Copy Writing (Writing Copy), By Melinda Toynton

So, every time you pick up a newspaper, magazine, or browse the internet, you are bound to see advertisements, lots and lots of them. Ever wonder who writes all of these catchy ads? The answer is a copywriter. Writing copy for a client basically means creating the best way, through words, to attract a targeted audience. Many people work from home as freelance copywriters and others work for copy writing or search engine optimization (SEO) companies. This is a career that doesn’t necessarily require fancy college degrees, extensive experience, or a large start up budget. There are necessary skills which will ensure a person’s success in this industry and there are steps you can take to build a lucrative career in copywriting.
Skills. If you want to become a copywriter, you must be able to write coherently and precisely. If the whole point of copywriting is to clearly convey a message to a projected audience, then you will need to be able to choose your words wisely. Another skill for a copywriter is to be persistent and determined. This is not a “get rich fast” career, it is one which requires nurturing and immense resolution. All successful copywriters had to start their career from the ground up, and for many of them, this took years to build a clientele and impressive portfolio. Other extremely useful skills are web design, marketing experience, strong communication skills, networking knowledge, attention to detail, versatility, creativity, and the ability to meet strict deadlines. Some of these skills such as experience in web design or marketing aren’t necessary to one’s success but can be very helpful to have. A copywriter will need to communicate with his or her client in order to provide the best product possible in a reasonable about of time. Some clients have already used copywriting services and therefore know what to expect from the process, whereas many small companies have never employed a copywriter before and may need specific guidelines in order to clarify their expectations. These guidelines entail project timeline expectations, compensation options, and allotted revisions available. In this situation, you might need to spend some extra time clarifying what the client wants while also making sure to be very clear as to what your services include. It is very important that you and the client are clear about each of your expectations in order to avoid any unwanted confusion once the project(s) are underway. It is my motto to always take the time in advance for clarification of expectations in order to achieve the maximum efficiency and quality available. Freelance writers are some of the most versatile professionals you will find. If you ask a copywriter whether or not they had experience in every ad copy they have written, they will tell you no. In this career, you will have to trust that your skills as a writer and researcher will carry you through any prospective job. Some of the work can be very technical, for example, writing copy for a computer software company who wants to transmit their product in a way that can appeal to all audiences. You may not understand fully all of the software’s capabilities, but you are able to work with the client and translate jargon into comprehensible text. Being creative is a skill that will set you apart from your competition. It can be your most valuable asset besides your writing skills. When a client comes to you with their business, they are going to want you to create copy that is interesting, catchy, and lasting. There are a thousand different ways to say something, and the client wants you to find the best way. The last skill you will need to possess is the ability to meet deadlines. If you are a person who doesn’t turn in their work on time, or push back deadlines, or procrastinate so badly that you are never able to create a quality product, then perhaps this is not the ideal career for you. In order to be a freelance writer, it is crucial to be able to set realistic deadlines and meet those deadlines every time. A client will never hire you again if you didn’t satisfy their needs and all of the work you had done for them will be for nothing if you don’t achieve repeat service and upstanding referrals. Steps. There are some very important steps for a person to take if he or she is interested in a freelance career in copywriting. 1. You will need a reliable computer and internet connection. Your computer is your business. 2. Research the field. What is copy, and who uses it? The next time you pick up a newspaper, read the advertisements and observe the language used for different ads. You can start to get a feel for how each audience is targeted. It’s also helpful to think about how you might rewrite an advertisement, or a brochure, or the print on the box of your new DVD player. 3. Browse other copywriter’s websites and get ideas about how you want to market yourself. Some copywriters have websites that are very cut and dry with a sterile structure to appeal to a corporate clientele, whereas other websites are personable and warm in order to appeal to a wider less approachable clientele. It’s important to choose a few websites that you really connect to and then when it comes time to create your own website, you’ll have a good idea of how you will want it to look and feel. 4. Now that you have researched the career, you might want to think about starting your business. You will need to register, in the state that you reside, for a business license. There are different types of licenses such as LLC, LTD, etc., so make sure you research and find out which license will be best for you. From the research that I have done, I recommend going with a LLC license, it provides then most protection for the business owner. 