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,...

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,...

As consumers, we are surrounded by discounts tempting us to make all kinds of purchases. So as a copywriter, it’s natural to ask yourself, “Should I offer discounts to customers?” Spoiler alert: Not a smart move. While discounts and sales might seem like a quick fix, they’re not a great way to start landing more clients. The good news is, there *are* ways to make yourself more marketable to potential clients. Listen in to find out the dangers of discounting your rates and how to effectively...

It’s a question that pops into most aspiring—and even established—copywriters’ minds at some point: “What if I fail?” Our brains LOVE to catastrophize and fear the worst (just another great perk of being a human…). But if you notice yourself descending into a spiral of negative thoughts, the good news is that one simple method can combat all of your panic-inducing “what if” scenarios. If you’re the type of person who tends to give yourself a hard time over every little setback (yes, we’re...

As the owner of a freelance business, you *want* to keep growing but it can be hard to know where to go next in a way that stays true to your vision. And most importantly, how do you get there without burning out? As the leader, you’re steering the ship of your business solo, and it can feel lonely without anyone to help you make sense of what’s next.  Instead of following someone else’s roadmap or throwing more shiny objects at the problem, it’s time to craft your own path to success. Meet...

Life has a funny way of coming full circle sometimes. But if you’d told ex-teacher Rebecca that, just ONE YEAR after signing up to the Comprehensive Copywriting Academy, she would be copywriting for the Filthy Rich Writer team…well, it’s safe to say she would have laughed in disbelief. In this episode, we find out the secret ingredient that set her pitch apart from the rest—and helped her land a client she *never* thought was possible. Listen in to hear more about how the CCA paved her...

The arrival of a new year often sparks an enthusiasm that makes us set wildly ambitious resolutions. Shed 60 lbs? On it. Become fluent in French? Let’s go. And then would you believe it, a few weeks down the line, you’re done. One of the biggest reasons why resolutions are set up for failure is because we never stop to break it down into smaller steps. While we absolutely encourage you to have goals or resolutions (which, by the way, don’t have to start on January 1st!), we also need to...

Whenever we embark on something new, it can be tempting to go out and buy allll the new accessories to help you get started. “But a shiny, new desk will make me *feel* professional…and THEN I can do the work, right?!” Well, we hate to break it to you but…a new desk is *not* going to magically boost your productivity.  In fact, the “urge to splurge” is often just resistance showing up and trying to distract us from doing the work we need to do. So in this episode, Nicki and Kate remind us of...

You *know* LinkedIn is important for landing work but when it comes to building or updating your profile…well, taking a nap always seems like a better option. But LinkedIn can strongly impact your career and by taking the right steps to optimize your page, you could be attracting job leads and recruiter connections while you sleep! In this episode, Nicki and Kate are running through some of the most important changes that will zhuzh up your copywriter LinkedIn profile and make yourself...

Have you ever scrolled past copywriting roles at big-name companies, feeling like they’re out of your league? “There’s no WAY they’d consider hiring someone like me!” Many of us have doubted whether those big, corporate giants would ever give us a shot. But today, we’re about to share a story that proves those internal doubts wrong… When Comprehensive Copywriting Academy student Shelby landed an interview at a big corporation, she certainly thought it was one of those “’too good to be true”...

“Wait, my copy is going to be put to the test?! What?!” Anything that mentions the word “test” always sounds scary but don’t panic! When a client starts to talk to you about potentially running tests on your copy, this is something that you should not only embrace, but even be excited about. Testing your copy is a chance for you to better serve your client, allowing you to learn a lot about what resonates with a particular audience. In this episode, Nicki and Kate discuss how testing works,...

We know by now that pitching clients is hands down the best way to control your workload and your income. But if you’re spending all your time pitching new clients, you could be missing a trick… Sometimes we forget that the easiest clients to pitch are the ones who already know you and love the work you’re doing. So today, Nicki and Kate are diving into the strategies for upselling past and current clients so that you can deliver more value, increase your income, and grow your...

OK, it’s time to ‘fess up. Is some laziness starting to creep into your copywriting? If you find yourself hitting “send” without a second look, resorting to tired seasonal puns (PLEASE no more “fall for falling prices”), or skipping the strategy stage…it might be time for a wake-up call. Our clients rely on us for the highest quality work and, as tempting as it can be to cut corners sometimes, it’s a sure fire way to start producing mediocre work. Listen in to discover the lazy behaviors...

