUNE IN: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Stitcher

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

A Sneak Peek at the Episode

[1:44] The 2023 Summer Freelance Summit was a three day event (free for CCA students!) with expert speakers talking about different ways to optimize your freelance business. This episode brings you a sprinkling of some of the key highlights from the presenters!

[4:00] It’s important to calculate prices based on your own numbers, rather than looking at competitors. Cost is made up of three factors: material costs, labor costs, and your time. It’s wise to track your time on every project for the first six months and see how your cost compares.

[8:36] Getting help by outsourcing admin tasks and things that aren’t in your “zone of genius” means you can conserve your energy and focus on money maker tasks like discovery calls, client work, and client meetings. 

[10:55] Using quizzes can help to increase your leads in a more automated way, while still building a really positive, genuine connection with potential clients.

[14:05] To combat procrastination, try breaking down daunting tasks into smaller, manageable chunks and scheduling them on your calendar.

[20:42] If you’re not already capturing your visitors’ emails, consider adding an opt-in incentive to your website. This means you can follow up with them, continue connecting with them, and nurture them into becoming paying customers.

[22:22] When you create your pricing for a particular offer for a specific client, make sure you are accounting for the time and energy you spend on client work outside of the actual project itself (e.g. email/Slack communication, creating proposals and invoices, client calls etc.).

[28:39] Having awareness of money blocks is crucial, as it enables you to recognize and overcome your resistance to financial success.

[34:06] Holistic health practitioner Tara Bianca walks us through a breathing exercise which we can apply during our workday to help calm the nervous system and calm the mind.

Must-Hear Takeaways

“When we understand why we’re charging what we are, it’s so much easier to say that’s what the price is. If we need to lower the budget, let’s take some stuff away. It’s so hard to figure out how to price yourself and as a service-based provider, where your time is mostly what your service is made up of, it’s even harder. The worst advice out there right now is ‘charge what you’re worth’.” – Shanna Skidmore

“You need to be hiring when you start dropping balls, when things aren’t getting done. When you can feel that shame, like when you’re late on a deadline, and when you know that you’re kind of running out of time here, when you’re doing tasks that just are in your drudgery zone, you start dragging your feet on it. When they keep getting put at the bottom of the pile and you’re not ever getting to it, those are good tasks to start outsourcing, to make sure that they get done.” – Emily Reagan

“The first tool is learning how to take those scary or daunting tasks and actually break them down into much smaller, meaningful, less scary bite-sized chunks to get done.” – Megan Sumrell

“Capturing email addresses from your website visitors also means you can follow up with them, continue connecting with them and nurturing them into becoming paying customers. Because stats show that 97% of website visitors aren’t ready to buy, and 33% will leave a website to research competitors. So if you’re not already capturing your visitors’ emails, then now’s the time to start adding an opt-in into your website. It doesn’t have to be crazy hard either. All you’ll need is a CRM or email marketing platform like ConvertKit or Drip.” – Emma Kate Barker

Related Links

• Master Your Money Mindset – With Brie Sodano
• How to Calm Your Nerves for Meetings with Copywriting Clients
• How to Set Your Copywriting Rates
• Business Builder or Time Waster?

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

Ep. 158: Set Your Future Self Up for Success Right Now

The post Episode 159: 8 Tips You Can Use Right Now to Step Up Your Freelance Copywriting Game appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

TUNE IN: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Stitcher

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

A Sneak Peek at the Episode

[3:00] You deserve to be paid well for performing a valuable service! Not only is it possible, but it’s probable, if you follow some specific steps to grow your copywriting business to making five figures a month.

[4:00] If you track your time very closely for a week or two, you will find areas where you are not accounting for your time and missing out on billable hours. You are almost certainly leaving money on the table.

[7:15] If you increase your rates and you still are doing unaccounted for work you will still end up working for less than you should be. And yes, you should evaluate your rates at least once per year.

[9:45] Repitching your current and previous clients is an excellent way to help increase your income because they know you and like what you do, they already know you are great to work with, and they also know your work is high-quality.

[13:50] Giving a current client the opportunity to put you on retainer can be a great way to have a baseline, and then plan your other pitching and work around that to make sure you are hitting your financial goals each month. Having recurring work can help you plan!

[18:00] When you set your rate you also need to set your “no lower than rate.” And sometimes you might have to walk away. Having that rate will make it easier to say no.

[22:40] Not every client is going to pay the rate you have set, but that doesn’t mean that no clients will. It’s just part of the process. And knowing what your boundaries are means you can focus on the clients who will meet your rates.

[23:30] Think about your pricing in terms of value. The length of time you have been a copywriter doesn’t mean as much as you may think. You are bringing value to your client; messaging is the most important part of a business.

[28:50] It’s always better to quote on the higher side. That gives you some wiggle room for negotiation. Value yourself and don’t be afraid to have conversations about your rates.

