Start Your Own Copywriting Business from Home

Copywriting services are a growing industry since the surge of the information technology. Most copywriters have realized they like to work on their own schedule by investing in a copywriting business. If you’re fascinated in starting your own copywriting services, either as a professional copywriter or freelance, you need to set-up your home and prepare yourself.

Learn, learn, and learn

If you do not have a lot of information and enough background as a copywriter, then learn the trade. You can get trainings (online or physical) where you can be certified by agencies as a good copywriter, or if not you can study the trade by yourself. After all, the quality of your writing will reflect on your completed projects, so you don’t need to worry about the educational background if you have sense and style in your writing. However, if you would like to be an expert copywriter in a specific field, you should get proper training. If you like to write about legal studies or medical transcription, training will greatly help especially if the topic you would like to write about is sensitive or needs a touch of ethics and professionalism.

Write a resume detailing your copywriting skills. Emphasize any knowledge, background, credentials you have. Since copywriting is all about marketing various services and products, you should include the outcome of your education or training. If you don’t have credentials as a copywriter, then emphasize the study or proper training you have gone through.

Invest on necessary equipment

In a copywriting service business, you just need a few bucks to begin with. For a great copywriter service, you should have a quality computer with a speedy internet connection with a printer and necessary computer peripherals that will help you a lot in developing contents. You also need to have an email address for your business aside from the mailing address you may want to settle for your clients. This will aid you to maintain business and private emails separate, also to put forward a professional atmosphere in your business.

Start looking for offers.

Although you want to begin a business, most copywriting projects are for part-time and can be made from home, therefore allowing the beginning for your business. Online sites such as Craigslist, Elance and guru post freelance jobs, with those for copywriting services.

Develop you own professional website

If you have the enough resources, you should make your own website. Today, copywriters need to be in the electronic world for faster communication and business transactions. Make it so that those looking for copywriting services online will have the chance to stumble on your website. You can also use it as a site to refer possible clients to get more background about your copywriting services.

Look for referrals

After a successful project for your first clients, request them if they know other possible clients that they can refer to you. You can even devise a referral system as a bonus to your clients who can refer new clients to you.

Lastly, you should not spend too much effort and money in making your websites, purchasing equipment at the cost of looking for referrals. It’s very essential to be ready, but you want to devote most of your time on business transactions such as writing your first copywriting project.

# Work from Home as a Freelance Copywriter

If you have the talent in creative or technical writing, and you are thinking of setting up your own business, becoming a professional or a freelance copywriter might be a great venture you can start with. In the freelance copywriting industry, you can work from home, in your own time and schedule.
Before you start the copywriting business, it is always wise to set-up physically and mentally. You should have a small space in your room devoted to your copywriting. You should have a desk, ergonomic chair, a good computer with fast internet connection, a printer scanner, a dedicated phone connection. You should also sign up for an email address devoted to your business, separate from your private address.

You should also plan your price rates for certain projects. List your available services such as press releases, business plan, case studies, web contents, brochures etc. Check what other freelance copywriters are asking for these services in your area, or at least average the rates in the World Wide Web, of course, based on your background, credentials, and skills. Most freelance copywriters and clients like an flat rate instead of the weekly or hourly rate.

Devise some fundamental marketing equipment. At most, this could include business cards and a website where you can post your resume with credentials and background, and where your clients can find you. Also, the internet is a powerful marketing channel with the search engines that can provide your business updated in the industry.
Share the news when you start your freelance copywriting. Communicate previous employers, colleagues, friends, relatives. Ask if they know possible clients that might need your copywriting services. Make sure you always have business cards available whenever you go out, or attend a meeting or even a party.

Make a list of agencies or companies that might need your services. Begin with those companies that are within the circle of your interest. Do some research with these companies and their line of business. Through the internet, you can also have free contact to business databases. You should look for the person who is in charge for advertising or communications with these companies.

