THIS IS WHAT A BEGINNER COPY WRITER NEEDS TO DO

As a beginner copy writer, you need to know and do the following:

A) THINGS TO KNOW.

 1) The meaning  of marketing.

 Marketing means being outgoing, organized and prepared. Have a plan on how you’re going to present yourself to the world. Have a clean and neat work space and take the time to set up processes and systems, whether it’s a client info packet and how it’s put together, how you approach a meeting, how you phone-prospect, what your 15- to 30-second elevator speech is (the sound bite that passionately explains what you do and what sets you apart from the competition, etc.) Get these things set and do them the same every time so they aren’t so daunting anymore. 

2) What Networking is all about.

That means thinking, Even though these people might not bring me much business directly, by getting to know them, who knows who they might eventually refer me to? Pound the pavement. And be patient—every action isn’t necessarily going to lead to business, but it’s all about momentum.

How do you overcome the challenges of working in a smaller market?

B) THINGS TO DO.

 1) Be prepared to educate your clients about what copywriting is. Develop relationships with graphic designers so you can offer end-to-end solutions. Consider adding “project management” to your repertoire—nothing more than simply overseeing the project (a job that usually falls to the graphic designer). 

2) Break everything down into bite-size pieces and think like the client. Pretend you know nothing about copywriting and ask yourself, How would I explain this process to someone who’s never dealt with a copywriter before, someone who doesn’t think they need one? Focus not on selling your services but on solving their problems (NB: again, benefits before features). 

 I always emphasize the time factor with clients. I find a lot of prospects that think they’re great writers. I’ll tell them, Well, of course you don’t necessarily need me from a writing standpoint , but given the demands of your core business, you just don’t have enough time. As a smart businessperson, you need to focus on servicing your customers. I’ll end up bringing in customers for you. How? Through my writing. Just break it down into simple principles that every businessperson can understand. 

 Set up a small five-page web site that clearly explains what you do, what you’ve done in the past, and what you can offer. Also, collect email addresses through the site. A web site costs little to maintain and will convey professionalism to clients. I get back my investment many times over.