I don’t want you to make the same mistakes I did. 

(Yep, I know, I sound like a mom warning their daughter off kissing boys at prom.)

But consider me your copywriting mom for a minute, because after living these mistakes and learning the hard way, I want to spare you some time and cry fests with a few pieces of sage advice I’ve learned along the way. You in?

After looking back over the years, and seeing so many clients and other freelance copywriters take the same route, consuming the same content and suffering the same pitfalls, I realized there are 3 main categories the most common mistakes fall into.

And what you can do to avoid them.

First up is 

→ → → 

MISTAKE No.1 – Being an Employee/Order taker

Here’s what I mean by this: Even though you’re a freelancer, you’re not yet free.

When you’re in this phase you’re taking on any project that comes your way – ones that you don’t like, ones that are out of your scope of expertise – even ones that your clients throw at you last minute, with an email at 9pm saying, 

“Hey, we really need somebody to fill in THIS WEEK on writing 10 blogs, 3 email sequences, and X, Y, and Z that isn’t actually under your current contract but we really need it even though we’re only paying $10 per hour. That okay with you? Great.”

And then, before you know it, you start to collect a lot of work that feels like you’re working a 9 to 5, with the same deadlines, expectations and someone (who acts suspiciously like your boss) watching over all your work.

I can’t tell you how many clients come to me saying they feel like they lost the freedom they started copywriting for in the first place and want to take more control over their time and schedule.

So if that’s you, it’s okay. I felt this way at the very beginning of my business. I call it the ‘Yes’ phase. And the thing is, for a hot minute, it was a really good place to be because it allowed me to get my foot in the door, see what I liked, and also what I didn’t. 

But I got out of it very quickly. 

Within three months, I was like, nah, this isn’t how I want to spend my next 10 years.

And that’s why this specific mistake has made its way to the top of the list because…

→ My decision to say ‘no’ to this specific freelance pitfall was the best thing I did for my business.

I needed to take ownership of what I was doing on a day-to-day basis and the life that I wanted to create, and that meant I had to get out of this employee mindset and start asking myself, “What can I create? What projects do I wanna work on? And who do I wanna be working with? What do I want my business to look like in the long run?”

MISTAKE No.2 – Relying on Passive vs Active Lead Flow

Coming in hot at number two is Passive vs Active lead flow.

If you’re relying on referrals or your network to provide new clients to your business Vs. actively creating your lead flow, my friend, you are not in a good place right now.

I know, that might be scary to hear, but I’m here to give you the hard truth. (Copywriting mom, remember?)

Because here’s the thing, if you have retainer clients right now and they dropped off tomorrow, would you have new leads? Would you be able to convert them and sign them as replacements immediately? Equally, if you don’t work on retainer, but you rely on referrals to keep your one-time projects going, and your network brings in those referrals, and those referrals stopped coming in tomorrow, would you know where your money’s coming from?

Next month and the month after and the month after?

Now, if that puts some fear in you, let me just say, good. Because right now, you’re putting your financial success in the hands of outside sources and saying, “I’m relying on you to do the heavy lifting for me.”

Because trusting your financial stability to the ebb and flow of another company (without being a salaried, protected employee) puts you at significant risk.

So protect yourself as soon as possible → You NEED to create Active Lead gen strategies.

As you may have noticed, my approach to marketing has evolved over time. I’ve added layer upon layer of different channels, rather than trying to master them all at once. This gradual expansion has allowed me to focus on high-quality, active lead generation that I can rely on to attract new clients. Of course, it’s wonderful to have referrals from my network and retainer work, but having a pool of leads that I can tap into whenever needed is invaluable

That’s why I want to impart a sense of urgency onto you: if you want to create the business and lifestyle of your dreams, you must take control of your lead flow and revenue. By actively creating lead generation pathways, you’ll be in full control of your revenue growth and can lead your business in the direction you desire.

MISTAKE No.3 – No clear path to growth

Last but definitely not least is your growth plan.

If you want to work on 1:1 projects and earn a similar amount to what you’re earning now forever, more power to you. That’s just fine. But I’m guessing because you’re here, that you’re not that person.  So, if you want to grow a business that earns you more money, more time back, that builds wealth and legacy for yourself, then holy freaking smokes…

You need a clear plan to growth.

It’s as simple as that. You need to start putting one foot in front of the next, knowing that you’re heading in the right direction and not wasting time spinning your wheels in the dark.

To begin, I recommend shifting your mindset from that of a freelancer to a CEO – you are the owner of your own business. Every decision you make today will shape your future, so it’s important to start thinking like a business owner. Envision the life you truly want, whether it’s more time with your family, financial freedom, or exciting new clients.

So picture whatever it is that you’re really wanting. Perhaps less time at work and more time to raise your kids, more time for play, more travel. 

Or maybe it’s fabulous clients coming in.

Financial freedom + retiring early. You decide, this is your ideal.

And once you have that in place, you know what I’m about to say → reverse engineer baby.  

Move backwards from that vision and break that journey up into phases. Then steps. And voila, you suddenly have a custom made blueprint, and living path to scale. 

So if you’re reading this and fall into one (or all) of these three categories, good news!

“How the hell is that good news, Krystle?” You may be asking. Because it means you know what you need to do moving forward. And I hope from my mistakes you either get to avoid them, or find your way out much faster than I did. 

And if you’re curious about the best practices for creating a clear path to growth and success in the copywriting business of your dreams – I’ve got you covered…

If you want to learn more about crafting an irresistible offer that sells itself, be sure to join the Freedom Found Collective. This is a high-level mastermind for the experienced copywriter ready to build a multiple six figure brand, secure their Big Vision, and scale-up.

Tap here to learn more and apply now!