So you want to become a copywriter. The beginning stage of your copywriting career is the hardest. You will go through ups and downs.

When you are just starting out, you will be elated, you think you have found your calling but…

You spend all your time fishing for prospects and you get turned down 100% all of the time.

Days turn to weeks. Weeks turn to months.

You question yourself. Is this for you?

Motivation starts to dwindle.

And you quit.

Why you need a copywriting mentor to become a copywriter

You hit an all-time low and you say, “this is not working.” You deviate from your goal and start chasing another potential money-making idea.

You caught the shiny object syndrome. Before you know it, you are dropshipping, investing in stocks, and filling out surveys.

You need a copywriter to motivate you and keep you on the path to become a fan-freaking-tastic copywriter.

How Would You Like To Earn 5, 6, or 7 Figures A Year Just Writing?

A stupidly geeky looking copywriter reveals his journey towards living his dream…

Hi, my name is Christian Tanobey.

Currently living my dream, but it’s not what you are thinking. I choose my hours, choose where I work, no boss looking over my shoulder. Sitting in a cafe with a laptop and sipping coffee. This is my dream.

What?

You are expecting me to say something crazy stupid like traveling the world at a drop of a hat?

Owning mansions and fast cars? Making a ridiculous amount of moolah?

Nothing wrong with that. Some people may actually have accomplished their dreams without realizing it. Some may think they are living their dream but may come to the realization it is not what they are after.

Everyone is different but the moral of the story is, to have a dream. A goal you can set your eyes on. Because without one, you will be all over the place.

So…

Are you interested in influencing people with your writing? How to get them to do pretty much what you want? Well if you stick around for the rest of my blabbering, I might just tell you.

How To Become A Copywriter

You are just in luck because, not long ago I was just like you, wet behind the ears. Here are some things which I have done that helped develop my success in copywriting. Doing this will help you become a better copywriter.

• I joined copywriting forums (the least helpful).
• Chose a niche.
• Copied copywriters.
• Read copywriting books.
• Write sales letters.
• Listened to podcasts.
• Binge watched copywriters.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m no master (yet). But, I have written ad copies which pocketed me thousands of dollars. This makes me an expert (in my mind).

Top copywriters are making millions for their clients with their sales letters. These top-tiered writers charge between $10,000 to $150,000. I’ve even heard of $450,000. Just INSANE!

One of my goals is to be either in that top tier or to be called one of the greatest copywriters ever lived. I’m not picky.

You may think reading a book or two about copywriting makes you a copywriter. You start putting yourself out there without proper training. What happens when you deliver a copy so bland, no creativity, boring or mediocre at best?

That client will never work with you again. The worst thing is when their network is wide and reach is global. Your disappointed client starts spreading about their bad experience working with you. It will cause an irreversible, detrimental effect on your business.

Isn’t it better if you take your time to learn the craft? Become a better copywriter, an intermediate player or advance enough to create a killer sales copy.

Next…

Join Forums

This is probably the least helpful. There is just too much noise. It is hard to filter out the best from the rest.

The worst thing that can happen to you is when a newbie, regurgitates other people’s advice to you. Be wary of people in forums, especially public ones where there is no barrier of entry.

Quite often, the information you receive will not be useful. The good copywriters are busy. Too busy working and are sick of reading rubbish comments.

I am a member of copywriting subreddit, I seldom visit. The only time I do is when I have some time to kill. Even then, it is only to take a peek. Probably give one or two sentences answer.

My advice is to join paid copywriting forums. One of the good ones is the AWAI (American Writers and Artists Inc.) LinkedIn group. This can be accessed via AWAI’s website and need approval prior to joining.

The group is filled both with veterans and amateurs alike. The advice I have been given and implemented have worked out well. The best tip, which I think the most important in becoming a copywriter is this…

Pick A Niche

I never thought of niching down because of the possible missed opportunities. I was reluctant at first but once I narrowed down my target, it became so easy. There was only one path to follow compared to being a generalist catering for many.

Marketing to only one group was clearer. I knew where to go, I knew my target, and I hunted them down relentlessly. There are two ways to acquire clients. One of them is being the hunter, the other is the farmer.

I used both and dang, the barrage of inquiry flooded my inbox. It took me days to reply to each email. Do you know which type of client acquisition the inquiries came from? The farming method.

The companies I cold call hanged up on me and never returned my phone call. The businesses I emailed never replied back.

The inquiries came from my articles, from my shocking LinkedIn profile to my ridiculous Instagram posts.

Farming is a great way to acquire free traffic but you need patience. The fortitude to wait it out, no matter how much you are hurting―financially.

