Become Your Own Sales Copywriter And Boost Your Profits
by admin on Dec.15, 2009, under Uncategorized
Learning to be a successful copywriter like Ewen Chia for example, is like anything else; it takes time and a lot of practice. You’ll need to be committed enough to this goal to put in the time needed to become skilled in this field, but your time and effort will pay off in the long run. Once you’ve mastered effective copywriting, you can make a very respectable income doing something you enjoy.
Of course the first thing you must do is get your hands on every book and resource that deals with sales copywriting basics like the Copywriting Weath System. It also helps to start reviewing writing styles, grammar and rules. There’s nothing worse than a brilliant press release with spelling mistakes all over it. There are several books that can help you get to know the different writing guidelines including The Chicago Manual of Style or The Associated Press Style Guide.
Keep up with the fields of advertising and marketing by watching the media carefully. Look at advertising with a critical eye for what sort of copy is effective as well as copy which falls flat. Pay attention when you hear people talking about advertising. When you hear teenagers talking about the latest video game or soft drink commercial, this is something to take notice of - so is the fact that your spouse turns to a different channel every time a certain commercial comes on.
Sales copywriting for different media takes different approaches. As a novice copywriter, you may want to begin by working on one particular format such as radio or television ad copy, copywriting for the web or writing for print ads. By watching out for advertising as you read, listen and watch the media, you’ll be able to make a decision about which format matches your interests most closely.
Landing a job at an ad agency isn’t always the easiest thing, even if you have a degree in a field relevant to copywriting or advertising, such as journalism, English or communications, for instance- those these degrees will make you a better candidate. However, there are plenty of successful sales copywriters out there who have only an associate’s degree or no college degree at all.
What is mandatory is previous work experience. How do you go about getting experience at something you’ve never done? The answer is simple: become an intern. Internships get you inside a real advertising agency and will help motivate you. Being an intern also gives you the chance to work on the most important thing you need to become a known sales copywriter: your portfolio or “book”.
Like in many other fields, your portfolio is your first impression. As an intern, you won’t get paid to do any sales copywriting, but you will have the chance to start building your book. Interns that make a great portfolio and showcase their creativity are first in line for a permanent position at the agency when one opens up.
Having a portfolio of excellent work will get the interest of any advertising or marketing agency as well as of prospective clients should you chose to work as a freelancer. If you want to pursue a career as a sales copywriter, you need to learn how to sell - and the first and most important thing you’ll be selling is your own talent.
