Without a copywriting mentor, you’ll learn and progress very slowly.
You will have to master everything from scratch which can make the journey very stressful. ❌
You can skip all of that nonsense by investing in someone who is where you want to be.
They can save you years of time, money, and energy by mentoring you in the right direction.
Think about it.
They’re already successful. They will hold your hand and show you how to make the best decisions while avoiding major mistakes.
Ultimately, a mentor fast-tracks you toward success much more rapidly than you would alone.
It’s essentially leverage. Why not use their years or decades of experience to place you on the right trajectory?
That’s why ahead, you’ll learn how to find a great copywriting mentor to explode your writing career.
Stay tuned! 👇
What is a copywriting mentor?
A copywriting mentor is a copywriter with up to decades of experience in growing a writing career. This normally includes scaling their very own agency or working within one.
They’ve also experienced highs and lows. That’s the reality of business and becoming successful.
A mentor will help prevent you from making the same newbie mistakes they did while ensuring you only pursue high ROI activities. No more wasting time or having no direction.
Copywriting mentors have worked with some of the biggest brands in the world and often niche down to a very specific industry, too, although that isn’t always the case.
Heck, I’ve written for everything from digital marketing to health and fashion publications at this point.
That’s why I include mentorship and guidance in my online courses and training.
But, who’s fit for a mentor? Let’s talk about that next.
Should I get a copywriting mentor?
You should invest in a writing mentor if you meet any of the following criteria:
- You’re sick of slow progress and not making a lot of money.
- You want to learn from someone that’s already in the position you’d like to be in.
- You value education and learning from the best in your industry.
- You’re serious about creating a lifelong career or business out of copywriting.
- You value networking with successful individuals and appreciate their time.
Do any of these resonate with you?
If so, you’re a good candidate for being a mentoree because let me tell you something.
It’s a two-way street. ✌
You can’t expect to pay hundreds to thousands of dollars, gain knowledge, and leave faster than Usain Bolt.
A mentor is giving you time, knowledge, and energy because they believe in you.
It’s not like they just take any person off the streets. These are often very affluent people who don’t mess around.
If you’re selected, you better take it seriously.
That brings me to my next point.
Where to find a copywriting mentor
Now that you’re riled up about how great copywriting mentorship is, I want to show you some effective strategies for finding a mentor.
Be patient and take your time. Use these techniques in combinations for the best results, and you’ll land your dream mentor in no time. 👌
1. Good old Google
Ah, Google. It’s so easy to forget that the best tools are right under our noses.
I recommend that you begin by searching for local copywriters in your area with phrases like:
- Location + copywriter
- Location + content writer
- Location + content agency
Let’s check out this gentleman named Mark from Copywriter Collective, for instance.
What do you know? He has a contact form directly on his homepage 🙂
This could be used to send him a message asking if he is taking on mentorees.
I recommend using the following template when reaching out to potential mentors via email:
Hey {First name},
I found your website {Website name} through a quick Google search for copywriters in {City}.
I’m new to the copywriting industry and am seeking a mentor to help push me in the right direction.
Do you offer copywriting mentorship? If so, could you tell me more about the pricing and details?
Warm regards,
{Your name}
Yep, it’s that simple.
Cold emails should not be several paragraphs. Ain’t nobody got time for that.
Keep it short and sweet to respect their time and ensure that you personalize the email. Otherwise, it can seem like a spam message.
Make sure to read my cold emailing guide to learn how to do this at a mass scale effectively.
2. Visit a copywriting conference
Imagine one giant room filled with writers from different walks of life.
It’d be heaven, right?
Well, they exist thanks to copywriting conferences and networking events.
These are events organized to bring talented writers in one location to network, learn from one another, and find opportunities.
Do not miss out on these if you’re serious about seeking a mentor. It’s probably the best way to do so.
This is because it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.
Showing up in person well-dressed with good body language and providing value will always lead to a positive outcome in my experience.
Look at Copywriting Conference 2020, for instance.
It’s one of the world’s largest events dedicated to copywriting.
The event’s agenda consists of hands-on writing strategies and workshops that will make you into an amazing writer.
There are also many different writers and topics that you can pick from depending on what you wish to learn.
You don’t have to pay hundreds of dollars to attend a conference if you don’t want to, though.
There are dozens of events going on at any given time in big cities that can be found through platforms like Eventbrite and Meetup.
Use these sites to search for writing or marketing-related events and attend as many as possible.
Eventually, you will create connections that will lead you to a great mentor.
3. Join a local writing club
Similar to local writing events, there’s the more intimate option of clubs.
These are small groups dedicated to writing or other related topics where you share ideas and help each other grow.
If you’re in search of a mentor, this is an amazing option because you’re forced into interactions based on the smaller group size.
I suggest that you do another Google search for phrases like:
- City + writers club
- City + writing club
- City + business club
Choose one or several to attend on a regular basis.
