TUNE IN: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Stitcher

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

A Sneak Peek at the Episode

[03:11]  You have to like writing, because lemme tell you, there’s a lot of writing in a copywriting career. It’s not all writing, there’s a lot of editing as well, a lot of thinking and brainstorming.

[09:34] Being willing to roll with things, being open to other points of view, as a copywriter you’ll come in and you’ll make recommendations.

[10:18]  The more you’re able to be flexible in dealing with people and how you deal with people, the more success you will have.

[13:00] I would imagine if you’re not hustling, there’s someone else that is more than willing to hustle and do the work. You have to get the job done no matter what. You cannot miss a deadline.

[22:15] Clients don’t automatically know how to evaluate copy. They don’t know how you as a copywriter know that you have structured things in a certain way to affect the target audience in a certain way.

[30:07] The concept of patience and persistence. It’s gonna be rare that you get your first draft and it’s perfect. Even just as you’re writing, it’s gonna take some time to come up with the right words and there is a lot of editing involved in copywriting.

Must-Hear Takeaways

“In order to be a copywriter, you need to get the training to add on to that natural ability to write because there are techniques and skills that you will add on to that natural ability. But that natural affinity for writing is a really important place to start” – Nicki

“My next favorite trait is resilience. Because you might love to write, you might then love some of what you’re writing. When you are facing that feedback that feels like it could be personal or it was just not. But you have that kind of ability to say, it’s gonna improve me as a writer, and it’s gonna improve the final product.” – Kate

“You’re the copywriting expert in the room, but you’re not the copywriting expert in the world. So there’s an element of needing to own the fact that you know what you’re doing and you have a lot of value to provide, but at the same time, being open to the fact that you don’t know everything.” – Nicki

” When you’re sitting down with a group of people in the office. You are all working together. You are collaborating to create the best piece possible. It’s at least 50% editing. You write your copy, you look at it from your target audience viewpoint, and you make your change, you make your tweaks. It’s not an instant process.” – Nicki

Mentioned on this Episode

• 11 Traits of the Most Successful Copywriters

Related Links

• What Does it Take to Become a Copywriter?
• Confused About Where to Start Your Copywriting Career? This One’s For You

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.

Previous Episode

The post Summer Rewind: Ep 15. Traits of the Most Successful Copywriters 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

[2:10] 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

[2:07] How you get and put out energy helps determine whether you are an extrovert or an introvert. Extroverts get their energy from being around other people, whereas introverts receive energy from alone time or in social settings with much smaller groups.

[3:55] A lot of brain power and energy is required to attend client meetings—even highly extroverted people can benefit from taking a moment to relax and collect themselves after a client call.

[5:28] With practice and time, you gain confidence when it comes to speaking to clients. But knowing when to book those interactions is key. For example, you might feel better to get it out the way in the morning so you’re not worrying about it all day.

[6:55] Technology has made life a lot easier for introverts. Previously, you’d have to meet someone in their office, but now you can do it all from the comfort and safety of your own home.

[10:06] Kate emphasizes the importance of both introverts and extroverts feeling prepared for any call they have scheduled. Having your notes together and knowing what points you want to cover can make a big difference. She also reminds us to treat these calls simply as conversations—they don’t need to feel daunting.

[12:38] Confidence doesn’t come before you take action; it comes from taking action. Yes, preparation is key, but it can only take you so far compared to the confidence gained from actually doing it—showing yourself that you can, and will, do it again.

[14:24] Extroverts sometimes shy away from writing because it’s seen as a solo gig. But there are communities, like–ahem–the CCA group, where you can connect and socialize with fellow copywriters, getting that much-needed interaction and support.

[17:15] For extroverts who miss the office environment, they can try co-working spaces with other freelancers or cafes that welcome all-day work sessions. This setup provides accountability and the opportunity to exchange ideas with fellow workers.

[21:45] Regardless of whether you’re an introvert or extrovert, it’s important to find companies that will suit you best. You might thrive in a larger marketing team collaborating with designers, or prefer the intimacy of a smaller, close-knit group. Choose what feels most suitable for you!

