Thursday, January 8, 2009

The World of Freelance Copywriting

By Ray Edwards

Copywriters write for a wide range of mediums, like: television, radio, magazines, brochures, direct mail, and others. In fact, every word written on advertisement was most likely written by a copywriter. Copywriters are merely salesmen behind a typewriter, they write the written content of an advertisement. Previously copywriters were restricted to working in-house or for a marketing firm, but with the onset of the Internet, independent freelance copywriters are beginning to find a great new career opportunity.

Freelance copywriting allows you to better control your work. In a regularly employed job, you are restricted to a set schedule and have to split your earnings with an advertising agency. But freelance copywriters are their own bosses. This way you can determine when you work, how much you work, and how much money you make. It's all in your hands. You can also work from anywhere in the world that has an Internet connection.

With all its benefits, freelancers also have more responsibility as well. Freelance copywriters have to sell themselves, meet a deadline, and properly budget their resources and time. Freelance copywriters must also know their audience well, so most do research into their target audiences. They also need to be able to effectively and creatively sell a client's product. But this increased level of responsibility is certainly worth it when you consider the freedom you get over your life when you switch to freelancing.

BECOMING A FREELANCE COPYWRITER

There are as many copywriters as there are markets. Some copywriters specialize into a small market like Search Engine Optimization (SEO) copywriting, while others generalize their abilities and write for many different areas of the market.

Freelance copywriters are expected to write great copy in all different arenas. It can be a bit demanding, but that's just part of the fun of having an extremely flexible and rewarding career such as freelance copywriting.

Here are few ideas on how to get started as a freelancer:

1. Educate yourself. Good copywriters never believe they have learned "it all." Successful copywriters recognize that there are always new things to learn and see themselves as lifelong students. It?s really important to learn new things and improve your skill set. You can start out by going online and searching for "copywriting tutorials."

2. Do some work for free. This is a great option if you lack any real experience as a copywriter. Doing some initial work for free allows you to build a client base and get your name out there.

3. Learn from the best. Most of the successful copywriters offer coaching courses or workshops to help people learn how to be a successful copywriter. These are great opportunities to learn and get first hand experience learning from a successful copywriter.

4. Constantly look for work. There are a lot of copywriters out there, so in order to stay on top of things you need to be vigilant in your hunt for work. Get involved on a freelance Internet marketplace and try to keep up with local businesses that may need your services as well.

5. Build a website. For whatever reason, many copywriters do not have a website. This means that having one can give you an edge over your competition. A website will function like your storefront window: it will display your work for potential clients. So make sure it is neat, organized, and has access to examples of your best work.

These were just a few ideas on how to become a freelance copywriter. Freelance copywriting is a very rewarding and flexible career since you can customize it around your life. If you're interested in pursuing freelance copywriting, make sure you do some more research before you make the exciting plunge.

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