How to Start a Copywriting Business

 

How to Start a Copywriting Business

I recommend not quitting your day job at first. Start your copywriting business on the side. It takes time to find clients, build a portfolio, and develop a reputation. That’s how I wish I did it!

I took AWAI’s copywriting course, saved up some money, and quit my job — thinking I would take off running with my copywriting business. No such luck. Nobody wanted to hire someone with zero experience and no samples. (Imagine that!)

Things changed for me when I landed a staff copywriting job at a direct response marketing agency. I got amazing training, racked up a ton of samples, and built up quite a network. When I launched my own freelance copywriting business several years later, I truly was able to hit the ground running and I’ve never looked back.

Where can you find clients? Try Linked-in. If you have a niche you’d like to write in, search for the companies in that niche — and find the person who hires freelancers. You can connect to them with a nice note and mention your services. However, I recommend you fully fill out your Linked-in profile and are an active participant in groups related to copywriting and/or your niche.

You can also befriend web designers. Several times, my web designer has asked me to write website copy for his clients. I never have, because I’ve been too busy. But web designers are a great source of work. So are successful (and busy) copywriters. They cannot take every job that comes their way, and they need someone to refer these rejected clients to.

If you are a member of AWAI, they have a job forum. Plus, they have a job fair at their fall boot camp every year.

If you don’t have any samples, you can offer to write for a client on spec. (They’ll pay you only if they use your copy.) But don’t get in the habit of working for “free.” This technique should only be used when you’re just starting your business and need samples.

You can also offer to do a company’s back-end marketing. Most times, companies do not like to use their top copywriters to write the marketing emails that go to their house file. So, they hire junior copywriters to do the work. It’s a great way to get your foot in the door, get some samples, and prove yourself.

 

Easy! Get yourself a desk, laptop, a couple of bottles of gin. Maybe some tonic and lime to go with that.

Do not forget the easy chair for your afternoon naps… Wait, I mean ‘where you relax and find inspiration’.

But seriously

Start by working your ass of. Write your copy in blood, sweat and tears. Make sure you get noted by advertising agency’s, but don’t spend too much time on *cough* networking, because you have to get back to your keyboard. Write as much as you can, every single day. After a while you are probably wondering: ‘why am I doing this, and why did I ever think this would be fun?’ That’s a natural state for most copywriters, so don’t worry.

The fun comes though: once you’ve landed and finished your first assignment -and the money is pouring in (or drizzling, but in the end there’s money). Oh and if you land yourself some nice customers, they might invite you for their office party’s and you do get your gin-and tonics.

Start with a plan on how you will write bills proportionate to how you write copy.

“Just write a simple, short text explaining […]”

There’s an odd thing about copywriting, where the ability to understand what is written is inversely proportional to its perceived value.

Or put it in simpler terms: something that is easy to read was never easy to write. And vice versa. A lot of people fail to understand how much effort it costs to make it look easy.

Whatever your business will look like, make sure to always communicate that simple text is about three times more expensive than normal text, except for short texts. Then the price goes up even more.

Other than that: keep writing. Writing is an excellent example where Time-on-Task correlated to improved writing. Just make sure there are bills written along with it.

 

First of, you need to differentiate copywriting to content writing.

Second, recognize good copy from bad.

Third, recognize your high value. Most are egregious at it. I know you will still charge pennies even after reading this. Frankly, I don't know why I bother.

Fourth, learn marketing.

Fifth, develop a thick skin.

Sixth, charge your worth. Can't reiterate enough the 3rd point. If you disregard this profession’s importance, you will charge pennies. You know why some writers are affluent than others? Perceived value.

Seventh, TBA…

 

As a copywriter, your portfolio is your shop window. A place you can highlight your talents and showcase your work, it’s important if you want people to see what you can do. However, many writers, whether they’re new to copywriting or not, panic when they hear the words ‘copywriter portfolio’. Although it doesn’t have to be a scary thought, collating a collection of your pieces and showcasing them for others to view and criticise can be daunting. But it’s essential if you are to prove your skills and impress your potential clients. That’s why we’re sharing our tips to make sure your copywriter portfolio stands out from the crowd for all the right reasons.

Choosing your portfolio pieces

The top myth when creating a portfolio is that you have to include everything you have ever written. However, this simply isn’t true. A strong copywriting portfolio emphasises quality over quantity. It should be focused, lean and represent your speciality or field.

Select your best work

When it comes to copywriters, there isn’t one person who doesn’t have a piece that is close to their heart. However, when it comes to designing your killer portfolio, think about your strongest pieces, the skills required to write them, and how well your copy fits the client’s brief or industry. It’s essential you push all nostalgia to the side; your favourite piece isn’t necessarily your best.