Must-Hear Takeaways

As with every episode, we highly encourage you to listen to the entire conversation! But here are a few of the highlights:

“The first thing, and the first place to start … is that copywriters don’t actually account for all of their time … I can guarantee if you track all of your time very, very closely—say to the minute, but every 15 minutes—writing down exactly what you’re doing and tracking that for a week or two, you’re going to find areas where you think ‘Oh, I didn’t account for that.’ Or ‘I sent this email, and it actually took me 15 or 20 minutes to write this email.'” – Kate

“15 minutes here, 15 minutes there, and you may be thinking ‘5 minutes, that’s not a lot of time!’ That time ads up. Over the course of a week, a month, a year, that is thousands of dollars that you may very well be leaving on the table. In fact, I guarantee that you’re leaving money on the table.” – Kate

“You have to take care of yourself. Someone who gets to the level of 5 figures a month has to lean into respecting themselves and taking care of themselves as a professional.” – Nicki

“You need to set your rate. But you also need to set your ‘no lower than’ rate … all too often, though, copywriters get in the position of ‘well, I’m just going to take this work because it’s what’s here and I don’t care that it’s half my regular rate. I need the work.’ When, instead, you could be using that time saying ‘no’ to a client who won’t pay your rate, to pitch and work with clients that will pay your full rate … you need that price when you’re willing to walk away.” – Kate

“I think especially newer copywriters may think ‘I’ve only been practicing copywriting for 6 months.’ Or ‘I’ve only been practicing copywriting for …’ however long. But the length of time you’re practicing copywriting, it doesn’t mean anything. Someone could be ‘practicing’ copywriting for 6 months and not write a single piece … you putting in 6 months may have been a lot of studying, a lot of practice … you are bringing value to your client.” – Nicki

“As you’re thinking about your rates, and as you’re thinking about who you’re going to pitch and how you’re going to pitch, don’t forget to respect yourself as a professional and respect the skills that you have developed and you will continue to develop. We’re never done learning.” – Nicki

“And so if you’re the type of person who goes to send a quote, and you’ve done all the work ‘I factored in all the meetings, and emails,’ and you get to the point where you’re like ‘oh my gosh, I’m going to charge $1,500 or $2,000’ or whatever your number is for this project. And you start to feel like ‘Oh that’s really high. I did all the math, and this is right and this is what it’s going to take. But $2,000 feels like a lot, maybe I’ll it $1,750 because that feels a little lower and maybe they’ll accept that.’ Take your pricing dear listener or viewer and send it. Send it. Do not second guess the work. If anything, second guess in the other direction. Did I factor in enough time for meetings and emails and all of this?” -Kate

Mentioned on this Episode

• Ep. 42: How Copywriters Can Negotiate with Confidence – with Susie Tomenchok
• Ep. 104: Biggest Copywriting Mistakes in Our Careers

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

Ep. 130: 4 of the Highest Paying Copywriting Niches

The post Episode 131: Can You Make $10,000 Month With Copywriting? appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

Rules can often feel constricting, but when it comes to our businesses, that’s what helps us stay on track. They’re what we need when we’re wearing our CEO hats. So, today, we’re going to come up with your copywriting business rules so you can make decisions faster (and that are in line with how you want to run your business).

You can also think of copywriting business rules as boundaries.

The idea is to come up with your boundaries now and then, as situations arise where you need to enforce them, you can follow your plan versus wasting time trying to make a decision.

Here are three rules you need to create today if you don’t have them already.

1. Have a “No Lower Than” Number

You likely have your copywriting rates in mind or at least know you need to come up with your pricing. (Comprehensive Copywriting Academy students, you have an entire course on how to price your copywriting services in the CCA!)

But what a lot of copywriters don’t have is a “no lower than” number.

This number is the number that you will not do work for less than. As in, “My regular rate is $75/hour. But if I really want the work to build my portfolio or believe in the company’s cause, I’m willing to work for $60/hour, but no lower.”

You, of course, have your price in mind and price your project based on your regular rates. This “no lower than” number is for when a client comes back and says, “That’s not in our budget, but we can do $X.”

This number is what makes it easy to say “no” and walk away from a client when they can’t meet your rates. You need to set this now—before you’re in a situation where a client can’t meet your rate.

Your “no lower than” number may also simply be your full rate! That’s fine, too. As long as you know when you’re going to say “no.”

Too often, copywriters don’t have this number in mind. And this isn’t just new copywriters! Even pros—particularly ones who are used to thrilling prospective clients—can have a hard time turning down work.

But, while we all know there are plenty of other clients willing to pay our rates, the act of saying “no” is hard. This number makes it easier for you to have your line in the sand.

So, what’s your “no lower than” number?

