Advice for Aspiring Copywriters, Build a Portfolio, Get Published, Write Articles & Blog Posts

I received the following questions in an email from a graduating senior at Texas A&M University who aspires to be a professional copywriter. If you, too, are considering a career as a copywriter, you might find my answers below of interest.

Susan Greene
Marketing Copywriter

How do I go about building my portfolio or marketing myself considering my inexperience?

Yes, you need to build a portfolio. Try to find friends or family who have businesses and may need help with a brochure, newsletter or other copywriting assignment. You can also create your own website. Use a tool like www.weebly.com if you're not a techie. On the website include some samples of your writing, perhaps from school or volunteer work.

Another option is to do some online writing. Ezine sites love free contributions. Try www.ezinearticles.com, www.goarticles.com, www.isnarearticles.com, etc. They'll publish your work for free. You get a nice byline.

Another option is to write for blogs. Is there a subject in which you're particularly interested? You can create your own blog. Or, find some blogs on the subject and then offer to write a guest post.

For example, I read a blog on leadership skills. I was speaking to the blog owner the other day and he asked if I'd consider writing a guest post on the ties between leadership and entrepreneurship. I've also written some guest posts on copywriting-related subjects for marketing blogs. They get free articles and I get a byline and some visibility (public relations).

There are also content mills, such as www.demandstudios.com and www.associatedcontent.com. These places pay extremely low rates for copy, however, they give you an opportunity to be published. A colleague of mine started her writing career this way. She wrote hundreds of articles for these content mills. Then, when she'd pitch a new client, she'd say, "Just Google my name and you'll see my work."

Another option is for you to write an ebook. Pick a topic and write about it. Publish it as a PDF. I have one I wrote and published myself, which you can find here, www.JobHuntingStrategies.com.

The bottom line is that you can find places that will publish your work. The writing practice you get will be invaluable and, at the same time, you’ll be building a portfolio to show prospective employers or clients.

In this technological age do you see the future of newsletters and other printed materials in a positive or negative light?

If you're talking about printed newsletters, they're dead. Anything printed is. Say goodbye to bookstores like Borders and Barnes & Noble. They will all be gone within the next couple years just as record stores have disappeared. Ebooks are the future.

As far as newsletters, electronic versions may survive but most people these days prefer the blog route. They use a distribution service like www.feedburner.com and WordPress is the most common platform.

I make most of my money selling website copy. I do occasionally also write press releases, brochures, ads, packaging materials, technical articles, blog posts, etc. I am able to support myself. However, I know many freelance writers who are not able to do so.

Part of being successful as a self-employed copywriter is learning to market your services. That means finding prospects, persuading them to work with you and negotiating a fair rate. You have to accept that selling is a critical part of your job or you won’t be successful.

One of the most difficult aspects of any type of self-employment these days, not just for freelance copywriters, is paying your own healthcare insurance. I'm sure you don't worry about such things in that you're still in school, but it's a big deal once you're out on your own, and particularly once you have a family.

I pay over $1,000 per month for health coverage of my very healthy family of 4. And that coverage comes with a $7,500 annual deductible. In other words, I still have to pay the first $7,500 of all our doctor bills, and we have no dental coverage. The only way my health insurance kicks in is if one of us gets a tragic illness.

If I worked for an employer, my health insurance would likely be provided for free or at a very low cost. Health care is one of the big challenges for freelancers and all self-employed persons. That's probably more than you wanted to know on the subject, but it's a reality you'll eventually have to face if you go the freelance route.

Keep learning about your craft. You can easily find many blogs devoted to the subject of copywriting. They offer a wealth of information, as do ebooks and traditional books too. Look for opportunities to attend seminars or workshops on copywriting, blogging and marketing. They'll accelerate your learning curve.

Finally, practice, practice, practice. The best way to improve as a writer is to write. It's not enough to simply study the subject. Go from observer to active participant. Jump in, get wet and start swimming!