This week’s question for “Ask Michelle Anything” comes from Taneet.
Question:
I’m wondering if you have any tips for crafting the best cover letter and resume for a copywriter?
Michelle’s Answer:
Great question!
This is a common concern for newbie copywriters who are just starting out their freelance copywriting business.
My answer is counterintuitive:
It’s not about your resume and cover letter. It’s about YOU.
Landing solid copywriting clients is not about having the best resume or cover letter…
It’s about YOU and the energy you bring to every “interaction,” gig, conversation, phone call, pitch, email, or remote copywriting job ad that you come across.
Looking back, all of my biggest, best, high-paying, most-enjoyable-to-work-with copywriting clients never got a resume or cover letter or from me.
I simply emailed them once or twice, talked to them on the phone for 20-30 minutes and got hired. Or I emailed them a free sample customized to their business, and got hired.
These are clients who pay me 4 figures a month, sometimes 5 figures a month… for years and years.
What type of “impression” are you giving people?
People can sense your intentions. They can sense if you’re someone who will add value to their life or not… or if you’re going to be a headache or liability.
(Your first month of working with them will further cement whether their impression of you was accurate or not.)
Landing solid copywriting clients is about learning how to convey the impression of increase. It’s about BEING a valuable individual yourself.
F#ck the resume and the cover letter. Your sole aim should be to get a potential client on the phone or Zoom as soon as possible, so you can dig deep and figure out exactly what they need help with.
Listen deeply to what they say, ask great questions, and actually “hear” their answers… which is what 99% of wannabe copywriters don’t do.
Getting hired is about your willingness to be present with each person you talk to.
Keep that your main focus.
What do they need and want?
Now, some potential clients will ask for a resume and cover letter, and that’s fine. Keep both of these super, ultra simple and focused on them, not you.
A resume & cover letter are simply tools to help you get on the phone with someone, so that you can assess whether or not they’d be a good fit for you, and vice versa.
If you use them, keep both of them super simple and ultra-personalized.
A good resume:
- Highlights your most valuable accomplishments (e.g., “Helped a client make $1500 in one day from her email newsletter”… “helped a client have a 6-figure day from a controversial piece of writing…” “served as a research assistant for a book that later became a NY Times bestseller.”)
- Highlights what you’re good at and what can do for your clients (e.g., “Skilled at writing unique email/blog articles that generated media attention and record sales for a yoga instructor”)
- Spins your most notable, past wins into something that can be relevant to a copywriting client – you can pull from past job experiences you’ve had, and spin it to your advantage (e.g. “helped Apple achieve $1 million in retail sales in 1 day”)
- Has a pic of you, and a short link to a video of you talking and introducing yourself
(If you’re telling yourself, “I’ve never done anything valuable”… then you definitely need to get on my coaching program for copywriters and build yourself up.)
In addition, both the cover letter and resume should:
- show people that you’re a real human (not a crazy person, a weirdo, a perv, or a zombie)
- show that you can write well
- demonstrate that you have a solid grasp of English
- convey “the impression of increase” – i.e., there’s an uplifting energy behind your words, as if working with will make a person’s quality of life better
- show people you care about your work and you’re here to serve them; you’re not just here to collect a paycheck
- be super, ultra-personalized, thoughtfully commenting on something the client recently did, said, or wrote
- be short and succinct, with every sentence and word directly tied to what’s most relevant to the potential client
- bonus: ask a good question or offer a free sample edit
Instead of writing about “I, I, I” and “me, me, me,” which is what the typical wannabe copywriter does in their cover letter and/or resume — you’ll want to focus your resume and cover letter entirely on your potential client and the value they’ll gain from working with you.
If you’re not feeling confident about your resume, cover letter, or YOU… reach out to me to request an application to my coaching program for copywriters. It’s a game-changer!!
Remember, give your best to every interaction, cover letter, application, pitch, or remote copywriting job you come across. Is it something you’d be proud of 10 years from now?
Do you want my help landing and keeping high-quality copywriting clients? Email me and let’s chat!
Michelle Lopez Boggs is a copywriter, copywriting mentor, and author of "The Anti-Marketing Manifesto: How to Sell Without Being a Sellout." She's helped her clients sell millions of dollars' worth of products and services online by using the MEI(S) principle — motivate, educate, and inspire, and sell. 