Introduction
Copying is an art form. We get that.
But what if you want to make the switch to copywriting? How do you go about it?
Who do you talk to? Where do you start?
We reached out to some of our favorite copywriters and asked them to share their best advice for anyone looking to make the switch.
So, if you’re thinking about switching to copywriting, read for some helpful advice from those who have been there before.
Whether you’re just starting or you’ve been copywriting for years, these tips will help you hone your skills and make the most of your career.
What Is Copywriting?
You might be wondering, “what even is copywriting?”
Copywriting is the practice of writing persuasive, compelling, and interesting copy to drive conversions, whether that be through sales, leads, or web traffic.
In other words, copywriters write the words on websites, landing pages, ads, emails, and other marketing collateral.
And yes, that includes those pesky pop-ups that ask you to sign up for a newsletter (hey, we didn’t say all marketing collateral was interesting).
Copywriting is a mix of art and science. It’s part creativity and part psychology.
The best copywriters know how to capture their audience’s attention and craft a message that speaks to their needs.
Why You Might Want to Transition into Copywriting
You might be thinking about transitioning into copywriting for a few different reasons. Perhaps you’ve been laid off, or you’re thinking about making a career change.
You may need to be more fulfilled in your current role or seek a creative outlet.
Whatever your reasons, know that you’re not alone. Plenty of people have made the switch to copywriting and found success.
Some of the best copywriters out there are people who have transitioned from other fields.
If you’re considering switching to copywriting, know it’s possible to do so successfully. Here are a few pieces of advice from those who have done it:
How to Make the Switch to Copywriting?
You’ve been thinking about it for a while and are finally ready to switch to copywriting. But how do I successfully transition into copywriting?
Here are a few pieces of advice from those who have made the switch:
– Consider taking a course or two: Many online and offline courses can teach you the basics of copywriting. This can be a great way to get started and figure out if copywriting is the right career for you.
– Get some experience: Once you have the basics down, it’s time to get some experience. Offer pro bono work for a friend or family member’s business. Or, start a blog and write about topics you’re passionate about.
–Network, network, network: Get connected with other copywriters and professionals in the industry. Attend conferences and meetups, or join online communities. This will not only help you learn more about copywriting, but it can also help you land your first job.
Common Mistakes People Make When Transitioning into Copywriting
If you’re new to copywriting, it can be easy to feel lost in a sea of information. The internet is full of blogs and articles that promise to teach you how to make this or that kind of money as a copywriter, but they sometimes tell you what not to do.
Here are some common mistakes that people make when transitioning into the world of writing sales letters:
1. Expecting to make a lot of money right out of the gate
You need to build your business, learn the ropes and learn how to promote yourself.
You also need to learn how to sell, write copy and be a professional in your industry.
2. Not knowing your niche (or being too general)
The second mistake people make when transitioning into copywriting is not knowing their niche.
A niche is a type of market that you serve, and it’s important to know which niches you’re working in because they will help narrow down the amount of information you need to write about. If your niche is too broad, then there are many different types of companies or individuals who could be interested in what you have to say—and if all those people were interested in what they heard, they might expect similar things from other writers as well: maybe not exactly so much as this writer did but close enough that it wouldn’t matter too much if someone else tried selling them something similar!! In addition, it generally means that there may be some parts (or even whole sections) where nothing applies because there needs to be more specificity about these topics being discussed today.
3. You need to learn how to promote yourself.
One of the most important pieces of advice I can give you as a copywriter is to know how to promote yourself. Word-of-mouth marketing is powerful in today’s world. Still, it takes time for people who know about you or have heard about what kind of writer you are to Google for good content ideas on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn (to name just a few). You will need more than just your website if you want people to find and read your work.
You should also consider paid advertising—but only if there’s no other way around it! If there are no other options available on those three platforms mentioned above, then by all means, use them; however, if there are different ways, then do not hesitate – because competition will set in eventually anyway, with less traffic coming through these pages every day due to fewer advertisement dollars being spent by businesses online vs. offline
4. Not knowing how to close a sale
Closing a sale is an important part of copywriting, and you should know how to do it. In fact, if your client isn’t closing the deal with you, there’s a good chance they won’t be happy with their purchase either.
