Start Copywriting FAST (8 Steps For Beginners)

Want to get paid to write?

Today, I’m sharing exactly what it takes to build your copywriting business from scratch and how to become a highly-paid, highly sought-after copywriter TODAY… 

(Yup – even if you have zero experience, a 9-5 job, don’t speak English as your first language or have never considered yourself a writer).

Hey Posse, what’s up? It’s Alex. 

I’m REALLY EXCITED for this article because there is nothing I love more than helping new and aspiring copywriters create the life and business of their dreams…

And, hey, you’re already HERE, which means you’re one step closer than you were 1 minute ago.

In this article, I’m going reveal everything you need to get started copywriting…

The most common reasons copywriters get stuck…

Different ways to gain experience as a new copywriter…

What it looks like to make 6-figures as a copywriter…

And the 8-step checklist you need to follow to get there!

So whether you’re just copy-curious and not sure if you’re ready to take the leap into a new career yet…

OR you know you’re ready to create your dream life and ignite your copywriting side hustle from scratch but you’re not sure where to start…

OR you’re already getting paid to write, but you’re ready to take your skills to the next level and create a life of full-time freedom, baby…

You are in the RIGHT place! 

And, if you’re already part of the Posse, welcome back. You know I like to keep things simple ‘round here and break everything down into actionable steps that make sense…

So, with that… let’s get started with step #1…

Step 1: Make A Decision (CHOOSE)

I know it sounds stupidly simple – and it is. But it’s the MOST important step because, without it, you’ll waffle and wait and wonder for years… what if?

The #1 question I get from aspiring copywriters is this…

“Alex, how do I know if I’m ready?!?!”

And this is also the #1 reason why most people NEVER get started in the first place.

Starting something new is scary as hell, so our brains come up with a million reasons why it won’t work…

• You’re not “ready”…
• You work full-time…
• You parent full-time…
• You have no experience…
• The market is oversaturated…
• A.I. is taking over…
• And on and on… 

I always find it funny how we use so much of our creativity to create reasons why something WON’T work, rather than how it could.

So that is my challenge to you…

Instead of coming up with a million reasons why it won’t work out…

Come up with just one reason why it COULD work out and then make the decision to GO FOR IT. 

Because… a little secret…

Ready is not a feeling. It’s a decision. You will NEVER feel ready.

Keep this in mind…

The most successful people in the world are not successful because they know a secret that you don’t…

They are successful because they make more decisions faster.

Write this down: Successful people make fast decisions – even if they are the wrong ones. 

When you view every decision you make as either a win or a lesson, you can never lose.

I’ll walk you through a powerful mindset shift for making a radically aligned decision in my Confident Copywriter Roadmap.

Alright, let’s move on to step #2…

Step 2: Find A Mentor (COMMIT)

There are two ways you can build your dreams…

#1 – you can do it yourself – that’s the long way.

OR…

#2 – you can get support from someone who has been there, done that – that’s the fast way.

I’m not saying it has to be me – but commit to learning from someone!!!

And whatever you do… DO NOT TRY TO LEARN FROM EVERYONE.

Newsflash: there is more than one path to success. 

Just about every single “expert” out there is teaching a different way to accomplish the same end goal…

And one does not negate the other…

But if you try to find competing information and advice on the internet, you WILL find it, my friends.

So if you try to learn ALL the things from ALL the experts – you’re just going to confuse yourself. 

If you listen to one person’s path, then stop and go, “Oh wait, but that person did it this way”, then abandon your current path to go on another – you’ll end up taking WAY longer to get to where you want to go. 

Or you may never get there at all because you’ll be jumping all over the place…

This is a hard concept for a lot of people to get behind because we feel like we NEED to learn all the things from all the experts in order to be successful (or before we even start!! Which means you never will)…

Nope. 

The absolute best thing you can do to fast-track your success is to commit to ONE mentor – follow ONE path – and go for it. 

Stop overthinking it.

