One of the most important things you will need to do if you are serious about becoming a freelance copywriter is to build a portfolio of your work. A good copywriting portfolio will consist of not only your articles and blog posts, but also the pitches you send to potential clients. It should also include samples of your work including cover letters, proposal emails, and marketing collaterals such as web banners and social media posts. In this article, we will discuss the best way to create a professional copywriting portfolio from scratch, using only a laptop and a printer.
The Basics
The first step to creating a portfolio is to collect all of your published and unpublished works. If you are searching for a complete guide on creating a business portfolio, check out the How to Make a Business Portfolio tutorial. The next step is to organize this material into a digital archive. You can use a tool such as Scriven to organize your paper works and deliver them to the world in electronic form. One of the best things about this step is that you can create individual files with a click of a button so that you can keep track of your various writings easily. You should also consider investing in a good quality scanner so that you can scan in all of your materials easily and professionally.
The Extras
Once you have collected and organized all of your paper works, it’s time to start adding some extra value to your portfolio. The first step is to create a cover letter to go with each piece of writing you include in your portfolio. A cover letter is essentially a short letter that accompanies your work. When a potential client or employer reads your portfolio, they should immediately recognize your name and the company you are associated with. A good cover letter will add a professional touch to your work and help your portfolio stand out. Remember: your goal is to create a professional image for yourself so that you can get more jobs as a copywriter.
Clients
Another important element to your copywriting portfolio is to include samples of your work. This includes both published and unpublished work, but you should only include samples that have already been published. Publishing your work is an important step towards establishing your freelancing career, but showing your complete portfolio to potential clients is the best way to secure more work. A lot of copywriters make the mistake of only showing a part of their work to potential clients and employers. Always show your complete portfolio, as this will be the key to getting more work. Your portfolio should also include case studies, articles, or blogs that you have written for specific publications. Publishing for the sake of publication is almost always a bad idea, as no one wants to work with a writer who is only trying to gain experience by publishing as many articles as possible. Your clients will lose respect for you if you only show them part of your work. Always present your clients with the best possible product, and ensure that you always provide exceptional service.
Editing-Revising
Once you have collected all of the material you need for your portfolio, the next step is to go through it and edit it. The best strategy for editing your materials is to sit down with a good editor and subject matter expert, and have them go through your work. They will be able to give you tips on how to make your paper writing stand out even more, and help you find the perfect words to express your ideas. Good editors can also help you polish your work and turn it into a piece of prose that is worthy of publication.
Proofreading
The last step in creating your copywriting portfolio is to go through it one more time, and proofread it. This is especially important if you are including any spelling errors or grammatical mistakes in your writing. A good editor will help you polish your work and bring it up to the standards of a professional copywriter. They will also be able to help you find any additional typos and mistakes you have made throughout the production process. Outsourcing is both costly and time-consuming, so it’s essential that you invest in high-quality software and hiring staff to help you out.
Creating a quality copywriting portfolio can take some time, but it’s worth it in the end. Once you have created a good copywriting portfolio that is representative of your work, it will be much easier for you to get interviews and secure new freelance writing assignments. Good luck out there.