The Confident Copywriter

Posts Tagged ‘freelance copywriting’

So , you have this awesome freelance copywriting business you’ve started and you use Elance or another job board as your main source of leads. You chat with prospects and customers via the PMB. You send contracts, project drafts and even money thru the Elance system. You even keep tabs on your competitors surreptitiously. The entire thing is done virtually from your computer.

Pretty cool, huh?

But something is missing. It’s the human touch. I know it’s a novel concept in today’s Internet-driven world, but your customers would actually LOVE to talk with you by phone! Can you imagine the goodwill, confidence and fellow feeling a little thing like providing your phone number can accomplish?

I can tell you, unequivocally, that I have actually won bids simply because I was the only bidder who included my phone number and business hours and invited the buyer to contact me (or offered to contact them at a convenient time) to discuss the project by phone.

Buyers have told me this directly.

It’s professional, it shows you actually care, and it creates a comfort zone completely missing from most ‘virtual’ business relationships.

Offering your phone number speaks volumes and says to your customer:

 Hey, I’m a real person.
 I’m a professional businessperson just like you.
 I’m really going to do what I said I would do.
 Your money is going to be well spent.
 Feel free to check up on my progress during regular business hours.
 I’m available to you for questions.
 I’m anxious for your business and hope you’ll become a long-term client.
 I’m not hiding behind my computer.

Wow. That’s a lot of stuff to say with just a few numbers. But believe me, it really works.

Of course, you’ve got to be there to answer the phone. If you use a cell phone as your business phone, you can literally talk to clients while you grocery shop if you want to… but the important thing is to be available during the times you say you will, just like a real professional businessperson, so you don’t appear to be making empty promises.

If you choose to have some kind of voicemail or answering device to answer calls when you’re away or otherwise occupied, be sure your phone is answered politely, professionally and completely. “You know what this is and you know what to do” is not an appropriate business voicemail greeting.

Consider RingCentral, (www.RingCentral.com) which will provide you with an 800# for your clients to call you for free within the U.S. It’s cheap and works great. I’ve been using it for some time.

Many people call themselves copywriters. Not all copywriters are successful, however. Copywriting requires a specific set of skills unique to the field. Some of these skills can be learned. Some are inherent.

For example, to work as a copywriter you must be able to write. Sounds funny, doesn’t it? However, no matter how strong your desire to work as a copywriter, if you don’t possess great writing skills – not basic skills, but great skills –you may want to look for another profession. We’ll talk about common errors many copywriters make in another post, but this is a crucial point.

Successful copywriters are excellent multi-taskers. You’ve got to be, because you’ll manage several projects at one time, especially in the beginning, when you’re just getting your feet wet and your rates are on the low side.

Copywriters set their own hours…this may sound like your dream job, especially if you’re currently slaving away for a boss. But there is a downside if you are not highly disciplined. Additionally, you must be available to handle an occasional off-hours panic call from a distraught client. It doesn’t happen a lot, but it can happen. So, the successful copywriter must be flexible.

Additionally, you must be strict about meeting deadlines. When you miss a deadline, your client may miss deadlines others have set for him or her. This sets off a chain reaction, but the finger will always point back to you! Not good for business…so always set deadlines you can keep.

The successful copywriter is confident in his or her abilities. Clients want to be assured that you can achieve the results they seek…the results you’ve promised. This industry is not for the faint of heart!

Copywriters are independent professionals. You’ll likely work out of your home, and you’ll wear many hats: copywriter, business manager, customer service professional, accountant…it goes with the territory. So, along with great writing skills, you must have good business management skills. This skill set can be learned over time, but you need to know some basics to make sure your business doesn’t crash before it gets off the ground.

If you’re just getting started and need help getting it right, drop me a note.

Copywriters are often referred to as “freelancers”, and we are. Yet, the term ‘freelancer’ can refer to any writer or artist who independently sells their services to a variety of employers without engaging in long-term contracts. Therefore, underneath the ‘freelance umbrella’, we might find graphic artists, logo designers, web programmers, SEO professionals…as well as copywriters.

Copywriting requires different skills than those needed for other types of writing. If you want to write the next great novel, develop a killer dissertation, or create a technical manual, these are all good projects…but they have nothing to do with copywriting.

Copywriting is the skillful use of words to promote a business, individual or concept. In other words, promotional writing. The goal of good copywriting is persuasion…when a client comes to you for copywriting assistance, he or she is really asking you to convince readers to buy the client’s products or services. Therefore, copywriting may include writing website copy, product descriptions, free reports, white papers, email blasts, articles, ebooks, press releases…and more.

Website copywriting is not only designed to persuade, but to drive traffic (buyers) to the client’s website. A key objective of website copywriting is search engine optimization, the process of helping the client achieve a higher search engine ranking through the use of repetitive keyword, strategically placed throughout the copy.

Need additional help getting your copywriting business going strong? Feel free to contact me for one-on-one assistance.