Remember, networking is about consistency and planting seeds.
You want to become a regular at places like these to make a good name for yourself and become known in the community.
Improving your reputation this way will help you find more mentorship connections.
People will introduce you to friends and put in a good word for you. I’ve seen this work incredibly first-hand.
4. Work within an ad agency
I like to this of this as copywriting espionage.
Imagine this…
You work within an advertising agency or similar company, working your way up the corporate ladder.
You make good money, create connections, and learn how the industry works as an insider.
Then, you’re able to use this experience to find people within the company to mentor you or lead you in the right direction.
Frankly, this is what most people do.
In fact, consider that 80% of jobs are filled through networking. Mentoring is no different.
The reality is that social status and relationships are some of the most underrated currencies in the world.
Knowing people and being liked by people will help you achieve any goal, and that includes finding an inspiring mentor.
If you already work in an environment like this, do not let it slip through your fingers.
Start socializing more, going to work-related activities, and befriending everyone around the office.
If you go out of your way to meet one new person every day, you’ll literally have hundreds of new acquaintances after a single year.
Presuming you’re a hard worker and a good person, this will lead to many lucrative opportunities.
5. Create a business mastermind group
One or twice per month, some of my entrepreneur friends and I meet up at a pub and host a mastermind.
This is an evening dedicated to sharing ideas, helping each other overcome problems, and inspiring everybody who attends.
We also promote that we all try to bring a like-minded friend, so it results in networking.
An interesting thing to consider with that being said is that 90% of entrepreneurs agree handing out business cards leads to new business.
Even though the environment is very casual and light-hearted, it can have a serious ROI.
These are some of the most fun social events I’ve been to in a long time, too.
You get to enjoy a nice dinner, a beer and talk high-level paradigms while growing your social circle.
I suggest that everyone is serious about personal growth, business, and finding a mentor to do the same.
It can be as simple as asking a few friends if they’d like to have a mastermind group and making it a regular thing from there.
You can also search for mastermind groups to join. Often these will require a fee or subscription but can be well worth the investment.
Listen to this TEDx Talk by finance professional Lucas Kollmann on the value of mastermind groups:
Next, let’s talk about what to do once you’ve landed a mentor.
What you need to do once you’ve found a mentor for copywriting
So, you’ve hustled, shook a million hands, and finally landed a mentor in copywriting.
Amazing.
Now you need to understand some fundamental practices for making the most out of your relationship.
Because as I’ve mentioned before, mentoring is a two-way street. You need to be providing value yourself if you wish to get the best bang for your buck.
1. Become a human notebook
The whole point of getting a mentor is to learn, right?
That’s why you need to become a human notebook.
Take down notes on everything and anything.
You’ll often find that a mentor will speak about something random, yet it will be wisdom you won’t want to forget.
Use a physical pen and notepad to jot down ideas or use an online tool like Google Drive.
The nice thing about using online tools is that you can access them from anywhere, and the information can be synced across all of your devices.
Which, brings me to my next point.
2. Ask a lot of questions
Be annoying. Not literally, though.
What I mean is that you should ask as many questions as possible, even if they seem simple or stupid.
This will help clear up any problems or obstacles you’re having in your writing.
Perhaps it’s related to organization, research, or the strategies involved in crafting great copy.
I suggest that you begin writing down questions you want to ask a mentor before you’ve landed one. This way, you’re prepared ahead of time.
On that note, think of a few things you’d like to learn related to copywriting and write them down.
3. Be open to critique and criticism
Nobody is perfect.
Everyone receives critique and criticism at some point in their career.
As a matter of fact, it’s necessary for success.
You need to know what you’re doing wrong to improve and become better.
And trust me, you’ll receive lots of critique as a writer.
Be open-minded when showing your mentor any projects you’re working on because they will often have enough suggestions to fill the Grand Canyon.
Here’s another TEDx Talk that you’ll love on the topic of using criticism to grow:
4. Practice what you learn
Writing down pages upon pages of ideas is great for memorizing and referencing later.
However, it won’t make you a better writer.
You need to actually dust off your keyboard, put your head down, and write to etch it into your brain.
That’s why anything you learn from your mentor should be immediately put into practice.
Whether it’s new research practices or techniques, apply them to your latest project to internalize them.
Final thoughts on copywriting mentorship
Mentors are one of the best investments you can make in business.
They will literally save you years of effort versus learning everything from scratch.
A mentor will push you in the right direction while making common mistakes, too.
That means you will get where you want to be faster and with fewer headaches.
It’s not a surprise that some of the most successful people in the world, like Tony Robbins have mentors themselves.
There’s always room for growth and somebody better than you to learn from.
Don’t wait around any longer. Start hustling and thinking about how you’ll find your first mentor!
You can also get copywriting mentorship and help from me in my online courses.
