If you were to walk in on a gathering of the world’s most elite copywriters, you’d see a very diverse group.
No archetype…just a bunch of different personalities and temperaments with different hobbies, family situations, and professional journeys.
This holds true for people who have risen to the top in my RMBC copywriting course and Copy Accelerator mastermind. Sometimes it’s the reserved, brainy, back-row kind of gal. Other times, it’s the super enthusiastic, “out front” guy…
They’re all over the map for life stories and outward characteristics.
But if you look past the surface, you will start to notice some subtle commonalities and inner strengths.
If there is a secret sauce in this industry, I’d bet on these seven characteristics that may not be immediately observable but can fuel an extremely successful copywriting career.
1. Resourceful. If you’re not resourceful, you’ll sit back and wait for the work to come to you…and wait…and wait…
But successful copywriters get creative and find ways to bring in high-grossing work.
Here’s an example…
You write a free sales letter for a “dream client” to show how you could help them move more product…
They hire you. You crush that first project. But you don’t stop there…
You outline a strategy for another project that you think would help them grow their income even more. Then, present it to them as a free proposal.
You don’t wait for the offer… you bring it to them.
Being resourceful means networking with prospective employers on social media or investing in a copywriting mastermind to build your writing skills and your industry contacts.
It’s a whole lot of creativity propelled by a whole lot of hustle. Both go a long way in this industry.
2. Teachable (growth mindset). Give me a choice between hiring someone with heaps of writing talent who is set in their ways or somebody who is teachable…
Teachable wins every time.
If a person digs in with an unwillingness to adapt and be taught, they won’t go far—no matter how talented they are.
It was Stephen King who said that “talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.”
Another term for this is “growth mindset” vs. “fixed mindset.” The first believes that talents and skills are to be learned and perfected through experience and input from others…
The second believe that these talents are inborn and “fixed.” They tend to get offended or discouraged when someone offers constructive criticism, believing that it reflects on their natural talent.
When I’m mentoring new writers through Copy Accelerator, I start by riffing off of copy that has already performed well. To become a truly great freelance copywriter, you have to be willing to learn from the masters.
This is also really important when you’re getting feedback from a client. If you’re going to get defensive, you’ll alienate people and work will dry up.
3. Curious. There’s a reason the first letter in my RMBC copywriting method is R for Research. As tempting as it is to skip the deep dive and just start writing, the best writers labor away in the research space long before they ever start typing their first draft.
You get to know your target audience like you would a friend…
What motivates them? What are their pain points? What have they tried for relief that has or hasn’t worked?
Same thing for the product or service you’re writing about. What’s unique about it? Why is it more effective than anything else out there?
You carry this into conversations with prospective clients. You don’t dominate the conversation talking about how much you made working for this client or that or who you know or where you went to school…
You’re asking questions, “researching” through your conversation….
What does this person fear…
What do they really want from their marketing campaign…
What have they tried that has failed…
You’re the auto mechanic inspecting the sputtering car. The doctor with the otoscope and the stethoscope and a dozen questions about your health history…
Only when you fully understand the client’s needs can you offer a strategy to fix it
4. Compelling . This can involve a little psychology. To be compelling, you need to dig down to people’s deepest concerns and address them…
You know that people hate to miss out on a good deal so you create specific calls to action with deadlines.
You know that fear is a common emotion so you address the things that keep your readers up at night.
You could write an email subject line like this…
“10 reasons to try (health supplement)…
But you know that won’t have much of an impact. Instead you write…
“What your doctor isn’t telling you.”
And instead of writing this…
“How to protect your personal information.”
You go with this…
“Why your social security number is at risk of being stolen.”
We all have fears. You use words to connect with them.
As a copywriter, you’re not there just to inform. Wikipedia can do that. You’re there to elicit an emotional response that compels people to act.
5. Relatable. No matter how perfectly constructed your sentences are, if people can’t relate to your writing style, your copy won’t convert…
This means you use short, punchy sentences and language that you would use in a conversation.
It means you use specifics…
“His brain felt like TV static with its endless blurry line.”
“She painted the heavy makeup onto her face, but even a thick covering couldn’t conceal the brown splotches.”
“When he walked in the house, the quiet felt oddly deafening. No music. No laughing kids. Just the thud of his briefcase and the stony silence from his wife. Home too late…once again.”
6. Reliable. Part of copywriting mastery is making deadlines. Seems easy, but it’s surprisingly rare in this industry…
Start by setting reasonable deadlines for yourself. Then, communicate clearly along the way…
“Just wanted you to know that the sales letter is on track, and I’ll plan to get it to you on Wednesday.”
If you are going to be delayed, alert your client as early as possible. Delays happen, but there’s no excuse for poor communication.
7. Courageous. It takes courage to look someone in the eye and command a generous fee for your services…
That’s why so many people wimp out before naming their price. They settle for less than they could or should.
It takes courage to ask for work from a prospective employer and risk rejection…
It takes courage to present your work to a mentor and be open to feedback…
But if you never face down that miasma of fear, you’ll stay stagnant.
The most successful copywriters I know are not necessarily the most naturally talented copywriters, but they have the courage to present themselves as confident, capable, and worthy of top dollar.
You might be thinking a couple of things right now…
That you have a lot of these qualities. That you’re in the right field.
Or maybe you’re thinking that this isn’t you. That you lack courage or resourcefulness or that you wish you could write in a more compelling way.
Truth is, even the best of us aren’t a perfect 10 across the board. Mentoring and learning opportunities and different work experiences have helped us hone our craft and continue to do so.
I love this field because there are no barriers to entry…
You don’t need to come from a certain family or income level or graduate from a certain institution…
If copywriting speaks to your soul and you’re willing to work toward mastering the skills that matter most, you can get there from here. And I’d recommend the journey.