20 questions, copywriter edition: part 1
New writers ping me all the time asking hard-hitting questions about how to get their start in copywriting. And I get it. Breaking into copywriting isn’t easy. There are a million questions and there’s really no “right way” to do it. But I figured since I broke into the industry and have been a staff writer and content lead, working in both corporate and freelance, I could answer a few.
Let’s play 20 questions, portfolio edition.
Should I have a website for my portfolio?
What do I put in my portfolio when I don’t have any clients or projects yet?
I have a ton of projects…how do I share them?
Should I do free work to get started as a copywriter?
What if I can’t get clients because I don’t have a portfolio? And vice versa?
How do I organize my portfolio?
How do I show my unique value or personality in a portfolio?
What’s the best platform I should use to build my portfolio?
Should I include my rates in my portfolio?
By the time I reached question 10, I realized just how long it was. To make it easier to read, this blog is broken into two parts. Find the next 10 questions on this blog (coming soon!).
1. Should I have a website for my portfolio?
Websites are the shiny gold standard of all your favorite independent writers. Websites create instant legitimacy and credibility, especially when they’re done really well.
So when you’ve got some experience and years under your belt, it might be time for a website. But when you’re new and/or going into corporate writing, you don’t need one. Here’s why…
They’re not common. It’s not common for newbies or 9-5ers to have a website, so no recruiter or hiring manager expects you to have one.
They’re maximum effort. Websites are one of the most complex, time-consuming, and expensive ways to develop a portfolio.
2. What do I put in my portfolio when I don’t have any clients or projects yet?
There are lots of options here. You can do:
free work
spec work
discounted-rate projects
rewrites of real-world content or copy to make it your own
demo projects
As a copywriter, I don’t like any option that creates real assets for a real client for free. If a business is going to use your content at all, they should pay for it. That said, at the beginning, you’ll need to be your most flexible self to get a foothold in the industry.
I wish I’d known about demo projects earlier. I thought I needed to be hired by a real client to have something worthy of my ✨Portfolio✨, capital P. They’re now my favorite option because there’s essentially no barrier to acquiring a demo project and they’re not for a real client, so you’re not being fleeced for your services. And they are just as powerful as real-world projects.
Lots of copywriters and portfolio gurus tell you to do demo projects to get something for your clips, but they always leave it up to you to determine what the project is. And that’s super confusing when you’re new. Most newbies don’t know what a content brief is, let alone how to create a good one. Ultimately, it leaves a lot of new writers stuck at the beginning.
That’s exactly why I created the CHUy Neighborhood. It’s a practice environment where you can “shop” for your first clients, get assignments, and produce industry-standard deliverables — all while you learn how to be a copywriter and build your portfolio.
Wanna save a seat in the next group? Get on the wait list for more information.
3. How many samples do I need for my portfolio?
Thankfully, you don’t need a lot. I recommend 3-5 high-quality assets that showcase these abilities:
Headlines
Hooks
Narrative story-telling
Call to action
Formatting
Blogs are one of the best ways to hone all of these writing techniques, in case you’re wondering what kind of content to start with.
4. I have a ton of projects…how do I share them?
Short answer? Don’t. If you include too many projects, then the client or recruiter won’t know where to even begin and they’ll probably move on to someone else. Instead of giving too many options, select and show off your best work. Usually, a limit of 10 projects is more than enough for your portfolio.
Select 1-2 of your best pieces for each type of content you can write and list them in a Google Doc. This is how to create a Portfolio Dashboard. This is a Google Doc with a curated list of your content, each one hyperlinked to a View-only permissioned Google Doc.
Types of content categories:
Blog
Landing page
Social media
Sales letter/page
eBook
Case study
UX copy
Email sequences
Print
Video script
Product description
In-app message
Push notification
Automated sequence (Chatbots, for example)
5. Should I do free work to get started as a copywriter?
I don’t think so, but if you aren’t getting traction in your job hunt, then you can consider it as long as you can afford to. I’d rather you do a demo project because you don’t have to wait around for a client and haggle about prices.
6. What if I can’t get clients because I don’t have a portfolio? And vice versa?
It’s the classic catch-22 of the new writer: No clients because no portfolio, no portfolio so no clients. And it’s probably the biggest hurdle of your entire career because if you can’t leap it, you’ll never even start.
I know what you’re going through because a while ago, I was in this exact situation. I used to believe some wild myths about portfolios that kept me stuck at square 1 for a long time.
I thought I needed…
A big-name client (Hello, Dove? Need a blog or something?)
To be paid for the work
Lots of samples
To be a better writer than I really was
None of these are true. And again…Demo projects.
I hired writers at a marketing agency. Whether or not money ever changed hands was never part of the hiring criteria. There was 1 thing I cared about…If they could write. And my boss who hired the senior levels thought the same, too.
Anything you’ve written, including a demo project, proves you have the skill you say you do. That’s why demo projects are so powerful.
