How to Become a Freelance Copywriter

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If you believe you have a way with words, you could help businesses sell more of their products or services as a freelance copywriter. However, “going it alone” as a freelancer can be a daunting prospect. There is no guaranteed income, and you must hunt for work. But it is equally exciting, with a varied workload keeping things interesting. This article is designed to outline the key ingredients for successful freelance copywriters.

You Can Get Started Using Only an Internet Connection and a Laptop

Freelance copywriters have low start-up costs. You don’t need monster marketing budgets or fancy offices. The truth is you could work from your bedroom, your garden shed or even your holiday apartment. And provided you have access to emails, a word processor and a full suite of creative software, you can work for about anyone.

Network, Network, Network

One of the crucial factors in getting your freelance copywriting business off the ground is picking good clients. A top tip from “Gary the Geek” is to try your best to work with clients that value your skills as they will be more prepared to pay the going rate for your copy. It’s also a good starting point to email local digital marketing agencies that may not have an in-house copywriting capacity to see if you can assist. Agencies tend to pay reasonably well and will offer a steady stream of work. You can also become a member of your local Chamber of Commerce and visit as many networking events as possible — armed with your business cards, of course!

Consider ‘Content Mills’ to Build Your Portfolio

If you’re new to copywriting, you’re unlikely to have a portfolio of work to demonstrate to prospective clients. So, if you’re starting from scratch, a good starting point for any new copywriter working for themselves is to sign up to the various “content mills.” These are online portals that offer daily tasks, such as blog posts, landing pages and email newsletters, for relatively cheap rates. These can help you to build a portfolio and get some earnings behind you.

Set up an eWallet to Make it Easy to Secure Work Worldwide

Providing you have the desire, the contacts, a computer and a means of receiving invoices, you can set yourself up as a freelance copywriter. An eWallet account, such as a PayPal or Skrill, is ideal to use as a work account as clients around the world can pay you and circumvent cross-border transaction fees. Ultimately, you can’t just be a good copywriter. You need to have a smart commercial head, too.

Once you gain some experience, try to specialize in some niches. It might be email copy, sales newsletters, B2B brochures, link-building articles or industry-specific content. Rather than being a Jack-of-all-trades, it’s good to have an area of expertise that agencies and companies can associate with you. Get the work, do it to the best of your abilities, enhance the reputations of businesses online (and offline) and future opportunities will indeed follow. Good luck!