Starting out in Copywriting

Due to a clerical error in God's talent department, writing has been encoded into my genetic sequence. Because of this, I've decided to give freelance copywriting a bash. According to my peers, I'm apparently adept at putting words into a coherent manner.

Having said this, I have two questions.

1) How do I convince someone that my wordsmith ability is worth hard currency?

2) What's the best approach to promoting myself to a potential customer?

I'm willing to make an effort. Mind you, I've failed at so many things so it wouldn't matter if I failed at copywriting too.

 

Before you market your services to anyone, be sure that you have a clear understanding of the difference between writing and copywriting. That's first.

Next - and more importantly - come off the failure stuff! If you don't have confidence in your abilities, how can you expect anyone else to?

 

The difference between content writing and copywriting is discussed in this thread - https://forums.digitalpoint.com/threads/content-writing-vs-copywriting.2718243/.

Getting over the fear of failing is very important as already stated. Don't get discouraged and disappointed even if you are not able to make it at first. Each failure you come across can be taken as an opportunity to learn something new, improve your mistakes and start afresh. In fact, you should capitalize and focus more on the confidence you have in the wordsmith inside you.

There are a lot of approaches to market yourself to your prospects. You will have to try out and experiment with different ones as there's no sure-fire way this can be done. Eventually you will come to know an approach that best suits you. This is the path almost every copywriter follows. Once things kick off well, there's no looking back.
Anyway, a lot of helpful suggestions on how to promote your writing services have been given here - https://forums.digitalpoint.com/thr...s-directly-for-copy-writing-business.2718893/, https://forums.digitalpoint.com/thr...content-or-advertise-content-writing.2708622/ and https://forums.digitalpoint.com/threads/how-and-where-to-get-high-paying-clients.2712504/. Do check them out.

Hope this helps.

 

Start looking for small jobs on Elance and offer up your services for cheap. You need to build up a portfolio of work.

 

I'm not worried about the fear of failing. I was pointing out that if I didn't succeed in copywriting, it wouldn't matter because I've failed at everything else.

 

Hi Milhouse,

The very first question is to ask why did you fail in so many things? There is no direct answers to the questions but I sincerely hoped that you understand my point of view. I did get scammed many times in the past and currently on my way to success, my belief is that you're on your way to milky galaxy too!

Good Luck,
Commoner

 

Millhouse, if I may be allowed, please follow my signature link to my eBook. it's only $20 and it'll actually take you from $0 right on up and teach you how to work the freelance sites, start small and build a portfolio and reputation and how to increase your rates incrementally. It'll also teach you how to sell and how to write effectively, although the book is more focused on teaching you how to make money as opposed to writing 101.

I know, shameless plug, but in your case, I think you'll get a lot out of a small investment. You may even feel free to ask me some follow up questions after you've read it.

So far in this thread, you've received good advice. Especially tossing that failure stuff away. We've all failed, including me, but we learn from failure and see it only as temporary defeat.

 

A great way to learn writing butt kicking copy is to write by hand. Check out copyhour.com

 

Hey Commoner, thank you for your comment. In regard to your question, I've tried a lot of things to be a successful person. The reasons for my failures range from no ability to plain bad luck. Despite the endless barrage of mockery and humiliation, I have a knack for getting up and trying again.

 

Humility is all well and good but if you do intend to go into copywriting, you first have to sell yourself.

Telling prospective customers or fellow writers that you don't mind "failing at copywriting" sends a clear message that you are only a dabbler at best or only offering writing services until something that looks more appealing to you comes along.

As to how you convince people you can write...you show them. Create a professional website to offer your services. Create a blog on that site or elsewhere where you can show people your writing style. Most writers I know have "hobby" sites where they write about things that interest them and that also provide some side income. Those too become part of your portfolio.

 

1) How do I convince someone that my wordsmith ability is worth hard currency?
You convince them that you can achieve results. Every client you meet is going to have different requirements but they all want the same thing. They want results and they want to make a profit. You have to show them that you've achieved results in the past or convince them that you can make them money.