And then, AFTER you’ve gotten the foundational skills down – you can start to expand your skill set and learn different topics and strategies from different people…

First – go deep, then go broad.

Okay, now on the step #3… 

Step 3: Invest In Yourself (COURAGE)

Another little interesting quirk about us humans…

We tend to overestimate what other people can do and we underestimate what we can do…

Which is ironic because you can’t control what anyone else does. 

You control YOU. 

YOU ARE THE SUREST ASSET YOU HAVE!!!!!! 

Yes, you! Write that down. 

Invest in yourself, and you WILL see an ROI.

And I don’t just mean money – invest your time, energy, effort…

Put skin in the game, create an action plan and start taking serious ACTION.

Yes – it’ll feel scary to invest in that course…

To tell your friends and family that you’re doing something new…

To set a goal you’ve never dared dream of…

To try something you have NO experience in…

But all it takes is one moment of courage to change the course of your life…

Remember – courage comes before confidence.

If you wait until you feel confident, you will be waiting forever.

So stop waiting and start taking action. 

Alright, on to step #4…

Step 4: Grow Your Skills (CULTIVATE)

If you want to be a copywriter, you have to learn the skill of copywriting. 

I mean, obviously – right?! 

You have to learn…

You have to start somewhere…

You have to be a beginner before you can be an expert… 

So many people never chase their dreams or start a new hobby because they are TERRIFIED of “looking stupid”… 

But the hard truth is… there is no other way!

When you were a baby learning how to walk for the first time… did you feel stupid when you stumbled at first? NO!

Did anyone look at you like you were an idiot? NO!

They cheered you on and rooted for you to succeed! 

You cannot – I repeat, you cannot – start something new and be a pro right away. 

It takes PRACTICE. 

Lots of practice. 

And yes – you will probably suck at first. 

Everyone sucks at first. 

I sucked at first! 

Give yourself permission to suck and then get over it. 

Continuing to show up – learn & practice is the only way to grow and get better. Here are some tips to do that…

• Write something every single day. It doesn’t have to be *just* copy. Write a story, a poem, a slogan. What you write doesn’t really matter; just get into the habit of writing. 

• Study the emails, ads, and sales pages you see…

• Practice writing hooks – I post practice posts all of the time on my Instagram account… 

• Take a practical copywriting program – I have an 8-week copywriter training program that teaches you EVERYTHING you need to know to get started from scratch, and you can learn more about that in the description box below… 

AND you’ll find more ways for you to practice inside my Confident Copywriter Roadmap.

The more time you dedicate to practicing – and yes, “sucking” – the faster you’ll get GOOD. 

As I always say, the secret to writing good copy…

1. Write bad copy.
2. Fix it.

Alright, step #5… 

Step 5: Build Your Portfolio (CAPABILITY)

This is a step that everyone always wants to skip. 

But sorry, if you want to be a copywriter – you NEED a portfolio.

Don’t just take my word for it… 

Here’s what Nicky Lorenzo, the creative director & copywriter at Olgivy – one of the biggest advertising agencies in the world – had to say when asked “Do you think that having a portfolio is important for copywriters?” 

She said…

“You have to have one. It’s not important, it’s like… you have to have one. It’s not even a question. If you don’t have a portfolio, what are you even doing? Unless you have a friend who works at the agency that recommends you, you need a portfolio to get in. To even get looked at.”

Your portfolio is EV-ER-Y-THING when it comes to copywriting. 

You DON’T need formal education…

You DON’T need previous writing experience…

You DON’T need an impressive resume…

You DON’T need a massive social presence. 

But you DO need a portfolio. 

If you don’t have one, you’re going to have a very, very, VERY hard time finding anyone willing to hire you. 

Brands and businesses want to SEE what you’ve got BEFORE they give you a shot. 

So… how do you build your portfolio if you have no prior writing experience?

Simple – write mock copy!

I list out TONS of ideas to help you do this inside my free Confident Copywriter Roadmap.

