187. Change My Mind About Advertising! How to Be an Ethical Copywriter

Wondering if copywriting is something you can dip your toes into as a side hustle? Copywriting can be a fantastic (and very lucrative!) side gig that fits perfectly alongside a 9-5. But if you want to make it a fulfilling and great paying side hustle, there are some considerations to keep in mind… Join Nicki and Kate as they walk us through what you need to know before building a copywriting side hustle. You’ll hear expert advice around time management, finances, work boundaries, and more! Plus, get insights on how to successfully transition from a side hustle to a full-time copywriting career, just like many of our Comprehensive Copywriting Academy students! --------------- Mentioned on this Episode Build a Copywriting Business While Working 9 to 5 (with Grace Nelson)Copywriting as a Side Hustle – Alicia’s StoryHow to Be a Part-Time Copywriter with a Full-Time JobBalancing a Copywriting Career with an Acting CareerBuilding a Copywriting Side Hustle With a Full-Time Job – Claire’s StoryBridging the Gap from Quitting a Job to Full-Time Freelance Related Links Can Copywriting Be a Side Hustle?How to Be a Part-Time Copywriter from HomeThe Secret to Sustaining Freelance Copywriting Success --------------- Get Free Copywriting Training here 

Are you considering getting into copywriting but worried that you’re “too old” to pivot into a new career? Is it too late? Am I past the point where I can make a change?  Over the years, CCA student Kelly has worn many hats: lawyer, fundraiser, freelance writer, academic program director… But the one constant has been her love of words. Kelly is living proof that when you can write great copy, you are not too old, too young, too undereducated, or too anything to learn how to become a copywriter. Listen in to Kelly’s interview to hear how her age has been an asset in building a thriving copywriting career. --------------- Mentioned on this Episode View Kelly’s Portfolio Related Links The Three Steps to Career ChangeChanging Your Career to Copywriting While at Your Existing JobBest Backgrounds and Degrees for Getting Into CopywritingDo You Have What It Takes to Become a Copywriter? --------------- Get Free Copywriting Training here 

Are you considering a transition into copywriting but struggling to ignore the nagging voice telling you it’s “manipulative” or “unethical”? Many people associate marketing with the “icky” feeling of being sold to, thinking it’s all about pushing unwanted products onto reluctant buyers. But copywriting *isn’t* about sleazy tactics or tricking people into buying things they don’t need. In this episode, Nicki and Kate are challenging the misconceptions around advertising, showing how it can fulfill genuine needs and create positive, lasting relationships between businesses and customers. Listen in now to discover how you can make a meaningful impact as a copywriter! --------------- Related Links Reframing Your Copywriting Goals to Align with Your ValuesLand Copywriting Clients With These 35 TipsWhat Is Copywriting?Why You Should Make Your Audience Anxious --------------- Get Free Copywriting Training here 

One of the most difficult psychological shifts for new business owners is going from an employee mindset to a business owner mindset. Most of your life, you’ve likely operated as a consumer: waiting for a paycheck so you can take care of your expenses. And when things get challenging in the economy, your instinct is to tighten the purse strings and focus on saving.  But as a business owner, you have many opportunities to make investments in your business, which have the power to pay for themselves many times over. So in this episode, we’re exploring the importance of spending *strategically* in your business to drive growth. Listen in now to make sure you are thinking like the business owner that you are and want to be, instead of the consumer that you used to be. --------------- Mentioned on this Episode 3 Tips for Combatting Imposter SyndromeOvercome Scarcity Mindset as a CopywriterFace Your Freelance Finances FearsWant to Earn Six Figures as a Copywriter? Get Your Finances in OrderActual Freelance Copywriting Salary: Digging Into One Copywriter’s Numbers Related Links Top Copywriting Advice from Working Copywriters#1 Change That Will Double Your Copywriting IncomeMaster Your Money MindsetSet Your Copywriting Business Up for Financial Success --------------- Get Free Copywriting Training here 

Pitching is the only way to truly control your copywriting business’ success. But when it comes to sitting down to actually do it, our brains love to come up with all kinds of reasons *not* to hit “send”. “Oh, that company is waaay too big to pitch, they would never need my help!” or, at the other end of the spectrum, “A solopreneur? They’d never be able to afford a copywriter!” In this episode, Nicki and Kate remind us that when you hold back on sending out pitches, you’re actually doing a major disservice to everyone out there who needs you (companies big AND small). Listen in now to learn why these pitching assumptions that could be costing you opportunities (and money!). --------------- Related Links Too Afraid to Pitch? Business Owners WANT Your Copywriting PitchesHow NOT to Pitch Potential Copywriting ClientsHow to Pitch Copywriting Services to AgenciesHow to Find and Write for Solopreneurs5 Ways to Vastly Improve Your Pitches to Would-Be Copywriting Clients --------------- Get Free Copywriting Training here

