Don’t you just love playing with words and meeting new people? On top of that you are sensitive and can read others’ needs? If you also tell me that you enjoy researching all kinds fo topics just because it’s so intriguing…And you’d love to have the freedom to work from home and travel as much as you want? Say no more. You may be a true-born copywriter.
What is a copywriter and what do they do?
Copywriters are people who write persuasive content (copy), getting readers to take action. This can be a purchase, subscription, or another type of goal. Copywriters are in demand in practically every industry – from marketing and advertising to politics.
Good copywriters are paid very well and usually can work remotely. That makes a copywriting career very attractive. You can still become a copywriter with no experience or a degree. And I will show you how.
What services does a copywriter offer?
Copywriters can provide a variety of services.
The main goal of copy is to persuade the audience to follow through with a CTA (Call To Action).
Copywriters use different formulas and tactics to take the reader on a journey to get them out of their pain and solve their problems.
To do that, research is vital in copywriting.
Successful copywriters know the audience they are talking to, like their best friends.
They know their problems and pain points, and their main goal is to convince them they can solve them.
Copywriting produces the following content:
- Website content
- Email marketing and sequences
- Sales pages
- Sales funnels copy
- Product descriptions
- Video Scripts
- Webinar scripts
- Social media ads
And the list goes on…
What does copywriting work involve?
It’s important to know that a lot of work lies behind the end product.
Before the copywriter begins the actual writing, they start by doing research.
To write an impressive piece of copy, they need to find out who their target audience is.
They have to analyze their wants, needs, likes and dislikes deeply.
Along with that, copywriters research the industry, trends, and jargon.
This process may take weeks before you actually touch pen to paper (or finger to keyboard).
The next step is generating ideas, brainstorming, and writing your first draft.
After ideas are sorted out, it’s time to create the actual text.
Something I do is write everything that comes to my mind first based on research.
Once you’re done with your first draft, you can then go further and edit your copy.
The best copy is usually original and unique with its own style of humor or perspective.
How much do copywriters make?
Good copywriters are very well paid. Copywriting directly influences conversions.
This service is always in demand. Most copywriters are paid per project, and sometimes an hourly rate can be agreed upon.
I’ve seen job posts for copywriters offering them to be paid per word. Please don’t EVER do that!
Your copy may sometimes be five words long.
But you had to spend months (sometimes years) learning and training to write these five words precisely to make a piece of content convert.
Only actual copywriters know the long work hours before writing these five words.
To paint the general picture, let’s look at the latest statistics:
According to Payscale, a copywriter can make between $39K and $77K per year. If you decide to go the freelance route, you can make more than six figures.
What skills and qualifications does a copywriter need?
Sales
Hate writing? Maybe don’t become a copywriter.
But is it that simple? Of course not.
Too be successful in copywriting, you don’t need to be a brilliant writer. But if you’re good in sales, you’ll rock it as a copywriter.
The thing is that writing copy isn’t like writing an always punctually, grammatically, and even politically correct content.
You really need to write the way you would speak to them.
Research Skills
Being good at research is a must.
The first step to becoming a good copywriter is figuring out who you write for and what your goal is.
Sometimes, a good copywriter spends more time researching their target audience than writing the actual copy.
You’ll have to understand your customers’ pain points, get to the bottom of their problems and convince them you have the right solution.
Copywriting is about enticing your audience and communicating with them as you would one on one.
Finding out what their struggles are and describing what they feel reminds them their issue needs to be solved.
Providing the solution directly after that by illustrating the great improvement they will experience by using your product or service will plant the seed of desire.
You can achieve all this by carefully investigating who these people are and what is important to them. In other words, get under their skin before you approach them with your copy.
Empathy
Empathy is a remarkable quality to have both for your personal relationships and for writing a good copy.
People buy based on emotions. Being empathetic means feeling their pain and wanting to make their lives better.
A successful copywriter understands their target audience’s emotions, where they come from, and believe they can help them.
Using creative and engaging language, they convince their readers to trust them they can change their lives for the better.
And that leads to the next quality of a successful copywriter.
Creativity
Understanding your audience, feeling their emotions, and convincing them you have the right solution is excellent.
Creatively presenting all this is what makes a proper copywriter.
Creativity plays an essential role in figuring out the headlines, hooks, loops, and other bells and whistles you use as a copywriter.
There are specific formulas and guidelines used for writing different pieces of copy.
Most of them use creative language to describe the target audience’s pain points and the benefits of your solutions.
The more you practice, the better you’ll become. It helps if you read regularly. That can be books, blogs, articles, etc. In time, you may catch yourself developing copy ideas in your head based on what you read, everyday situations, and people you meet.
Copywriting Training and Education
I created To The Dream Job to help people interested in a career in digital marketing figure out what they are good at, and I then give them the exact road map to getting their dream job.
