10 Things You Need to Know Before Becoming a Copywriter

I absolutely LOVE being a copywriter. It’s been an AMAZING path for me that has opened up my life in numerous many ways. 

Not going to lie…when I first started out, there was a huge learning curve, and there are definitely some things I wish I would have known from the beginning. There are some things you need to know before becoming a copywriter.

Whether you’ve been looking into copywriting for a while or if it’s just popped up on your radar, it can be nice to have an insider’s perspective on this fun and unique career. I’d love to share some of the most impactful things you should keep in mind before going on this journey to become a copywriter. 

1. Finding Clients Takes Work 

Finding clients is the most important and often the most intimidating part of starting your copywriting career. I’m not going to lie, in the beginning, it takes a lot of work. This is one of the major things you need to know before becoming a copywriter.

When I first started out, I got most of my clients through cold emailing. This means sending out emails offering your services to people that don’t know you. I actually sent out over forty emails a day!

You may also spend some time on job boards or copywriting forums looking for gigs. It can take a lot of browsing to find worthwhile jobs on these sites and many people will want to pay you pennies on the dollar for your work. 

You may have to take a couple lower-paying jobs in the beginning to build your portfolio and gain experience. Getting copywriting clients certainly takes determination and patience. If you join the Copywriters Academy, I give you NUMEROUS ideas and platforms to use to gain clients and attract the one you actually ENJOY working with.

2. Hard work pays off

The good news is that the hard work will pay off. All those emails that I sent allowed me to ramp up my business quickly. 

Searching for clients may seem never-ending at the beginning, but eventually, you get to a point where you’ll get referrals. You may have to even say no to clients or put them on a waitlist.

As a copywriter, you have a lot of control over the amount of clients you work with and how quickly your business scales. Your efforts in the beginning will set you up for a lucrative and successful business down the road.

3. You’ll struggle with self-doubt

Imposter syndrome is real. It can be described as feeling like you’re not competent or capable, no matter how qualified you actually are. It’s not uncommon to struggle with this, especially when starting your own copywriting business. 

You’ll deal with self-doubt and sometimes feel like a total fraud. You’ll be your own worst critic and over-analyze your work. This can definitely slow your progress and paralyze you from making positive strides in your career. 

Self-doubt is a natural part of carving out a nontraditional career path, and something that I struggled with myself. Knowing this going in can be helpful. You’re not alone in feeling this way. 

4. You’ll build so much confidence 

So you’ll definitely deal with self-doubt, but you’ll also learn how to overcome it. I believe that a huge part of being a successful copywriter is having the right mindset. Part of that means facing your limiting beliefs and self-doubt head on and reframing the narrative to a more positive one. 

It takes practice, but over time you’ll learn how to develop a positive mindset. You’ll learn to speak kindly to yourself and to trust in your own abilities. Challenging your self-doubt daily teaches you so much and helps you grow as a person and a professional. I can full-heartedly say that I’m a more confident person in my personal life ever since growing my business.

Carving out a new career path can be rewarding and empowering. Each day you will be challenged, but if you can learn to use those challenges to learn and grow, you’ll become a confident and successful copywriter. 

5. You’ll be doing a lot more than writing

So of course as a copywriter, you’ll be doing a whole lot of writing. Something else to keep in mind is that there are lots of other aspects to this job. 

A lot of the day-to-day activities of a copywriter don’t directly lead to income- like showing up on social media, maintaining a presence online, updating your website, and keeping track of finances. (I go over ALL of this in my Copywriter’s Academy Course that’s ONLY $37!)

However, all of these things are just as important as the actual writing because they allow you to sustain and grow your business. You’ll spend a lot of time at your computer, but not all of it will be for stringing sentences together. 

6. Everyday is different

It’s an exciting ride! Copywriting is a unique career because every day in this job looks a little different. As mentioned above, you’ll be doing a lot more than just writing- which I think keeps things interesting. 

Balancing several different types of projects for various clients and keeping up with the day to day tasks of running your business can be a lot to handle, but it can also be kind of fun. 

When one task is no longer holding your attention, you can easily switch to something else, filling your time with a variety of projects throughout the day. You also have the freedom in your schedule to take a midday walk around your neighborhood or take a random Wednesday off for a trip to the spa. 

Having variety in your schedule can be really nice. If you don’t feel aligned with the traditional career path where every day looks pretty much the same, copywriting is the perfect career for you. 

7. It’s your responsibility to track your finances 

Ok so this is huge! As a copywriter, you won’t be receiving the same paycheck every couple of weeks and you have a tax responsibility on all the payments that come in. More so than in many other careers, it’s important to stay on top of your finances. 

For some, this can feel a little overwhelming, but it’s definitely crucial. You’ll want to set financial goals and figure out a way to keep track of your income and expenses. This is important to know from the beginning so that you can be prepared and stay organized. 

8. Your income potential is limitless 

Say what??? So, even though tracking your finances may not be very fun, it sure is exciting to watch that income roll in. 

Copywriting is great because you have limitless potential to create wealth. It’s totally possible to make a lot of money through copywriting, and you have a lot of power over how much money you make. 

As you grow as a copywriter, you’ll be able to raise your rates and be choosy about which projects you take on. Knowing that you’re in control of your own income can be really empowering. 

9. You won’t have the standard employee benefits 

Copywriting means being your own boss, which for many people is a dream come true.  However, if you are thinking about leaving your current job behind to pursue a career in copywriting, a huge factor to consider is that working for yourself doesn’t come with the typical employee benefits you might be used to. 

As a copywriter, there’s no PTO, so when you’re not working, you’re not making money. You’ll also be responsible for your own health insurance. If you are currently working in an office or corporate role with employee benefits, it may take some time to get used to this transition. 

10. The job has its perks! 

So there’s no PTO, but being a copywriter means being able to work from anywhere. This opens you up to more travel than a traditional career path- who needs PTO anyway?

Or maybe traveling isn’t your thing, but wouldn’t it be nice to decide your working hours and get more time with your family? 

There are so many incredible perks to being a copywriter including autonomy and freedom in your schedule. You’re the boss, which means there’s no one to ask for permission to take off. You get to make your own rules. 

For me, all of the great perks of being a copywriter make the challenging aspects of this career so worth it. Copywriting has changed my life for the better, and I have no regrets about pursuing this path. I hope these “10 things you need to know before becoming a copywriter” give you a better insight into this field.

Fast Track Your Copywriting Journey with The Copywriter’s Academy

If you’re interested in learning more about how to become a copywriter, I offer a 6+ module course, The Copywriter’s Academy, to teach you EVERYTHING you need to know to become a copywriter AND start your own online business. With this career path, you can live anywhere, work anywhere, and live your dream life!

Be sure to say hi to be on Instagram and let me know if you read this article and are thinking about becoming a copywriter!