On today's Laser Coaching call, Nicki and Kate meet with a Comprehensive Copywriting Academy student who is wondering if she needs to change her approach when pitching ad agencies in particular. In this info-packed coaching call, you’ll hear advice around how to demonstrate that you can think strategically and what to do if resistance is getting in the way of your … [Read more...]
Episode 144: Navigating Ups and Downs in a Copywriting Career – Tammy’s Story
When Tammy was burned out from teaching, she decided to give herself a little room to decide what her next career move was. Like many people making a major career shift, she had to fight the temptation to return to her old career. Tammy joined the CCA in May, was pitching by August, and landed her first freelance clients by September. She started a full-time job at an ad … [Read more...]
Ep. 105: Building an Agency – with Michelle Fernandez
Your career doesn't have to stop with one-to-one services. Eventually, you can grow your copywriting business into an agency! Michelle Fernandez did exactly that and built her own agency that specializes in paid media and funnel building. Michelle talks with Nicki and Kate about how she started her agency, what she looks for in a copywriter, and other best practices for … [Read more...]
Top 10 Copywriting Myths and Misconceptions
There’s a lot of information out there about copywriting. The bad news, though, is that a lot of it is wrong. Lots of misinformed people are spouting a lot of useless or, worse, downright bad opinions and misinformation that are discouraging writers and keeping them from succeeding. Let’s try to fix some of that, shall we? These are some of the most alarming, confusing, … [Read more...]
Protect Yourself From Agency Layoffs
One unfortunate truth about ad agency work is that there are periodic layoffs and, for reasons you'll see in a bit, they're pretty much inevitable. That said, though, that doesn't mean that you can't plan now to protect yourself and your livelihood. So, I've titled this article "Protect Yourself from Agency Layoffs," but I'll admit that that's slightly misleading. You can't … [Read more...]
Copywriting for Ad Agencies: What to Expect and Why It’s Great for Your Career
If your dream is to work in a crazy, creative, big-client landing, award-winning agency, you are certainly not alone. Many copywriters want to get into an ad agency as soon as they possibly can. But what's it like to work in an ad agency? Is it really all Mad Men-y? Just to get our terms straight, an ad agency is an external company hired by another company to come up with … [Read more...]
How to Answer the Agency Experience Question
Many new copywriters have dreams of working in an ad agency. But it seems like many ad agencies are only interested in hiring you if you already have agency experience. A bit of a catch-22? Sure—but nothing you can't overcome. Here we offer some tips on how to address the question of whether or not you have experience as copywriter at an ad agency. Why Makes Agency Work … [Read more...]
Interview Tactics to Get an Copywriting Ad Agency Job
A lot of new copywriters have dreams of working in an advertising agency. But when they get that agency interview, they have no idea what to say. But here's the secret. There are specific ways you can impress each ad agency you interview with. And you'll find these right on their own websites. Before we get into interview prep, the very first thing you should do when you get … [Read more...]
What’s an Internal or In-House Ad Agency?
Sure, all copywriters daydream about being Don Draper and commanding—or even just being a part of—a creative team in a big, hip advertising agency. But there's another kind of opportunity you need to know about that offers all the smart coworkers, interesting projects, and, yes, sometimes tough deadlines outside of the traditional ad agency: in-house agencies. Ad Agency … [Read more...]