Get The Best Start In Freelance Copywriting!
If you’ve ever wanted to be a freelance copywriter, then it’s a great time to do it! Digital marketing is bigger than ever, and there’s an increasing demand for skilled copywriters. If you’ve got a flair for words, and a bit of self-discipline, being a freelancer could be a fantastic career choice! Here, I’ll share some of the most valuable tips for making it as a freelancer.
The first item on your list should be to market yourself. This is one of the most important things any creative freelancer can do. When you first start out, no one’s going to know who you are. It’s your job to convince your target clients that your services are worth their hard-earned money. After getting a few pieces in your portfolio, you need to be getting your name out in any way possible. One of the most effective ways of doing this is an email campaign targeting the kinds of businesses that hire copywriters. These include PR companies, digital marketing companies, and web design firms. You may even get some luck by approaching other over-worked freelancers! Keep the emails brief and non-spammy, with a link to your online portfolio. This brings me onto my next point.
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My next tip is to get a professional website as soon as possible. Every modern business needs a website. Just because you’re a sole trader, don’t think you’re let off from this rule! For starters, this will give you a nice, visible platform where you can present your portfolio. Aside from that, it will also give you a potent air of professionalism, which is hugely important when you first start out. Find a good web builder program, and exhibit all you can do for your clients in a clear, compelling way. You may even want to hire some website marketing specialists to give you a nice little injection of traffic. Also, make sure to get an actual domain name. Resources might be stretched, I know. However, “.com” looks a lot more professional than “.blogspot.com”
Finally, don’t become dependent on a bad client. I’m not going to lie to you; setting up as a freelancer is exceedingly tough. Some copywriters, after they’ve had a hard time getting any work at all, will finally be picked up by a bad client. By “bad”, I mean that they give you a limited scope of work for low pay. You may feel relieved simply to see a bit of money trickling in. However, getting one solid client shouldn’t be an excuse for halting your venture completely. There’s really no limit to how much money you can make as a freelancer. While you work for a low-paying client, you should still be marketing yourself to bigger fish. This takes a little more work, but believe me the rewards are well worth it!
I hope these tips get you off to a great start in copywriting. Being a freelancer is never easy, and things will probably be slow to begin with. However, this is a small price for so much freedom and career satisfaction!