2. Set Rules for Your OOO Time

This is really several rules within one rule. When it comes to copywriting, we didn’t get into it to work 80 hours a week, seven days a week with minimal vacation time.

So, you need to set your OOO boundaries. These may include rules like:

• I do not check email over the weekend. (Remove work email from your phone if it’s easier for you to enforce this!)
• I take a minimum of four weeks of vacation each year. (Block those weeks at the beginning of the year so you don’t forget! Even if you have to shift them a bit, they’re a nice reminder as you’re booking out work that certain weeks are off-limits.)
• I do not work Fridays after 2 p.m.
• I use Monday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. to focus on building my own business—not client work.
• I only take meetings Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• I take all federal holidays. (It’s important to know that some of your clients may work holidays that you plan to take off, such as Veterans Day in the U.S. But that doesn’t mean you need to work on them.)

If you set, and enforce, your own boundaries, your clients will respect them. If you don’t, clients will push for more. And more. Not because they’re bad people, but because you’re responding to them on the weekend or you’re saying “yes” to anything they ask. They don’t know that you may be jumping through hoops to accommodate them!

Also, your clients don’t need to know about your rules. For example, if a client asks, can you jump on a call this Wednesday at 1 p.m.? You may simply write back, “That time doesn’t work for me, but I can do any time on Tuesday or Thursday from 11 to 3.”

3. Have a Plan to Celebrate Your Wins

All too often, we set goals, we meet those goals, and then we continue to move the goalposts so we never stop to celebrate the wins.

Just as we didn’t get into copywriting to write 80 hours/week, we didn’t get into copywriting to not stop and enjoy our lives. In fact, stopping to enjoy life is the exact reason many of us became copywriters!

Here are just a few examples of copywriting business rules you might create to celebrate wins:

• When I land a new client, I will treat myself to a dinner out.
• When I hit my income goal for the month, I will stop taking on new projects that month and begin booking out the following month.
• When I hit $X (insert your income goal!), I’ll plan my next vacation.
• When I get great feedback from a client, I’ll take a moment to go grab a coffee and take a break from my work to celebrate a job well done.

These are just a few examples. Come up with rules that fit with your goals and your preferred ways of celebrating!

Once you have your rules in place, pin them to your desktop, print them out and put them on the wall in front of you, or otherwise have them readily accessible.

You want to remind yourself to enforce your own rules (and keep them simple enough that you can easily do so).

And these rules, unlike others, are not made to be broken. Of course, if a client needs to meet at a certain time outside your normal availability and it’s a one-time thing, great. But be very careful that it doesn’t turn into a habit of letting your rules slide.

Keep them in place, and you’ll be a much happier copywriter and business owner!

Your Turn!

What are your copywriting business rules that help you keep your business (and sanity) on track? Tell us in the comments below!

The post What Are Your Copywriting Business Rules? 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.

TUNE IN: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Stitcher

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

A Sneak Peek at the Episode

[1:00] Today we are talking about personal finances when it comes to your freelance clients and freelances businesses.

[5:20] It’s okay to take into account how difficult a client is when structuring the pricing.

[7:30] You don’t always remember if a client was a good experience or not, so it’s helpful to have notes outlining the experience, so you can charge accordingly if you choose to work with them again int he future.

[9:50] It’s important to not put all of your eggs in one basket and have multiple income streams (ie. multiple clients).

[10:30] As you gain experience as a copywriter and have different clients you will learn to manage your pitching and outreach to new clients.

[15:30] When working as a freelancer you need to watch where your income is going, and direct your income appropriately into savings for taxes and retirement.

[19:50] When investing money into retirement or taxes or savings, be sure you have made that money first.

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

Ep. 111: From Financial Professional to Copywriter – Chaundell’s Story

The post Ep. 112: Want to Earn Six Figures as a Copywriter? Get Your Finances in Order appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

TUNE IN: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Stitcher

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

A Sneak Peek at the Episode

[2:00] Nicki and Kate are sitting down with Robin, who is starting her copywriting business, and gives our hosts a recap on her journey to copywriting, and her future travels!

[6:40] Robin explains to our hosts that while she wants to focus on copywriting and is looking for guidance about pricing and structuring her business.

[8:50] Nicki and Kate advise our guest that even as she sets her project prices she should always be monitoring them so that when the time comes she is able to adjust them.

[11:00] Our hosts encourage Robin to remember to stick to where her expertise is, and if she is adding more to her responsibilities she needs to make sure she is charging appropriately for those tasks.

[16:00] Nicki reminds Robin to looks back at Pitch-A-Palooza and the pitching masterclass to brush up on techniques before she works to build her business.

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

Ep. 107: Building a Copywriting Business as a Mom – with Kate K, Dorothy & Jen

The post BONUS Laser Coaching: Focusing On Work You Want to Do appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.