Copywriting Tips Beyond the Books: 8 Ways to Get Started as a Copywriter


The question I am most asked by new copywriters is this: "Any tips on how to get started copywriting?"

The thing is, most newbie copywriters don't really need any copywriting tips from me. They almost always know what they need to do, they only need a nudge:

Read copywriting books by the greats like Bob Bly, Eugene Schwartz, David Ogilvy and others. Work through a copywriting course or two.

And after that -- find a client and get to work!

Easier said than done, right?

Wrong.

If you are a new copywriter struggling for clients and paying gigs, here's what you need to do:

Take yourself on as your first copywriting client... and sell yourself as your first product!

The best copywriters don't need to market themselves (though many choose to). And newcomers in the industry certainly need to, but often don't.

Ironic, isn't it, that the people who want to market for others should balk at marketing themselves.

If I were starting from scratch, here's what I would do:


Build a copywriting web site using a free program like WordPress. Just be sure to use your own domain name with a keyword or two worked into it. Domains now cost as little as $3 a year.


Write a sales letter promoting your services. You're selling a product: You. What sets you apart from other copywriters? You're new, but that doesn't mean you have nothing to bring to the table. Maybe you can promise speed. Or a low price. Maybe you have significant experience in a related business area. Sell yourself -- don't sell yourself short.


Make a list of people or companies you'd like to write for. Don't forget companies in your hometown. The very businesses you walk or drive by everyday could very well provide the first copywriting jobs you build a successful career on.


Put your sales letter on your web site. Also send print copies to your target companies. In your hometown, make appointments to meet company owners and managers in person. Drum up business – don't wait for it to come to you.


Find out all you can about SEO (Search Engine Optimization) copywriting. This will be important for developing your self-promotion web site – and for writing paid content for other people's web sites. Even if you never write web content for clients, you really need to understand how SEO works, and there are many free resources available.


Trade links with related but non-competitive web sites. You want as many links related to your copywriting business pointed to your site as possible. Directories are a great place to get started, not only from big directories like dmoz.org, which has an advertising and marketing section, but also smaller niche directories like the Copywriter Directory.


Write articles that somehow relate your life experience to copywriting, and give them away on any number of article directories like EzineArticles.com. This establishes you as an expert in something while also building related links to your copywriting web site.


Find a mentor or a group of copywriters to trade ideas with. It's easy to lose momentum if you work in a vacuum. And sometimes, you just need to hear from someone who believes in you.


Use these eight copywriting tips to get started as a copywriter, and you could soon join those of us who enjoy this lucrative and satisfying career.

Sales Pages That Sell Part 2


This is part two of how to write sales pages that sell, we already covered a few things check out Sales Pages That Sell (Part 1) to see the first installment of this article. There are a few more things that I want to cover that will raise your conversion rates on your site.

Use Media

If you can try adding some media to your sales page, by media I mean audio files, animation files, small video files and pictures. Conversion rates seem to be higher when media is used, media makes it easier for your visitors to understand your point and visualize your product, also helps with the daydreaming factor.

Testimonials

It is also smart to sell your product prior to building your site and collect positive testimonials for your product. This often reasures your potential customer that they are buying and quality product. For example lets say there are two identical products that you were interested in, would you buy the one you didn't know anything about? or would you buy the one that other people said was good?

Add A Deadline

I know many of you have seen this tactic being used. Things like order our product within the next 24hours and save, that kind of thing. Some sites have countdown clocks and things of that nature, what this does is gives the potential customer a sense of urgency to buy. Sort of rushes them into buying your product so they can get the savings. Most of these sites just have countdown clocks that reset themselves every time the page is loaded.

Money Back Guarantee

having a money back guarantee is very important, in the eyes of the visitor it takes the risk out of purchasing your product. Money back guarantee are pretty self explanatory but I think they are an absolute must when building your sales page.

Bonuses

Bonuses are another great tactic to use, offer free ebooks or programs when they purchase your product. You see bonuses used on most infomercials that you watch on television. Order in the next ten minutes and receive a second Ginsu Knife absolutely free, here you can see both the deadline and bonus tactics being used.

Conclusion

Unfortunately these websites don't do to well with being picked up on search engines, the reason being is because theres no content. Search engines rely on content to place websites in the rankings. So you really need to rely on paid advertising, pay-per-click, and affiliate sales, to get good traffic. Go check out some of the sales pages out there and see how many of these tactics they use, I am sure you will look at these sites in a different way.

Your Freelance Copywriting Services Website


When I first started freelancing, having a website was a luxury and not a necessity. Nowadays it is vital to your business. It is the face of your business and the direction you will point your potential clients when prospecting. There are many service providers on the web who host websites. This means for a small fee each month they will give you a website address. Some people know html (Hypertext Markup Language. It is the authoring software language used on the Internet’s World Wide Web. HTML is used for creating World Wide Web pages) and can design their own website.

I’m not that computer literate, so I went with a web hosting service that offers web page templates. These are pre-designed web pages that you can choose and modify to fit your business. To find the web hosting service that suits you best I suggest you use a search engine and type in web hosting service and then browse until you find one that fits your needs.

Your website should sell your services just as if you were selling a product for a client. At this point I advise you to visit other copywriter’s websites and read how they sell their services with copy. You can go to a search engine and type in .freelance copywriter. to view other freelancer’s websites. You want your writing to be the showcase. Not fancy graphics or neat designs. People are hiring you for your writing ability not your ability to design websites.

The Home Page

You should have a Home Page that is the face of the website. The home page should introduce you to the potential client with benefit ridden copy. Again, I advise that you visit other freelancer’s websites to see how and what they’ve written. Then take what you see and use their examples to create your own unique home page.

