As with any field, becoming a Sales Copywriter, like ewen chia for example, requires studying and practice. It is important that you dedicate enough time to practicing and mastering the skills to become an effective Sales Copywriter. The time you invest will be well worth it once you are well-known and making a living writing excellent sales copy.
The first thing to do as you get started is to read every book on sales copywriting you can find. Start with resources on writing styles and if you’re at all shaky with grammar and English usage, brush up on these basics. You’re not going to get far as a copywriter if your work looks as if it was written by someone who doesn’t know the language. As for writing styles, the AP Style Guide and the Chicago Manual of Style are good places to start.
Keep up with the fields of advertising and marketing by watching the media carefully and reading as many resources as possible. Books like internet wealth system are a great starting place. Look at advertising with a critical eye for what sort of copy is effective as well as copy which falls flat. Pay attention when you hear people talking about advertising. When you hear teenagers talking about the latest video game or soft drink commercial, this is something to take notice of – so is the fact that your spouse turns to a different channel every time a certain commercial comes on.
Sales copywriting for different media takes different approaches. As a novice copywriter, you may want to begin by working on one particular format such as radio or television ad copy, copywriting for the web or writing for print ads. By watching out for advertising as you read, listen and watch the media, you’ll be able to make a decision about which format matches your interests most closely.
Getting hired as in the copywriting field 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 really matters is the work you’ve done. So how can you become an experienced copywriter who agencies will want to hire? You can do an internship, which will give you some real-world agency experience and let you build your portfolio.
Like in many other fields, your portfolio is your first impression. As an intern, you won’t get paid to do any sales copywriting, but you will have the chance to start building your book. Interns that make a great portfolio and showcase their creativity are first in line for a permanent position at the agency when one opens up.
Having a portfolio of excellent work will get the interest of any advertising or marketing agency as well as of prospective clients should you chose to work as a freelancer. If you want to pursue a career as a sales copywriter, you need to learn how to sell – and the first and most important thing you’ll be selling is your own talent.
