You’re a writer. For many of us, it’s a calling. For others, it’s a hobby that we love to spend our time doing. Either way, it’s something that you know how to do and can do well. With the right mindset and some careful planning, you might be able to turn your hobby into a profitable career. Here’s how you can do it.
The Basics of Making Money
You might be surprised how little actual money you’ll need to get started. Sure, you’ll need to invest in some high-quality equipment and software to be able to do professional-level copywriting, but you don’t need to break the bank. You might even be able to get by on freelance writing for a few months until you save up enough to invest in a better computer and equipment.
Once you’ve got your equipment and software, it’s time to focus on the actual business of making money. Like many other types of business, you’ll need to do some research and figure out how to generate leads. For copywriters, that means finding people who are interested in what you have to offer and will be willing to give you their contact information so that you can sell them your services.
Selling products and services is one of the most profitable methods of making money, but it can be quite the Herculean task. For starters, you’ll need to get familiar with the various sales platforms available so that you can choose the one that’s best suited to your needs. If you’re just getting started, it might be a good idea to join a company that specializes in lead generation. They will teach you how to build a list of customers and how to effectively use social media to attract potential clients.
The Economics of Being a Professional
The cost of living in a city is high and more and more people are deciding to live a smaller life. Those who can afford it are choosing to do so, and that means the demand for professional services is on the decline. The trick to making money as a copywriter is knowing when to stop charging so much money for your services. It’s all about having the right mindset and being smart about your pricing. Instead of trying to charge what you think everyone will pay, you should be looking for ways to offer your services at a price point that will make you profit. For instance, instead of charging $500 for a 15-page informational piece, you might want to consider doing contract work for smaller businesses for a couple of hundred dollars or charging $350 for a three-page brochure. There are countless ways to make money as a copywriter, but you have to find out what works best for you.
Making Money Quick
If you’re looking to make money quickly, you might want to consider looking into copywriting for cash. A lot of businesses will pay you to write promotional material such as articles, press releases, or blog posts. They’ll even offer you some amount of cash to write for them. The catch is that you have to promise to write a certain amount of articles or press releases each month. If you don’t want to write for cash, you can always look for an established freelancer in your area who already has clients and can give you some work. Just make sure that you do some research before you decide to work for someone else. For some people, this might be a less expensive option than establishing their own freelance writing business.
Starting Your Own Freelancing Business
If you’re someone who loves to write and gets a thrill out of seeing your words in print, you might want to consider starting your own freelance writing business. An increasing number of companies are turning to contractors to write product descriptions, testimonials, FAQs, and other types of informational material for them. If you’re looking to get into the habit of writing, why not try your hand at freelancing? You can take on a lot of work and be able to control your own hours. Plus, you get to decide how much you want to charge. If you want to be a professional, you’ll need to put in the time and effort to establish yourself as such. Make sure that you build up a portfolio of your work before you start accepting projects. This will help you present yourself to potential clients in the most favorable light. Once you’ve got a decent amount of work under your belt, it’s time for you to look for ways to further establish yourself. You can join an affiliate network, start a blog, and develop a social media presence. These are all tools that you can use to build credibility as a freelance writer. When you’re ready to take the next step, be sure to pick up a copy of our bestselling book, The Professional’s Guide to Business Planning, where we go into much more detail on this subject.