How To Copywrite With No Prior Experience

Do you enjoy writing? Have you ever wondered how to make a career out of it? If you have a way with words and want to make writing as your bread and butter, read on. According to Study.com, the projected growth in 2018-2028 for writers in advertising, public relations, and related services is 6%. On average, copywriters earn approximately $35,000 to $73,000 in September 2019. Be it high or low, they say that when you love what you’re doing, you’ll never work another day in your life. With or without education or experience, learn how to copywrite with these tips and tricks.

The What and the Why

Before we begin to learn how to copywrite, let’s get to know what it is and why people hire copywriters. Copywriting is the act or process of writing materials for advertising or promotional purposes. All the text that you find on brochures, catalogs, websites, emails, billboards and more, is the creation of the copywriter.

This text, also known as “copy,” is the combination of art and science working together to fulfill its main objective—the get people to take action. Whether it’s to get them to buy their products or get their services, the copywriter has to artfully sell while thinking about the psychology behind purchasing decisions.

With so many businesses out there, copywriting has become more challenging than ever. It’s no longer about writing but creating something that will do a multitude of outcomes for your clients. You have to sell what they’re selling, build awareness for their brand, make them stand out from the competition, and many more.

This is the main reason companies hire copywriters. They need someone whose focus is solely on creating a copy that will sell. Think of a copywriter as a salesman in writing.

How To Copywrite

Copywriters are some of the highest-paid writers on the planet, or so they say. But as with all other occupations, hard work, determination, and all that jazz are what will lead you to success. Copywriting isn’t a get-rich-quick endeavor, but there are ways to make it easier for you.

Hone Your Skills

It’s true that you don’t need a degree or special education to become a copywriter. But practicing your skills before you jump in the wagon is essential too. And as they say, practice makes perfect. Some will say that mad skills are what you need to be an effective copywriter. But there isn’t something that you won’t be able to do with constant honing of your skills.

Know Your Clients

It’s important to learn what copywriting truly entails so you’ll know which skills you need to master. But the job doesn’t end at just writing copy for TV, Facebook, or Google ads. You have to have a good knowledge of what the client needs. You need to understand their business, their target market, and what content is relevant to all these.

What works for one client doesn’t necessarily mean that it will work for the next. The ad you’ve written for a retail store won’t work when you write for another retail store. They may be in the same industry, but their brands and audiences will almost always be different from each other.

Join a Freelance Writing Agency

Putting yourself out there as a copywriter isn’t as simple as it seems. With the help of a freelance copywriting agency, you can get the much-needed exposure. Be ready with some samples of your work to give prospects an idea of what you are capable of doing.

A freelancing agency can also help you learn the ropes regarding invoicing your clients and getting payments. You’ll also know what the industry rates are and get a decent rate for your work. Plus the networking opportunities can be extensive.

Build Your Portfolio

Once you get clients, ask them for permission so you can use your work to build your portfolio. People will see your value as a copywriter easily when they see your published works. This will build trust and help you gain more clients as you go along your copywriting journey.

Reach Out to Clients

Don’t hesitate to reach out to potential clients. Armed with your portfolio, approach them and pitch what you’re capable of doing. This will need patience and perseverance, but in time, when you’ve built a reputation for yourself, you no longer have to do this. The clients will seek you out instead of the other way around.

Connect with Other Writers

Join online communities of writers and reach out to them. Follow the accounts of influencers to get to know others just like you or know what makes them tick. Anything that can help you on how to copywrite, grab them. Absorb what can benefit you and discard what won’t. You can also get gigs from these groups especially if you’ve already built a niche for yourself.

Get Into Your Niche

Write about what you know. As a copywriter, you have to be versatile. But when you establish a niche for yourself, copywriting will be much easier. Do you love gaming? You may not have an English degree but you know how to play games like crazy, that already gives you an advantage.

Having the right set of writing skills versus having extensive knowledge about gerunds can be hard to beat. But of course, don’t limit yourself to those skillsets. The ability to write on varying topics can get you more clients in the long run.

Build your Writing Business

Think of your copywriting career as building a business. You have to start from the ground up. Put in a lot of effort into your writing skills much like business owners who keep on improving their products.

Once you’ve established a name and reputation in the field, you can now focus on getting higher-paying jobs and long-term clients. The more work you get, the more money will come in. Freelance copywriting can be a gratifying experience as you no longer have to work in the confines of an office. And all you need is to learn how to copywrite.