Proud mom, here…
When my son graduated from university, he decided to try his hand at copywriting.
I was excited to step up and help him transition into this career that I love so much. I realized along the way, the lessons I focused on with him are also the coaching lessons I wish I’d received when I was starting out…
In case you’re wishing you had a pro copywriter mom sharing her secrets with you, here are the eight lessons I found most important to relay to my son.
1. Practice Self-Management
At a regular job, you complete whatever tasks are assigned by your manager.
As a freelancer, you are your own manager. You make sure you stay on task. You alone make sure deadlines are met.
That impacts the way you work in several ways.
If you want to take a vacation or enjoy time off at the holidays, you have to plan your workload in advance. As a freelancer, there’s no such thing as paid time off. If you don’t work, you don’t get paid.
At times you may find yourself juggling multiple clients with multiple projects each. You’ve got to know how to set priorities. And, you’ve got to ensure everything’s getting done well and on time.
Self-management is about keeping yourself on task and motivated. It means working when you don’t want to work and doing whatever it takes to get new work when you need it.
And, of course, it isn’t just about managing the workload. When you’re just starting out in this new field, you also need to plan time for learning and training, as well…
2. Develop the Skills
As a new copywriter, it can feel like you’re standing under a waterfall to get a sip of water. It can be overwhelming to realize how much you need to know to do the job well. (Not to mention how many different writing opportunities there are… you don’t have to learn them all. And you certainly don’t have to learn them all at once!)
I try to keep things simple and streamlined.
Read regularly. Articles. Blog posts. Trade publications. If you can, after you read something, share it with another writer and discuss what you found interesting. My son and I do this. When I read a good book or article, I share it with him.
If you’re still developing your skills, start with projects you find approachable.
I suggested my son begin with writing articles and blog posts. They’re short, familiar, and an easy way to start getting paid as a writer.
Take courses to grow your skills and challenge yourself a little when you do. While my son was working on articles and blog posts, I encouraged him to learn how to write sales letters using AWAI’s Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting. (Now The Accelerated Program for Seven-Figure Copywriting.)
3. Choose Your Niche
Choosing a niche can feel like a roadblock.
When I suggested this step to my son, he wasn’t quite ready to commit to a single niche. So, I encouraged him to explore what was out there and to make note of the ones that might be of interest later.
If you’re in that same boat, start building a list of niche possibilities. That way, when you’re ready, you won’t be starting from scratch.
One of the benefits of choosing a niche is that it helps you build up visibility with prospective clients… which brings us to…
4. Build Your Website, Your LinkedIn Profile… or Both
It’s easy to think your website is a low-priority project… and that getting clients is your first and only priority. But, that’s putting the cart before the horse.
Without some kind of professional online presence — whether it’s LinkedIn or your own website — it will be harder work to get clients.
Today, every legitimate business has a website. And, solo professionals have either a website, a LinkedIn profile, or both.
Having this professional online presence helps potential clients verify your expertise. Whether you have a website or a LinkedIn profile, you can share samples of your work, highlight your experience with other clients, publish articles that demonstrate your knowledge of copywriting and marketing, and begin building your audience.
Wondering what you’d possibly write about as a new copywriter? Keep reading.
5. Start Blogging
Businesses use their blogs to show off industry knowledge, talk about the customer challenges they solve, share simple solutions to those challenges, and more.
Your blog should do the same.
Generously.
The idea is to provide your prospects value in advance, which makes you a hero to your readers… and makes them want to hire you when they have a copywriting project.
And, it works.
I’ve had people tell me my blog is better than many paid courses, and they’re amazed I give away so much information for free. But, when they need a professional writer, I’m the one they call on, because they realize I know what I’m doing.
Here’s how to tackle your blog as a new copywriter…
Write some blog posts that answer common questions. Write other blog posts that explain how to do something copywriting-related. Then, mix in some thought pieces, sharing your approach to copywriting or writing or marketing.
The trick is to figure out what your readers want to know.
For inspiration, read comments in blog posts, scan forums and social media groups, and pull from random conversations you have with your peers.
Then aim to publish one post a week. You can publish to your website or through LinkedIn’s publishing platform. When you do publish, share your work through email and social media. It won’t take long for you to build a collection of pieces that make you look like a pro.
6. Learn Basic Structures for Common Projects
We talked about choosing a niche. You can also specialize in a particular project type, like blog posts, sales letters, landing pages, or white papers.
Having a niche or specialty (or both) will help you stand out with your potential clients.
But, once you get hired, and your clients begin to think of you as “their” copywriter, they’re going to want you to help them out with other projects, too.
The more you know, the more you can offer each client. So, never stop learning. Never stop expanding the scope of services you can offer.
Sure, pick a specialty. But, be really good at a wide range of copywriting opportunities.
7. Learn How to Write About Topics You Don’t Know
I’ve written about stamp and coin collections, digital marketing, conversion rate optimization, retirement, insurance, and more.
For my newest client, I’m charged with managing a blog about small business payroll. Which means I need to be able to write quickly and authoritatively about yet another topic I’m not an expert in (yet).
As a freelance copywriter, you’ll find yourself in this situation frequently, so you may as well get comfortable with it.
There are a few tricks to writing original, useful copy about topics you don’t know.
First, online research. You’ve got to be an expert in research. As a bonus, the more you research, the more expertise you’ll gain. You’ll start to see secondary topics that relate to your main topic… the questions or issues that come up again and again… the research that’s guiding today’s trends.
Pulling from these details, you can piece together copy that’s fresh and helpful and possibly even sounds like you’re an old pro.
Second, books. Online research gives you focus. It uncovers the details and the intersections you need to be aware of in your niche. But, if you’re a total newbie to a topic, you need to get the big picture, too.
Books give you that wider perspective, including background and trends, which will help you start talking like a specialist right away.
I recommend getting one or two books in your new area of expertise and taking lots of notes in the margins. Highlight ideas that feel like Big Ideas, so you can find them again when you need them for a copywriting project.
Third, interviews with experts. Never be afraid to reach out to experts and thought leaders to get their input, from a quote to a question about whether your thinking is valid. I’ve received generous help from experts over the years — and it’s always taken my copy to the next level.
8. Breathe — You Got This
It’s intimidating to start your business and call yourself a professional, when you don’t yet have a lot of experience.
All you can do is keep at it…
Keep learning.
Keep improving.
Keep adding to your skill set.
Before you know it, you’ll finish a conversation with a prospect and realize you sounded like you knew what you were talking about — because you did.
We all start our freelance-copywriting business the same way: as complete novices. And, we take one step at a time to grow, develop, and become the pro we were hoping to become.
It’s part of the process. And you’ll get there.
Just get out there and offer your copywriting services to anyone who needs them.
The rest will come. I promise.
Do you have any questions about these eight tips for getting started? Share with us in the comments below, so we can help.
