Why Over 90% of Aspiring Copywriters Will Fail (and 4 Tips to Avoid it)

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Andy at Growth Catalyst Club
November 26, 2024

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Bad news: That copywriting course you bought won't save you.

Neither will that swipe file you're building. Or those fancy books on your desk.

I know because I watch new copywriters fail every single month. They start hot, full of dreams about six-figure incomes and laptop lifestyles...

Then reality hits.

Three months in, they're still making peanuts. Six months in, they're ready to quit. By month nine, they're back at their old job, telling everyone "copywriting doesn't work."

But here's the thing - copywriting does work. I've been doing this for 5 years. The money is real. The freedom is real.

So why do 90% fail?

Here are the four deadly mistakes I see over and over:

  1. They Write Like Robots

Most newbies think "professional" means stiff and formal. Wrong. 

I just saw a sales page yesterday that read like a legal document. No personality. No life. Just dead words on a screen.

How to fix: 

Write like you talk. If you wouldn't say it to a friend at lunch, don't write it. 

But at the same time, don’t overdo it! 

Writing like you’re talking to a friend does not mean writing like you’re talking to a teenager on Tiktok! 

  1. They Chase Any Client With a Pulse

 "I'll write anything for anyone!" they say. 

So they end up writing $20 blog posts about topics they hate for clients who don't value them.

How to fix: Pick one type of copy (emails, ads, sales pages) and one industry. 

Get good at it. Master it. Own it.

  1. They Hide Behind Their Screens

They spend all day "researching" and "preparing" but never actually talk to clients or customers. 

They're afraid of rejection, so they stay in their comfort zone.

How to fix: 

Talk to three potential clients this week. Yes, you'll feel nervous. Do it anyway.

You might get rejected but what if you don’t? You never know till you try!

  1. They Try to Sound Smart Instead of Being Clear 

They stuff their copy with big words and industry jargon, thinking it makes them look professional. 

Instead, it makes readers hit delete.

How to fix: Read your copy to a 10-year-old. If they don't get it, start over. What if there’s no 10 year old around? Read it out loud to yourself? Too many big words? Replace them! 

Because here's the truth: The copywriters who make it aren't always the best writers.

They're the ones who:

  • Write every single day

  • Get feedback on their work

  • Talk to real customers

  • Keep things simple

Want proof this works? 

Try this: Take the last thing you wrote. Make it simpler. Cut out every fancy word. Show it to someone and ask "What am I trying to say here?"

If they can't answer in one sentence, keep simplifying.

Do this with everything you write for the next 30 days. You'll be shocked at how much better your copy gets.

Remember: Good copy isn't about being clever. It's about being clear.

Write like a human. Pick your lane. Talk to people. Keep it simple.

Do these four things, and you'll be ahead of 90% of copywriters who are still trying to sound smart.

Until next time, 

Chao!

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