Build Your Copywriting Business

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...

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 c...

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 ha...

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 tryin...

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 th...

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...

“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 w...

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 curr...

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, i...

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...

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...

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 dr...

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...

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...

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 ca...

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, an...

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 rea...

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...

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 enjo...

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 featu...

Today’s episode is a little bit  Back to the Future -esque as we dive into the concept of setting your future self up for success. This is something the Filthy Rich Writer team is verrry big on, so we want to share some of the best actions that will make future you oh so thankful. Tend to drag your heels before sending an invoice? Always finding a reason not to update your portfolio?  Listen in fo...

If you’re anything like most of the members in our community, you’re probably the type of person who sets goals and measures yourself against “ideals”. But sometimes, in the pursuit of those dreams, we forget to give ourselves credit for what we’ve already achieved.  Built your portfolio? Sent your first pitch? Landed your first client?!  These are all HUUUGE wins worth celebrating! On today’s epi...

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 pitches! --------------- Related...

Like many Comprehensive Copywriting Academy students, Sonali came from an entirely different professional background. After 11 years in social work, she knew it wasn’t her forever job. Sonali always had an affinity for writing and copywriting soon became an attractive career choice. Sonali decided to go all in on her new career and set a goal to hit $5K a month by June 2023. Spoiler: She hit that...

We’ve had the pleasure of hearing some truly remarkable stories and transformations from the students inside our Comprehensive Copywriting Academy. In this special episode, we’re giving you a roundup of some of the very best advice from our CCA students and working copywriters. What all of our success stories have in common?  A willingness to embrace discomfort, dream a little bigger, and welcome...