Must-Hear Takeaways

“Because copywriting is a flexible career, you can freelance full time, if you want to. Or if you want an on staff job, you can absolutely get that as well. Or you can contract, where you go into an office. And you can kind of, as you and I have said many times, we’ve bounced around with all of that. I mean, we’ve always freelanced, but we have also been on staff, or we’ve also been contractors. And you can figure out what works best for you.” – Nicki

“You don’t get confident before you take the action. You get confident by taking the action. So you can’t sit there and wait for confidence before you schedule that client call because that’s not how the confidence is going to come. It’s not going to be bestowed on you magically. It will kind of in a way be bestowed on you magically after you take the call, after you go through it, after you push your comfort zone a little bit or push yourself outside of your comfort zone. And then when it’s done, you go, okay, I lived through it. And that makes the next one a little easier.” – Nicki

“You have the opportunity to cater your career and your work opportunities to yourself and your needs and your energetic preferences and all of that. And we’re very fortunate in that sense, so make the most of it. If you are an extrovert, if you are an introvert, if you are an ambivert, the bottom line is that you can make it work. And you can be very successful at it. But it’s up to you to figure out what you need and structure your work experience so that it gives you what you need.” – Nicki

Related Links

• Copywriting Success Secrets for Extroverts
• Freelance Copywriting for Introverts
• Copywriting Success Secrets for Introverts

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. 46 Are the Best Copywriters Introverts or Extroverts? 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

[1:39] There absolutely *is* such a thing as too much work, especially when you are a freelancer and it’s all too easy to say “yes” to every project that comes your way. Even one project can be too much if the timeline is tight. 

[4:37] To tackle overwhelm effectively, start by understanding your reaction to it. Are you someone who rises to the challenge or buries your head in the sand? Recognize your cues early on, so that you can take proactive steps to address it and prevent burnout.

[7:35] If you’re looking at your schedule and thinking, “Oh my gosh, I can’t get all of this done”, you have to put the brakes on anything else coming in. But when it comes to pitching, you don’t want to completely stop, otherwise you’ll end up stuck in a “feast or famine” cycle.

[9:55] When you’re busy, it’s a good time to practice saying “no” or propose a suitable start date (include some buffer time). There’s no need to worry about saying “no” as long as you communicate clearly—plus, being booked up shows clients that you’re in-demand!

[12:50] If you’re in doubt about meeting current client deadlines, consider bringing in another copywriter to help you, even if it means you just break even. You *never* want to miss a deadline!

[14:58] Your deadlines should drive your actions, so prioritize by the actual deadline, not by what seems more fun or doable. Breaking your priority list down into smaller steps can make it more manageable.

[18:00] Sometimes we have to deal with the consequences of our choices, like working weekends or canceling plans. But it may teach you a lesson about how you manage your schedule so you make sure it doesn’t happen again in the future.

[21:20] If you’ve built a strong rapport with a long-term client and know the deadline isn’t strict, you could politely request a one-time extension, but only if you’re confident there’s flexibility. Use this sparingly though, as it could impact your credibility. 

[23:45] When you’re faced with a Friday deadline, it’s worth proposing a Monday delivery instead. Most clients don’t work weekends, so those extra days could offer valuable breathing space.

[25:24] Make sure to build in buffer time for each project and aim to deliver projects earlier than the agreed deadline. That way, you have some wiggle room in case life gets in the way.

[27:50] Even if the deadline seems far off, don’t wait until the last minute to start working on it (we’re not in high school any more!). Starting early ensures you have enough time for all aspects of the project, including editing and polishing your work.

[29:19] Having a reliable network allows you to handle unexpected situations professionally. If you are faced with an emergency situation, introduce your client to a trusted colleague who could take over. This ensures your client’s needs are met while you focus on what’s important. 

[31:40] Blocking out time on your calendar for different projects can help you have a better visual representation of where your time is going and how much time you actually have available.

[32:54] Working on your money mindset is also an important piece of this. Saying “yes” to every project out of fear of missing out on income, simply isn’t sustainable. Remember, you have the skills and resources to generate income, so trust in your abilities and follow the steps to success!