Since she was old enough to hold a pen, Comprehensive Copywriting Academy student Rachael Kelly has been writing and telling stories. But figuring out how to turn that passion into a well-paying career? That was the part Rachael struggled with—and crummy job-bidding sites like Fiverr and Upwork were (ahem, unsurprisingly) *not* the answer! In this interview, we find out how the knowledge and support Rachael gained from the CCA course gave her the much needed confidence to push herself out of her comfort zone and start landing clients. Listen in to find out how Rachael has shaped a copywriting career that means she never has to “work” a day again and the exciting new role which has not doubled, but TRIPLED her income! -------------- Mentioned on this Episode View Rachael’s Portfolio Related Links The Real Math on Job Bidding Site “Success”How NOT to Pitch Potential Copywriting ClientsOvercoming Copywriter Imposter SyndromeHow to Optimize Your Copywriting LinkedIn Page --------------- Get Free Copywriting Training here

For most freelancers, not having *enough* work is often the greatest fear. But having too much work? Psshh, there’s no such thing, right?! Well, as wild as it sounds, there will probably come a point where you are overloaded with copywriting projects. Yes, this might sound like a bit of a “first-world” freelance issue when you’re yet to land your first client. But trust us—it doesn’t take much to suddenly become overwhelmed if you don’t have the right boundaries and systems in place. If you do find yourself drowning in copywriting work, Nicki and Kate are on hand in this episode, sharing the best tactics to deal with a swamped schedule. But that’s not all—they’re also digging into the proactive steps that will prevent future overwhelm. Listen in now to steer clear of the dreaded “feast or famine” trap and set yourself up for sustainable success. --------------- Related Links What Are Your Copywriting Business Rules?Amp Up Your Copywriting Productivity With Ultra SchedulingWhen the [ahem] Stuff Hits the FanHow Can You Know if a Copywriting Deadline is Doable? --------------- Get Free Copywriting Training here 

As a freelance copywriter, your business depends on getting work—whether it’s from existing or new clients. But managing multiple clients (and clients-to-be) with different needs, deadlines, and expectations can get a little hectic. So how can you protect your time, energy, and creativity without compromising on your quality of communication (or your own sanity)? In this episode, 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 find out how to set yourself up for successful communication with a client from the get-go, how to make sure you’re *never* at a client’s beck and call, and if texting clients is a smart move or a recipe for disaster. --------------- Mentioned on this Episode One Sec AppHunter.ioRocketReach Related Links Learning to Effectively Communicate as a CopywriterWhat Are Your Copywriting Business Rules?You Don’t Have to Work With Clients You HateHow NOT to Pitch Potential Copywriting Clients --------------- Get Free Copywriting Training here 

Whether you want to work as a copywriter on staff or as a freelancer, it’s always worth taking a look at job listings. (But remember: job postings are just a small fraction of the available opportunities!) The trouble is, many people get discouraged when they see the dreaded line: “Must have at least two years of experience”. One of the biggest mistakes people make when looking at job descriptions is taking everything as written in stone. But that is absolutely *not* the case! In fact, they’re really more of a wish list for the company. (And frankly, some are like that kid who writes to Santa Claus asking for the ability to fly!) In this episode, Nicki and Kate unpick some real LinkedIn copywriting job postings to show us why we shouldn’t say “no” to ourselves before someone else does. --------------- Mentioned on this Episode This Brand-New Copywriter Landed a Senior Copywriting Role Related Links Why Companies Requiring Experience for Copywriting Jobs is a Good ThingHow to Land Copywriting Work with an Ad AgencyToo Afraid to Pitch? Business Owners WANT Your Copywriting PitchesWhy Freelance Copywriters Should Still Apply to Full-Time JobsSupercharged Job-Hunting Tactics --------------- Get Free Copywriting Training here 

There’s a reason Dolly Parton (and many others!) found success singing about why working the 9 to 5 sucks—for a lot of people, it just does. And when you’re neurodivergent like Comprehensive Copywriting Academy student and coach Cleo, it can almost feel impossible.  But since going freelance as a copywriter and being in control of nearly every aspect of her professional life, it has made it a lot easier for Cleo to thrive. Not only is she financially supporting herself as a single parent, she’s also working a heck of a lot less than 40 hours a week. In this episode, we hear all of the ways having a neurodivergent mind has been an asset for Cleo as a freelance copywriter and the wider impact it’s having on her personal life, too. Plus, we get to hear about a pretty mammoth win that puts her in a very exclusive club with the likes of F. Scott Fitzgerald! --------------- Mentioned on this Episode 5 Books to Read Written by CopywritersView Cleo’s portfolioConnect with Cleo on LinkedIn Related Links Setting Boundaries as a CopywriterBuilding Your Career for Maximum FlexibilityTips for Neurodivergent Copywriters --------------- Get Free Copywriting Training here