Hey fellow writers, Tom Sage here and in this article, I'm going to show you how to build a copywriting portfolio that appeals to prospects.
A portfolio that stops clients in their tracks and has them buzzing with interest as they sift through your work.
So let's get right into it.
A portfolio is the spine of your writing career.
In the age of Fiverr, Upwork and online freelancing, you're competing with hundreds of thousands of writers across the globe, so it's essential that you nail your portfolio.
A portfolio is the greatest testament to your writing ability. In fact, it's the first thing a client will ask you for before they consider working with you.
So you better make it good!
Why?
Because a good portfolio will:
- Separate you from the competition
- Showcase your ability to write
- Land you high-quality clients
- Make you $$
But before you get started on building your portfolio, you NEED to educate yourself on the pillars of persuasive writing.
Read my article on how to become a copywriter if you don't know where to start.
So back to the key question.
how To build a copywriting portfolio with no experience?
You've made your decision. You want to be a copywriter. You're serious about succeeding. So you spend more and more time examining what it takes.
The first roadblock you come across is the portfolio.
You might feel discouraged as you realize you don't have any writing samples you can use. The last time you wrote something remotely satisfactory was that essay you drafted back in school for a B-.
You're doomed.
You know too well that without a portfolio, no client will look your way. And with such fierce competition all over the internet, you don't stand a chance.
Like you, that's exactly how I felt.
So without further ado, let's discuss how to create a copywriting portfolio out of nothing.
1.) Talk to Your 'business' friends.
No, not about last night's game, but about writing copy for their business.
For example, here's what I did:
- I went over my friends' list on Facebook.
- I compiled a list of contacts who own businesses.
- Out of 700 friends, I came up with a list of 45 people to pitch my service.
- Out of those 45, I had 5 solid leads who were more than willing to offer me a copywriting gig.
You can do the same!
Even if you end up with ONE friend or family member who can offer you a gig, you're off to a brilliant start!
And trust me, once you have your first polished portfolio sample, your confidence will skyrocket.
Why?
Because you're fulfilling a HUGE milestone towards BECOMING a copywriter.
2.) Hustle For Gigs On Upwork and Fiverr.
It ain't pretty, but when you're getting started, you need to hustle.
You should start by creating an account on Fiverr and Upwork where you'll be prompted to plug in your job description, photo and portfolio.
For obvious reasons, don't worry about the portfolio for now. Focus on your presentation—your photo and description.
Your description should:
- Focus on the greatest benefit you can offer clients.
- Be crystal clear. Keep your message simple.
- Use short, digestible sentences.
- Not contain any spelling or grammatical errors.
- Avoid any mention of your experience as you presumably have none.
Most importantly, your description should be HONEST.
You should point out that you're a talented writer who's pursuing his passion in copywriting. Explain how you're mainly concerned with building your portfolio and getting testimonials.
Don't forget, as you're getting started on Upwork and Fiverr, your greatest appeal ISN'T your proven track record, your phenomenal writing ability, or your hundreds of client testimonials.
Because let's face it; you have none.
Your greatest advantage is that you're dirt cheap.
If you can't compete based on merits, experience or reputation, then you start by competing on price.
You MUST be willing to write for the lowest bidder.
Heck, write for free!
And don't feel bad because the truth is, you won't be doing this for a long time. Only until you have some experience under your belt, plus a couple of testimonials from happy clients.
Let's say 8-10 strong portfolio samples before you're ready to upgrade!
3.) Write Copy For An Offer You're Passionate About.
This is by far the easiest way to get some writing experience and grow your portfolio.
Here, you don't need to pitch your services to anyone. You just need to write compelling copy that's worth showcasing.
It's important that you treat this like a real project for a client.
This means:
- Establishing the target market of your offer
- Focusing on a call to action (buy, subscribe, etc)
- Deciding what type of copy is best (Ad copy, long-form copy, email copy or SEO copy.)
- Doing your best to write high-converting copy
Pro Tip: ClickBank is an affiliate network with hundreds of offers to promote. Hop on ClickBank.com, pick a niche, and an offer and start writing copy to promote it!
ClickBank's Market place. E-business Niche.