7. How do I organize my portfolio?
Your portfolio needs to have just enough to prove you’re good, but not so much that it overwhelms the reader. Resist the urge to include everything — that just backfires.
Ultimately, your portfolio should be a curated selection of your absolute, best-of-the-best work, presented in an easy-to-follow format. Nothing overly complicated or fancy needed.
My very first portfolio was a Canva presentation with writing samples, some client testimonials, and a little “about me” introduction. Simple, but strategic.
But you don’t even need to spend all that time designing if you’re crunched for time or if that’s not your thing. Right now, the job market is so hyper-competitive and fast-paced, that the simpler, the better.
The easiest portfolio for you to create is also the easiest type for recruiters to navigate. I call it your “Portfolio Dashboard.”
It’s a single-page Google Doc that houses links to your top 3-10 best pieces of content. You can organize them by category (Like Blog, eBook, Email…), or just list them by title and content type. As long as the list is easy to understand, you’re golden.
Here’s an example of what a Portfolio Dashboard looks like 👇
Notice all the hyperlinked content in the Portfolio Dashboard? You’ll need a tidy place to store all of those assets. You can create a Google Drive folder to house your Portfolio Dashboard and all the linked content. It looks like this:
Want to get your Portfolio Dashboard template for free? Download the Copywriter Portfolio Starter Kit for literally everything you need to set up your portfolio and start writing today.
8. How do I show my unique value or personality in a portfolio?
First of all, yes! 👏 I’m so glad you want to show off your personality. It’s a great way to differentiate yourself from every other writer out there.
Second of all, here’s how to do it:
Do a self-assessment. Reread your resume, pull up your work, sort through client feedback. Do you notice any trends or patterns in your approach or work? Reflection is the most powerful tool you’ve got to discover your unique value.
Jot down your top skills. After your self-assessment, determine what your top skills are and write them down. For writers, this can be research, creative storytelling, or writing headlines/hooks.
Pinpoint your results. Don’t worry about numbers. Creatives usually don’t ever know how much their content converts or how much traffic a blog generates. Instead, think about what your clients said and what you helped them accomplish (kickstarted their blog channel, for example).
Write your bio. Write a short bio (50-200 words) that includes your skills and accomplishments. Share it in your portfolio or Portfolio Dashboard to “put a face” to all the great content.
9. What’s the best platform I should use to build my portfolio?
There are endless options and platforms that will help you build a portfolio. Here’s a short list:
Portfolio-building websites like a copyfolio.io
Independent websites
Canva designs
Google folder
There are pros and cons with each that I’ll save for another post at another time. But my two favorites are Canva and Google. Both are free and user-friendly. Plus, they don’t take a lot of time to stand up.
My very first portfolio was a Canva presentation. It took somewhere around 4-5 hours to create, start to finish, and got me my first-ever staff writer role. Now I create my clients’ portfolios in Canva, too. I am a huge fan because Canva doesn’t limit what you can do, what sections you can have, or anything else. It gives total creative freedom, which is crucial when you need to provide more assets than just writing samples (like a bio, signature approach, testimonials, or case studies).
Canva portfolio example:
In a post-AI content world, a Portfolio Dashboard is a great option. For writers, it’s likely one of the fastest portfolios to create. And for recruiters, it’s the simplest version to navigate.
10. What are the pros and cons of listing rates in my portfolio?
There isn’t a right or wrong answer to whether or not you should include your rates. This decision completely depends on your unique situation and needs. To help you make that decision, here’s a short pros and cons list.
Pros of publicly listing your rates:
1. Transparency. Listing prices upfront provides clarity and helps set expectations for potential clients. This can attract clients who are comfortable with your rates, minimizing time spent negotiating.
2. Filtering. Displaying your rates can eliminate tire kickers, making the inquiries you do get, much more likely to covert to a real sale.
3. Simplifies decisions. Potential clients can quickly decide if your services fit their budget, speeding up their hiring process and reducing back-and-forth communication.
Cons of publicly listing your rates:
1. Inflexibility. Fixed rates can make it difficult to adjust pricing based on project specifics, client budget, or the market. This may lead to missed opportunities for negotiation.
2. Scope misunderstanding. Clients may jump to conclusions about what is included or not included in your price. That can lead to misunderstandings or scope creep.
3. Discourages custom quotes. If you list your prices, clients might believe that’s all you offer and there isn’t a chance to do something custom with you. Get around this my including language that communicates that custom quotes are available.
Even if you don’t choose to display your rates somewhere, consider creating a rate card. Clients might inquire about your services and ask for this as a reference or to show the decision maker. Rate cards open up another pros and cons list, with the ability to negotiate and create custom offers in the middle of it all. And even if only want to do custom quotes, writing down your rates somewhere can help you stay consistent with your pricing.
The next 10 questions are coming soon. See you soon.