Friday, January 9, 2009

An Introduction to Freelance Copywriting

By Ray Edwards

Today, professionals are turning to freelancing as a way of generating more income. One such field is copywriting. The world of copywriting is beginning to go through significant changes. In fact, many companies are seeking freelance copywriters in order to increase their businesses success.

Businesses are increasingly investing in new ways to advertise. Freelance copywriters can bring new innovative ideas to the table and often at a cheaper price than other copywriters. The demand for freelance copywriting services creates a growing need for freelance copywriters, generating a high level of job security because you will always be able to find work.

Freelance copywriting may be right for you if you are willing to put in the extra hours to increase your skill-set. You can potentially earn more money as a freelance copywriter than if you worked for an advertising agency or firm.

If freelance copywriting interests you, then here are some points to consider on how to become a successful freelance copywriter:

1. Create Goals. Setting goals will help guide your career transition. You will want to think about how many hours you want to work, or how much money you want to make, and what kind of copywriting services you wish to offer.

You should establish both short term and long-term goals. Short term goals will help you transition into becoming a freelance copywriter, while long term goals will help you shape your business into exactly what you want it to look like. You also need to brainstorm your strengths and abilities. This will also help shape your business and sell your services to your clients.

2. Create a Good Portfolio. Your portfolio is your presentation to potential clients. It will allow them to examine your work before hiring you and help grow their confidence with you. Your portfolio should reflect what kind of copywriting you offer and be well built. Include examples of your best work and any testimonials from past clients that you may have. It should be organized, clear, and professional looking.

3. Build good working relationships with clients. Working online makes it difficult to create good working relationships with your clients. It is important to have good relations because the more a client gets to know you, the more successful you will be. Also, if they know you as a person, and you do good work, they may hire you back for further projects. Just open up good lines of communication and be personable. If you're in the same region as your client, then let them know that they can meet with you personally if they wish.

4. Market Your Abilities and Services. If nobody knows that you exist, then you wont get any work, despite the quality of your product. Therefore spend the time and money on advertising yourself; it will be worth it. Create a website and network with other copywriters at conferences and seminars. Just find a way to get your name out there.

5. Know How to Run a Business. Freelancing is supposed to benefit your life, so don't take your work home with you. Make a set amount of hours that you work and stick to them. You should also know how to manage your money lawfully and skillfully. Know your rights as a small business owner and keep up to date on laws and tax reforms.

Hopefully you found this article helpful. If you're interested in further pursuing freelance copywriting, look for more tutorials on the Internet. Freelancing can be a very rewarding career, so you should look into it further to see if it?s right for you.

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