When you are done in listing these possible clients, begin communicating with them. You can call the person in-charge with inquiries or send an e-mail, whatever method you like as long as it is comfortable for you and your client. There is no need for a rough sales ground. Just introduce yourself and your copywriting business and make an inquiry on how you can help with their business. Make the call as professional as possible.

Some companies you may call don’t need freelance services; however, they might need you in the futire. Make an inquiry if it’s all right to follow-up with them in the future. If it’s okay, jot it down in your planner and make sure to follow-up with the client.

Begin making a community network. Enlist in your local business organizations or chamber of commerce. You can search for different business support groups in your area.
Before you begin your business, at least have a savings. A year of living expenses is great before you launch your copywriting services. This will facilitate easy flow of your business, because there is still the shroud of doubt for beginning freelancers, and you need to compete with large freelance companies. Thus, your business will be slow, at first.

# The Price of Copywriting Services

In the freelance world, it is very hard to evaluate the price for copywriting services since each project is custom-made. However, if you consider some factors to determine how you will charge a client, you can have a lucrative business out of copywriting services.

The first thing you need to do is to do some research on the latest copywriting rates from different online sites. Compare the prices. Most online sites for freelance copywriters have a list of prices depending on the nature of the project. At most, the rate is per page or per word. There are also projects which have a rate of bulk order. Some clients need a continuous supply of contents to update their websites, and they will pay the copywriter either weekly or monthly based on the agreement or the copywriting contract.

Aside from price comparison, you can also look for some background in the copywriting industry. If you will stay for long in the business, there are available books and electronic books where you can look for the ABCs of copywriting. However, be sure that your sources are updated since the price rates for copywriting services can change through the years.

Figure out what your time and effort that would be appealing to you. Are you ready to price expensive rates and probably have less working hours, but more rates per project? Or, do you like a stretched list of projects with affordable rates for your portfolio? In the end, you have to figure out what your needs are and how much you are willing to charge your clients.

Check out what the normal freelance copywriters make in your area, or in the World Wide Web. Divide that rate by 52 (weeks every year) and then by 40 (hours a week). This is the estimated rate you could look forward to earn per hour.

Determine if you would like to become a professional in a subject or a field. If you become popular for a literary genre or a field of interest, you could practically look ahead to charge for higher fees, more than the average writer who writes about topic on general interest.

You should also consider your expenditures. If you need to travel to do research, purchase a special software, or a specialized equipment, then let the client know so that you can stretch out your rates. A good investment on your resources such as a good laptop with a quality processor is great since you will do most of the writing with your computer.

Appraise the difficulty of your projects. For instance, if you are required to develop a legal study and they provide you the recorded court proceedings and different legal papers and manuals to begin with, you can ask less than a legal study wherein you need to do most of the research. If you need to conduct a survey or research, then you should charge for higher rates for your expenses and time.

However, the freelance business has flexible rates since your decision on the prices is based on your decision. Some clients may ask for a cut-off price with some agreements so you need to develop your sense of reasonable business if you need to give a discount. If you are a beginner, start with affordable rates to kick off your reputation in the industry.

# How to Look for Copywriting Services

Copywriting services are in great demand nowadays. Since the boom of information technology, most professional individuals and even companies need to reach out to the public through the internet. They do this by developing their own websites where their clients and employees can access different information about the company or professional services in general. If you need professional copywriting services for your website contents, you need to consider different factors to ensure that the services will be in accordance with what you like and how you like it to be in the end.

Before you sign up or agree to any copywriting contract, figure out your main purpose why you need the services. You should have a clear plan. Do you need manuals or company catalogue, newsletters? The first thing you have to consider is the main point of your project. This will help you to give a clear introduction to the copywriter, saving time and effort.