Must-Hear Takeaways

“If you’re hearing this and you’re like, ‘Oh, okay, then I should probably also stop pitching. No, scale down your pitching. Don’t be sending out five pitches, but don’t stop. Because as you know, when you stop pitching is when you experience that dry spell. And when you pitch, you’re kind of seeding projects for the next couple of weeks to couple of months. So don’t stop. Dial it back, certainly, but you don’t want to completely stop.” – Nicki

“This is how the feast and famine happens. If you have too much work and then dry spell and then ‘oh my gosh, too much work’, that’s unsustainable to continue working like this, completely stressed out, overworked, too much work to zero. To keep going 0-60 back and forth, you don’t need that and so this process will help hopefully smooth out that process a little bit but to Nicki’s point, continue pitching so you don’t hit the ‘oh no now I have no work!’” – Kate

“We think of saying ‘no’ as being so tough, being so mean. No, all you’re doing is communicating. And it can be very, very simple and very pleasant and nice. And just say, ‘Oh, unfortunately I’m booked up for the next however long, the next couple of weeks, but I could get started with it on X, Y, D, Z date.’ Clear communication is key. By the way, it’s a good thing for a client to see that you are booked up. It always kind of makes me do a little bit of an eyebrow raise whenever anyone’s like, ‘Yeah, my schedule is completely open.” – Nicki

“Sometimes we have to deal with the consequences of our choices. And you may be dealing with the short-term consequences and that does sometimes involve working weekends or giving up some plans or that kind of thing. Is it fun? No. But it may be painful enough that it will teach you a lesson moving forward to make sure that you keep an eye on your schedule and you set up the boundaries that you need to set up to make sure that this doesn’t happen in the future.” – Nicki

Related Links

• What Are Your Copywriting Business Rules?
• Amp Up Your Copywriting Productivity With Ultra Scheduling
• When the [ahem] Stuff Hits the Fan
• How Can You Know if a Copywriting Deadline is Doable?

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. 182: What’s the Best Way to Communicate with Copywriting Clients?

The post Episode 183: You Will Have Too Much Copywriting Work … Here’s What to Do 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] It’s a bad scenario when communication from clients or would-be clients gets missed. That’s why it’s important to regularly check your spam folder and test the contact form on your portfolio site.

[3:50] You also need to check your messages on social media frequently. And remember, if you aren’t connected with somebody, it’s not going to go through as a message—it will go through as a request.

[4:28] Nicki recommends checking these different inboxes at least once daily. If a couple of days go by and a client doesn’t hear from you, it does not reflect well on you.

[5:17] It’s perfectly fine to take time off but make sure that you communicate clearly when people can expect to hear back from you.

[6:24] It might sound like there are a lot of channels to check but you want to make it as easy as possible for a potential client to get in touch with you. You never want to take people off the platform they’re on if you don’t have to. 

[7:54] Nicki and Kate strongly recommend sending your initial outreach to a client via email as opposed to a DM on social media.

[10:58] It takes a bit of research sometimes to find a client’s email address but there are several online tools like hunter.io that can help you. (Always avoid emailing generic company email addresses like info@xyzcorperation.com!)

[13:25] Once you have a client, it’s best to ask them how they would prefer to communicate. But choose just ONE way to interact with them—having too many channels for communication gets very confusing.

[17:19] Whichever form of communication you choose to use with a client, you can still set up certain parameters so that you don’t have to constantly be at a client’s beck and call. Just make sure you communicate those clearly to your clients.

[20:17] If there is a certain platform that your client is using, they should add you to that platform without any extra work or costs on your end.

[21:17] Our hosts give a word of warning around texting clients. This kind of communication can cross personal boundaries and is hard to get out of once you’ve started. Plus, there is no such thing as a copy emergency! 

[26:15] Kate advises us to consider taking the tech for your business off your phone. One Sec is also a useful app which gives you the chance to think twice before opening certain apps on your phone.

