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Copywriters write the words that sell.
In addition to regular advertising copy,
they are also called on to write
brochures, catalogs, newsletters, press
releases, and even radio commercials.
Why Do Companies Use Copywriters?
There’s a
lot of money to be made in copywriting
and I’ll tell you why. Companies spend a
fortune on advertising - from
advertisements in newspapers and
magazines, to sending direct mail, to
printing catalogs and brochures. Let’s
take direct mail as an example of how
much companies spend.
It costs
tens of thousands of dollars (or
hundreds of thousands depending on the
number of recipients) to send just one
direct mail campaign. If you don't
believe that, make two phone calls, one
to a mailing list broker and one to a
printer. Companies rent tens of
thousands of names from mailing list
brokers, and these typically cost in the
vicinity of $100 per thousand names. Now
check the cost of printing ten thousand
brochures and the cost of postage to
mail them out to customers. It’s a huge
investment. That’s why these companies
will pay a professional writer… to
ensure that their marketing copy is as
good as it can be. As a copywriter,
that’s your job. A good copywriter knows
that he or she can make a significant
improvement to a marketing campaign’s
response rate.
How Much Do Copywriters Make?
An
experienced, hard-working copywriter in
North America can earn a six-figure
(USD) annual salary. The amount will
vary from country to country, and it
ultimately depends upon several factors,
including not just your location, but
also the location of your clients, how
you calculate the rates you charge, and
how hard you work.
Copywriters often charge by the hour, or
by the page. But as a copywriter you can
also get creative with your charges.
Some copywriters charge their clients a
smaller fee, but then add in a
percentage of the revenue that their
sales letter generates.
Do You Need Any Special Equipment
In
addition to the regular writing
equipment (a PC, internet access, etc.)
you will need a fax machine for sending
documents back and forth with clients.
Sometimes people find it a lot easier to
make edits and mark up documents on a
paper version and then send it via fax.
Getting Started
Here are
some tips to get started as a
copywriter.
1. Look
around you. Look at as many
brochures, catalogues, sales letters and
advertisements as you can. Consider
which ones are effective? What works?
What turns you off? What types would be
fun to write?
Peter
Bowerman’s "The Well-Fed Writer" is an
excellent resource to help you get
started. At $12.95 for the e-book
version it’s one of the best guides I’ve
read on starting and building a
copywriting business. Considering that
good copywriting courses can cost as
much as $1,000, Bowerman’s e-book is
incredibly good value.
2. Work
up some samples. It could be a
sample for an imaginary business, or you
could complete a free sample for one of
your local businesses. And get working
on your own brochure for your
copywriting business. All of these are
samples that you can include in your
portfolio.
3.
Identify potential clients. Write
down a list of local businesses. How
about sports clubs? There may even be
some charity groups willing to pay a
small fee for copywriting services that
will help them raise funds.
4. Send
a direct mail letter to your
potential clients, informing them about
your copywriting services. Follow up
with a telephone call to discuss whether
there is anything you can help them
with.
5.
If you are still struggling to get your
first real assignment, consider
developing something ‘on spec’ -
that is you agree with your client that
you will go ahead and write it, and that
the client only needs to pay for your
services if they like it and decide to
use it.
About the Author
David Goldsmith is the author of
"25 Ways to
Write for Money"
and has a keen insight into freelance
writing income strategies. Visit
his site to learn some of the ways you
can
get paid to write.
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