Should You Go Client-Less in 2025?
Can you succeed going your own way?
This may be a long shot.
But within the next twelve months, I plan to have a client-less copywriting/content writing business.
Hear me out.
In an AWAI interview with Ben Settle, he talked about his philosophy on client-less copywriting.
I know there are varying opinions about Ben Settle and his approach. I get it. He’s not for everyone.
But his style resonates with me. Whenever I read his emails I always get something out of them.
His client-less approach is of particular interest to me. Here’s why.
I hate selling. I just do. When I got out of the Navy my first job was commission sales - insurance.
It didn’t take me long to recognize that I did not want to do that for a living. It was brutal.
What I did want to do was work with computers, so I transitioned to computer sales, where I sold hardware, services, and supplies for several years. It was still sales, but bearable.
That experience enabled me to eventually land a software testing job. And I finally found a career. I vowed I was done with sales forever.
Over 20 years later, it’s time for me to try something new. I want to build something for myself, rather than working for someone else.
I love the writing, but I hate the prospecting and selling.
When I first thought about wanting to become a copywriter, I really didn’t know what that entailed. I pictured myself working for a company and getting writing assignments. But that’s just trading one job for a different one.
So as I learned more about what copywriting actually is, I decided that freelancing was probably my best option. And that means selling - cold calling, marketing, networking. Basically all of the stuff I thought I would never have to do again.
That’s why I gravitated to Ben Settle’s idea. As much as I want to write copy and work with clients on different projects, the marketing and selling are the worst part for me.
“Well isn’t copywriting selling?” You might ask.
Yes it is, but you’re selling someone else’s product or service in a way that attracts more business for them. It’s not cold outreach to strangers. Big difference.
As a solopreneur you are selling your expertise and experience. Starting out, no one knows you and what you have to offer.
I don’t care how good you are at what you do, you can’t succeed if no one knows who you are.
Plain and simple.
So that means you are marketing and selling.
That doesn’t mean you need to hard sell. I am thoroughly convinced that you can succeed by organically growing your audience.
But you’d better have a plan
And you have to consistently produce content that people want
That’s where guys like Ben Settle come in.
He talks about how to earn a solid living writing what you want to write about. Then, if you choose to take on clients you can. But you don’t have to.
The core of his framework is using email to grow your business. And he’s not the only one advocating for focusing on building your email list.
It’s straightforward, and something a newbie like myself can understand and start implementing right away.
I know I will have to do client work in the beginning. It is one of the best ways to gain valuable experience, and it will take time to build it the way I want to. In the meantime, I gotta eat.
If working with clients in the short term will help me get to my goal, I have no problem doing it. In fact, I will most likely always do some client work. But on my terms.
In keeping with my new mantra “Do one thing”, I have identified the one thing I can do to get started. And that is building the list.
I don’t have a specific number of subscribers as a goal yet. My purpose is to produce quality content and build my list.
By this time next year, I will have 12+ months of content, experience, and data to work with. That will give me a good idea of what is working. Then it’s a matter of dumping the ideas that don’t work and doubling down on the ones that do.
Sounds simple enough. But it will take a lot of work to get there.
Here’s a link to the podcast that inspired me to pursue this approach. Alt-Copywriter interview
(And no, I am not selling anything. I just found the discussion interesting and inspirational.)
Are you a client-less copywriter? If you have a similar approach, drop a comment and let me know how it’s going for you.
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