Wednesday, December 31, 2008

The World of Freelance Copywriting

By Ray Edwards

Copywriters write for a wide range of mediums, like: television, radio, magazines, brochures, direct mail, and others. In fact, every word written on advertisement was most likely written by a copywriter. Copywriters are merely salesmen behind a typewriter, they write the written content of an advertisement. Previously copywriters were restricted to working in-house or for a marketing firm, but with the onset of the Internet, independent freelance copywriters are beginning to find a great new career opportunity.

Freelance copywriting allows you to better control your work. In a regularly employed job, you are restricted to a set schedule and have to split your earnings with an advertising agency. But freelance copywriters are their own bosses. This way you can determine when you work, how much you work, and how much money you make. It's all in your hands. You can also work from anywhere in the world that has an Internet connection.

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 as many copywriters as there are markets. Some copywriters specialize into a small market like Search Engine Optimization (SEO) copywriting, while others generalize their abilities and write for many different areas of the market.

Freelance copywriters are expected to write for many different markets and sell their client's products effectively. Freelance copywriting can be very rewarding if you take the time to grow your skills, make connections, and you have the drive to succeed.

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

1. Get educated. If you want to enter the world of freelance copywriting, look into some online copywriting tutorials. There is a lot of information on the Internet that can help you learn more about copywriting. Just search for "copywriting tutorials" and look around. A successful copywriter never thinks they've learned it all. On the contrary, successful copywriters see themselves as constant learners.

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. Learn from the best. Most of the successful copywriters offer coaching courses or workshops to help people learn how to be a successful copywriter. These are great opportunities to learn and get first hand experience learning from a successful copywriter.

4. Constantly hunt for work. Since there are many copywriters out there, you must look for work constantly in order to stay on top of things. You should keep an eye out for local businesses that may need help with their advertising and you should join freelance Internet marketplaces.

5. Construct a website. Many copywriters do not have a website, so having one can give you an advantage over some of your competition. Your website will function as your shop front window and display your services to potential customers. Therefore it should be neat, organized, and contain examples of your best work.

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. - 16039

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