10 Tips for Aspiring Freelance Copywriters |
10 Tips for Aspiring Freelance CopywritersGet More Heat From Your Same Ol' Fireplace With Simple Techniques Every week I receive a couple of emails from people seeking advice on how to get into freelance copywriting. While theres no simple answer, and no answer which applies to everyone, there are a few tips which I believe will help most people make the move into freelance copywriting, and survive the first few months at least.For some people, a fireplace might as well be a video of flaming logs. Their primary interest is the welcoming ambiance ..... 1) Invest in a website The best place for any freelance advertising copywriter or website copywriter to start is to fork out for a website. A website is invaluable because when you cold call and email prospects, youll need to direct them somewhere that gives them more information. Keep your website simple, include a portfolio page, add any samples of any sort of copywriting you've done, talk about the places you've worked, the clients youve written for, and include any testimonials youve received. Make sure you include your address and contact details as well, so people don't think you're a fly-by-night operation. Of course, it doesn't hurt to include a photo either. If you can't say much about your experience, don't say much. It doesn't even really matter if you don't say anything. Remember, just like any other form of advertising copywriting, writing about yourself requires the art of subtlety. If you lack experience, but youre confident you can do the job, you can be very clever in what you don't say, and most people will read it the way you intended. 2) Dont target agencies If youve never worked as an advertising copywriter or website copywriter before, dont target advertising agencies and web design agencies. They know exactly what theyre after, so if you dont have a portfolio, you wont stand a chance. Managing an inexperienced copywriter and controlling quality takes a lot of time and introduces risk. Most agencies are too busy to give unproven copywriters a break, even if youre prepared to do the work on spec. Target end-clients directly. IM OVERWHELMED -- 5 Tips On How Parents Can Take Control Of Their Lives 3) Cold call, cold call, cold callAre you feeling overwhelmed being a parent? Do you want to feel more relaxed and empowered raising your child? Working ..... One of the best ways of generating business in the early days is to cold call potential end-clients. Its hard work and very time consuming, but you can generate some very qualified leads. For more information on cold calling, take a look at http://www.divinewrite.com/coldcallingcopywriter.htm. 4) Use a contacts & jobs database No matter where youre at in your freelance copywriting career, you NEED a database of contacts and jobs. Kind of a scaled down CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tool. Use it to record everything! Particularly names, phone numbers, and the details of any correspondence (especially phone calls). I created my own database using Microsoft Access. Visit http://www.divinewrite.com/downloads/contacts and jobs.mdb to download a 208KB working copy for FREE. Youll need Microsoft Access 2000 to run it. Im no database expert, so its not a work of art. Itll certainly get you started though. (TIP: When using the database, press Ctrl + ; to enter todays date.) 5) Write a few samples Beach Vacation Photo Tips ' Make Your Vacation AND Photos Me If youre targeting specific clients or industries, dont be afraid to write a few samples and send them through. You can offer the pieces free of charge (everyone likes something for nothing) or at a discount, or you can use it as an incentive to sign them up for future work. It all depends on the type of work and the type of client. The important thing to remember is that samples are virtually as good as a portfolio to most prospective clients.Most people, who go on a family beach vacation, take plenty of photographs. Once you're home and you view or print them out; are you ..... 6) Invest in an accounts package Dont be fooled into thinking you can handle your accounts manually (or with Microsoft Excel). Even if you only have a few clients, you NEED a proper accounts package like MYOB or Quicken (they both offer small business versions). Youll understand why the first time you do your GST reports or annual taxes. In fact, youll understand why whenever you need to chase down outstanding invoices 7) Give great service This may seem like an obvious one, but its important to remember that great service means different things to different clients. Most of the time youll be working with direct clients (quite often startup businesses) and agencies. Both appreciate great service, but define it entirely differently. Agencies rely on their freelance copywriters to meet strict requirements (get the work done well, get it done on time, dont exceed the budget). They have end-clients breathing down their necks, so reliability is as important as writing quality. End-clients, on the other hand, need an advertising copywriter or website copywriter who sees their business the way they do, and can convey that vision. Theyll probably need a lot of guidance as well, particularly if theyre just starting out themselves. If you ...... |
MenuHome4 Effective Content Writing Tips 5 Tips To Eliminate Overwhelm & Accelerate Action 7 Hairstyle Tips: How To Know If It's Time For A Change Asphalt Paving Driveway Maintenance Tips Begin With The End In Mind - Tips To Make Your Life More Meaningful Dating Advice: Stop Worrying About Your Looks Dieting - Healthy Dieting Tips Dieting Tips For Fast Weight Loss - How To Jump-start Your Diet Eight Tips For A Bug-Free Summer Expanding Franchisee Advice Have An Itchy Dog? Consider These Grooming Tips Before Turning To Chemical Treatments Horse Training Techniques From The 1800's How To Form A Relationship With A Newspaper How To Give FREE Advice And Make Money Job Search Tips - How To Increase Your Success Learn Some Useful Feng Shui Career Tips Lucky Texas Holdem Tips Mobile Carwash Promotions And Tips Mobile Detailing Work Vehicle Tips Playing Your Cards Right -- Tips For Traveling With Credit Cards Preteen Relationships Saving Tips For Grocery Shopping Sexy Lingerie - Buying Tips For Men And Women Spring Garden Tips Stress Relief Tips Ten Tips To A Powerful Resume Tips For A Working Woman Tips To Get Your Child To Stop Using A Pacifier Tips For Attending Gemstone Shows Tips For Getting More Sales From Your Website Trading Tips No 2: The Big Lie In The Stock Market Trading Tips No 5: Stock Trading Curve Drawdown And Commitment Useful Tips On Investing Useful Tips On Personal Loans Useful Tips On Saving
Most popular searches
|