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.
