What to Do When Business Feels Slow (Episode 293)

I am not a believer in "slow seasons are a fact of freelancing." I've been doing this long enough (20+ years) to know that 99% of the time, a slow season happens when you stop reaching out to clients (both past and present). Now, some copywriters lean into these slow seasons and enjoy the break. To these copywriters I say, build in your vacations so you're not waiting for a slow season to take time off! Buuuuuut more often, I see copywriters hit the PANIC button (yes, all-caps-style panic). I've noticed it's gotten even worse with AI entering the conversation. I've even seen copywriters on LinkedIn wondering if they should throw in the towel. No, my friends, the fact remains that there is no better time to become a copywriter—you're needed now more than ever.  But it can feel pretty doom-y gloom-y. And I don't want to discount that. I want to help you address it. So, listen in to hear our our top tips for what to do when you're in a slow season. And no, hitting the giant PANIC button is not one of them. 😉 --------------- Get Free Copywriting Training here

CCA student Sarah is copywriting 3.5 days/week from Mauritius and here's the thing: That could—and should!—be ALL of us. I don't mean Mauritius (though if you LOVE island living, then ... yeah ...). What I mean is there's absolutely NO reason all of us shouldn't be living the lives we want to live. Yes, there are bills, and kids sports games, and endless laundry loads. But that doesn't mean those can't coexist alongside our biggest, wildest dreams. Listen to hear how Sarah started pursuing the things she loved most—and wanted more from—in life. --------------- Get Free Copywriting Training here

In addition to your creative brief (that you need for every project), you need to start with this step—before your fingers even hit your keyboard to write copy. Too many copywriters skip this step and it shows in weak copy. Make sure you're not one of them. I promise that including this step on every project will save you time AND will result in much stronger copy. --------------- Get Free Copywriting Training here

When you’re just starting out in your copywriting career (or even just considering this as a career path), it’s hard to feel confident when you might not have landed any clients or work yet.  That means you might need to borrow a little bit of confidence from the people who have been there, done it, and bought the T-shirt (if only we had some Comprehensive Copywriting Academy merch?!). So, this week, we’re giving you the opportunity to hear a roundup of some of the best advice from our CCA students and working copywriters.  But you have to promise me, one thing: You will take this as inspiration. Motivation. A kick out of your comfort zone. You will not take this as an opportunity to compare their step nine or ten with your step one. You're right where you're supposed to be. And if they can do it, so can you. OK, we're on the same page, right? Let's listen! --------------- Get Free Copywriting Training here

At some point in you career you WILL have multiple projects at the same time. For most of us who want to work full-time as copywriters, that is the goal! Many of you may be experiencing this already and, if you've had to juggle multiple deadlines, you know it isn't always easy. I'm sharing my top tips for managing several projects and clients at the same time. The good news is there is basically zero chance that every client you pitch is going to get back to you at the exact same time and want the work right away. You will, however, likely have projects in various phases of the project process. Here's what that looks like and how to best manage your schedule to avoid overwhelm. --------------- Get Free Copywriting Training here

This episode isn't really about copywriting. It's about building your career around your life instead of the other way around. CCA student, copywriter, and ESL educator Andi is sharing how she's taking one imperfect step after another to do just that. On this Build Your Copywriting Business podcast episode, Andi is bringing us on a journey from Kenya to Vietnam to Montana. And she's unpacking some unparalleled insights, like how she realized as much as she thought she'd love working from home alone, she needed human interaction. So, she connected with fellow CCA student Lisa in Malaysia to stay accountable on her copywriting goals.  (Hi, Lisa! 👋) Andi is sharing not only a wealth of advice on connecting with local businesses, but also on how she's aligning her career with her values. She says she hasn't got it all figured out, but once you listen to this, I think you'll agree that her mindset is one to aspire towards! --------------- Get Free Copywriting Training here 

Put a check next to any of these that you've thought: [ ] That business is too big to need my help. [ ] That business works with an agency already. [ ] They must have copywriters already. [ ] Solopreneur? They can’t afford me! [ ] It's a holiday. I can't reach out to them now. Admittedly, this isn't like a Cosmo quiz where 0-2 checks means one thing and all 5 means another. If you checked any of these, you're making an assumption that could be costing you opportunities (and money). In fact, our brains are pretty great at coming up with ALL kinds of reasons *not* to reach out to potential clients ... And that's exactly what we're going to put the kibosh on today.  Listen now to debunk some of the most common pitching assumptions before they cost you even MORE money and opportunities. --------------- Get Free Copywriting Training here 

Sending lots of emails to potential clients, but never getting a response? As a business owner for 15+ years, I've received my fair of share of pitches (CCA students: you've seen some of the good and some of the bad!).  And I can tell you that there are a handful of super-common mistakes. But you don't have to make those same mistakes, my friend! We're running through the biggest of the big no-nos (with real examples!) on this episode of the By the end, you'll know how to spot these errors so you can fix them before you hit "send" on your emails. --------------- Get Free Copywriting Training here 

Be honest with me for a sec: Have you ever said any of the following before reaching out to a client? "No one wants my pitches." "This is hard—and I'm just going to get a no." "This person doesn't even know me. This is basically spam." "There's an easier way. I'll just use those job bidding sites." As a business owner, I can tell you that all of this negative self talk is not only dangerous, it's just not true.  When you send an email packed with value (CCA students, you know what I'm talking about), business owners are grateful. They may not reach back out, but I can tell you they save your emails (I've got a few I've saved for upcoming projects!). So, if you've ever said any of these, you need to listen to this episode now. --------------- Get Free Copywriting Training here 

Does it ever feel like someone’s trying to put you in a box? It can feel … constraining, to say the least. We all have multiple interests, and as our professional and personal lives increasingly get blurred, it seems silly to try to distill our identities down to a single word. That’s why I can’t wait for you to hear Shelby’s story on today’s Build Your Copywriting Business podcast episode. A copywriter, comedian, actor, podcaster, former teacher, and CCA student (among, many, many other things!), Shelby is sharing allllll the details on how she makes her multi-hyphenate career work.  But even more helpful than her tips for balancing multiple income streams and passions are her tips for balancing all of your interests without burning out. I can’t wait for you to hear all of her hard-earn wisdom … Psst: You can hear Nicki and Kate on Shelby’s podcast Herstory right here. ---------------- Get Free Copywriting Training here