4 Simple Tips to Freelance Copywriting Success

It doesn’t have to take years.

Copywriting isn’t very glamorous, is it? Especially when you’re comparing it to fiction or poetry. I remember an aunt once asked me what I did for a living and I told her how I helped new businesses make their first few sales and inspire brand royalty through copywriting.

Of course, most of that just sounded like gibberish to her so, she asked to read something I had written. At the time, I was working on web copy for a French fashion brand that was launching in Australia.

They were one of my biggest clients at the time and I was really proud of the work I was doing with them.

My aunt looked at the site and went, “that’s it? People pay you for that?”

Umm, rude. But to those who don’t know any better — that’s exactly what copy looks like. In fact, her reaction was a compliment.

As a copywriter, our jobs entail making things simple. Having people glance at the words we’ve written and be prompted into action. That is the power of copywriting.

Usually, the simpler the finished product looks — the better the copy. Those carefully chosen words, after weeks and sometimes months of research, lead to thousands of dollars in return for clients.

The right words at the right time, have power.

I’ve met many business owners who have made the mistake of thinking like my aunt. They think it’s simple. They could do it themselves. Why hire a copywriter?

These same business owners have emailed me after one too many failed digital ad campaigns. Wondering what went wrong. It’s just not your area of expertise. Just like I can’t do your job — you can’t do mine regardless of how simple it looks.

If you get good enough at copywriting, eventually clients look for you. Because you have a proven track record of delivering results. But how does one get into the copywriting game?

More importantly — how does one play the game to win? Copywriting isn’t easy but, it’s no rocket science.

Below you’ll find a simple checklist for good copywriting.

Emotions are everything

If I’m being specific about what I do — I say that I am a direct sales copywriter for startups and emerging brands. Because it’s the simplest category to fit what I do into. I write words that are meant to get you more sales.

But in reality, I do something a little different. I blend direct sales copywriting with brand copywriting. Because I find it impossible to get people to buy something or carry out a specific action without an emotional appeal.

In the copywriting world — this is done by evoking brand loyalty. It’s when you convince people that no other brand can do for them what you can.

Most of us are governed by our emotions, not logic. No matter how much we pretend otherwise.

If people feel connected to a brand emotionally, believe the brand truly understands their struggles and wants to help them — they’re much more likely to become customers.

Plus, they’ll probably recommend the brand to friends. And as a brand, you’ll have no better advocate than your truly loyal customers.

As a copywriter, you ask yourself how would I present this idea to my friends? How would I make this accessible? Keep breaking it down, until the copy both embodies your clients’ brand and also prompts their customers into action.

And you should try and convey this in the opening sentence of any copy. Give people a reason to keep reading. Your job is to make your client sound like their ideal customers best friend who has a solution to their problem.

If you remember this one simple point — you’ve already nailed most of copywriting.

Do your research

This one sounds blatantly obvious but it has to be said. And this goes without saying too, but you won’t accomplish anything else on this list if you can’t get this part right.

I always say — clients don’t really pay copywriters for the words they write. They pay us for the research and attention to detail. They pay us because once we do that research we know the exact words to help them sell.

You need as much information as possible to write persuasive and effective copy. Yes, even those bits of information that seem irrelevant.

Clients often apologize when they send me heaps of info on their product. But I love it! Please send me everything you have and if you’re willing to let me hop on a call with you and other people at your company — even better!

I don’t usually speak to customers, mostly because I work with young companies who have just got their foot in the door. A lot of times, they don’t have their first customer yet.

But if your client has a customer you could speak to, my friend you’ve been handed the keys to the kingdom.

A copywriter spends most of their time on research to understand the target audience and drill into their pain points for clients. Most copywriters are probably experts in the weirdest of industries because of this.

I know I could write a thesis on weather-resistant paint after my last gig. And before I forget — always research competitors.

If you don’t know what competitors are doing, how can you position your client above them?

Copywriting isn’t regular writing

There’s a massive difference between “here’s why you should buy product A” and “product A saves lives”.

Good copywriting is a lot about showing and not telling. Also, good copywriting doesn’t always earn you an A grade in English language class. In fact, my literature teacher would be in tears if she read some of the copy I’ve written.

But they got my client the sales they needed. Which is the only thing that matters.

Copywriting is no time for formalities so keep it simple and effective. Get your target audience’s attention, highlight a problem they may be facing, and show them how you are the best solution.

Don’t ramble about the product’s technicalities and share academic jargon. Instead, show them how it’ll improve their life, straight to the point.

If you’re selling ketchup, say your fries will never be bland anymore. Not that your product has an amazing shelf life. Maybe it does, but no one cares. They’ll care about the shelf life later.

It’s a dumb example but you get the point.

People on the internet aren’t looking for a thesis on what they’re buying. They’re just going to buy from whoever gets their attention and keeps it.

Build credibility

This point is about how you get prospective clients to trust you. Why should they hire you as opposed to the other copywriter over there? Especially when you have nothing to show for it.

Please don’t do free work. Spend time honing your craft through made up briefs that you design yourself. Add those to your portfolio.

Client’s don’t care that you’ve never worked before as long as you can prove to them you’re the person for the job. The first gig I got was to design web copy for a dental conference.

I got the job because I come from a family of dentists who had organized and attended their fair share of conferences. I knew first hand the questions prospective attendees ask when they’re invited to a dental convention.

I used that knowledge to write the copy.

I charged $500 for the work and my clients were incredibly happy with the conversion rates. I still go look at that piece of copy from time to time, because I can think of about a dozen ways I could make it even better today.

But it was good enough for a $500 payment. And now I charge a lot more for a converting landing page.

Now, I write articles like this as proof of my understanding of the field. I’ve had clients hire me after reading a piece like this because it gives them confidence that I know what I’m talking about.

So fill up your portfolio with sample pieces. Better yet, pick a niche and fill your portfolio with samples related to that niche. Make sure you don’t hide the fact that these are sample pieces from your client.

You don’t want to start a working relationship on a lie. Be honest and if your work is worth what you’re charging — trust that you’ll be hired.

Here’s the thing — I know you’ve heard most of this advice before. When I was starting out, that’s exactly how I’d feel at the end of pieces like these.

Everyone was saying the same thing in different ways. I was so sure there had to be some industry secret that no one was sharing. Of course, no matter how clear a picture I try to paint for you, we will never share the exact same circumstances.

This means you can’t copy-paste my formula and expect results. But you can adapt the advice to benefit your circumstances. I’m a 23-year-old brown girl from a small country in Southeast Asia — where most of the population barely speaks any English.

If I found a way to make it work — so can you.