[28:43] Ideally at the start of a relationship with a client, you want to set them up with clear expectations of when they can hear from you with regard to check-ins for a project and the key milestones throughout it. (It’s best to err on the side of over communication.)

Must-Hear Takeaways

“As with any relationship, it’s about setting the expectations, making sure communication is open and clear but balancing boundaries as well. So, as you’re planning how you’re going to be reaching out in the world, as you’re going to be taking incoming messages, as you’re going to be communicating with your clients, figure out what works for you. And yes, sometimes you might have to accommodate clients in certain ways and that’s okay but also make sure you’re not bending over backwards, and make sure you’re not letting it encroach your peace of mind. Because you need your peace of mind, you need your creativity to do your best work so make sure you’re protecting yourself and protecting your energy while still communicating in an open and timely (not immediate) way with potential clients and clients.” – Nicki

“You want to set your client up with clear expectations of when they can hear from you, check-ins for the project, key milestones throughout it. And if you’re thinking, ‘well, what are my key milestones?’ Again, if it’s a bigger project, you want to have places where you check in, even if it’s just to say, ‘hey, this project’s still on track, still loving digging in, I’m having so much fun, just wanted to let you know that we’re still on track for x deadline’, whatever it is—especially if you kick something off and then it’s weeks before you’re delivering something, just that touch base can set a client’s mind at ease. So thinking about when to communicate with a client, err on the side of over communication in the sense of just, ‘hey, wanted to let you know the status update.'” – Kate

“You can set up. parameters so that you don’t have to constantly be at a client’s beck and call. Remember you are not an employee, you are not on staff. If you are, you can even still do that if it’s okay with your employer, but the expectation is not that you are sitting in front of your computer from nine to five each day. If you are an employee, it might be a little bit different, but even still then, you should be able to get a little bit of time away from Slack and email and all that kind of stuff. The expectation is not that you’re just sitting there, waiting to respond to them at any time. You being a freelancer and having many different clients that you’re dealing with, you need to control those rivers of communication, all of those inputs, because if you are constantly trying to respond to everything, seeing all these notifications coming up, watch it, it’s going to get overwhelming. And you have way more important things to be doing than to watch the notifications and respond at every single moment. Well, it’s going to be a time suck. It’s going to completely ruin your productivity.” – Nicki & Kate

Mentioned on this Episode

• One Sec App
• Hunter.io
• RocketReach

Related Links

• Learning to Effectively Communicate as a Copywriter
• What Are Your Copywriting Business Rules?
• You Don’t Have to Work With Clients You Hate
• How NOT to Pitch Potential Copywriting Clients

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. 181: Reading Between the Lines of Copywriter Job Descriptions

The post Episode 182: What’s the Best Way to Communicate with Copywriting Clients? appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

We talk all the time, but how often do we evaluate how effective we are at communicating? (And how often do we say we write copy, we don’t speak it?)

Our Book Pick

In It’s the Way You Say It: Second Edition: Becoming Articulate, Well-Spoken, and Clear, Carol A. Fleming shares how you can not only become aware of how you communicate but how you can more effectively communicate with those around you (copywriting clients, your design partner, a project manager, and, yup, even your friends and family!).

Communication Skills You’ll Learn

And while many of these tips are aimed at verbal communication, they’ll certainly help you with your copywriting. (Communicating clearly by choosing the right words? That’s what we do!)

Communication in the Workplace

There is even an entire section devoted to communication in the workplace. So, if you’re nervous about saying “no” to a client, asking for the raise, or ensuring your teammates understood you in the meeting right, you can find ways to most effectively get your message across in any setting.

So, while we know we’ll never speak copy, we can become more effective communicators as copywriters and ensure our verbal presentation is just as professional as the copy docs we deliver!

