I sometimes get emails from wannabe copywriters wanting to know how to ‘get into’ copywriting. I ‘got into’ copywriting by initially writing opinion pieces for a South African news website. One of my articles was so popular that it landed me an email with words of encouragement from the editor of the newspaper and later a job offer, for the position of copywriter, from a media company. In fact, the head of marketing (from the latter agency) was based in the UK and found my articles whilst Googling! So, writing online can be a very powerful way to gain work and customers.
That said, freelance copywriting as a full-time job is not for the fainthearted. I’ve never ventured in solely as a freelancer. I’ve always worked a full-time (and later on part-time) job with my freelance writing business on the sideline. And I’ve tried to align the two – writing as a day job (as much as possible) and as a freelance business.
This is not always easy, especially with clients on the rise and with marketing my own business. But it’s been the best solution for me when starting out. In fact, many well-known authors (contemporary and classic) never gave up their day jobs at all, and they wrote their novels in the early hours of the morning, on the train, or at night (I’m writing this blog post at night now whilst baby is fast asleep!). If you love your work as a (copy)writer, you’ll go to great lengths to ensure your desire to write is met and to, in turn, serve your customers or readers.
That said, here are my top 5 tips for those of you starting out as copywriters.
1. You actually need to write – go figure!
Positioning yourself as a copywriter on Linkedin is great but if you haven’t got examples of your work on there or a website where people can view your writing, then you haven’t got much. If you want to work as a writer, you need to demonstrate that you can actually do the job!
And if you can’t find clients just yet, volunteer to write copy for good causes on the sideline. In this way, you’ll gain experience and exposure (and do something for the greater good too!). When I started out building my portfolio, I wrote an article called, ‘Mama Lumka: The Township Angel’ for Vision Magazine (a Christian Magazine based in South Africa, which sadly, no longer exists) and on a voluntary basis. I wanted to write about something I was interested in (in this case, a very special lady living in a township who was supporting children born with disabilities and who were rejected by their parents as a result). My passion for the story shone through, and when I pitched the article to the magazine, they immediately accepted it, and a few months later, the story was published!
2. Write a book about (copy)writing
If you love writing, why not write a book about writing or becoming a better writer? This will make you more marketable in the long run. And yes, there are thousands of books out there on the topic of being a better writer. But here’s your opportunity to shine and show everyone that you can actually do it! You could also try to find a niche for your book, for example, copywriting for accountants, sustainability writing, or an unusual angle that no one else has thought about yet.
3. Start a blog using your name
If you want to become a copywriter, you’ll have to put your name out there. If you’re not adventurous or brave enough to do so, then you might have to reconsider the field of copywriting as your future profession (perhaps novel writing suits you better?). Writing a blog using your own name is a way to build credibility and voice your opinion. Recently, I was hired because someone read a blog post I wrote on the topic of poor copywriting examples in The Hague, the city where I now live. They loved the post and said, ‘You’re really a writer and have an eye for detail! That’s rare…’. And poof, I was hired!
4. Build your brand
Becoming a copywriter means that you need to build your brand. You need to engage in active social media/community management and do this on a regular basis. Don’t just expect people to think of you when they need a copywriter! If you appear in their newsfeed or email box regularly, they will be more likely to think of you when they need someone. In fact, most of my clients find me on Linkedin (through my company and personal updates). Some of those clients I’ve met before. Some I haven’t. The important part is that I’m consistently sharing my love of writing (and of corporate training).
5. Go beyond writing
Nowadays, good copywriters need to have a whole host of other skills such as web design, search engine optimization (SEO), graphic design, and more. If you want to make yourself as marketable as possible, you’ll need to learn these skills as some customers may require more than just writing skills. Being able to offer additional services can make the life of your customers a lot easier as they wouldn’t have to search for other people to complete a job and may be able to rely solely on you!
For instance, I love teaching/training and writing and so I offer my clients copywriting training as a service. The fact that I can bring together my two great loves is a huge advantage and my clients instantly see my passion when I train their teams. What is more, is that sometimes clients hire me to train their teams and later require my services as a freelance copywriter when they have pressing deadlines or need extra hands! So being able to do both is a huge advantage and brings in a lot of extra business.
Getting into copywriting isn’t always easy. And at the beginning, you may have to earn very little in order to build your portfolio and personal brand. But if writing is something you enjoy and take pride in, then you might just want to actively pursue the field of copywriting. What are your top tips for copywriters who are just starting out in the field? Leave your tips in the comments section below!