5. After you register for your license, you will need to come up with a domain name. Here is where a little knowledge about search engine optimization (SEO) will be very useful. When someone searches the internet for a service, there are many variables that may or may not lead them to your website. Matt Ambrose, a freelance copywriter in the UK, addresses on his website about how and why he chose his business’s domain name. Q. Why are you called The Copywriter’s Crucible? A. When I first started freelance copywriting I called myself The Write Words. It was simple and does what it says on the tin. But after researching how to increase traffic to my website I discovered how effective blogs can be. So I started a blog called The Copywriter’s Crucible – a melting pot of copywriting news, tips and insight. After a couple of months my blog started to attract comments and links, and even started ranking in the first page of Google for my keywords. Only problem was people would land on my blog instead of my business’ home page. So, rather than confuse visitors with a website with a split personality, I decided to rebrand myself as The Copywriter’s Crucible. The name has stuck ever since. 6. After you have created a domain name, you will need to find a host for your website. A popular and easy option is Go Daddy.com. You will pay a yearly rate to be hosted, and you can also bid on available domain names in case you’re having trouble finding one that is not already in use. 7. Now you will need to set up a website. It is possible to be a freelance copywriter without one, but your chances of success will be monumentally higher if you can maintain a website. 8. Every freelance copywriter should have a business contract. This is something that you can hire a lawyer to assist you with, but if you don’t want to shell out a couple thousand dollars, it is possible to create one on your own. If you find a template of a contract that mostly suits your needs, then you might be able to edit it slightly until it is right for you. Please note that this step (#8) along with the last step (#7) may require additional assistance. Looks like you might want to find a friend or relative who is a web designer or a lawyer! 9. So, now with all the legalities and research out of the way, you will need to find your clients. Two useful websites for this are Elance.com and Odesk.com. These websites allow writers to “bid” for work. You will need to pitch ideas for companies who are looking for the most efficient, creative, and fair priced consultants to work for them. On these websites, often companies will give you an idea of a service that they need and then you, (along with many others), will “pitch” them ideas that you feel would best suit the needs of their project. This process can be arduous and you will need to be patient, persistent, and have a hard skin to be able to take many rejections before acquiring a client. It is possible to also pitch ideas to companies even though they have not solicited for assistance, and even if they don’t decide to use your pitch, they might remember your name for future work. Most professional copywriters will network with one client in order to obtain work through related client s. If you end up working on a project for say AT&T and you do a great job for them, then chances are they will refer you to other companies and so on. 10. Once you begin to make a profit, I recommend that you open up a business account with a bank or credit union. Many people say that the most laborious part of having your own business is dealing with the finances. You will need to keep track of tax creditable expenses, hours spent working for each individual client, and you will have to keep all of your business expenses separate from your personal. Compensation. Compensation is presented in several different ways. The first of these ways is by and hourly rate. The average hourly rate for a competent copywriter starts at around $70. More experienced copywriters who already have a clientele and have received references can charge rates of $100/hour or more. The second type of compensation is a predetermined wage for a particular project. Depending on the length and complexity, project fees can vary. It is highly recommended that once you have offered a quote to your client, you might want to ask for a 50% advance. Asking for an advance is a way to protect you from any possibility of foul play. This way if something goes wrong with a project or the client, you will have received at least half of your compensation, which is better than nothing. It is also very important to get a feel for offering appropriate quotes for your work. If you under quote a client on price or time and then have to ask them for more compensation or time during the job, this will not please your client. Some copywriters will over quote their clients in order to avoid this scenario, but over quoting runs the risk of scaring off the client with an initial high quote. This is why it’s very important to learn how to assess your work in order to offer a proper quote for each job and client. As you can see, a career in copy writing is extremely accessible but will take a dedicated and persistent approach in order to succeed within this competitive field. If you possess the skills and you follow the steps, I am confident that you will do well. The internet has opened up a plethora of job possibilities that are just waiting for independent minded, hardworking people to scoop them up. Be that person. Be your own boss, control your own destiny, and be a part of a growing industry. Be a freelance copywriter. Works Sited. http://thescribesite.com/ http://www.briarcopywriting.com/clients.html http://copywriterscrucible.com/ http://www.searchenginejournal.com/information-on-copywriting-examples/373/ http://www.seopositive.com/ http://www.mfclearcopy.com/ http://www.godaddy.com/ http://www.elance.com/ http://www.odesk.com/w/