Books for Copywriters to Improve Skills

• Find Your Why
• Amp Up Your Persistence
• How To Collaborate More Effectively
• Job-Seeker Advice
• Break Through Self-Imposed Roadblocks to Realize Your Full Potential
• Shift Negative Mindset
• Stay Focused Year-Round

More Books for Copywriters

• Books Every Copywriter Must Read
• More Books Every Copywriter Should Read
• Books by Copywriters
• Business Books for Copywriters
• Books Copywriters Will Enjoy

Watch More

In this episode of the Build Your Copywriting Business podcast, Nicki and Kate share their top tips for effectively communicating with clients, right from the initial outreach, all the way to project completion. Listen in now to make sure you *never* end up at a client’s beck and call!

Your Turn

What are your tips for effective communication? Share them in the comments below and, if you read the book, let us know what you think!

*P.S. This page contains affiliate links.

The post Learning to Effectively Communicate as a Copywriter 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

[1:30] We start the the episode with an introduction to Jen and Julie, CCA students who now work together at a copywriting agency. The each give background on what brought them to copywriting and how they’ve built their careers.

[7:30] The podcast guests give us some insight as to how they got started with the agency, what the interview process was like and how they found their footing as they began this new venture.

[12:30] Jen and Julie discuss the differences between agency and freelance work, from discovery calls to getting to know their client’s style.

[18:00] As we learn more about Jen and Julie’s work with the copywriting agency, our host Nicki asks what are some of the challenges they face and how do they use those chances to grow.

[23:00] Our podcast guests take some time to chat about what their schedules look like, how they manage their calendars and what it is like working with clients and coworkers from all over the globe.

[35:00] Today’s episode ends with some advice from Jen and Julie for those interested in or just starting a copywriting career.

Related Links

• What’s It Like to Work in an Ad Agency?
• Interview Tactics to Get an Ad Agency Job
• The First Step in Changing Your Career

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. 50: Should I Put Copywriting Rates on My Website?

The post Ep. 51: Working at an Agency & Collaborating with Other Copywriters – Jen’s and Julie’s Story appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

In many areas of our lives, we’re improvising without even knowing it. Even the most careful planners know that it’s extremely rare for any event to go exactly as intended. Despite thinking we know what someone is going to say or how someone is going to react, the outcomes of conversations or events may surprise us. As Patricia Ryan Madson, author of Improv Wisdom: Don’t Prepare, Just Show Up, says, “We can count on chaos.” So, how do we better think on our feet, particularly in the middle of that chaos?

The Takeaway

Improv Wisdom breaks down 13 strategies used in improv that can help us show up more fully in our personal and professional lives. And it has nothing to do with comedic ability or wit.

Madson, who retired from full-time teaching at Stanford in 2005, draws on her decades of experience into simple strategies that you can start practicing, without ever stepping foot on a stage.

The book’s 13 strategies are each broken down with exercises so you can practice each one and find the tactics that are most helpful to you. Some like “start anywhere” and “act now” are especially helpful for copywriters combating blank-page syndrome or not knowing how to begin working on a project.

The Strategies

With the “start anywhere” strategy, the idea is to start chipping away at any little piece because once you get into a project, you’ll have a much better idea of what’s needed and can start organizing your to-do list around what you find. In the “act now” section, Madson says, “You don’t need to feel like doing something to do it,” with tips on how to take action in those tough moments.

She also advises to pursue ideas that come to your mind first, which may sound antithetical to our copywriting brains. How often do you find yourself thinking, “this is my first idea, it can’t be the one I use” or some version of that thought process? Madson points out this is our brains throwing up unnecessary road blocks. It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t pursue multiple ideas, but we shouldn’t immediately discount our first idea just because it’s the “first.”

One of our favorite lines is where Madson says to stop trying to flee the “wobble.” The more we become familiar with the “wobble” or uncertainty, the less frightening it becomes.

So, with that, we’d encourage you to try some of the improv techniques in this book and see how they help improve your copywriting process. We have a feeling they’ll help not only improve your copywriting itself but your mindset when it comes to pitching and talking with clients!

Read More: 5 Surprising Places to Find Copy Inspiration

When you need to come up with a concept for a project, sometimes it’s easy and sometimes your creativity could use a refill. But where do you refill it? Here we delve into some sources for topping off your font of creativity that might not be what you’d expect.

