Writing Copy for Profit

Writing Copy for Profit

If you’re going to be a copywriter for a business or for yourself and become a freelancer, you’ll need to know some basic “dos and don’ts” of writing copy. And, if you’re going to make a decent living being a copywriter, you’ll need to know how to promote yourself and gather clients.

You may admire some great literary masterpieces that have been written to inspire or that simply have a wonderful story to tell. Know that writing this type literature isn’t the same as copywriting.

Copywriting is persuasive and client-pleasing type of writing that doesn’t have to necessarily be well-written. You can become a copywriter without knowing how to be an author, but it does help if you have an understanding of style and form and if you can write to connect with an audience.

When you write copy for profit, you’ll need to know the best practices of turning your skills into dollars and how to get clients. Kindle publishing will also be addressed in this section. It’s a good way to brand yourself as an author and the experience can get your writing style flowing.

Getting Your Freelance Copywriting Business Off and Running

The Internet will be your best friend when beginning a freelance copywriting business. Now, it’s time to get down to the nitty gritty and decide how you’re going to launch your business. It’s also time to stop worrying if you’re good enough or what writing niche is best for you.

Begin! Whether you change course later on or not, you’ve got to begin somewhere. Trial and error will help you go back and revamp what you do at first to get your business off the ground, but you’ve got to put yourself out there first and test the waters.

You may want to begin by assessing your experience, likes and dislikes and interests. Now, it’s easy to network with others through the Internet. If you haven’t already – set up some social networking accounts such as Twitter and LinkedIn.

Let your followers or those you’re following know that you’re going to start freelance writing and would appreciate their referrals. If you want to write articles for magazines and/or newsletters, send a query letter (lots of great information online about how to formulate a good query letter).

Have business cards printed and let people know you’re in the freelance writing business. Any great journey begins with the first step and you’ve got to take it, no matter how small or insignificant it seems to get your business off the ground.

How Much Will it Cost?

Even if you’re going to be an online freelance writer and already have your computer and the programs you need to write, you’ll need money for fees, courses that will help you expand your knowledge and money to pay your bills while your business grows.

You may need to hire professionals to build a website or blog, print brochures and business cards or whatever tools are necessary in the type of freelancing you choose. You can’t start a business with zero money. Either you should choose to keep a regular job until you save enough money to begin your own business or plan a budget you can live with.

Do your research to decide the bare minimum it will take to get your freelance copywriting business off the ground and go from there. Keep in mind that bills are still due and money will seem to go out more than it comes in.

Entry Markets to Get You Up and Running

Your first freelance writing jobs may be waiting at your own back door. Keep your eye out for entry markets where you can find clients that you may already know or deal with. For example, do any of your friends or family have websites, blogs or businesses that could use a revamping of content?

How about publications you read, businesses you deal with or hospitals and other nonprofit organizations where you may volunteer? Don’t depend solely on

Internet sites to provide you with jobs. Some are simply scams and you should carefully research a site that seems too good to be true.

There are reputable online sites such as “elance” and “Ezine,” that offers freelancers ways to bid on or present content. If you choose these or any other sites, be sure you’re extremely selective about the jobs you bid on. Be especially aware of Craigslist ads as they can be horrible scams that take your money or your time and then skip out.

One thing you have to decide is what you like to write and if it pays well. For example, if you love to write poetry, you should know that the poetry market isn’t very profitable. It’s the same for personal essays or novels. Unless you happen to luck out and hit it big, it’s not a reliable source of income.

Companies or small publications don’t pay very well, but they’re good places to start and build up your experience and portfolio. The best and most profitable type of writing include business plans, government contract, case studies, annual reports, articles, blog posts, web content, newsletters, technical writing and any type of marketing materials.

One way to become discovered in the freelance writing world is to publish a report or book through Amazon’s Kindle Publishing. You may have to shell out some money for a cover, but after your book is launched online, it’s a great show stopper for a portfolio.

The book can be on anything you choose, but if you’re serious about becoming a freelance writer, concentrate on issues or subjects that you’re familiar with. For example, if you’re a semi-expert on modern health issues, you could write an informative book about health issues of the elderly.

Kindle books are popular, inexpensive and easy to download. People are always scouring Amazon’s quarry of books, both to learn and to be entertained. Take a look at some of the subjects currently popular in Amazon’s Kindle selections and decide what might work for you. You may not earn much from your efforts, but it can help to establish and brand you in the writing world.

What to Charge

In the beginning, it’s a smart move to do a couple of projects free of charge. They should be small projects and you can then use them for samples in your portfolio. Don’t forget to elicit a testimonial from the client if he or she liked your work.

Your client may state the budget he’s working with and if you want and need the work, you may accept it even though it could be a small amount. Another way to find out the going rate for freelance copywriting work is to ask your writing colleagues.

This is where joining writers’ networks and support groups can help. There’s also the “bible” of writers, “The Writer’s Market,” which has a section entitled, “What to Charge Guide.” Pick a price and use it until your experience and writing talent increases and then raise your rates.

Exercises for Part Two – Writing for Profit

1. Write a freelance-writing resume. It doesn’t have to be in resume format, but it’s a good exercise to find out what skills you have that will help you launch your own business.

2. Create a budget. You will have to spend some money to launch your freelance copywriting business. Decide if you want to keep your regular job while working part time on the freelance business or make a budget and live on the money you’ve saved.

3. What type of clients do you want to attract? Are you planning to write for online marketing businesses, copy for advertisements or brochures or the government? This decision will tell you where to look for clients and what materials you’ll need to attract them.

4. What will you charge? Talk to other freelance writers or do some research with the tools mentioned in this section to discover what your rate should be.