Thursday, January 8, 2009

Freelance Copywriting Today

By Ray Edwards

Copywriters work in a multitude of markets, such as: television, radio, magazines, brochures, direct mail ad campaigns, and many others. In fact, copywriters probably wrote most of the written content of the ads you see. It has been said that copywriters are merely salesmen behind typewriters; they write the written content of advertisements. Up until this point, copywriters were normally employed by advertising agencies or kept in-house by other companies. Now, with the advent of the Internet, copywriters are able to freelance their services and make more money doing it.

Freelance copywriters can customize their work to their lives. Most of the time you're restricted to a regular work schedule and have to split your profits with your parent company. On the other hand, as a freelancer you are your own boss and completely dictate your work experience. You can determine when you work, how much you work, and the size of your paycheck. You can also work from anywhere in the world that has an Internet connection. That's freedom!

Freelancers take on all the aspects of a copywriting career. They have to effectively sell themselves, meet deadlines, and manage their resources and time. Freelance copywriters must also know their audience, so they do lots of research in order to be the most effective at their job. It may seem like more responsibility, but the benefits of freelancing make it worth it.

BEING A COPYWRITER

There are many different kinds of copywriters out there. Some copywriters specialize their skills and work in a small niche of the market, like Search Engine Optimization (SEO) copywriting, while others generalize their abilities and write for many different kinds of clients.

Today, freelance copywriters are expected to write different kinds of copy and produce great work. Even though it can be a bit demanding, freelance copywriting can be a lot of fun and really rewarding if you have the skill, connections, and the drive to succeed.

If you want to become a freelance copywriter, here are some tips to help you succeed:

1. Educate yourself. All the successful copywriters see themselves as lifelong students. Therefore you should make an effort, no matter how much you know, to learn more about your field and improve your skill set. Learning is one of the keys to success. You can start by going online and searching for "copywriting tutorials" and go from there. You're bound to find more than enough information.

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. Look into coaching courses. Many successful freelance copywriters offer coaching courses that teach others on how to become a successful copywriter. They also give you first hand experience with a copywriter, which is a valuable resource.

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. Have a website. This will give you a great advantage over the many copywriters who do not have websites. Your website should allow your clients and customers to easily browse through examples of your work and credentials. It will help you win projects. Therefore it should be neat, well organized, and professional looking.

These were just a few pointers to help you see how to get started as a freelance copywriter. Freelance copywriting is a very rewarding and flexible career. If you're interested in pursuing it as a career, you should definitely do some more research into this exciting career opportunity. - 16747

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