Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Tips For Successful Freelance Copywriting

By Ray Edwards

Many people are looking for new ways to make money as the prices of commodities continue to rise. Picking up a second job has become very appealing, despite the fact that it is difficult and adds stress to your current job and personal life. This is also even more difficult for those already working in an established career such as copywriting. Fortunately there is a way to make more money as a copywriter without having to pick up a second job: Freelancing.

Freelancing has become a successful option for many copywriters who need to make more money. Unlike taking on a second job where you have to learn new skills, freelance copywriting allows you to practice your current profession in a new setting. This way, you are able to use the skills you learned as an employed copywriter to earn more money.

Freelance copywriters can earn a larger income than employed copywriters because they don't have to deal with an advertising agency. Normally the commission on a project is split between the copywriter and the agency. As a freelancer though, you get to keep all the commission. Freelance copywriters can also take on more jobs at once, allowing them to maximize their time and efforts. Also, if one works hard enough and practices their skill a lot, they can become more efficient and finish projects at a higher pace. Allowing them to take on more projects in a given period.

Freelance copywriters are also in great control of their work schedule. At a normal job, you're locked into a work schedule and have a set amount of hours you have to be at the office. But as a freelancer you control your hours, you must only complete the project by the deadline, your work schedule is then up to you. There is a lot of freedom in freelance work that you can't find in a lot of careers.

You also have great control over your office as well. The Internet allows freelance copywriters to work from anywhere as long as they have a connection to the web. Therefore a copywriter can work from anywhere in the world with clients in any other part of the world.

Even with all these benefits, becoming a freelancer takes a lot of work. Here are some helpful pointers that will show you what is involved in becoming a freelance copywriter:

Build A Good Reputation

Freelance copywriting differs from other jobs in that your workload is completely dependent on your ability to market yourself and do good work. So one of the most important things you have to do as a freelancer is to get your name known in the industry. Do whatever it takes: attend copywriting seminars and workshops, give business cards to people as you meet them, and offer your services to existing clients. Ask for referrals from previous clients and other copywriters you know in the business. Network with other copywriters and team up on projects. You should also build a portfolio containing examples of your best work and testimonials from past clients. You can then post this portfolio on a website and make it available for viewing.

It's important to get your name out there, but its also important that you do a good job all of the time. The quality of your work will form the foundation of your freelancing business. You can advertise yourself all you want, but if your product is poor, you won't make much money. So make sure to do a good job all of the time, and continue to learn how to write better copy. There is a lot of information out there that can help improve the quality of your copy, just search for "copywriting tutorials" or read some books by the experts, like Dan Kennedy. These resources will help you greatly.

You need to be a good businessperson as well who is personable and consistently meets deadlines. People like to hire copywriters that are easy to work with. They also like to get their products by the deadline. Failing to meet project deadlines is one the most powerful ways to severely damage your career.

Hopefully this article showed the benefits of freelance copywriting and gave you an idea in what was involved. Becoming a freelancer can be a great career move. If freelancing interests you then don't be afraid to do some more research and to see if freelance copywriting is right for you. - 15275

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