Despite being born with a passion for writing, Comprehensive Copywriting Academy student just couldn’t seem to find a way to make it her full-time gig. But spending 20 years working in the bar and restaurant industry, living paycheck to paycheck, had started to take its toll physically and emotionally. Within a matter of months of starting the CCA course, Kelsey’s portfolio site was up and running and she landed the job of her dreams. Not only has she already bagged herself a promotion to...

When you’re starting a new career in copywriting, you might run into some…less than helpful comments, shall we say. “Copywriting–is that actually a real career?” and “Is that even something you can make money from?” are some of the classics. But as Taylor Swift so wisely said: “The haters gonna hate (hate hate hate hate)” and you can’t live your life letting other people’s opinions hold you back from your goals. Whether they’re people from your inner circle or strangers online, listen in as...

While it’s not necessary to build a successful copywriting career, adding complementary skills to your toolbox can be advantageous. And–despite its name–content strategy can actually make a great pairing with copywriting. Experienced content strategist Amanda Hand joins Nicki and Kate in this week’s episode to dig into this role further and what it takes to create high-performing content that drives business growth. For anyone interested in the dynamic field of content strategy and SEO,...

We love recording the Build Your Copywriting Business podcast ... but sometimes we mess up. A lot. Luckily, we have the very best podcast editor, Julie, who makes us sound extra coherent. To celebrate her 3-year anniversary with the Nicki K Media team, we enlisted her husband Jay's help to put together this tribute to all the times we're caught saying "Sorry Julie" while recording. A project that started as a joke became a very serious reality. Enjoy this earworm of a song and...

We can’t help but facepalm when a student tells us, “but I’ve heard you have to [insert terrible advice from a so-called copywriting ‘guru’]?” Despite its wealth of information, the internet has created an echo chamber of bad advice, especially for new copywriters. In this episode, Nicki and Kate roll up their sleeves and dig into some of the worst recommendations out there, from hand copying ads, to niches, and–dare we even mention–Upwork. You’ll also find out what *truly* works...

When it comes to landing copywriting roles, the proof really is in the pudding. If you can demonstrate that you can do great work, the opportunities are there for the taking–and some of them might even be right under your nose… In this episode, Nicki and Kate are joined by Comprehensive Copywriting Academy student Joe, who shares how proactively pitching an idea helped him transition out of a career in finance and into a brand new role as marketing content manager (created just for him!)....

Do your project costs only factor in time spent writing, editing, and in meetings? If so, you may be doing a lot of pro bono work for your clients–and we’re fairly certain you didn’t get into this business to work for free! As a freelancer, it’s easy to get caught up in our emotions, fear, and self-doubt. In this episode, Nicki and Kate encourage us to put on our CFO hats, look at our numbers, and make sure that we are getting paid for *all* of the work that we’re...

Do you ever suffer from “shiny object syndrome”? The feeling of learning something new can bring a lot of excitement but it could also be a sign that resistance is creeping in… When you first start digging into copywriting, you’re exposed to a whole new world of possibilities, from SEO, to graphic design and web development. We know how tempting it is to want to learn all of the skills but in reality, it could be slowing down your success. Listen in as Nicki and Kate reveal...

Whether it’s the email formula that will “10x your sales” or the subject line that will “double your open rates”, there’s–unfortunately–a copywriting template for pretty much anything these days. But is pressing the easy button going to deliver excellent results for your client? Tune in as Nicki and Kate talk (ahem, rage) about why you shouldn’t undermine your own skills and the value of what you do by leaning on templates. --------------- Related Links Can Copywriting Software...

As many teachers will know, the relentless nature of the job and never-ending to-do lists can certainly take their toll. After 11 years in the profession (frankly, anyone deserves a medal for that!), Comprehensive Copywriting Academy student Amanda knew it was time for a change. After making the fun realization that you can *actually* write for a living–and get paid extremely well–Amanda is enjoying more flexibility, more time with family, and a lot less stress. The icing on the cake? She’s...

The 2023 Summer Freelance summit brought you a star-powered lineup of expert speakers, dedicated to helping you progress your freelance career. Today’s podcast episode is breaking down three days’ worth of inspiration into a smattering of highlights to help you optimize your freelance business! From mastering your personal finances and combatting procrastination to implementing game-changing features on your website (and much more!), this is your chance to steal some of the most effective...