The best clients

Well, there are 2 types of clients, one is golden (you want) and the ugly. I don’t have to tell you why you shouldn’t want the ugly and I’m not talking about appearance here. I’m talking about the ones that try to cheapen your profession. Always trying to nitpick your prices. These types just don’t get it. They don’t understand the value you bring to the table.

The golden clients exactly know how valuable you are to them, as they are to you. It’s vice versa. Without them, you can’t pay your lavish lifestyle. Without you, they can’t sell, they can’t engage with their audiences.

So pick a niche and find the right client you want to help build and grow.

Copy Copywriters

Find yourself a good copywriter to model. My copywriting method is inspired by Gary Halbert. His book, the Boron Letters is a must have if you haven’t read it yet.

The book consists of letters to his son, teaching the copywriting secrets. He didn’t divulge everything in the book, or perhaps he did, but his son/s never published them.

When I say copy, don’t take it literally, for, what worked then, may not work now. The attention span of most people today—egregious.

Read Copywriting Books

The Boron Letters is the best book I have read and still true to this day. It’s tailored for the beginning copywriters and more. In the book, the basics of marketing are one of the things he drilled into his sons’ young minds.

The importance of marketing is critical to any business. Without marketers, great books will not be known, undiscovered stars remain unknown and rainmaking copywriters will be unrecognized.

The next book I recommend is “Scientific Advertising” by Claude C. Hopkins. Proven tactics in advertising backed by scientific evidence are what this book is about.

After being proficient with your sales letters the next big thing you can do for your copywriting is learn to edit for the “grease slide effect.”

Thus, I recommend the next book you should buy is from Gary Halbert’s son, Bond Halbert (love the Halberts) called “The Halbert Copywriting Method Part III.” After reading this book, the way you edit your copy will never be the same again. Your copy will flow better and readers will be taken on a slippery slope all the way down to the CTA button.

There are plenty of books that I have read but these 3 are what I recommend for you to start with. Reading books is good to give you wisdom and knowledge about copywriting. But…

There is a big difference between knowing and doing, which brings me to my next point.

Write Sales Letters

Once you read all the books, it’s important to implement what you have learned. One of the exercises taught by Gary Halbert is writing sales letters, by hand. Yup, by hand. No typing!

I was skeptic at first but It has improved my copy believe it or not. How can one get better at copy just by copying? After handwriting dozens of sales letters (long form!), I learned everything about hand cramps! And, also learned the psychology behind it.

“When we write, a unique neural circuit is automatically activated. There is a core recognition of the gesture in the written word, a sort of recognition by mental simulation in your brain. And it seems this circuit is contributing in unique ways we didn’t realize. Learning is made easier.”

There you have it, throw away your laptops and voice recorders. Handwriting is the best way to learn.

Copywriting Course

My first and last copywriting course I took was called Copywriting Secrets from Udemy. Essentially, learning from Udemy is much like reading a book with a video.

Some of the lessons, I already knew from reading copywriting books. The difference with a Copywriting course is that there are quizzes and tests you have to take.

Copywriting courses are a good way to start learning about Copywriting. However, don’t stop there. There is much access to copywriting courses, Udemy is only one of many.

Listen To Podcast and YouTube

Watching copywriters talk about their craft doesn’t require one to be glued to the screen. All you need is to listen unless you are the type who loves watching stiffs with moving mouths. Not being mean, seriously though, there’s no reason for you to watch someone talking.

If you are like me who drives to my 9 – 5, this works well. A 20 minutes travel is plentiful, to gain a little bit of copy knowledge. I can recommend a few copywriters to binge watch or listen in your spare time…

Frank Kern – Sought after “marketing guru.” After making $100K in a single month selling info product, why wouldn’t you call yourself a marketing guru? I probably would, who else will blow my horn?

Ben Settle – He is a podcaster with a raspy voice. Email marketer who is blatantly honest. So blunt he might get under your skin. He hates “entrepreneurs,” you’ve been warned.

Dan Lok – This crazy rich Asian is a full-time serial entrepreneur. He started as a copywriter in his 20s with his successful 1 man agency. Do you know what’s shocking about him other than earning $10,000 a month with his copywriting business? He spoke broken English. Today, he just glances over copy written by his slew of employees seeking approval.

How long does it take to become a copywriter?

After Many Years… I Became A Copywriter.

Do you know how long it took me to call myself a “copywriter”? After 1 long year of reading copywriting books, reading sales letters, and writing sales copies, I felt I couldn’t deliver a good sales letter. I didn’t know where to get proper feedback.

