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START & RUN A COPYWRITING BUSINESS
Steve Slaunwhite
Self-Counsel Press
(a division of)
International Self-Counsel Press Ltd.
USA Canada
Copyright © 2012
International Self-Counsel Press
All rights reserved.
Preface
When I wrote the first edition of this book in 2001, my goal was to create the most complete how-to guide available on the subject — packed with information to help you learn the craft, set up your office, get clients, and make money.
Since that time a lot has changed. The growth of the Internet has revolutionized the business and created a wealth of new opportunities. In addition to the dozens of top-rated copywriters I originally interviewed for this book, I’ve since spoken with more than one hundred — some of the most highly paid in the world — and learned their inside secrets to success.
Here’s the good news: You’ll find all this new information in this completely revised second edition. For example:
• Updated details on setting up your copywriter’s office.
• Expanded data on the markets available for your services, including insights into three of the most lucrative markets of all.
• A completely revised and expanded chapter on how to get clients — and get them fast.
• Updates on how to complete typical copywriting tasks, with the addition of e-mail marketing, websites, microsites, e-zines, and blogs.
• An expanded troubleshooting guide, based on the hundreds of letters and e-mails I’ve received from readers over the years.
• And much, much more.
So even if you have the original edition, I encourage you to “upgrade.” This new edition contains the latest information you need to succeed in this exciting business.
I wrote in the original preface to this book that many of us who are freelance copywriters lead a charmed life. (At least, we think so!) We spend our days happily ensconced in our comfortable home offices doing what we love to do — which is to write.
Sure, there are ups and downs: client demands, challenging projects, deadlines. They come with the territory. But most copywriters I know love the creative, stimulating work; earn high fees; and enjoy an ever-increasing demand for their services.
Do you need writing experience? It helps. But, as you’ll read in the following pages, you’ll be amazed how many highly successful copywriters started with little or no background in writing, marketing, or even general business. In fact, one of the most highly paid copywriters I know was, just a few years ago, a kitchen renovation contractor!
So you may be a freelance magazine writer looking for a higher-paying market … a consultant seeking a new revenue stream … a marketing or advertising professional interested in going out on your own … a stay-at-home mom or dad needing to earn some income on a flexible schedule … a corporate employee dreaming of working from home in your jammies … or even a freelance copywriter who wants to become even more successful …
Whatever your reasons for picking up this new edition, Start & Run a Copywriting Business may be just the opportunity you’re looking for.
Interested? Read on.
1
Adventures in the Copywriting Business
Being a self-employed copywriter can be a lot of things. It can be fun, creative, challenging, invigorating, lucrative, tough, intensive, scary, relaxing, stressful, a pleasure, and a pain — but, thankfully, not all at the same time. One thing it’s not, though, is boring. Copywriting is always an adventure.
Personally, I get a kick out of the new creative projects that hit my desk each week. One day it’s an ad; the next, a website. This week, for example, I’m working on a series of brochures for an insurance company. I’m also writing an annual report for a large software firm. I enjoy learning about new products and services. And, like all writers, I love seeing my work published in the dozens of ads, brochures, websites, direct mail, and other material I write each year.
A Great Home-Based Business Opportunity
When it comes to a home-based business, copywriting is (in my opinion) as good as it gets. I can think of few pursuits that offer a more optimal mix of low risk and high income potential. Hanging your shingle requires little more than a computer, business cards and stationery, and a desk to work on. Yes, a little writing talent and marketing savvy help, but not as much as you might think. Perseverance and a willingness to learn can take you a long way (as they did for me).
As a copywriter, you can expect to be well paid. Self-employment gurus Paul and Sarah Edwards report in their book, The Best Home-Based Businesses for the 21st Century, that an established, self-employed copywriter can earn between $80,000 and $175,000 a year. This seems a little high to me, but most copywriters I know do earn at least $50,000 a year, with some incomes creeping well over the six-figure mark.
Freelance copywriting, I might add, can also generate a good income from working on a part-time or casual basis. Just one project per month — whether it’s an ad, a brochure, or a website — can earn you an extra income of several hundred dollars per month. Many freelance copywriters I interviewed for this book began writing copy part time, slowly developing their skills, knowledge, and client base until they were ready to make a full-time commitment. I began part time, and the money I earned and lessons I learned went a long way toward more successfully launching my full-time business.
If you’re a freelance writer used to the pittance magazines often pay, copywriting can greatly augment your income. This is because the magazine market is a buyer’s market — with plenty of writers willing to work for free, simply to see their name in print. It’s tough to break into, and even tougher to earn decent fees for your work.
Copywriters, however, encounter a demand for their services. As I explain later in this chapter, it’s not exactly a seller’s market, but it’s close to it. And there is certainly no reason for you to accept a copywriting assignment for little or no fee. Even as a beginner, you can expect to earn good fees for the work you do.
Just how much experience and expertise do you need to earn these great fees? Obviously, the more experience you have, the greater your chance of success. But don’t let a perceived lack of direct experience prevent you from tackling your goal of becoming a self-employed copywriter. Operating a successful copywriting business essentially involves a combination of writing ability and marketing strategy. If you have a modicum of the first, you can learn the second in this book.
Copywriting is a subset of business writing. Think about the business documents you’ve written: memos, reports, proposals, query letters. Were some of these written to persuade others to act or make a decision, or to steer them to your point of view? If so, then you already have some experience as a copywriter. Even if you haven’t, your love of writing and commitment to learning the unique strategies and approaches to crafting effective marketing copy are the keys to succeeding in this business.
What Is Copywriting?
A few of years ago, while attending a business networking event, a man introduced