This post was written by TCCS member, Rose Crompton
How to get the most out of your first week as a member of The Clever Copywriting School
Wondering if you’ve made a good decision for your copywriting business can be exhausting at the best of times. But when you’re new and trying to grow, it can easily spiral into a thought pattern of Should I really do this?, Will it be useful to my business? and How do I make the most of it?
Having all that whizzing round your head is distracting. But it’s exactly what I had to wrestle with when questioning whether to join a copywriting community.
Right now you’re probably in one of two camps.
Camp #1 – You’re thinking about becoming a member of a copywriting community, and wondering if it will:
- be a good investment of your time and money
- arm you with the copywriting skills you want to work on
- be populated with “your kind of people”
- (most importantly) deliver the type of work you really want
Camp #2 – You’ve just joined TCCS and you’re a bit like, “What the badger is all of this? Where do I start? And when do the jobs happen?”
In the past 18 months I’ve shimmied from camp one to camp two. But wherever you’re currently sitting, I hope I can unburden your mind with some insight into what to expect if you join TCCS, and how to make the most of your first week in the community.
#1 Write your directory listing
Pop this at the top of your to-do list as soon as you join. Getting your name, face and business blurb into the directory is a big step towards landing work. Plus, if you find writing about yourself and what you do tough, completing your listing will be a useful exercise.
Once it’s live, keep an eye on the number of views. Use this opportunity to experiment with your business messaging and test whether the changes attract more or less attention.
#2 Get stuck into the FB community
Prepare to sink your feet into the warmest welcome mat on the whole of social media (IMHO). When you join the Clever Copywriting community on Facebook you’ll be introduced in a tagged post. Be prepared to engage.
It’s a busy, warm and welcoming group. There’s no judgement, and there are no silly questions. Spend some time reading past posts, offering thoughtful responses to current discussions, and taking up any challenges that might push you out of your copywriting skill comfort zone (such as doing a Facebook Live intro for the first time).
#3 Check the events
Working solo is hard, especially if you’re an extrovert like me. TCCS combats loneliness with regular events such as Coffee Chats and regional get-togethers.
In your first week, commit to joining a half-hour Coffee Chat. It’s a really easy way to pick up new copywriting skills and chew the business fat with folks going through similar experiences. There’s a loose discussion topic, but honestly the interaction is worth it’s weight in guava coffee beans.
#4 Watch the New Member Makeovers
This is where I found most of the gold in my first week. Questions I’d been procrastinating over for months and copywriting skills I didn’t even consider working on were tackled during these 40-minute videos.
To give you a taste, here’s what I learned:
- How to think about packages
- How to add personality to your brand
- How to keep a constant flow of work
- Setting financial goals and
- How to sort out guest blogging.
And that was from just three of the videos. (There’s plenty more.)
#5 Be brave and apply for jobs
Can you really find jobs in The Clever Copywriting School community?
Yes, yes, a million times yes. Before I joined, I didn’t believe it when current members said, “There are so many jobs.” Yeah, maybe one or two a week.
Jobs from a rainbow of industries are posted daily, so there are heaps of opportunities for everyone. Get a handle on the format by watching a couple, and then just go for it. Be bold. Be brave. And believe in your copywriting skills.
Update: I scored my first job subbing for another copywriter at the end of my second week of membership. Yup, that quick.
Ultimately, do what’s right for your business
Hopefully this has given you the straight-talking answers you need if you haven’t yet become a member of The Clever Copywriting School. Or some clarity if you’re new here and feeling a tad overwhelmed with what to watch, download, complete and engage with in your first week.
Which camp are you in?
If you’re in the first camp and still sitting on the fence about joining a copywriting community, hit us with the questions and concerns that are holding you back.
For those who are already TCCS members, what do you remember about your first week in the community?
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About Rose
Rose Crompton is a website, blog and email copywriter for small B2C and B2B businesses. Knowing no-one hooks up with boring brands, Rose uses her tip-top writing skills to stop her client’s copy from sounding run-of-the-mill.
