You have probably heard people say that they are “natural born writers.” The thing is, babies do not pop out of their mothers’ womb churning out words, sentences, and whatnot. However, as a child grows, he may start showing a bit more talent in stitching words together over his contemporaries.
Hence, being a good writer is somewhere in the middle – you do not get born as a writer, but you do get born with the talent to write. You only need to hone that talent through practice to become a skilled and persuasive writer. Succinctly, while talent matters, effort does, too.
All copywriters must possess some essential copywriting skills to become successful in their field. You can easily acquire these skills because these are not the exclusive property of a few gifted individuals. You can, therefore, choose to develop them and be well on your way to achieving a fulfilling career. In this career, you have the satisfaction of keeping your clients happy and earning a good income.
The truth is, you can elicit client satisfaction through your writing even if you are not a schooled writer. What does that mean? Even if you never had formal education or never finished a bachelor’s degree related to copywriting, you can still be a great writer.
What, though, if a client insists on seeing proof that you graduated with a related degree before getting your services? Well, you can always buy a degree from a reputable online provider so you will have the necessary proof of your education.
You are probably wondering, “If I buy a degree, will I get into trouble?” No, at least, not if you purchase your degree from a provider like verifiabledegree.com that world-recognized universities accredit. You will be getting an authentic degree from them, not like the type that diploma mills produce. So, you will essentially buy a degree from a real university, complete with all the security features a typical degree has.
Career Skills to Acquire
A copywriter must be able to write well. However, many people write well and yet do not become successful. Over and above writing competency, you need to acquire essential copywriting skills for a fulfilling career in the field.
- A fundamental skill is knowing how to get the necessary information from clients. Learn how to probe, retrieve relevant details and obtain a feel for what the client wants. This way, you can construct a strategy with them and create a good quality copy – the kind that means sales!
- Learn how to obtain and use testimonials that give your copy credibility. Write this carefully and communicate clearly that these are not fictitious or anonymous and meaningless statements but the sincere words of satisfied customers.
- No less important is the ability to construct a Unique Selling Point (USP) in your copy. Such ensures that readers, both online and offline, will be able to see why the product or company you are marketing stands out from the rest. Be sure to emphasize what makes your product different from everyone else’s merchandise.
- Create headlines that capture your readers’ attention. This skill comes from serious study and research. Look for successful headlines and think about what makes them unique. Look for articles on how to build smashing headlines. The headline is like the foot that keeps the door open!
- The ability to focus on the reader is a fundamental skill for copywriters. Good copy means keeping readers interested and getting them to see that you can serve their needs.
- Writing in a style that is simple and easy to read is crucial. Copywriting is not the space to use scholarly prose. Surveys have shown that most online readers prefer to read articles that are informal and straightforward.
- A good copywriter knows how to keep his piece short. Learn to edit your work and trim off whatever is unnecessary to make your copy more substantial and allow your focus to be more precise.
- Arranging copy in an acceptable format is one copywriting skill that leads to success, which means your page should look light. Paragraphs should be short, and their gist should be easily visible. Use bullets to provide clarity and visual aids such as pictures and charts.
- A good copywriter knows how to express the selling point, reinforce it then, close the sale. For example, if the weather is exceedingly cold, the identified need is for warmth. The copy presents the solution then states why this product is different from others and better. You express the call to action and close the composition with a sale by throwing in a time-bound special offer if a customer purchases within a prescribed period.
- Strictly speaking, perseverance is a character trait rather than a skill. Nevertheless, it is one of the things a copywriter must learn to achieve success. Perseverance is one of the keys to staying and flourishing in the copywriting business. It means repeatedly trying to find the right clients, the right approach, and the right style.
- Discipline, another character trait, is also crucial to success in copywriting. Deadlines, timetables, regular updates – all these are realities in copywriting. Clients will have little patience for moody artists who cannot do their work punctually.
- Openness makes it possible for copywriters to become good listeners and be creative. This openness means being willing to consider new ideas and listen to other opinions, even when these are contrary to what you believe.
Finding and Creating Copywriting Opportunities in the Current Job Market
The demand for good copywriters is still on the rise despite a volatile economy. Because of the Internet, good copywriters are in demand as mainstream newspapers close shop. You can find plenty of copywriting opportunities today. Moreover, you can create opportunities for yourself, thanks to the Internet.
Traditional Copywriting Jobs
Traditional copywriting work still exists for those who want to go into it. Advertising companies, marketing departments of large companies, magazines, and newspapers still hire people to do copywriting for them. Conventional copywriting work includes composing text for advertisements, putting together the words that go into promotional materials, and writing words for jingles.
Some advertising companies that use television also hire copywriters to make the dialogue for ads. Public relations firms often have copywriters to create press releases and letters for their clients. Although the competition is stiff, jobs are still available in this field.
Writing for the Web
Writing for the web has become the new destination of many copywriters today. To put it bluntly, this copywriting is the wave of the future. It is something that all copywriters need to learn simply because many businesses now do a large portion of their advertising and marketing over the Internet.
Business to Business (B2B) Writing
Many businesses all over the world make their money by selling goods and offering services to other companies. Because these businesses need copywriters to help them market whatever they are selling, they create a massive market for the services of copywriters.
B2B copywriting usually involves creating advertisements, blogs, e-mails, direct marketing pieces, letters, newsletters, and sales guides for companies. It also covers writing annual reports, instructional manuals, marketing research reports, product and service reviews, proposals, and tweets.
As a B2B copywriter, a company will sometimes ask you to write sales pages, articles for newsletters, and landing pages. The work can be varied and exciting. Though you will need to hope your skills to respond to such a wide variety of compositions, you will earn quite a decent living through B2B writing.
Autoresponder Copywriting
Autoresponder copywriting entails writing what is referred to as autoresponder series (ARs). This means pre-writing a series of emails to people who have joined a mailing list.
Typically, the first email sent out in ARs is the welcome email that we have all received at one time or another. Possibly a week after the first e-mail, the member gets a second one giving him links to try and pointers on how to maximize the use of the site.
This series of letters (possible over a dozen in twelve months) will inform the member about the services or products being sold. This series of e-mails will keep the website owner in touch with visitors and people on the mailing list. All website owners need automatic responders, and as a copywriter, jobs from these prospective clients could fall neatly into your lap. You only need to use the magic of your pen (or computer) to offer your services.
Copywriting Opportunities through Your Own Website
If you are set on finding and creating your own opportunities in copywriting, then one of the things you can do is create a website. With your own space, you can write maybe an article a week and post it. If you learn how to navigate this, you will find yourself earning money with your copywriting skills while having relative control of your time and career.
If you have no idea how to do this now, don’t fret. Just go ahead and learn! Once you start learning the ropes, you will be amazed at what fun it is to ride the crest of copywriting for the web.
Indeed, copywriting can be a lucrative career. If you want to cement your reputation as a copywriter, buy a degree from a reputable source. Such is a great way to increase your value as a freelance copywriter and benefit much from copywriting.