After you have reached your decision, look for the best copywriter, or at least a company with the highest standards and reputation in the copywriting services. There are numerous online sites such as guru.com and elance.com where freelance writers all around the world are signed up to bid on projects. You can sign up with these sites as a client, then freelance writers with well-suited background, skills and experience will contact you to offer you a copywriting proposal. Try to analyze each characteristic of the proponents, then you can make your choice based on your copywriting needs.  Review their experience particularly their background in the industry your doing business on. You should also take note that the price range does not always affect the quality of the finished project. You often have what you paid for and poor writing can wind up charging you even more than if you would just get a few bucks from the beginning.

Always have an open communication with your copywriter. Professional copywriters are not psychics, and they can never read what’s on your mind. Check that your copywriter has a firm grasp of your copywriting needs and when you have questions or follow-up requests, immediately notify them, since they also need time to develop your contents. Never make them guess, or else they will take the freedom to write what they think are good materials, that sometimes cannot suit your needs. Also, request for early delivery of the finished contents, or at least ask for partial such as the first few chapters of the first few pages so that you will have an idea how the writing is going.

When you review the contents, see if there are mistakes. It is very unlikely that you can find grammatical errors since freelance copywriters are very well-versed in grammar, but if you think there is an error, tell them. Take note also of the content itself. Determine if they are in accordance with your requests. Check the facts and verify the data. Think of yourself as a reader, not as the owner of the website. Imagine yourself as part of the reading public. Did you find the content satisfying?

Also, tell your copywriter about what you think is the good points of the projects and the errors you have spotted. Although you can demand for anything, be reasonable and respectful in dealing with a professional copywriter.  

# How to Improve Your Copywriting Skills

If you are in a business of copywriting services, good copywriting skills are indispensable for being lucrative in the business of pitching sales and getting possible clients. With the appropriate preparation and determination, you can easily enhance your copywriting skills. Feedback is very influencing especially when you want to stay in the business. You can follow the following tips to improve your copywriting and its results.

Groundwork is the key to copywriting persuasive contents. Certainty sell, not mess up. You should be ready with getting all previously finished projects on the product or a service. Do some research about the materials to get the most of the information you need. Use the phone and call the clients or companies for the rest of the data you need.

You should ask questions as long as they are relevant to the project. You must understand the product entirely, its benefits, nature, advantages, disadvantages, major features and marketability. You should also collect testimonials from satisfied customers to add credibility to your content.

After the product, you can think of relevant ideas about the target consumers. Think of the primary audience and the consequent clients that you need to convince that the product is great. You should realize the different motivating factors of the consumers including culture, character and economic factors. You can use emotional appeals such as fear of loss or bandwagon to drive motivation whenever applicable.

Learn the marketing and advertising channels. Read many magazines or newspapers that you are planning to build advertisement for to have a better look on the tone of the general audience. If you are copywriting a classified ad, try to look on the published ads, then try to follow the essential rules, and then try to work on the factors that will make your ads stand out from the rest when it will be etched with numerous ads of the same type.

Figure out the main purpose of your copy. It’s very important that you write with your preferred ideas in your mind, but it should also be approved by your client. Your copy’s main goal might be to get many phone inquiries to your clients or sell a product. You can include some calls to action all over your copy so that the audience can have several chances to take action while reading your copy.

You can also sum up the main advantages or benefits of the copy. Emphasize the greatest advantage in alluring headlines and use details to keep up your assertions such as testimonials, verified laboratory results and product testing. You should copy write in the proper style relevant to the market needs. Chatty or informal copywriting with a whisk of professionalism can do the job in accordance with the industry you are doing business with. Write as if you are face to face with the consumer. Stay away from the copy for a while then return to edit it.

You should send the copy and ask for feedback. By a feedback mechanism, you can figure out the effectiveness of the copy. As well, you can plan to enhance the results by testing one sense or style on another project. For instance, you can try changing the title. Take the title that gives best results and use it as the new control to test the future titles of your projects.

# How to Become a Technical Copywriter

Most companies would hire a freelance copywriter to write articles or advertisements dealing on technical aspects of different products. The marketing department and the public relation are focused in technological agencies that hire various job offers and freelance work for copywriters. Most people move into these freelancing jobs from other opportunities, such as technical copywriters, technology writers, marketers and advertisers. Those who have enough knowledge in specific technical skills and public relations can also venture into a freelance copywriting career.

