Tuesday, June 28, 2011

I've been offered a job writing 200-word content articles for $10 a pop. Should I take it? "Unsure"

Dear Unsure:
Let's do the math. A good freelance copywriter can bill at $100/hr. or $800/day
For you to earn $800, you'll need to write 80 stories. 
So, what are you going to be--a good freelance copywriter or a content writer on food stamps? 
(It's a rhetorical question.)

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

What can I do to strengthen my brand as a freelance copywriter? --"No Identity Yet"

Dear No Identity:
If you could add value to your personal brand for less than $50/year, would you do it? 
Here's how: Use a branded domain name for your email address. 
Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, etc---sure they're free, but they do nothing to set you apart from the mushrooming legions of freelance copywriters. Plus, they're a dead giveaway that you're a newbie. And they do nothing to support your brand. 
The good news is for less than $15, you can register a unique domain name. And for about $2.00/month, you can use it for your email address. For the details, just search on "domain name for email."  

Monday, June 6, 2011

I’ve put up a website to showcase my freelance copywriting services, now what? — “Passively Promoting in Pittsburgh”

Dear PPP,

No, this isn’t another SEO article. This one is about active self-promotion.  

For freelance copywriters, self-promotion boils down to one thing: helping you stand out from the thousands of other freelance copywriters, website writers, content writers, online writers, technical writers and PR writers out there. So, after you've put up a website, listed yourself on some directories, and maybe started a blog—what’s next?

How about a nice old-fashioned postcard?

Zig While Others Zag
Old is now new again. Forget email blasts; you need an opted-in list to send them. Consider a snail-mail postcard. Here’s why:
  1. Creatives—from copywriters to designers—hardly use postcards anymore, so yours has a chance to be noticed.
  2. A mailing address list is much easier to scrape and compile than an email list. If you don’t know names, you can address by title, e.g., “Marketing Communications Manager,” “Creative Director.”
  3. Postcards are fairly inexpensive. For example, you can print 100 4-color, oversized postcards at Vistaprint for under 25 bucks. But you don’t have to use them. Just search on "postcards" and take your pick of vendors.
  4. Show how creative you are. Make the card clever and engaging. In other words, make an impression. If they like your postcard, they'll probably like you. If you can afford it, print a folding postcard and use a reveal—put an intriguing headline on the cover, and pay it off inside.
  5. Show off your work. Create a portfolio postcard and include thumbnails of your best stuff.
  6. Specialize. For instance, if you’ve done automotive copywriting, create a postcard targeted to car dealerships.
  7. Postcards are easy to design (even a copywriter can do it). The postcard printer you use will have a free template you can download. You can also design your postcard in WORD or MS PUBLISHER. 
Sending out postcards can pay off indirectly as well. In my experience, promotional activity creates energy in the marketplace. Don’t be surprised if you get a call from a new client who wasn't on your mailing list. It happens.


Visit my website: www.rothcopy.com    Email: robert@rothcopy.com