Copywriting for beginners
How often have you seen advertisements promising that you can ''Give up your job and earns hundreds of $$$$ for a couple of hours work each day''? If you believe these ads, you can earn thousands of dollars every week, working a few hours on your kitchen table each day. I don''t blame you for being skeptical!
The truth is that copywriting can be a profitable career. But as with everything, it needs some time and effort on your part to make a success of it. You may not earn thousands of dollars for a few hours work, but you can earn a good income from copywriting. You need take a few things into consideration before you begin.
First you need to decide if you want to make copywriting your full time career. It is also possible to earn a good ''extra'' income by working part-time. But be warned! Copywriting can become addictive!
If you have decided to make it your full time career, then it is best to continue on your present path, and add copywriting as a part-time activity. When you have built up a decent list of clients that you can rely on, you should consider putting more time into building your business.
Next you need to look at the different types of copywriting that you can do. Copywriting covers a host of writing, including:
- Articles and features for magazines
- Brochures
- Business letters and communications
- Website content
- Direct Mail
- Newsletters
- Grant proposals
Writing for the Internet is arguably the easiest and most profitable way to break into copywriting. There are literally millions of websites on the Internet, and they all need unique and fresh article content to keep visitors returning to them. Because of the number of articles needed every day, this is a good place to begin your copywriting career.
If you have decided to begin by writing for websites, then there are many places that you can check out to find work. These include:
- Freelance sites
These are sites where jobs are posted and if you are interested in one, you put in a bid for it. These can be a good place to begin, as it gives you a chance to establish yourself by getting ratings and reviews on the site. It also gives you a chance to build up your portfolio and your client list.
- Forums
Business forums often have copywriting sections, and these will often have sections where copywriters can advertise their services. You will also find website owners who are looking for content here as well.
- Content providing sites
These sites enable you to post and sell your articles to buyers.
All of the above sites are simple to find using a reliable search engine. Once you have found a project to work on, make sure that you complete it to the very best of your ability. Remember, that you want the client to return to you when they need more content articles for their websites!
Carry out the required research using whatever means is best for you. The Internet provides a wealth of information, so if you use this method, your research should be completed relatively quickly. When you have written your article make sure that you check it thoroughly for spelling and grammar. Also make sure that you always stick to the deadline arranged between you and your client.
Use the time in-between clients to work on your stock of articles. That way, you always have something that you can sell, and these will also form the basis of your portfolio.
When you are working on your portfolio, you need to make sure that you have a variety of products to show. These can be articles of different lengths and quality - for example, a selection of keyworded articles as well as some top end magazine quality articles. If you have something published in print, then make sure you include this. Also, write some newsletters and business communications. They do not have to be for ''real'' clients, but they will show a prospective client your writing ability and style.
As with everything that is worth doing, do not expect instant overnight success at your copywriting career. It will take time and effort on your part to build up a steady client list. But once you have, then you are only limited by your own efforts.