However, before you start accepting offers, you should study the industry particularly the requirements in writing good technical write ups. You can read books dealing with specific technical know-how. If you are adept with computers, then it is just reasonable to venture into technical writing concerning the computer industry or the information technology business. You can find books or websites as a good background in any kind of venture not just an added factor, but also a necessity. You can enroll in technical training to fill in any particular fissures in your knowledge and capabilities in such areas like marketing, technical writing and public relations.

You can gain ample experience by studying marketing and public relations as you advance with your freelancing.

After gaining knowledge, you may feel that it is enough. However, you should keep up with the latest technology and marketing trends to look for possible clients and networking opportunities.

The portfolio is more important than a résumé when you are in a freelancing job. Your curriculum vitae may boast of a master’s degree in communications and creative writings, but if your write-ups are bad, you will be ditched before someone will hire you. Gather previously written articles, but they should be great. If there are grammatical errors and erroneous thoughts, then revise it. If you do not have any write-ups, then write one, and devote your entire writing arsenal on them since they will be the basis of the clients to hire you or not.

After preparing physically and mentally, you can now create a network of possible clients. Never hesitate to make a phone or e-mail inquiry, as no one will swarm a beginning freelancer. Once you have settled everything including the physical set-up of your home-based office, you should look for companies or even professional who may need your copywriting services. Never give up. For you to succeed in copywriting services, you have to chase as many freelance opportunities as you can. Use the internet. By encoding words such as freelance technical opportunities, you can look for current job proposals.

Once you have finished building your contacts, begin communicating with the clients. You do not need a hard sales proposal. Just make a brief self introduction and your freelance business and tell them how you can help them with their PR needs. Make sure to keep them brief and be direct. Chitchat over the phone is great if you are calling Aunt Maggie, on a trip to Hawaii. Respect their time and be honest with them. Never accept a job and craft with imagined skills you don’t truly have.

While in business, continuously hone your skills. You can take technical training or read online articles or blogs in the field of copywriting and on the field of your chosen product. It is very essential to stay updated if you are a freelance copywriter.

# Fashion Copywriting Services

The fashion industry is also a lucrative environment for copywriting services. Various companies such as garments enterprises are in need for write-ups to be used for their development such as for advertisements, press releases and newspaper stories. However, most freelance copywriting services are in demand with fashion magazines.

The fashion industry is sensitive and very aesthetic. Thus, you should have the natural talent and creative niche. If you lack fashion sense at all, or at least a good knowledge of what looks good, what will be your idea of a fashionable write-up? If you don’t yet, don't fret, you can still improve yourself. Not that you need to go over a physical makeover, you will not be the fashion model, but the writer. Just be creative and study the latest trends in the fashion industry.

Also, the creative talent to write is important. Fashion sense without the coherence of a good article is dead as an ogre’s toenail, but plain writing skill without fashion sense is a pallid ghost. So you need to have a good fashion sense and great writing skills.

The way to gather information on the fashion trends is through magazines. Read more to write more. Visit fashion websites, or subscribe to a handful of high-standard fashion magazines. By imitating the writing style, you can learn how to better yourself. However, do not copy the actual lines, as you will be charged with plagiarism.

Most fashion magazines have a fashion style bit. Through reading different magazines, you should be able to figure out your preferences, in the different aspects of the fashion industry. Maybe you want to focus on futuristic trends or maybe you want to write articles dealing with cosmetics, the fashion industry is a big business, and you will not be outsourced with topics as long as you know how to sniff for them.

After you have settled with your niche, aim to concentrate on your preferences, it is enjoyable to write about the things you truly have interest in.

When starting your fashion copywriting services, you should also establish a network. You can create an extensive network of contacts for publications and publishing houses that are potential clients. You can collect this information from the contact details or in some cases, through browsing different websites.

