A simple way to track your progress and success rate as a new and aspiring copywriter
After 18,000+ hours honing my craft and 10+ years working as a fully booked and highly-paid copywriter, I’ve learnt a few things… And it’s these things I thought I’d share with you today.
If you've got dreams of living a life as a successful copywriter, this post should be up your street.
The problem I see many new and aspiring copywriters make, through no fault of their own, is believing everything they write is AHH-MAZING!!! (And, yes, I'm using three exclamation marks because we also love to OD on the "!!!" when we're new at writing copy 😜)
The reality is, it takes time to fine-tune your Crappy Copy Meter. And there's no judgement here. My Crappy Copy Meter dial was way off point for the first 2-3 years of my writing journey. But let's face it… How do you know if your copy is any good if you don’t get a pair of pro eyes to scan your words and give you feedback?
But I appreciate working with a mentor or copywriting coach might carry a hefty price tag and may not be a feasible option when you’re just starting out.
So, to help you out, here are 5 ways to tell if you’re a great copywriter. If you’ve not started your copywriting journey yet, then no biggie, consider this list your secret weapon because if you can master and adopt these habits, mindset hacks and results for your clients, early in your copywriting career, you’ll be well ahead of your competition.
Alright, here goes…
5 Signs You’re A Great Copywriter
1. You write a first draft… but never send it
This is important. Nobody needs to see your first draft except you. If you’re anything like me then your first draft is likely to be a hot mess of ideas, stats, data, incomplete stories, weak segues and a shockingly bad “holding headline”, that quite frankly, should never see the light of day.
But here’s the thing, your first draft is really important. It’s the place where you can throw caution to the wind - free from judgement - and simply write because it’s made for your eyes only. Don’t aim to write the perfect 1st draft of ANYTHING you produce in your copywriting business - it will be futile and frustrating. Instead, write your first draft and perfect the later iterations.
2. You have a writing routine… but you don’t let it hold you prisoner.
Awesome copywriters - the people who make money with their words on a consistent basis - write every day. They don’t leave the opportunity to achieve mastery to chance so they practice honing their craft daily. They are lifelong learners, adaptors and change-makers.
Make writing words a daily habit; it can be writing a blog, a social media post or a couple of pages in your journal. And when you combine reading daily with writing daily your ability to craft captivating sentences will skyrocket.
But remember this…
Copywriting is a creative pursuit… and creativity can show up at any time. So, stay open for when inspiration strikes understanding that this might happen outside your writing window… And that’s OK.
Capture these a-ha moments; write them down, record them, photograph them and embrace the freedom that being an inspired and creative copywriter can bring.
3. You’re a great writer… but a better editor
Writing copy is only half the job. You need to be a ruthless editor as well. Wearing both hats is essential. Not every word you write needs to be submitted to your client or shared with the world. Get comfortable editing your work. Adopt the 80/20 rule when it comes to copywriting.
Treat the first draft as the dumping ground for ALL the things you want to include and need to share with your audience… (And yes, what you want to say and what the audience needs to know are two very different things 😉)
Then after the first draft be prepared to cut up to 80% of it. That might sound like a lot but believe me (especially when you’re just starting out) a lot of what you write won’t (and shouldn’t) make the final draft.
You’re then left with 20% and THIS is the copy where your writing genius should shine through in the form of attention-grabbing headlines, open-loops, seamless segues, captivating stories and killer CTAs. You want to flesh these bits out and optimise them so the calibre of your copywriting skills takes centre stage.
4. You dish up quality content for your audience… but you’re not their servant
When you’re just starting out you’ll hear people who’ve been in the content creation space for a while say you should create customer-centred content for your target audience. And this is true. Your audience should be interested in what you share; your content should add value, help to improve their situation, offer new perspectives, educate, inform and inspire them to take action that leads to a desirable outcome and closer to a better version of themselves.
But…
It’s *really* important that you feel excited about the content you share. The things you discuss should juice you up and motivate you to get up and create content on a consistent basis.
Sometimes you may feel inspired to pivot into a different space, explore a new idea and launch a new project that may or may not resonate with everyone in your community… and that’s OK. You’re not beholden to your audience.
5. Your clients love the copy you deliver… And tell their friends
For the first 6 years of my business, I operated a 100% client retention and referral rate business. This means everyone I worked with, worked with me again or referred me to a friend. Eventually, I pivoted my positioning, created new offers and needed to expand my reach but the point is, when you’re just getting started as a copywriter, your number 1 goal is to book paying clients and deliver exceptional results. They should be blown away by your work (because after all, you’ll be a master of numbers 1,2 and 3 on the list, right?)... and as a result, they should be excited to work with you again and brag about you to their friends.
You can rest assured that you are a stellar copywriter when you enjoy the feeling (and security) of having repeat business and referral clients on your books. It's much easier to serve existing clients than it is to be on the burnout wheel of trying to find new clients around the clock.
There you have it, 5 sure-fire ways to know if you are crushing it as a copywriter. And, hey, don’t be discouraged if you’re still in the blocks waiting to jumpstart your copywriting journey… consider this list a trusted checklist to track your progress.
Till next time ~
Nat x
PS: If you’re ready to be a standout and sought-after copywriter but don’t know where to start or what to do… Perhaps you’re scratching your head or ploughing through TikTok and YouTube wondering…
How to get clients…
Build a portfolio…
Pick a niche…
Work with a coach or go it alone…
How much to charge…
Freelance on Fiverr or not…
… If any of the above has crossed your mind then I’d love to help you out.
Book a free no pressure call. Get your burning questions answered and your copywriting dreams ignited. I promise you won’t regret it.
Here’s what Rianna said after her free Copy Chat:
My chat with Nat was so positive. Her enthusiasm was infectious and she dropped so many helpful gems that I furiously was trying to scribble down. Nat really took the time to get to the root of my problem with no pressure to commit and complete empathy. Thank you, Nat!
And Calvin said…
I loved the chat with Nat. It has really helped me progress with my copywriting journey. I am now confident with my first steps and I have a clear format of how to take on this career.
So, what have you got to lose?