During this time I was working for myself, where I opened my own eCom stores. My life was spent pretty much building websites. Creating and writing homepages, about us, FAQs, policies, blogs, sales pages, product descriptions, ad copies. The whole shebang!

Long story short, I sold all my stores after 3 years.

I decided, it was time to become a copywriter. I created my social media channels and started this website. Why did I take my long sweet time, 3 years, before I could put myself out there?

Let me tell you a story…

A friend of mine (Thai kickboxing practitioner since he could walk), can literally break a banana tree in half with one kick.

Do you know what he does daily? He kicks sandbags until his shins go purple. “Why do you punish yourself doing that?” I asked him. When he answered, my jaw dropped.

“The more I do it, my bones get stronger.”

I did not believe it, how is that even possible. So I did what any good today’s copywriter would do, I googled it.

“Wolff’s law, developed by the German anatomist and surgeon Julius Wolff (1836–1902) in the 19th century, states that bone in a healthy person or animal will adapt to the loads under which it is placed. If loading on a particular bone increases, the bone will remodel itself over time to become stronger to resist that sort of loading. The internal architecture of the trabeculae undergoes adaptive changes, followed by secondary changes to the external cortical portion of the bone, perhaps becoming thicker as a result.”

Well, well, well, there you go. A constant battering to your bones will make it stronger over time.

Mindblown…

If I needed to learn how to kick a banana tree in half, I will ask my friend because he practices daily.

I wish I can break a banana tree in half with one kick but my weak, and skinny legs won’t let me. I know I’ll never out kick my friend but I can out copywrite him.

Like my friend, who religiously kick a sandbag, I kick (write) copy everyday. Which comes to the second reason why I started this blog.

In my downtime, I write sales copies and publish them on this site. I do believe my copywriting prowess bettered. It is more impactful, compelling and simply persuasive.

I am not telling you this to blow my own horn. What I am telling you is, for you to excel at something, practice is needed—religiously.

You simply can’t be a jiu jit-su black belt with 1 lesson. It took me 2 years to get my brown belt.

Moving on…

The Blood Of A Website

A simple search on copywriting will return you a plethora of resources for your hungry minds to devour. What you must learn first is how to properly define a copywriter.

For decades the simple definition of a copywriter is “salesman in print”. Since the internet boom, more and more businesses, companies, entities require the services of a copywriter.

These companies need brand awareness, need sales, make money. For that, they need a website where they can sell their products or services.

The easiest way to convey that to the readers is by using the written words. This is called *drum roll*, content.

Content is what drives traffic to these webpages. It can vary in different forms. There are pictures, videos, podcasts, and as previously mentioned, written words.

Any of these types of content can sell a product. Although you can communicate the idea through still images, it is not as accurate as specific words. Just imagine the photos on billboards or buses. Without words, the message conveyed can be awry.

The Only Way To Become A Copywriter

Let me tell you what I wish I had done initially which can fast track your copywriting career.

Do you know what blog posts, books, and courses about copywriting are lacking? Is that, you don’t receive any feedback. How do you know your copy is worth submitting to clients?

My first two clients were, well, let’s just say, the only clients I would ever need. They know what copywriters are worth and uses them constantly.

Here’s my mistake, and I want you to learn from it.

First impressions last.

My drafts never went through other sets of eyes. My copy was not as persuasive nor conveyed the big promise ASAP. Perhaps my first few ramblings were a bore. Who knows? All I know is…

They never wanted to do anything with me after that. If only I had someone who pointed out what I know now? I wouldn’t have been chasing low paying clients for years.

Albeit, reading and practicing copywriting is crucial to learning the basics of copywriting. Nothing beats the knowledge and experience of a master copywriter.

Thus, I’m obliged to tell you how mentorship can open the floodgates to your copywriting career.

The advantage you will gain, far outweigh the amount you will spend on a copywriting mentorship. A proper mentor will set you in the right direction.

Being on the right path sets you apart from low earning copywriters. There are many who earns low income from copywriting—do not be one of them. Instead, join this course.

What you’ll get from your copywriting mentor:

• 12 months of intensive training.
• Rainmaker copy analysis.
• Videos of your mentor writing sales letters from scratch.
• Deep analysis and critiques of your sales letters.
• 20 years’ worth of knowledge and professional experience.

Copywriting Mentorship

You’ve already read all the books and watched videos about copywriting. You realized by now they won’t give you feedback and motivation you need to MASTER copywriting. Having a copywriting mentor makes a world of difference to becoming a better copywriter.

And…

You don’t even need to be a novelist. As long as you can write reasonably well and have the drive to succeed, you can become a copywriter making a good living.