3 Ways to Learn Digital Marketing Without Paying for a Course
People reach out to me all the time and ask if I have a course that teaches aspiring entrepreneurs to become copywriters. The answer is no. Then I inevitably entertain the idea, and then decide against it. As lucrative as I think it could probably be for me, you most likely won’t see a digital course on how to become a copywriter from me anytime soon. Give me 5 more years, and then we’ll talk.
When it comes to the business of being a copywriter, there are so many people who teach it so much better than I do. People who have been in the field for so much longer than I have who are worth listening to more than me.
I’m also not convinced that I have all that much to teach. I teach copywriting basics and conversion techniques to entrepreneurs all the time in my other business. But when it comes to the business of being a copywriter, it’s not like I have a secret technique. I simply worked hard, built connections, got good at what I do, and lucked out with a lot of the clients who chose to work with me.
And finally, I don’t have a “how to be a copywriter” course because I would rather aspiring copywriters learn copywriting for free and then partner with me on projects, refer potential clients to me when they’re too busy, and be an advocate for me in this weird world of digital work.
Sometimes, it’s worth taking the course, paying for the expertise, and getting over the hump of whatever it is that you’re learning. There are so many fantastic courses on the market for whatever it is that you’re trying to learn. But, when it comes to copywriting and digital marketing in general, there are a lot of great ways to learn for free. Even if you’re just learning while you save up for the course you want. Here are three ways to do exactly that:
Read Case Studies
Case studies might be “highlight reels,” but the best ones will have insight into how exactly a brand found success for their client. So maybe they’re not showcasing the 50-hour workweeks and lengthy revisions process. That’s not the stuff that matters. What matters is looking into the mind of someone who is great at what they do to see their thought process from the beginning to the launch of a project. And they’re giving it away for free. Lucky you.
Here are some of my favorite agencies to follow and study their case studies:
Work for Free
Can I tell you a secret? I work for free whenever I can afford it. I think you should, too. I know, crucify me. People have severely underestimated the value of working for free. Or rather, they’ve severely underestimated the gains to be had to work for free that have nothing to do with money. Practice, learning, connections, collaboration opportunities, PR, services that aren’t in the budget otherwise… literally who wouldn’t want all of that? And the best part, you don’t have to tell literally anyone that you did the work for free. You can just put it in your portfolio (if you want to) and reap the benefits of the free work that you did.
Pay Attention… And Practice
You will never be a good digital marketer if you don’t have your finger on the pulse of your industry, and the industries that you support. Point. Blank. Period. If you want to be good at what you do, pay attention. Pay attention to copywriting, branding, marketing campaigns and activations, emails, whatever, until you can start to see patterns and break down the decisions that the team behind the work made.
While you’re doing that, practice. If you see a brand you love try something clever, try replicating it for yourself or in a spec piece for a made-up brand. Don’t be afraid to play. Don’t be afraid to create something that isn’t all that good. All of that comes with the territory of learning your craft.
Also, bonus tip… if you can’t fill your portfolio with the types of brands you want to work with because you’re too green to book them, make them up! Not as in “this is a real brand that I did all of this real work for.” But as in “I made this brand up to show you what’s possible for you if you work with me.”
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If you're here because you're waiting for an entrepreneurial copywriter course from me, keep waiting. Kidding, I actually do have a few options for you:
I offer mentorship calls on an hourly or bi-weekly basis if you want help figuring out your services, setting up your business, and/or you want to pick my brain about the business of copywriting. If that sounds like something you’d be interested in, click here to send me an email.
I also teach conversion copywriting techniques for entrepreneurs in my other brand, the Cool Copy Club. If you’re looking to learn how to write effective copy for yourself or your clients, that’s the place to start.
But most importantly, remember that good things take time. You won’t become an “expert” digital marketer with a roster full of major brand names overnight. But that doesn’t make you a failure. We put so much pressure on ourselves to succeed now that we forget the importance of delaying gratification until we can 100% stand behind the work that we’re doing. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither will your business be.
