Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Becoming A Freelance Copywriter

By Ray Edwards

For some people, going freelance is the best way to start up a new career. And why not? By becoming a freelancer, you don't have a boss, you don't have a restricted work schedule, and you don't have to dress up and go to work because you can work from home.

FINDING A WHOLE NEW WORLD

Copywriting is one of the biggest industries seeing success in the freelancing world. Because of the Internet, more and more copywriters are beginning to freelance their services. Becoming a freelancer requires some time and preparation. If you're already a copywriter or just starting out, here are some things to consider when becoming a freelance copywriter.

1. Build a website. Many copywriters do not have a website, so having one can give you an advantage over some of you competition. A website will function as your "shop front" window as well.

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. Construct a portfolio. Your portfolio will function as your resume to potential clients. They will use it to help determine if they hire you. Therefore it should be professional looking, contain examples of your best work, a sales letter explaining your skills, and testimonials from past clients.

3. Market yourself. You can be the best copywriter the world has seen, but if no one knows who you are then you won't have any clients. Therefore invest time and money into learning how to effectively market yourself. It will be a worthwhile investment.

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. Keep learning. The best copywriters are constantly learning how to improve their product. There is enough information out there to study for a life time, so it doesn't matter how good you are you can always learn something new that will improve your product.

6. Keep your day job for a while. Since you're just starting your freelancing career, you should keep your day job in order to cover your financial needs initially. You may have to work double, but it will be worth it. With that said, you should quit your day job as soon as you can in order to devote all your resources on your freelancing career. Freelance copywriting will not bring complete success until you quit your regular job.

These were just a few pointers to help you see what was involved in freelance copywriting. Hopefully you found this article helpful. If this at all interests you, then don't be afraid to experiment a little, you never know, freelancing may be perfect for you.

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