Learning to be a successful copywriter like Ewen Chia for example, is like anything else; it takes time and a lot of practice. You’ll need to be committed enough to this goal to put in the time needed to become skilled in this field, but your time and effort will pay off in the long run. Once you’ve mastered effective copywriting, you can make a very respectable income doing something you enjoy.
You’ll want to begin by making absolutely sure that your grasp of grammar and usage is solid; no one will hire a copywriter whose work is riddled with grammatical errors. You should also educate yourself on writing styles; some of the best guides to begin with are the Chicago Manual of Style, the AP Style Guide and Strunk & White. It would also be of great benefit to check out the Copywriting Wealth System
You’ll also need to be up to date on the latest trends in the advertising world. Keep an eye out for what kind of advertising copy does and does not work. When you hear people talking about ads, take notice. You might hear young people chuckling about a soft drink or clothing commercial – or there may be a certain commercial which irritates your spouse so much that he or she changes the channel every time they see it.
There are different kinds of sales copywriting of course; and you may do best by starting out focusing on one particular format. For instance, you may be more interested in writing copy for radio or TV advertising, print advertising or sales copy for the web. Just look and listen to the media and decide what most strongly appeals to you.
Getting hired as a copywriter at an advertising firm can be tough. Having a degree in a related field like English, marketing or journalism can help make you a more attractive candidate, but there are many sales copywriters with thriving careers who have associate degrees or even no college education whatsoever.
What is mandatory is previous work experience. How do you go about getting experience at something you’ve never done? The answer is simple: become an intern. Internships get you inside a real advertising agency and will help motivate you. Being an intern also gives you the chance to work on the most important thing you need to become a known sales copywriter: your portfolio or “book”.
As an intern, you generally won’t be paid (or at least not paid much), but at this point in your career, the experience and opportunity to add to your portfolio are more valuable to you than a salary. Your portfolio is what agencies and prospective clients will be the most interested in – and interns who demonstrate ability and put together a good portfolio during their internship have a very good chance of being hired for a permanent position at the firm if one opens up.
An exceptional portfolio will spark the interest of any experienced sales agency. So, once you have it ready, start knocking on some doors. If you plan to work as a sales copywriter, you have to be a great salesperson. And the first service you have to know how to sell is your own
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