Thursday, November 13, 2008

How--To's" On Freelance Copywriting

By Ray Edwards

Copywriting is a job that will weather an economic storm better than most. This is because businesses always need to advertise their products, and good businessmen know that cutting the advertising budget will only hurt their company even further. Therefore they always have a need for good copywriters.

On top of that, freelance copywriting takes the security of copywriting and combines it with the benefits of freelancing. As a freelancer you get to dictate your work schedule, your workload, and you can work from anywhere in the world as long as you have an Internet connection. You can make more as a freelancer as well because you don't have to split your income with a parent company or an advertising agency. You can also take on more projects at once as long as you meet your deadlines.

Freelance copywriters work on a project-per-project basis. They apply for a project, the client examines their bid, and then hires the copywriter. The project usually has a deadline, but other than that you can work whenever you want. Just make sure that you manage your time well because missing deadlines will hurt your career. When you're just starting out you will need some help finding work, so here are some starter ideas on how to find work as a freelance copywriter:

The Internet

There are a number of copywriting jobs on the Internet. Online freelance marketplaces are great places to find work. Sites like www.elance.com allow copywriters and clients to find each other. Here you can create a profile, post your portfolio of some of your best work, and bid on projects. They also have automated messaging services that will alert you to jobs that may interest you.

You should construct a website. A website can host some of your work and act as a shop front window to potential clients. Your site needs to be easily read, neat, and professional looking. A sloppy site won't get you any clients.

Network Yourself

Building a network and getting your name out there into the market is very important. You won't get any projects if no one knows about you. Go to seminars with other copywriters and begin to get your name and face into the industry. Do some work for free in order to build a client base. You should also try to partner with other copywriters. As you do these things, you will begin to build a base for your business.

Continue Your Education

No matter how good you are you should always improve the quality of your copy. Your writing is the backbone to your business and success; therefore it makes sense to invest large amounts of time into bettering it. Look into online tutorials or coaching courses. Many successful freelance copywriters have coaching courses and workshops designed to teach others their success. You can also read books by the experts, such as Dan Kennedy.

Writing everyday helps improve your writing as well. Stephen King once said that writing was like working-out at the gym. In order to get stronger you have to work out consistently and often. The same goes with writing. The more you write the better you will get.

Hopefully you found this article helpful. Freelance copywriting is a great career with a lot of freedom and benefits. If you think freelance copywriting sounds good, then you should do some more research to see if it is right for you.

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