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Some FAQs for Aspiring Copywriters
Author : Glenn Murray
I get an email at least once a week from aspiring copywriters
seeking advice on how to get a foothold in the industry. It's
obviously a popular topic, so I thought I'd put some of the more
common questions and answers on paper in the hopes that it might
provide a bit of an insight.
Q: What does a copywriter do in a typical day?
A: This question is very comprehensively answered in A Day in the Life of a Freelance Copywriter.
However, to summarize, copywriters do some or all of the
following:
* meet with prospective clients ("prospects") or talk with them
on the phone to sell your services to them (freelancers only)
* liaise with clients to take a brief (learn what the client
needs from the copy, who the audience is, what benefits the
client offers their customers, etc.)
* research the subject matter
* plan the structure and approach of the writing
* write the piece
* liaise with the client through the review process (the client
reviews the work and the copywriter fixes whatever needs fixing
- so long as it's not out of scope, e.g. a new requirement)
* get the client to sign off (approve) the job
* invoice the client (freelancers only)
* chase payment of invoice (freelancers only)
* process the payment using an accounts package (freelancers
only)
* keep detailed records of all correspondence and activities
throughout the process
* manage the business (freelancers only - including manage your
IT systems, accounting, create and maintain a website, create
advertising materials, writing proposals, generate a search
engine ranking, maintain a database of contacts, etc.)
Q: What are the working conditions like?
A: Most copywriters work either for themselves
("freelancing") or for advertising or web design agencies
("employees"). Freelancers tend to work from home, but may
sometimes work at the client's workplace. Employees almost
always work at the client's workplace. Conditions for
freelancers tend to be pretty relaxed (they're at home, after
all!!!). I haven't worked at an agency, but I suspect things are
a little different there.
Q: What is the pay like?
A: I've heard of freelance copywriters being paid by the
article at a rate of USD $12 per 600 word article (seems
ridiculous to me!). I believe these people were college students
looking for a way into the copywriting industry. At the other
end of the spectrum, talented freelancers who treat writing as a
serious business can earn in excess of USD $100,000 per year. I
think that agency copywriters tend to earn somewhere in between
these figures, maybe averaging between USD $35,000 - $70,000.
Q: What skills do I need?
A: A copywriter needs to be able to write very well in
many different styles (from short 1-2 line ads through to long
3000 word articles). They also need to be able to adapt to heaps
of different subjects (from IT to kitchen surfaces to accounting
to nutritional supplements to cars). They need to be organized
and hard-working, with an eye for detail and an understanding of
writing for different media (website, brochures, radio, TV,
etc.). Freelancers need good business sense, an understanding of
search engines, some ability with IT systems, and patience. They
also need to accept that they're gonna be poor for the first 2
years!
Q: What education do I need?
A: Formal education never hurts, and often helps. But
it's no guarantee of success. If a copywriter has all of the
above skills, they won't need formal training in writing. Also,
in my humble opinion, you can't train to become a writer; you're
either a writer or you're not. Training can sharpen certain
skills, and teach new styles, etc., but if you don't have 'the
flow' when you start the course, it's unlikely you'll have it
when you finish.
Q: Do I need a website?
A: Yes! The best place for any freelance advertising
copywriter or website copywriter to start is to fork out for a
website. A website is invaluable because when you cold call and
email prospects, you'll need to direct them somewhere that gives
them more information.
Q: What should I include on my website?
A: Keep it simple, include a portfolio page, add any
samples of any sort of copywriting you've done, talk about the
places you've worked, the clients you've written for, and
include any testimonials you've received. Make sure you include
your address and contact details as well, so people don't think
you're a fly-by-night operation. Of course, it doesn't hurt to
include a photo either. If you can't say much about your
experience, don't say much. It doesn't even really matter if you
don't say anything. Remember, just like any other form of
advertising copywriting, writing about yourself requires the art
of subtlety. If you lack experience, but you're confident you
can do the job, you can be very clever in what you don't say,
and most people will read it the way you intended.
Q: Should I target agencies?
A: If you've never worked as an advertising copywriter
or website copywriter before, don't target advertising agencies
and web design agencies. They know exactly what they're after,
so if you don't have a portfolio, you won't stand a chance.
Target end-clients directly.
Q: Should I cold call?
A: Yes. One of the best ways of generating business in
the early days is to cold call potential end-clients. It's hard
work and very time consuming, but you can generate some very
qualified leads. For more information on cold calling, take a
look at 12 Handy Tips for Generating Leads through
Cold-Calling.
Q: Should I write samples?
A: Yes. If you're targeting specific clients or
industries, don't be afraid to write a few samples and send them
through. You can offer the pieces free of charge (everyone likes
something for nothing) or at a discount, or you can use it as an
incentive to sign them up for future work. It all depends on the
type of work and the type of client. The important thing to
remember is that samples are virtually as good as a portfolio to
most prospective clients.
Q: Do I need an accounts package?
A: Yes! Don't be fooled into thinking you can handle
your accounts manually (or with Microsoft Excel). Even if you
only have a few clients, you NEED a proper accounts package like
MYOB or Quicken (they both offer small business versions).
You'll understand why the first time you do your GST reports or
annual taxes. In fact, you'll understand why whenever you need
to chase down outstanding invoices.
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