You'll never convince someone to pay hard currency when they're only willing to pay you beer money. You really have to weed out which clients you believe are qualified to write for, just like they need to weed out which writers are qualified to hire. When someone starts mentioning cheap triggers such as low budget, cheap quote, small project, business opportunity or 50/50 rev share, it's probably best to leave that client to other writers. 50/50 rev share is just a subtle way of saying "I have no money to pay you but I promise to give you half of what the site makes" with crossed fingers.

2) What's the best approach to promoting myself to a potential customer?
Just put your name out there. Don't approach clients with the "I have failed and I need money" approach either. Clients don't care if you're making money, they want to make money. Start by checking out local businesses and seeing if they have websites. Offer to improve the copy on their page and convince them that it will generate more business. You can do the same thing with Google Maps and finding businesses.

Be warned though, a lot of people without CAPTCHA systems on their Contact Forms get eaten alive by e-mail spam and they get a lot of e-mails from foreign SEO/writing agencies as well. You'll end up saying "sorry we couldn't do business" a lot. You'll also have to get used to hearing, "well, this guy from here says he'll do it for $50, why are you so much more expensive?" You have to either convince them that you can achieve results, spend longer on perfecting the copy for the price or just walk away. You will never convince someone who doesn't value a writer to pay a price you feel is worth your time.

That's the thing about DP, there are a lot of writers willing to scribble out 400-1,000 words for the price of a meal just to collect a quick PayPal/Skrill payment. How many of them do you think actually research the audience of their client, find out what solutions their audience is looking for, perfect their content, save drafts and edits of their content and only release something to the client when it's perfect? Even a lot of the college graduates looking for work don't do all of that listed above. Usually, they open up an article on the topic they're supposed to write about and just re-word it from the original. Original content costs time and money and if clients aren't willing to pay for that, you have to to find people who are.

 

Hey Milhouse,

Indeed, your earnest heart has responded to me.

Copywriting, as the name implies, is a skill that will either aid you in your content management system or your clients.

Who are you in your prospects' eyes?
Why must they choose you?
What are you going to if you cannot accede to their requests?
Where do you view yourself in the next 12 months
How are you going to manage difficult clients or chargebacks?
When is the appropriate time to set up a company and a team of copywriters, who knows may expand into article writing.

 

Ha ha! That's true @SCookAAM. But then again I suppose that's what every writer should do if you really want to hit those sales.

 

Well, I wouldn't mention it here unless I sincerely believed that it would help. I don't mind promoting myself, so long as I feel I'm offering something of true value. At leat here. Otherwise, it's time to market and advertise

 

That's right. When you are offering something valuable, promoting yourself through any platform shouldn't really be a problem.

 

Milhouse2011, don't give up. Keep trying. One day you will succeed.

 

Indeed,

I don't see a need to advertise the eBook being mentioned, at most send a pm to him but not in this context. Personally, I felt that he is trying to perform link building here but he doesn't realize that our mods are very specialize and are experts in weeding this particular spamzers.

Good Day Ahead All,
Commoner

 

100% agree with Content Maestro

 

OP, I'd suggest you start by practicing. Build a portfolio of samples of friends/families' firms. If you have a friend who owns a store, ask him or her if you can write an ad for them. If you have a parent who owns a firm, or a sibling, grandparent, aunt, uncle, cousin, etc. ask them also.

Once you have a good porfolio, you can then approach firms in similar industries. Some may turn you away, most would welcome your approach. Once you have gained their favour, it shouldn't be that difficult to build a stable client base.

Also, some say to choose a specific industry, especially based on a prior industry one worked in, to focus one's writing on. I can understand where these people are coming from. But then IMHO, I don't see why one cannot write on ANY industry. Provided research is conducted, and more importantly client discussions about his or her requirements, then IMO it shouldn't be an issue. Writing on an industry depends IMHO on the scope of that industry, coupled with how large the firms are within in. Writing copy for ICT firms is fine. Even SMEs may have a lot of continual copy, even if they only trade within countries or regions (people need computers, Internet technologies like servers, Ethernet and WAN fibre, routers, switches, etc.) Writing about horse decorating, Victorian fashion shops, or bonsai stores is fine, but then these stores have little incentive for high volume advertising.

Those are just my thoughts though, not saying it's absolute fact.

 

Copywriting is about selling things. I would be hesitant to try my hand at copywriting if I wasn't confident that I could sell myself, let alone other people's products and/or businesses.