When closing a sale or making an offer, the most important thing is to speak honestly about what your company can offer them. You want to make sure that no one leaves without feeling like they got exactly what they were looking for—and this means being able to answer any questions or objections that come up along their way (so long as those things aren’t too basic).
5. Expecting the writing to be easy
This is a common mistake people need to correct when transitioning into copywriting. The reality is that writing is hard work, and it takes time to become good at it. The key here is to be committed to your craft—if you’re not enjoying what you’re doing, then there’s no point in continuing with it!
If you need help getting started on learning how to write well (or even just better), there are many resources out there that can help guide your way through this process:
· Tips to Instantly Improve Your Writing Skills
6. Not learning copywriting rules
It would help if you learned copywriting rules to make your writing more effective because they will help you improve the tone of your content and make it more readable.
Here are some of the most important rules to learn:
· Use transition words like “but” and “however.” These words can be used effectively in many situations, but only if placed correctly. For example, here’s an example of how not-so-greatly titled content might sound:
“However, when it comes down to it, there are many ways to bring out true beauty within us all.” Here’s another version with better transitions:
“However, when it comes down to it, there are many ways that bring out true beauty within us all.”
7. Forgetting that you’re selling a product or service, not writing an article
When you’re writing copy for a product or service, remember that you are not just writing an article. You are selling something and need to focus on the benefits of your product or service and clarify why your product or service is better than others.
8. Focusing on the wrong things in your sales letter
If you want to sell a product or service, make sure that your sales letter focuses on what your prospects can do with the solution rather than how great it is to work with you. For example: “When you purchase my course on copywriting, I will help grow your business by teaching you how to write better copy faster than ever!” It would help if you were selling the product, not yourself.
Instead of focusing on features and benefits (which are great), focus on solutions (which matter). When someone reads through this kind of sales letter, they will immediately understand what they need from it: A simple solution for writing better copy faster than ever before!
9. Writing what you think people want to hear rather than writing from your heart
Writing what you think people want to hear is the way to go, but it’s the worst possible thing for your copy. Writing from your heart means being honest with yourself and your customers. If you can’t write from the heart, don’t even try—you won’t be able to deliver on any promises or expectations that go into a piece of content.
Writing what people want to hear isn’t just lazy; it’s also disrespectful and unhelpful because it puts them in an impossible position to have their needs met by someone who still needs to learn them well enough (or at all). Your job is not about pleasing others; it’s about helping them achieve their goals through whatever means works best for them individually!
10. This is a new career; take time to learn it before getting into it.
It’s a new career, so take time to learn it before getting into it.
It’s going to take a lot of work. You may not have any experience in writing or marketing, so you’ll need to learn the basics and then learn how to apply those basics effectively. Don’t expect to make a lot of money right out of the gate; there are no shortcuts (unless you’re willing to do your research). And don’t expect yourself or anyone else in your company who works with copywriting (or whatever type of content marketing) will be able to do everything by themselves. Every business has different needs and goals, so even if someone else knows how something should look on paper, they will only know what needs changing when implementing it into practice.
11. One of the biggest mistakes you can make when transitioning into copywriting is trying to do it yourself.
I get it, you want to save money, and you’re used to doing things on your own. But copywriting is a complex skill that takes years to master.
You will likely make many mistakes if you do it all yourself. And those mistakes will cost you money in lost clients and opportunities.
Instead of trying to do it yourself, focus on building a strong foundation. Hire a copywriting coach or take a copywriting course. Then, once you have a solid foundation, start reaching out to potential clients and building your portfolio.
Tips for Success from an Experienced Copywriter
Here are some tips to help you make a successful transition:
1. Know your audience.
When working with a copywriter, knowing who your audience is and what they want is important. You should also consider their past experiences and feelings about marketing campaigns.
Get clear on your target audience.
Who are you writing for?
What do they want to know?
While this might sound obvious, many people need to take the time to ask themselves these questions before sending out their next email or posting on social media.
It’s easy for us as consumers (and writers) to get caught up in our worlds—but we need people like copywriters who can help us see things from different perspectives to develop best practices for communicating with our target audience effectively!
2. Make every word count.
It’s important to remember that every word you use should be relevant, and not just because it sounds good. It’s also important to ensure that your readers can do less work to understand what you’re saying.
To help with this, try using words that are familiar to your audience—like “you,” “I,” and “we.” If it’s something they’ll relate to emotionally, they’ll feel more connected with what you’re writing about.