Most clients would like to see your sample work. Since you are beginning from scratch you will need to write at the very least extremely impressive fashion articles that you do not plan to publish but to serve merely as a proof of what you are capable of.

From the contact details you have collected from these magazines, communicate with editors and make sure to refer them by their proper name as a head-on that you indeed know what you are dealing. Also, you should be polite in asking them for manuscript guidelines and attach your portfolio (sample work).  While waiting for the inquiries, continue approaching the editors. Provided you are very capable and have the persistence, clients will swarm you as bees would swarm a honey comb.

You should not out rightly expect to have high earnings for your first client. Your published articles will accumulate to develop your portfolio. For starting writers, published articles are like goldmines so never despair to have low earnings at the start. Just work hard and continue to grow. In due time your reputation as a good fashion copywriter will skyrocket.

# Develop Portfolio for Copywriting Services

Freelance copywriters can write technically and creatively, but they should work with their clients to combine their ideas into the realization of projects that suits the client’s needs. Most copywriters build their own portfolio. It is a collection of their projects in the form of brochures or web content or other methods of conveying the skills of the copywriter. Even though you are just beginning in the copywriting industry, you can build your own portfolio to get your first project.

You can also enlist in a copywriting course. Some of these physical or online course trainings, like the one in some universities such as NYU, give you homework that can be used for portfolio content. Although they are not for advertising, they will give your prospective clients a chance to examine how you develop ideas through writing.

Make your own portfolio pieces. Imagine of a fictitious product or service to begin with. You can talk to an art director or graphic artist to transform your words into advertising. You may have to spend some money for the art service, but it’s an investment.

Look for a freelance job. You can find this in classified sections or agencies, particularly smaller projects. Since the budget for these projects are not as big as a permanent writer, they are sometime eager to accept freelance jobs who has minimal background but can do the job. When the contents are printed, you should have copies and include them in your portfolio.

Purchase a professional-looking portfolio case. You can find one in a supply store or an art store. This will allow your portfolio to have an air of professionalism and elegance.

Keep accepting smaller projects and update your portfolio. It should include only your successful projects, not everything you have worked on. You should remember to update it as you write new successful contents.

You can also begin your personal website where you can post your portfolio. With a personal website that has an updated portfolio, your clients can examine your previous projects anytime, anywhere. You can also use your personal website to further your career and give background information on how the client can hire you for your services. If you really want to make a career in the freelance industry, then you should invest in a good website.

Categorize your website so it is very easy to browse and be helpful to your clients. Clients do not want to click and click on items that they can read on the same page just to find what they are looking for. If you don’t have the skills in building an attractive website, you can hire the services of a graphic artist and a website developer to make your website professional as possible. A personal website is better than bidding with numerous freelance writers on a forum or a free site.

As a writer, you need to check your grammar and punctuation. A portfolio with many grammatical errors is a turn off. If that is your idea of good grammar, what is your idea of a good product? Only clients with no grasp of grammar themselves are going to hire a freelance writer who cannot even spell properly. Check and re-check everything you write before you post it in your portfolio. If you find an error in one of your samples that you have already posted, delete it or at least make a remedy before you post it again.

# Creating a Freelance Copywriting Website

Developing a freelance copywriting website to market yourself and your copywriting services is very important in drawing possible clients. It can also be one of the most demanding copywriting preparations you’ll ever deal with. These regular sections can help you to build your website that will reveal to your possible clients you’re the copywriter they’re looking for.

Home Page

This is your introductory page to possible clients. It is also the first chance of persuading your clients. If your writing in the home page is terrible, there is little chance that you can sell yourself. If you cannot even sell your services, your clients will never entrust projects with you.

Your pictures with your family are great, for family albums. Keep your copywriting website professional. You can include photos, but they should be elegant, or at least suggest professionalism. It could be your picture with your computer, but be sure to make it professional-looking.