For example, I chose an offer called Ted's Woodworking and wrote copy for it for my portfolio.
For each offer on ClickBank, you have a ton of resources you can leverage in your copy such as consumer demographics, ad banners and affiliate links if you decide to pursue affiliate marketing to sharpen your copywriting skills.
Read my article to learn all about affiliate marketing and how it works!
How Do You Take Your Portfolio From 'Good' to 'Great'?
You hustled. You worked hard—virtually for free. You've finally managed to add some great samples to your portfolio.
Now you're ready to set the bar higher to truly differentiate yourself from the rest.
You're ready to learn about what makes a portfolio truly great.
Is it the content? The style? Or the packaging the copy's wrapped in?
Answer: All the above.
Great Copy + Bad Presentation = FAIL
Let's look at this from an extreme angle.
Imagine you had, in your hands, the best piece of copy you've ever written. It's extraordinarily persuasive and informative.
It made a glorious return for one of your clients. A client who gave you the green light to showcase it on your portfolio. YAY!
Now let's imagine you take that same work and rewrite it onto an old, yellowish, worn-out piece of paper. You grab that sorry scrap of sheet and you hand it over to a prospect who was considering you as his copywriter.
Would you be surprised if he sneezed into that paper, wiped his nose with it, and tossed it away?
Well, you shouldn't be.
Because even though we're talking about the same rivetting copy that converted hundreds of customers into thousands of dollars, the way you presented the copy was poor.
Bad Copy + Great Presentation = FAIL
If, on the other hand, you hired a $10 'copywriter' off of Fiverr, but this time you framed the copy in a perfect square, golden-striped, premium oak frame and handed it to your client; you have a better chance of getting the contract.
Why? Because showmanship is HUGE.
If you want to make it big as a copywriter and join the 6-figures club, then you need to ACE your presentation.
Tom, are you saying I need to buy a bunch of gold-striped frames to showcase my copy?
Not at all. But here's what I'll tell you to do.
Build a fabulous copywriting website!
In this digital day and age, most successful businesses have an online presence—and your portfolio is no exception.
A website is the perfect place for you to show off your writing talent. A one stop-shop for your portfolio, blog and brand.
Your website needs to be vibrant, professional, and pleasant to look at. It should contain everything a client needs to know about you as a professional.
Your website should include your:
- About You section
- Portfolio (DUH)
- Blog (Yes, you need one)
- F.A.Q. (WHY do so many copywriters miss this!)
- Consultation form for your clients to fill out and contact you
- Email subscription form with a freebie (Keep your readers updated on your new articles/videos!)
All this may seem intimidating, especially if you have no idea how to build a website.
Luckily for you, I have a ton of experience, having crafted over 20 high-converting websites.
Reach out if you want to build your own 6-figure copywriting website.
Otherwise, if you prefer to save the cash and build it yourself, then take a look at the tool I used to build my website.
It'll make the challenge of building your professional website, with all the features I mentioned above, as simple as brushing your teeth.
Final Thoughts On How To Build A Copywriting Portfolio
Building a strong portfolio is the first and most challenging roadblock you'll experience as a fresh copywriter. It's not a finish line you eventually arrive at. It's something you constantly refine and improve.
As you continue to learn, write and gain valuable experience, your copy will improve. You'll often find yourself updating your portfolio by replacing your weakest samples with your recent work.
If you did everything correctly. You built a robust portfolio and showcased it on a fabulous website, you'll be able to command higher rates.
Clients will examine your website and justify your premium rates. You'll go from charging $10 to $100 an hour. You'll be competing on a completely different spectrum.
Ask yourself.
Does a Ferrari compete with a Honda? Does a mansion compete with an apartment? Of course not!
Ferraris compete with Bugattis and Lambos. Mansions compete with other mansions.
Your brand as a copywriter follows the same rules. If you want to be a Ferrari that competes with other Ferraris—then you need to brand yourself as a Ferrari.
I hope you guys gained some value from this article on how to build a copywriting portfolio.
Please leave your comments below on your copywriting journey.
How did you build your own portfolio? How did you land your first client?
I look forward to reading and replying to your comments.
Talk soon!
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