Are you new to copywriting? It can be a pretty intimidating industry, particularly because it relies on selling yourself to potential clients. If you don’t have an extensive portfolio to sell yourself, however, this can be tricky business.
Luckily, we’ve put together a brief article with a few tips to help you out.
1. Find your niche
If possible, try to delve into copywriting in a specific niche. This way, you will be able to tie your skills to a specific field and promote yourself as an expert. Nowadays, many companies desire field experts, since they are likely to make better sales.
That said, a niche isn’t everything, and it’s good to be flexible. But for the purposes of breaking into the market, it’s advisable to try and find something you are very knowledgeable about to try and plug yourself.
2. Establish a portfolio
You should set up a website where potential clients can view samples of your work. This website portfolio should be very professional and represent your values and work ethics. Most importantly, clients should be able to peruse examples of your amazing copywriting work.
If you haven’t had any employment to date, then write anyway! Set yourself a copywriting task and complete it, then post it online so clients can see your skills. Think of this website as an online resume that will sell your skills for you.
3. Get a LinkedIn profile
LinkedIn is a great way to meet potential clients. Posts on here are sure to get a good level of professional engagement, and it is often high-paying clients that work through this platform. Some freelancers say that clients they find through LinkedIn are willing to pay more than those who stumble upon your website.
4. Connect with businesses on social media
Social media is a great place to meet people. As a freelancer, you have to make sure that all your networks are either completely clean or on private – potential employers won’t hire you if they see bad stuff on your social media profiles!
You could even make separate accounts for your freelancing. It is a good idea to reach out to companies on here instead of just waiting for them to come to you.
5. Research!
Whether it’s reading copywriting books, taking courses, or listening to relevant podcasts and reading relevant blog posts, research will help to propel you into the world of freelance copywriting.
If you are armed with great knowledge and information, you will be a better copywriter, and this will only serve to get you better jobs. Knowledge is power, after all, so make sure you soak in as much information as possible.
6. Don’t let on about your newbie status
As long as you aren’t asked directly about how long you have been copywriting, there is no need to tell the employer that you’re new to this. Providing that you are a great copywriter, there shouldn’t be any need to discriminate based on experience, but employers do it nonetheless.
It might feel like you’re lying by hiding this truth, but it’s nothing that is damaging to anyone else. If you have confidence in yourself and your amazing copywriting skills, then you should be able to provide high-quality work that meets similar standards as a veteran freelancer. So don’t worry, it’s not pulling the wool over anyone’s eyes!
Final thoughts
It can be intimidating being a little fish in a big pond, but everyone has to start somewhere. By following our above tips, you should be on your way to becoming a renowned copywriter in no time at all.
Just remember, a freelancer has to be able to sell themselves well, so above all else, think about your online presence and how you communicate with clients. It should all be fine!
