Tuesday, November 4, 2008

An Introduction To Becoming A Freelance Copywriter

By Ray Edwards

Many people have found that becoming a freelancer was one of the best moves they have ever made. Why? Because that way you become your own boss, you get to determine your work schedule, and you can work from anywhere that has an Internet connection.

FINDING A WHOLE NEW WORLD

Copywriting is one of the more successful freelancing industries. Many copywriters have discovered the freedom and the benefits of freelance copywriting on the Internet. Freelance copywriting as either a full time or part time career can be demanding. If you are already familiar with copywriting, or if you're just starting out, here are some things to consider when becoming a freelancer.

1. Build yourself a website. Many copywriters do not have web pages and building one could give you an advantage over some of your competition. It also acts as a shop front for clients looking for a copywriter.

It should also be professional looking, easy to read, and cross-browser compatible. Do not use a pre-existing personal site. Create a new site completely dedicated to your freelancing career.

2. Build a portfolio. Your portfolio will function as your resume as potential clients consider hiring you. It should include examples of your best work, a sales letter explaining why you are the best copywriter for the job, and testimonials from clients.

3. Learn to market yourself. You won't have any clients if you don't advertise yourself. It doesn't matter how good you are, if no one knows about you, then they can't hire you. Therefore you need to spend the time and the money on good advertising techniques. It may be an investment now, but it will be worth it.

4. Don't expect to make too much in the beginning. Being a freelance copywriter can help you earn a lot of money if you already have a stable and steady list of clients in the field. But if you are just starting out, don't expect projects to rush in. Getting paying clients in the beginning is hard, so you may have to do some pro bono work to start out. But know that success is definitely possible; you just have to work hard and put a lot of time and energy into your business.

5. Continue your education. Even if you've been in copywriting for a while it is still smart to learn more about your trade. There is enough information out there that you could study your entire life and still not learn it all. Meaning there is always something that you can learn to keep your product competitive. The best freelance copywriters know that they are also life long students.

6. Stay with your day job for a while. You're going to need your regular job as you start out to meet your financial needs. You may have to work double time, but it will be worth it. You only need to keep your day job for a little while, as soon as you can you should quit. This way you can focus all your resources on your freelancing business. You won't see real success until you're solely focused on your freelancing career.

These were just a few brief points about starting a freelance copywriting career. Hopefully they gave you an idea of what is involved in becoming a freelancer. If freelance copywriting sounds interesting to you, then do some more research into it. You never know, this could be the career move that finally breaks you into financial success.

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