Tam Tran (Flickr)

If you find yourself torn between a couple of pieces, consider for each who the end client was, how big their audience (and influence) is, and whether you are able to assess the performance of that particular piece of work. Was it liked and shared? Did it generate a buzz or a discussion?

Be diverse

In terms of the copy you include, we advise you choose an array of pieces to showcase your skills and talents. However, don’t just select a range of subjects, be sure to include a variety of styles too. By this, we mean a selection of blogs, press releases, articles, product descriptions, eBooks or research papers, to name just a few options. Usually, the more diverse your portfolio is, the stronger it will be.

However, if you are hoping to specialise in a specific industry, or you have specialist knowledge of a particular sector, be sure to include examples that relate to the industry in question. It’s important the pieces you select reflect the work you are applying for.

How big should your copywriter portfolio be?

Typically, the number of pieces to include in your copywriting portfolio can vary, and it generally depends on your personal preference. You may feel it is better to keep it to 8-10 quality pieces, or you may prefer to provide more options (between 20 and 30). Remember, you can easily switch pieces out of your portfolio if you feel you have something stronger later on down the line. For job applications, you should stick to a maximum of five pieces. This gives the client a good idea of your skills as a writer without boring or overwhelming them.

Make sure your work is current

Ideally, you shouldn’t include any work in your portfolio that was written over two years ago. The top pieces in your portfolio need to be what people are most likely to read, which means they need to be current and relatable.

If you aren’t sure what to include, a top tip is to create a spreadsheet of your published pieces, making sure you include titles, publication dates and relevant links. Having this for your own personal record enables you to categorise and keep track of everything you’ve accomplished.

Do you need permission?

This is a tricky question to answer, and it isn’t something many people think they even need to consider when it comes to creating their portfolio. On one hand, it’s your work. However, once a project is signed off, the copyright for the work is transferred to the client.

To be certain, we advise asking the client’s permission to showcase the work in your portfolio. This way you’ll know for definite before you begin.

Get the presentation right

It may sound odd, but getting the presentation of your copywriting portfolio right matters too. It’s also important you have both an offline and online portfolio. According to entrepreneur and blogger Julia McCoy, online copywriters are in demand. Therefore, it’s likely that the majority of your copywriting work will be for online clients, so it makes sense to have samples available on your website. It also means you can easily send a link to a potential client who asks to see your portfolio.

Perzonseo Webbyra (https://perzonseo.com)

When it comes to your presentation folder, make sure everything’s represented neatly and clearly. Use quality paper and clear wallets to keep the pages clean and to stop them from ripping. In terms of your online portfolio, make sure it is simple to navigate and access. It’s also important that the font is easy to read and that the design highlights the copy, as opposed to any images or graphics. You need to remember you are being judged for your words, not the images you’ve chosen to include. Content creator Rachel Solomon recommends the top six online content writing portfolios, including Pressfolios, Contently and About.Me.

Some great examples of successful copywriter portfolios include those by Kathryn Slater and Gari Cruze.

Keep your biography short

When it comes to writing about ourselves, we are our own worst enemies. When it comes to your portfolio, the biography should summarise what you do and the skills you have. However, it’s important to keep your integrity. Don’t get over-personal, this is about your professional abilities. Instead of revealing your age, mention how many years you’ve been writing for. If you’ve had a successful copywriting career, summarise your accomplishments by focusing on the most impressive or relevant achievements. Equally important, ensure you include your current job title as well any links to your social media profiles that represent your professional brand. LinkedIn is a great example here, but your personal Facebook page may not be a great idea.

Fact: Bad spelling and grammar, as well as clichés, won’t impress. Don’t overload on buzz words and make sure you sound confident by avoiding self-deprecation.

New to copywriting?

If you are new to copywriting and you don’t have many pieces to showcase, creating some samples is a great starting point until you gain more experience.

Create your own brief and do the work as if you were being paid by a client. It could be anything from a blog post or pages for a website, just be sure to set yourself something you know you’ll be good at. When it comes to showing the piece of work in your portfolio, make it clear it is conceptual rather than a commission. Not only does this demonstrate great initiative, but it allows you to showcase your strengths.

One final tip

Don’t shy away from creating a killer copywriter portfolio for the fear of being judged, it’s the perfect opportunity to showcase your abilities. Although one person may not like your work, there are bound to be many more that do. There’s just one final point to remember: don’t reveal your entire collection. Keeping clients intrigued by what else you can or have achieved can go a long way.