The Contact Page

You should also have a Contact page. This should be very simple and straight to the point. You can add a form that allows potential clients to contact you through the website (each web hosting site is different but they all should provide instructions on how to set up a contact form on your website). On your contact page you should have your name, address, phone number, website address and email address.

The About Me Page

You should have an About Me page. On this page you should describe your background that relates to copywriting. Any experience you have in your past that relates to marketing or sales should be included. You don’t have to include any specifics as long as it addresses your abilities. Something like, "I am an able and capable writer and 10 years in sales and marketing prior to my copywriting career means I know what it takes to create a desire for your product or service…"

And finally the Portfolio page.

The Portfolio Page

A good portfolio is vital to your success. It shows off your abilities and lets people who want to hire you see that you can do what you say you can. Now, if you are a beginning copywriter you probably won’t have any work to showcase. That’s not a problem. When I started I was unsure of how to build my portfolio. Some people who offered advice said that I should do pro-bono work for local charities, schools, or churches, then showcase that work. And that’s not a bad idea. Some people do that and it is effective; not to mention that it also provides experience. That is one option.

Another option is to simply make up some work. This is what I decided to do. I found a few products and a few services and just renamed them and rewrote an ad, a brochure, a press release, and a newsletter for them and then put those on my website. It worked for me and I never had a client question the writing. As long as it showcases your writing ability then that is all that matters.

For more information about becoming a freelance copywriter and for articles, tips, information, products, and product reviews about copywriting visit http://www.become-a-copywriter-today.com

Copywriting Success: If You Can Write A Letter, You Can Write Copy


Writing copy is the easiest and fastest way to make a great income as a writer. With other forms of writing like novels, non-fiction books, articles and screenplays, it's a buyers' market, and you're at the whim of editors. But when you write copy, you're in demand and it's a seller's market: when the word gets out that you write copy, you'll be booked solid for weeks and months ahead.

So becoming a copywriter is the way to go if you want to make a consistently high income writing.

Copywriting Basics - What Do Copywriters Write?

Copywriters write "copy". Copy is usually marketing-related material of some kind, like brochures, flyers, Web site content, advertisements, and so on. Essentially, it's business writing. Copywriting commissions can also be for longer material, like books and manuals, as well as audio-visual material, like scripts for TV, radio and video.

How Do You Get Copywriting Commissions?

You start by creating some samples for your portfolio. The people who buy your services want to see what you can do. So write a couple of advertisements, a review or two (pick products for review which you already own), and you're done. Until you get some "real" commissions, these samples are your portfolio.

Once you've created a few samples, you've got many options for promoting your new copywriting business - and yes, copywriters are in business, just like the companies for which they write copy. It's important that you create a business mindset: you have a skill, that skill is worth money, and your aim is to be paid well for that skill.

The easiest option is simply to create a small Web site, and promote the site. You can also visit some of the many out-sourcing sites online, and bid on the projects. The main point to remember here is: don't bid too low. While it's tempting to do so, you're likely to get more work if you set an appropriate rate for your services.

There you have it - you'll find it's true: if you can write a letter, you can write copy. You've been exposed to copy your entire life, so writing it comes naturally to writers. I wish you much copywriting success: it's a skill that can keep bringing in the dollars for your entire writing career.

You'll discover how YOU can become a successful copywriter with "Seven Days To Easy Money: Copywriting Success" by Angela Booth at http://abmagic.com/Copywriting/copywriting.html Angela has several blogs for writers who want to increase their freelance income, including http://copywriter.typepad.com/ and the Fab Freelance Writing Blog at http://fabfreelancewriting.com/blog/

The Secret To Making Your Website Visitors Buy From You


Would you like to know one of the biggest secrets to persuading more of your website visitors buy from you?

Then keep reading. Because in this very article I’m going to tell you how.

But first, you need to understand something…

One of the biggest mistakes I see people making when writing their own sales copy, is to go straight into selling… when they should first be bonding.

What do I mean?

Simply this: Before you try to sell to someone… you need to win them over as a friend first. Until you bond with your visitor…you’re just another marketer trying to take his money.

When your visitor sees you as a friend, your suggestion to buy something isn’t seen as trying to make a profit from him. Instead, you’re merely offering your advice and helping him out with his problem.

So how can you apply this to your sales copy?

Here’s an effective way of doing it: Send all of your traffic to an opt-in “name squeeze” page. Don’t try to sell your visitor on your product just yet. Just get their email address so you can follow-up with them. Give your visitor value first. Show him you know what you’re talking about. Win a friend.

This is the most effective way to convert first time visitors into customers in the long run.

You can also apply this idea in all of your sales copy. Here are a few suggestions on how to implement it.

The vast majority of people are simply looking for information. So give it to them. You don’t need to sell right from the get-go. A good way to get into this groove is to write a headline that forces you to give information. “How To” headlines are a good starting point.

Side note: A common rookie mistake is to try to sell the product in the headline. But realize this: The headline has only one purpose. And that purpose is to convince your visitor to start reading your sales copy.

Another useful technique you can use to bond with your visitor is storytelling.

Tell a story about where the inspiration for your product came from.

Or tell a story that highlights the problem your prospect is facing. Bring the problem to the surface of their mind. Then segue nicely into a pitch for your product.

This will ease your prospect into trusting you. It will seem natural to start talking about the solution to his problem. You’re not forcing anything upon him. You’re just talking about a problem and offering the solution.

The power of a good story should never be underestimated. Stories will keep people reading, and will slip under his anti-selling radar.

By using these simple techniques, you will be well on your way to showing your visitor that you’re not just a money-grabbing marketer.

You’re someone who has the solution to their problem, and appears to have their best interests at heart.