Avoid jargon and acronyms as much as possible; instead, stick with short sentences (no more than ten words), paragraphs or sections instead of long ones (no more than 3-4 paragraphs), lists for ideas instead of long paragraphs full of unrelated information, and so on!
Also, avoid filler words like “just” or “um” when describing things; these can sound forced or awkward depending on their placement within sentences/paragraphs/sections, etc.
3. Respect the reader’s time.
The reader is looking for information rather than a sales pitch. They’re not interested in hearing your personal opinion on something they may or may not be interested in. You need to respect their time and make sure what you write conveys value and provides something useful for them to take away from it.
If you do this well, the readers will not only read what you have written but also think about and discuss it with other people!
4. Relate to readers’ needs first and foremost.
Know your audience and understand the problem you are solving for them.
Focus on their needs and build a solution tailored to their specific needs, not yours!
Be clear about what you offer (and why). Make sure readers understand what value they will receive from working with you. Without clarity around this topic, it could become an unpleasant experience for both parties involved – which isn’t good for anyone!
Be direct and honest about what it takes to succeed at your chosen profession – this includes being transparent about past mistakes so others can learn from them too (and avoid making similar ones).
5. Use plain language.
The first tip is to use plain language. Plain language means using words familiar to your audience and precise in their meaning. Avoid jargon, buzzwords, acronyms, complicated sentences, and long sentences when writing copy for your website or blog post.
When you’re writing content for websites like this one (or any other), the best thing you can do is try not to write anything at all! Instead of trying to come up with something clever that no one will understand because it’s too difficult—say what needs saying clearly instead!
6. Be clear and specific about what you’re offering.
If you’re offering a service, the offer is what you’re selling. If it’s an eBook or course and you’re trying to sell it as a solution for someone else’s problem, then that’s not an offer—it’s just information.
If your main goal is to generate leads and make money from them (and not just build relationships), make sure that every piece of content on your site focuses on how the reader can benefit from doing exactly what they’re reading about: taking their next step forward in their business or personal life. That way, there will always be something for them after reading about it!
7. Be direct, honest, and humble.
· Be direct and honest about what you are offering
· Don’t be afraid to ask for help or admit that you don’t know the answer
· Don’t be scared to say sorry when you make a mistake
8. Edit ruthlessly.
It would be best if you always edit your work.
Whether you’re writing a resume, blog post, or anything else, it’s important to make sure that every word has a purpose and is doing its best to convey the message you want. This can be as simple as editing out words that don’t make sense or adding new ones that add clarity and meaning. It doesn’t matter what kind of writer you are—if there’s something wrong with what you’ve written (whether grammatically incorrect or lacking clarity), fix it! Don’t be afraid of editing; doing so will help improve the quality of your writing in the long run.
Suppose an editor finds something wrong with an article after reading only halfway through. In that case, other readers may also encounter problems reading just one more page than necessary! Find those mistakes early on, so they stay manageable over time.
9. Do your research.
Read books, blogs, and articles about copywriting. And then practice, practice, practice.
10. Find a mentor.
Reach out to someone already doing what you want to do and ask for advice.
11. Join a copywriting community.
There are many great online communities where you can learn from others and get feedback on your work.
12. Get yourself some clients.
The best way to learn is by doing, so start working with small businesses or organizations to get some experience.
Resources for Further Learning
If you’re interested in learning more about copywriting and increasing your skillset, plenty of resources are available to help you. Here are a few of our favorites:
– Copyblogger has been around for years and contains helpful articles on copywriting, SEO, and content marketing.
– The Copyhackers blog is another great resource for actionable tips on copywriting, conversion optimization, and more.
We recommend checking out if you’re looking for a more comprehensive guide to copywriting.
Conclusion
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to how to switch to copywriting. The best way to do it is to start small by writing for friends or family or taking on pro bono work.
Once you have a few writing samples, you can begin pitching to paying clients.
Before making the switch, it’s important to research and understands what copywriting entails.
You should also have a solid understanding of marketing basics and know how to write persuasively. If you need help figuring out where to start, there are plenty of resources, including books, online courses, and blog posts (like this one!).
Making the switch to copywriting can be a great move for your career, “but it’s not something you should take lightly. Do your research, start small, and build your skills and experience over time.
Good luck!