Freelance Copywriting For Beginners – 3 Essential Secrets

Want to build a highly profitable freelance copywriting services business? Writing for businesses can seem intimidating at first. Let’s look at three essential secrets you must know to make a success of your new career.

1. Your Business Is Built One Client and Testimonial at a Time

Every professional copywriter started where you are — they built their business one client at a time.

This means that whether you’re working with your first client or your thousandth client, the process is the same: you provide great customer service, write great copy, and build relationships with your clients.

Before you accept a client, make sure that you understand exactly what the client wants from you. Often the client isn’t sure. This means that you need to ask questions, and keep on asking questions until you know that you and the client are on the same page. (There’s more on asking questions in Tip #2.)

As soon as you’ve completed the project to the client’s satisfaction, ask for a testimonial.

It’s quite okay for you to write the testimonial for your client’s approval, since all your clients are pushed for time. Write a draft testimonial, and send it to the client, asking: “Would you say that this is an accurate description of your experience in working with me? If so, would you be comfortable if I used it as a testimonial?”

By the way, I’ve yet to have a client refuse, so this method works. Remember that your clients are not as comfortable with words as you are; this is why they hire you. They will want to give you a testimonial, but not know how to phrase it, so do it for them.

2. Ask Questions: Great Copy Comes from Research

When I’m teaching copywriting, I always emphasize the importance of questions right throughout your copywriting career. You MUST ask questions. Please don’t feel that you should somehow magically know all the answers. That’s impossible.

You can only write great copy if you understand the product that you’re selling. Ask as many questions as you need to until you’re certain that you understand the product.

Your clients will appreciate your interest, and your determination to understand their product. What’s more, they’ll feel that you’re interested in their business and in them, and will give you more projects. Please get comfortable communicating with clients. It all starts with QUESTIONS.

3. Learn to Sell, and Keep Learning

Copywriting is selling. Every word of copy you write is intended to push someone to buy the product. However this doesn’t mean that you need to use a “hard sell” approach. In fact, if the reader of your copy feels as if he’s being sold, it’s automatically bad copy. Your copy should be transparent to be effective.

Never be shy about selling. Copywriting is an essential service. At its best it inspires people to buy knowing that they’re buying the right product for them and that the product will do everything they wanted it to do.

There’s a lot to learn in your copywriting career. It starts with learning to sell, and understanding the psychology of buyers. When you approach it with the determination to do your absolute best for your clients, you’ll make great money, and you’ll have fun too.