Your Turn

What are your tactics for dealing with uncertainty? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Using Improv to Improve Your Copywriting appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

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A Sneak Peek at the Episode

[2:00] Jack is the first student for this laser coaching call. He is looking for tips and tricks to move forward with beginning his business.

[4:30] Kate discusses pushing yourself over the peak of resistance and working through fear when you are almost there. She gives actionable tips to build up your business and get the work done.

[7:45] Nicki and Kate suggest to Jack that he figure out what time of day he works best and has the most focus, and to use that time to be productive and keep from getting overwhelmed.

[11:00] A tip Nicki and Kate give Jack is to break projects down in to tiny steps. Doing this keeps tasks from feeling insurmountable and helps with the feelings of accomplishment, which can propel us forward in our work.

[12:15] The next student is Blessilda. She shares about her first pitches and discovery calls, and the absolute excitement of getting responses to pitches!

[15:00] Nicki and Kate advise that before you quote a project it’s really important to have a complete understanding of what the project entails.

[23:30] The final student is Chris. He wants to gain insight into what is the best way to communicate with clients and to ask for more information when needed.

[26:15] Nicki and Kate address how key it is to schedule enough time during calls with clients to learn the subect matter you’re working with and to ask plenty of questions (and don’t forget to record your calls)!

[29:20] Nicki highlights that while most clients don’t know what they want to say, they do know what they want the end results to be, so it’s up to the copywriter to gather the information to make that happen.

Related Links

• How NOT to Pitch Potential Copywriting Clients
• Copywriting Q&A: What to Charge for Content Work
• Fight These 10 Fears with a Systematic Process

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. 30: Do Copywriters Need Business Insurance?

The post Laser Copy Coaching: Getting Information From Clients, When to Price Your Services, and Boosting Confidence appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.

As copywriters, we’re often typing away on our computers, writing copy to deliver to our clients. So, it can sometimes come as a shock when we interact with our client and the feedback is…less than stellar.

As Brandon Black and Shayne Hughes explore, humans have a significant preoccupation with self-worth, which causes us to react to various situations with less-than-ideal behaviors. Behaviors, as they explain, that are automatic, deceptively destructive, and very predictable.

Our Book Club Pick

Black and Hughes are the co-authors of Ego Free Leadership: Ending the Unconscious Habits that Hijack Your Business. The book takes a first-person perspective, alternating between the two authors as they recall the time when Black was the CEO of Encore Capital Group and Hughes and his team at Learning as Leadership were hired to help completely reshape Encore’s culture.

You may be thinking at this point, what does an organization in the financial industry have to do with my copywriting career?

Reactive behaviors happen to all of us, in personal and professional settings, even if we’re not often working alongside colleagues or bosses in an office.

The Benefit to Copywriters

As copywriters, we have relationships with clients, whether we have one point of contact or we’re interacting with larger marketing and creative teams. But regardless of the number of people we’re interacting with, we have the opportunity and—if you hope to work with clients long-term—the need to act as leaders.

In our desire to be seen as competent, likable, ethical, and strong, too often we focus on ourselves versus the outcomes we want to achieve.

Black and Hughes offer actionable tips for swapping default reactions for intentional responses.

Through learning the importance of vulnerability and empathy and eliminating the toxic habit of being right, we improve our communication so it’s more constructive and productive.

We all have biases and blind spots. But it’s on each of us to take responsibility, including for those blind spots. Knowing that we have them in the first place can help us recognize when we may be going off the rails and recognize that sometimes we need to simply stop and listen; there’s a lot we can learn if we’re willing and open to hearing it.

And, if we’re honest with ourselves, we can all see ourselves in Black’s story. Instead of making his same mistakes in our own work environments, we can learn from Black’s experience to ensure we’re always providing our clients with not only the best copy, but the best experience possible.

Your Turn

What are your tips for ensuring ego doesn’t get in the way of your success? If you’ve read the book, what do you think? Let us know in the comments below!

*P.S. This page contains affiliate links!

The post How To Prevent Ego From Derailing Your Copywriting Success appeared first on Filthy Rich Writer.