With the rising prices of the cost of living, many people are searching for ways to bring in more income. Some have turned to taking on a second job, but this can be difficult and time consuming. Not to mention the stress it adds to family life and the original job. This is also more difficult for those people already entrenched in a career, such as copywriters; taking on a second job would be very impractical. But fortunately there is a way to bring in more income without taking on another job: freelancing.
Freelance copywriting has become a very lucrative alternative for many copywriters. This way you don't have to learn a new skill set for a second job, you can use your already established talents as a copywriter to bring in more income.
Freelance copywriters can earn more money because they no longer work for a company or firm, meaning that all the income from a project goes directly into their pockets and not to the advertising agencies. Freelance copywriters can also acquire more simultaneous work than employed copywriters because they control their project load. Also, if copywriters work hard enough and really practice improving their product, they can work more efficiently, finish projects quicker, and take on more projects in a given time period than regular copywriters.
Freelance copywriters are also in great control of their work schedule. At a normal job, you're locked into a work schedule and have a set amount of hours you have to be at the office. But as a freelancer you control your hours, you must only complete the project by the deadline, your work schedule is then up to you. There is a lot of freedom in freelance work that you can't find in a lot of careers.
Another great benefit to freelance copywriting is that you can work from anywhere that has an Internet connection. The World Wide Web and high bandwidth allow people to telecommute, meaning they can "commute" to work via the Internet. Therefore a copywriter doesn't have to be in the same area as their client. Which means freelance copywriters can work from anywhere in the world.
But like anything, switching your career to freelancing will take some work. Here are a few pointers to help you see what a freelance copywriter has to do in order to make a career move:
Build A Good Reputation
Unlike your regular jobs, which have steady amounts of work and income, freelancing will largely depend on your ability to win project bids and contacts you have in the copywriting world. Therefore you need to get your name out there. Go to copywriting seminars, meet people, and offer your services. Ask for referrals from people you know in the business. Try to network and partner with other copywriters. Build a portfolio with some samples of your best work and testimonials from past clients. Make sure to build a website and post your portfolio in order to make it available for viewing.
As important as it is to get your name out there, it is more important to produce good work consistently. Your end product will lay the foundation of your career. If you write bad copy, then you won't have many clients. Therefore, you need to consistently do your best work in order to establish your credibility as a freelance copywriter. You should also continue learning how to improve the quality of your copy. The better you get, the more successful you can be. Search for "copywriting tutorials" and read some books by copywriting experts. Dan Kennedy is a great example. Studying and learning will help your career greatly.
You need to be a good businessperson as well who is personable and consistently meets deadlines. People like to hire copywriters that are easy to work with. They also like to get their products by the deadline. Failing to meet project deadlines is one the most powerful ways to severely damage your career.
Hopefully this article showed the benefits of freelance copywriting and gave you an idea in what was involved. Becoming a freelancer can be a great career move. If freelancing interests you then don't be afraid to do some more research and to see if freelance copywriting is right for you.
About the Author:
For an inside look at the techniques of a top direct response copywriter, visit the site ofCopywriter Ray Edwards. There you'll find a podcast, video tutorials and copywriting advice.
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