You can also write a short introduction that can persuade your clients that they have visited the best freelance website. Your website is your best advertising campaign and you must make this site marketable with a strong style that makes them want to browse your website further.

Portfolio

Copywriters should have a portfolio, or you would leave your clients in guessing what kind of service you can offer, and most of them do not like the idea of guessing. So, make a portfolio from previous projects or if you are just starting, create some. Even the best website effects and flashy contents will not give you the advantage, except of course if they are looking for website developers. But if your mainstream is copywriting, give them the privilege of examining your caliber.

Pricing

If you include charge rates on your site, it is great to reveal a wide range that can guide your clients. You can also add some content to your pricing page that will show your rates are flexible because not all projects are alike.

Only after you have made contact with the clients can you give them the rates that you think are reasonable

Bonus

Any bonus you are willing to give can be integrated on the bonus page. If you allow any after the mailing, you should also ensure that your sign-up page is accessible on every page of your website so you can have the edge for most subscribers.

You should remember that freebies are not for every client that visits your website. If you are willing to give a weekly newsletter or updated blogs, and you have not attained it, you will start lowering your credibility among your clients. You should only offer bonuses if you are certain you’ll be able to put the task in making them, even if they do not yield added sales.

Articles/Blogs

Contents such as articles and blogs can aid in keeping you as an expert in the field you are writing. You do not have to get a perimeter on your subjects for advertising.

For instance, if you are a freelance copywriter writing about healthcare, you may find a blog channel that covers this field will have advantage than a blog being a copywriter. Articles can also chase this trail as well to make you popular.

Background

This section is normally called “About.” It should reveal your credentials and experiences, or any relevant information on your copywriting services.

# Copywriting Services for Your Website

Freelance copywriters are hired by professional individuals or agencies which have limited skills in developing their own websites. Most of these clients don’t have enough resources to hire a full-employed or professional copywriter to write the contents of their websites. As an alternative, they would hire freelance copywriters on an agreed price which is more affordable from professional charges.

Finding the best freelance copywriter to develop content for your website could actually make the difference between having a certified image and the one that would cast doubt on your site. Copywriters should be well-trained in the subject and experienced to develop a successful and qualified content for your website. There are a few matters that you should consider when you need copywriting services. This will make sure that you will have quality content from the best copywriter.

You can always find the best copywriters from the best places. You can check out websites devoted to copywriting services, where freelance copywriters are enlisted and they form a forum for specified services. You can find enough information on how to find the best copywriters from checking out these sites.

Choose a copywriter that is well-versed in the language you will use for the content. Although, native speakers are great copywriters, there are individuals who use languages as their second language, and they are also well-trained. Never commit the mistake of choosing a copywriter that does not know how to speak or write fluently in the language. Although they charge lower fees, saving you extra bucks, your website will have the essence of absurdity. It is wiser to spend a few more bucks and get the contents with top quality than to save more money and not be satisfied with the appropriate content.

You can check out online sites that have freelance copywriters are bidding on projects. Such websites like Elance have a lot of freelance copywriters that offers proposal on projects and as a client, you will have the privilege to choose the best writers that meets your content needs and has the proper background and experience in your field. Most of these freelance sites can have the feature of reading the sample of the copywriter’s previous projects to discern if that copywriter is the best content provider you need.

Figure out what type of credentials, background, and experience the potential copywriter may have and be sure to discuss the relevance to make sure that they are able to convey the written materials as recent as possible.

You should also do the copywriter a favor. Fully disclose the project details and make sure that he has a very clear grasp of what you like for the contents. Talk to them via phone or e-mail, and give them some background with the scope of your website. This also includes payment options and final settlement of agreed price and charges.

If you want to pick a freelance copywriter that has the right background and qualifications to write the website materials that you are looking for, make sure that you see if they have their own website with their portfolio in a specific range of their previous work. Most freelance copywriters that have a lot of background and experience and have been in the freelance business for some time will have a website that features their collection.