Alright, on to step #6… 

Step 6: Find Your First Client (CLAIM)

You could learn all the skills, practice night & day, and build an awesome portfolio…

But if you don’t put yourself out there, then you aren’t going to get very far!!!

How else are you going to find anyone to hire you?!

Now, this is really important…

Claiming your new career path does NOT necessarily mean you feel confident…

It simply means that you’re willing to tell the world WHO you are and WHAT you’re up to.

Let people know you started a copywriting business. 

• Talk about it on social media…
• Reach out to the business owners you know.
• Start networking and building professional connections…
• Start conversations…
• Apply for jobs…

I’ve had students who have landed their FIRST CLIENT before even graduating from my 8-week program… simply by posting about what they’re learning on their Instagram stories…

I’ve also had students land clients by cold emailing and reaching out directly to business owners they followed…

I’ve had students whose first client was the boss of their current 9-5 who heard what they’re trying to do and was willing to give them a chance…

I’ve had students land clients by talking to their clients at their serving jobs…

And countless other ways. 

There is no MAGIC way to find clients… or no MAGIC source for clients (except maybe the Copy Posse Launch Pad job board)…

Different things work for different people – so you should try and test a few methods. 

Finding your first client is often the hardest and slowest part of starting your business…

But if you follow all the steps I’ve outlined for you above, it will be WAY easier. 

And once you get your first one…

It becomes a lot easier to keep going.

It takes 80% of a rocket’s fuel to leave the earth’s atmosphere – but once you’re there, you’ve freakin done it.

Again, if you want a list of my favorite ways to find clients, make sure to grab a copy of my Confident Copywriter Roadmap – because I have it all listed for you there. 

Okay, only TWO more steps left…

Step 7: Gain Experience (CONFIDENCE)

You get a client…

You hone your skills…

You perfect your portfolio…

Lather, rinse, repeat. 

Repeat this cycle over and over again. 

THAT is how you gain experience. 

THAT is how your confidence grows. 

You gain confidence through EXPERIENCE. That is the ONLY way.

You build up your experience and/or client roster. You level up your marketing skills to better serve clients. You continue learning and growing.

This process could be as slow or as fast as you want it…

It all comes down to what YOU want…

You could choose to go all-in and make freelance copywriting your full-time gig…

You could choose to do it part-time while you pursue other passions, work a 9-5, or parent…

Or you might decide not to freelance at all and instead take on a job with an agency or be an in-house copywriter for a business to start your career…

And hey, there is no shame in getting paid to WRITE full-time as an employee at first. That’s a fast way to grow and hone your skills before going fully freelance – not to mention many of these positions are REMOTE, which means you can do it from home.

There are plenty of opportunities and different paths you can take as you build your experience and gain more confidence…

And that’s where the last step – the most exciting step – finally comes into play…

Step 8: Consciously Design Your Life (CREATE)

As your experience grows, your confidence grows and your referrals grow…

Something really freakin’ amazing starts to happen…

You realize that YOU have complete and total control over the way your life looks and feels. 

You can say “no” to clients that don’t feel good…

You can TRADE UP your clients, raise your rates, and negotiate retainers and commissions…

You get to decide how, when, and where you work.

You get to decide which projects you’ll take and which you’ll pass on. 

This is when you get to consciously create the life you’ve always wanted. 

It doesn’t happen right away – of course not!!

You have to go through steps 1-7 first. 

You need to learn the skill, practice it, find clients, hone your skills, and gain more confidence BEFORE you get to this place. 

But I can tell you for a fact that you get to step #8 very, very quickly if you’re dedicated to this roadmap. 

I have students who go from making $1k a month to well over 6 figures in as little as ONE YEAR. 

Think about that for a minute. 

I don’t know of any other profession or skill set that you can learn and scale in such a short amount of time. 

And it all starts with step 1 – a decision to START. 

And if you need help getting started…

Make sure to grab your free copy of my Confident Copywriter Roadmap and check out more tutorials here on my blog!…

Until next time, I’m Alex. Ciao for now!

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