If you want to discover how to become a copywriter in 2021, keep reading. In this article, we're going to focus on freelance copywriting and how you can make it work in the coming 6-8 months.
So let's get right into it.
Why Become A Copywriter?
Before you look at how to become a copywriter, you should examine WHY you want to do it.
Um, because you want to?
For starters, you're reading this article and therefore, you're taking action to pursue something you love. If you love to write, that alone is an excellent reason to become a copywriter.
It pays a lot!
Sadly, MOST writing jobs pay surprisingly little. Yup, just ask an English teacher or a journalist. Copywriting is the cream of the crop of writing careers.
Why?
Because copywriters write advertising and marketing material. The kind of material that's directly responsible for making money!
If you can write words that compel people to whip out their credit cards and buy things, then you've got yourself a superpower. Every business owner will scramble to hire you.
The best part? They won't hesitate to pay a premium price for your premium service.
Flexibility
Picture waking up in your comfy pyjamas, taking your sweet time to enjoy a pleasant shower, followed by a hearty, steaming cup of coffee to start your day.
Your daily commute is a 5 second stroll to your laptop in the familiar comfort of your home—or anywhere in the world, for that matter.
As a freelance copywriter, you don't:
- Have to commute
- Have to wake up at a miserable hour every morning
- Have to see the same faces every day for 10 hours a day
- Have to play office politics with your boss and colleagues
- Have to deal with clients who aren't worth your attention
Real Potential To Earn 6-figures In 12 Months
Agency copywriters earn between 30K-120K. However, it can take many, many years before you're earning 6 figures in an agency.
Freelance copywriters are all over the place, but an encouraging percentage of them earn 6-figures. The reason is, as a freelancer; you have ultimate control over your earnings.
You control who you work for and what you charge. You also have the added responsibility of generating your own leads and managing your reputation within your network.
Understand this: Freelance copywriting is a full-blown business.
So if you plan to make bank in the next couple of months, freelancing is definitely your best bet.
Becoming A Copywriter
Does typing words on a laptop make you a copywriter? How about scrolling through 10-pages of a book titled "copywriting for dummies?"
The answer: NO
The internet is FLOODED with self-declared 'copywriters.' People who don't have the faintest clue what copywriting is, and who believe that being able to write is all it takes.
In fact, I was at a friend's house one evening when I had to excuse myself to wrap up some copy that was due the following morning. My friend adorably offered to 'write' it for me if I stayed longer.
While my buddy had the best of intentions, many people share his belief that anyone could just 'write copy.'
If that were true, everyone and their dog would pursue copywriting to earn a great, remote living.
So Here's How You Actually Do It:
- Learn the fundamentals of persuasive writing
- Write, write, write
- Build your portfolio
- Write, write, write
- Build your brand
- Write, write, write
Delve into the fundamentals of persuasive writing
Let's remember that copywriting is the business of writing words that persuade people to take action. That action can range from subscribing to an email list to buying a product or service.
So if you're writing to sell, then you better learn some techniques.
The best way you can pick up these techniques is by implementing what you learn.
Here's a list of books I recommend you start with:
- Influence by Robert Cialdini
- The social animal by Elliot Aronson
- Cashvertising by Drew Whitman
- Ogilvy on advertising by David Ogilvy
- Breakthrough advertising by Eugene M. Schwartz
A career in copywriting is a lifetime commitment to constantly learning and improving. So avoid seeing mastering persuasive writing as a prerequisite to actually getting started.
Treat it as an ongoing evolution.
Learn more on how to become a copywriter with this article on writing better copy!
Focus On A Specific Branch Of Copywriting
When you start out, you should focus on mastering a specific wing of copywriting. There are several to pick from:
- Headline copy
- Ad copy
- Email marketing
- Landing page copy
- SEO Optimized copy
- Press release copy
- Long form or short form copy
- Video script copy
When learning how to become a copywriter, there's one type of copy I consider essential for you to start with.
And that is: Headline Copy
Headlines have a tremendous effect on the rest of your copy. If your header hits the bullseye, your copy has a strong chance of doing the same.
Likewise, you can have the greatest copywriter to walk this earth produce a remarkably persuasive article. However, if you don't have an equally powerful headline, the rest of the copy loses its sting.
This is because there's an 80/20 rule for headlines.
On average, 8/10 people will only read your headline with only 2/10 reading the rest of the article.
Not only that, but as you write copy for your clients, you'll often find yourself writing a headline of some sort.
That's why headers are so important. If you succeed at writing a headline that communicates the main benefits to your reader, then you'll be able to increase the effectiveness of your entire piece.
In fact, copywriting legend David Ogilvy said:
On the average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy. When you have written your headline, you have spent eighty cents out of your dollar."
Build Your Portfolio
Once you've gotten comfortable writing headline copy, you can start building your portfolio.
And no, you don't have to wait until you're a copywriting veteran before you look for writing gigs.
Because guess what? You won't become a veteran until you actually write copy for a client. Until you're actually under pressure to write something that sells.
The 'portfolio building' part of your career isn't just about showcasing your top 10 copywriting hits. It's also about getting you up to speed with:
- Pricing your work
- Closing the sale
- Collecting the information you need to complete the project
- Collecting payment
- Dealing with getting yelled at by your client
- Constantly finding high-quality leads
The better you get at handling the steps above, the more successful you'll be at streamlining the process.
Ok, so how do you actually build a copywriting portfolio with no experience?
Here's how to become a copywriter with a legit portfolio.
