Entries from April 2009 ↓

There are numerous freelance copywriters out there and even more copywriting jobs, so there is plenty for everyone.

I often get asked by new copywriters how they can quickly find work to build up a portfolio. Well, as a starting point, there are a few websites that post jobs but you have to learn how to make sure to set yourself apart from all of the other freelancers out there.

First stop is www.elance.com – an online marketplace where customers post jobs for freelancers to bid on. It has a very strong following as more than 100,000 potential customers come by the website each week.  You are able to sign up to sell your services and the system allows you to upload your best work to sell yourself to potential clients.  There is also the facility to jobs that meet your criteria e-mailed to you on a daily basis.  There is a cost for subscription to this particular website, but with a ready market it’s worth it.

Next is www.guru.com, the largest online freelance marketplace on the Internet to look for online jobs including freelance copywriting jobs. It basically does the same as elance so both are well worth a look.

If you search Google, you’ll find a number of sites like these such as www.getafreelancer.com and www.directfreelance.com.

Set yourself apart

Now here’s a tip for you, when you are bidding on projects, companies that are looking at the bids will not be looking just at price but also at how their work will be done.  To do this you will want to set yourself apart.  To do that you could:

• Include copies of your best work
• Include testimonials
• Add a sales letter outlining why you are the best bidder on the project

This will help improve your credibility and firmly anchor you as a potential candidate who can get the job done.

Hopefully this article on freelance copywriting jobs has helped you.  It is important to know which websites you should use in finding work but it is also important to find ways to set yourself apart.  By creating a website as well as creating an advertising package that shows off your best side, you are setting yourself up to stand apart from other freelancers.

If you look through my blog you will find numerous outpourings on article marketing, blogging, web site content etc.

Content is crucial in your online marketing efforts. I have banged on about how ‘content is king’ (sorry to use such an awful cliche) and how the internet runs on the stuff. Let’s face it, without content there wouldn’t be any search engine results so the whole point of the internet would be rather redundant.

Just to drive my point home a bit more, I would like to draw you attention to a great blog I found on Copyblogger today. Here, Sonia Simone outlines 49 Creative Ways You Can Profit From Content Marketing.

OK, I’ll admit it. Even though I am a freelance copywriter I do sometimes get rather carried away with my writing. Sometimes, when the ideas are flowing freely I have to remind myself that I am writing sales copy, not the next best seller.

It is very tempting to go overboard – somewhere deep down there is a Pulitzer Prize novelist trying to escape.

So how do I stop myself?

By remembering why I am writing.

Every piece of copywriting is designed to help someone’s problem. They are hurting and they need you to make it better for them – just like our mums did when we were young. Who was it we turned to when we fell over and cut our knee?

Exactly, good old mum. She was always there with a few kind words, some cotton wool, disinfectant and a kiss. And it was always the kiss that made it better.

So that is all I need to remember to keep my writing on track – I am writing about the mother’s kiss they want to take their pain away.

But what happens when the reader doesn’t realise they have a pain anymore? Can writing about the solution to a problem they don’t realise they have work?

Absolutely.

We are all guilty of burying our heads in the sand at times. So I just have to remind them, loudly, about the problem they have – do they have enough life insurance? What will happen to their family when they are gone? Is there sufficient insurance to clear the mortgage, pay the university fees, cover the monthly bills etc?

It can at times feel like you are wielding a sledge hammer, but if that’s what it takes, do it.

As a UK Freelance Copywriter, Sally Ormond (Briar Copywriting) can provide you with a range of UK copywriting services.

Voted As One of The Top 100 Freelance Blogs

Fantastic news! Freelance Copywriters Blog has been voted by oDesk as one of the top 100 freelance blogs
and in the top 4 freelance copywriting and marketing blogs:

Freelance Copywriters Blog Freelance copywriter Sally Ormond’s tips for freelancing, such as these “10 Tips for Dynamite Copy,” are exceptionally helpful for contract writers and marketers alike.

Thank you so much – and keep this blog bookmarked, there are plenty more hints and tips on their way.

Sally Ormond is a UK Freelance Copywriter offering a range of  Copywriting Services to businesses and individuals.

11011450 – incoming letter, 3d render

When working with clients, I like to get up close and personal.

Not in that way!

By that I mean I like to be part of the whole process. I want to understand what they are doing, why they are doing it that way, who they are targeting and why. Only by having access to that type of information can our relationship be truly effective.

Think for a moment – picture a scenario in which you run a busy kitchen. Business is booming and you need to bring in a new chef. On Thursday evening he arrives all ready to work. But rather than discuss with you how the kitchen works, what is on the menu etc., he goes off and does his own thing – the result? CHAOS.

In the freelance copywriting world your ingredients for a successful direct marketing campaign are:

A great list

A fantastic offer

Superbly crafted copy

Now if you come to the party without having any input into the first two requirements, the likelihood of the campaign being successful is low.

If the list is wrong, old or a bit dusty you probably won’t be targeting the right people so the campaign will fail.

If the marketing department of your client put the offer together in a rush or without really thinking through what is important, the campaign will fail.

If you write the greatest copy ever seen but the list is wrong or the offer is poor, the campaign will fail.

So what it comes down to is this, no matter how great your copywriting, if you don’t have input into all aspects of the campaign, you are running the risk of it going Pete Tong.

To maximise your chances of success – get access to the list, work with the marketing team to ensure the offer is top notch, write fabulous copy and finally stick around and find out what happens.

If the return is not as expect, find out why. Work with your client, review the whole process and find the weak link. Direct mail campaigns are not guaranteed and there can be a lot of factors that will affect the outcome (your target audience, your tone, the time the campaign was sent out, how it was sent out, what your client was looking to achieve…)

Clients remember – a freelance copywriter should always be seen as an extension to your team not an optional extra. Use their knowledge and experience to give your campaign the best possible chance for success.

Follow this link for more details on Briar Copywriting ‘s UK copywriting services