I recommend taking the Best Career Quiz first.
The quiz is designed based on the 16 different personalities.
After taking the quiz, you will receive a curriculum filled with free resources and courses.
After speaking to many people who are in a situation where they want to start a new marketing career, I noticed that most of them are overwhelmed by all the resources available online.
So if you don’t know where to start, you’ve come to the right place.
I’ve taken more than 100 courses claiming to give you the start you need to jump-start your career. I’ve included the most valuable ones in my Curriculums.
Every curriculum includes a foundational part of entirely free tried and tested courses to give you a basic idea of the subject.
The next stage includes low-paid courses and books you can read to boost your knowledge.
The last part of the curriculum includes the high-priced but priceless resources that can really make a difference in your growth as a marketer.
Copywriter Career Pathways
Working in digital marketing gives you the freedom of choice.
Do you see yourself working as an employee having all the perks and benefits? There certainly are many companies providing flexible remote working solutions.
Do you prefer to be your own boss? Start working with copywriting clients on a freelance basis. Freelancing can be a lot more lucrative, and you’ll have more control over the whole process. However, finding clients and streamlining your systems and methods can feel overwhelming and challenging in the initial stages.
Do you dream of having your copywriting agency? Gaining some experience either as an in-house copywriter or working on your own can lead to running your own copywriting agency. That way, you can grow your revenue to 6,7,8 (or more) figures, specialize in what you genuinely enjoy, and ultimately have the freedom to live the life you want.
Learn more about the three career pathways and different approaches here. You will find the Best Ways To Finding Your First Freelance Client and How To Create Your Portfolio in 3 Easy Steps.
Who Is Already Doing It
If you’re still thinking that’s too good to be accurate and wondering if real people are doing it, read on. I’m giving you an example of a few people who were just like you and me. They created copywriting businesses that grew magnificently and are now teaching others how to do the same.
Alex Cattoni
Alex Cattoni is a perfect example of someone who found what was truly meant for them. She went to school to become a lawyer. But her passion for travel led her to start as an intern at Mindvalley (another reason I like her so much.) That’s how she found that copywriting is a THING.
She then started her freelance copywriting business, and within the first few years, she was making over $300,000 a year.
Today, she is the face behind Copy Possee academy, where she’s hosting courses and a program for copywriting newbies called The Copy Possee Launch Files. She “teaches you how to craft compelling sales copy by bridging the gap between proven direct response marketing principles and authentic brand storytelling.”
I’ve taken Alex’s Write and Ignite Challenge. It was a structured step-by-step program for writing a sales page. It is super beneficial to this day. I recommend it as a starter. It’s only $97 for five days packed with value!
Christa Nichols
Christa was a stay-at-home mom just a few years ago. She was running a small graphic design business that she wanted to start marketing on social media.
When she began her learning journey, she suddenly fell in love with copywriting. She is fantastic at putting words together to create conversions. According to a testimonial on her website, “there’s nothing Christa can’t do with words.”
While growing her business, the need to hire highly trained copywriters grew too. After the search ended up being more complicated than she expected, she realized that she is the one who has to show and teach copywriters the right way to do things. So, naturally, she created the educational part of her business. It teaches new freelance copywriters client attraction tactics, how to create their portfolio from scratch and the actual skill of copywriting. And Christa is rocking it.
I have been following her for some time. I took her free Client Attraction Crash Course and then did the Portfolio Building Bootcamp for $97. Christa goes above and beyond to ensure that you get as much value as possible for your dollars. If you’re on a path to becoming a freelance copywriter, Christa’s courses are a must!
Network It
One of the things all successful business owners will always tell you it’s crucial for growth is NETWORKING!
Networking with likeminded people on or offline is one of the best ways to feel like part of the pack. When your imposter syndrome creeps in, you need a strong support group to kick it rihgt back. When you have a network of other copywriters, you can ask questions and learn from others’ experiences.
This is a dynamic field, and many people grow by referrals and get overwhelmed by the load of work. Guess who they are going to hire or refer when they need to. You got it – the fellow copywriter they know and trust.
The same goes for networking with potential clients. Putting yourself out there and contributing with valuable content will make you visible to those who may need your services. Being strategic about it from the very beginning will boost the process. Think about who your dream clients are. Do you want to work with coaches or in the beauty industry? Figure out where they hang out. What groups are they part of? Be where they are and show genuine interest in their business. Think about their needs and provide some free value. Be consistent and authentic. People will appreciate it.
To Sum Up
Copywriting can be very rewarding. It combines being able to work remotely, being creative and witty all at the same time. It’s a matter of building up your skills. There are a ton of resources online that will help you become confident and get your first job as a copywriter. The more you write, the better you will become. Be patient, persistent and consistent.
Till next time, be wise!