Take A Course
Taking a (good) course is extremely valuable because it teaches you the fundamentals of persuasive writing and equips you with the knowledge you need to succeed.
Another reason is that a course will ask you to complete real-life assignments that you can use as portfolio pieces for your website or C.V.
In fact, when I first started, my entire portfolio consisted of assignments that I completed.
Pick A Topic
Pick a topic and write about it. I remember my portfolio being a bit too short for my liking. And since I didn't have any clients, I decided to just 'make up' a project and write copy for it.
Since I was targeting clients in the E-Comm space, I created a landing page for a popular affiliate product. I treated it like a real project from an actual client and worked hard to get it right.
Help A Friend Out
If you know a friend or family member who's running a business, reach out and offer to write some copy for them. Don't forget, the point here isn't to get paid, it's to build a portfolio.
In my case, my friend who's a business owner was happy to let me write copy for his mobile app.
Find A Gig
Finding a gig isn't difficult. Especially if you're not doing it to get paid. Platforms like Upwork and Fiverr allow you to pitch your service. However, you'll be competing with writers from all over the world, so you want to charge the minimum price on your listing.
And listen, I totally understand how demotivating it is to work for little pay, but trust me, building a strong portfolio will be worth it in the long run.
Pro Tip: Join E-Commerce groups on Facebook and keep your eyes open for business owners who're looking for writers. Message them directly and offer to write their copy for free and explain that you're building your portfolio.
Build Your Brand
This is where the fun begins. Once you have a sizeable portfolio—6 or more samples of your best copy—you can start branding yourself as an expert in the field.
This is a long-term process you'll constantly refine for the rest of your copywriting career.
Here are the steps you need to follow:
Step#1: Build Your Website
If you're going to stand any chance of branding yourself as an expert copywriter, you're going to need your own copywriting website.
And not just ANY website, you need a professional site that appears credible and portrays your authority in the field.
Your website is what truly distinguishes you from the amateurs flooding the internet.
That's why you need to treat it with great love and care. Your website is your 24/7 salesperson and the perfect place to showcase your portfolio, tell your story, and influence prospects with your brand.
Make sure your website includes:
- High-converting landing page
- Your portfolio
- An 'About Me' page
- Your blog, which we'll discuss below
- Testimonials
- An F.A.Q. page
- Contact information so prospects can reach you
Pro Tip: Pick an attractive color scheme that is consistent throughout your website to establish brand identity.
I recommend you hire a professional to design your website while you focus on writing the copy.
Do you like this Website?
Want Me To Build One For You?
However, if you want to save money and build it yourself, then you can leverage the tool I used to build my own website.
It'll make the challenge of building your professional website as simple as brushing your teeth.
Step#2: WRITE!
Once your website's up and running, you're ready to start a blog to talk about the things you've learned.
The important thing here is to make sure your posts are SEO optimized. This will attract organic traffic to your article so more and more people can see your work.
Your posts should make it clear that you're a professional copywriter who's willing to offer his services. It's also helpful to make a habit of promoting your services in your posts when relevant.
Not only will this provide you with valuable writing experience, but it'll present prospects with many of your writing samples and open the door to high-paying work.
Yes, your blog ISN'T your portfolio, however you still need to treat it with great care.
It is necessary that you:
- Avoid spelling errors or grammatical mistakes
- Stay focused on your topic without getting sidetracked
- Write so people understand
- Provide actual value to your niche
- Emphasize quality over quantity
On my website, for example, I write about copywriting, affiliate marketing and useful tools for online business. This provides my blog with a range of relevant topics while maintaining a focus on the online marketing niche.
I take this to the next level by making videos on every topic I write about. Working on a second traffic source can double your reach to capture more traffic.
And while I recommend you focus your efforts on mastering one traffic source before you move on to the next, blogging can take a lot of time before it gains traction.
That's why I advise you to work on a second traffic source if you want to see quicker results.
For a second traffic source, you can choose to focus on:
- YouTube
- Facebook page/group
Focus your FULL attention on TWO traffic sources and DON'T get distracted with a third until you've mastered them.
Step#3: CONNECT!
There are two ways you'll connect with prospects.
First, as your traffic grows, you'll start getting more eyeballs on your website. And if you did your branding right, some of those eyeballs will dilate with interest.
When that happens, you'll start receiving correspondence from business owners/agencies asking for a consultation.
The second way is reaching out to them yourself.
Now that you have an authoritative, content packed website, you can reach out to prospects with confidence.
You have a strong portfolio, an active blog, and all the bells and whistles of a professional website.
You have a significant advantage in that you don't need to 'prove' your copywriting skills because your website does it for you! All you need to do is reach out to prospects with a link to your website.
Pro Tip: Create a comprehensive F.A.Q. page that answers ALL questions a prospect might have. Send prospects the link to that page.
How To Become A Copywriter (A Final Word)
Becoming a freelance copywriter can be one of the most rewarding careers to pursue. You get to:
- Work from anywhere you like
- Earn a high-income living
- Fully leverage your knowledge and creativity
- Learn new things every day for the rest of your life
- Choose who you work for
- Build meaningful relationships
- Live an exciting and fulfilling life
Like anything worth having, a 6-figure remote career isn't easy to achieve. If it was, everyone would do it.
You NEED to put in the work.
In this article on how to become a copywriter, I outlined the key strategies I leveraged to realize my dream of working remotely in a career that brings me joy and fulfillment.
I hope my article has helped you gain an understanding on how to become a copywriter and where to get started.
Feel free to reach out to me directly if you need help building your website or brand.
Talk soon!
