Dimly lit room full of smoke.
A dark figure hunching over a typewriter, smoking furiously and tossing sheets of crumpled paper around the place.
Hushed voices outside the door – they know better than to interrupt while he’s working.
After days, he emerges with a single piece of paper – the Holy Grail.
Is that how you imagine Copywriting?
If it is, you might need to cut down on ‘Mad Men’.
Copywriters are not mad geniuses or magicians – they are regular people, living regular lives but making truckloads of money in the process.
And you can definitely be one of them.
Here’s your proof:
Danny Margulies had no official copywriting training when he started doing it a few years ago. He knew nothing about feature/benefit analysis and sales hooks but he worked at honing his craft while on the job. Today, he’s one of the most sought after copywriters on UpWork and charges $300 per hour!
John Carlton did a lot of things in his youth – he was a surfer, a sales person, a painter. He was also a self-professed bum. That didn’t stop him from becoming one of the most ripped off copywriters in the long history of this profession. He started small and made it big. Today, he brags about earning $10K per month for an hour’s worth of work – and you know what: I believe him!
Why Is Copywriting A Great Way to Make Money Online
First of all, copywriting doesn’t cost you a dime. Nothing. If you’re good – actually, if you get good – at it, clients will be lining up to work with you. The only thing you need to focus on is making sure that your copy is bringing in the dough.
You can work from anywhere – most copywriters have a home office where they type things up but they work wherever they want. You see, copywriting is mostly about thinking – thinking how to present your client’s product or a service in the best possible light while keeping in mind fundamentals of the trade.
How do You Make Money with Copywriting?
There are several ways you can make money after you sharpen your copywriting pencils and they aren’t limited only to written copy or working with clients.
Writing sales copy for different markets
Writing technical copy for companies
Writing advertising copies
Coaching other writers
Writing copy for your own products and services
Who Can be a Copywriter To be a good copywriter, you need to know how to sell things and you need to understand what makes people tick.
People interested in psychology and sales make the best copywriters, as well as those who are able to pick those two things up quickly. Good copywriting comes down to being able to connect the dots and translate features into benefits that are irresistible to the readers.
How to Get Started with Copywriting
You start copywriting like you start anything else: by dipping your toe first.
STEP 1 – Learn copywriting. Copywriting is part science and part art. There is no one course that can teach you absolutely everything. Different courses will open your eyes to the plethora of possibilites and ways to sell things.
STEP 2 – Develop your own style. It’s ok to borrow certain elements and mimic a certain style, but you will eventually need to find your own voice, something that sets you apart from others in your field.
STEP – Find copywriting gigs. Look on online marketplaces such as UpWork, Freelancer, Toptal, and others, and build up your portfolio.
STEP – Learn and challenge yourself constantly. Take on difficult jobs and work to impress your clients – sometimes there’s no better way to learn to swim than jumping in at the deep end.
Recommended Copywriting Resources
Copywriting Courses Dan Kennedy GKIC | John Carlton’s Simple Writing System | Gary Halbert Course
Where to Find Work UpWork | Freelancer | Toptal | LinkedIn
It takes a bit of effort and dedication to become a good copywriter but it’s not beyond your reach. Salesmanship and psychology – that’s all there is to it.
If John Carlton can go from being a bum to earning thousands of dollars every month just by writing a few lines, what’s stopping you? Absolutely nothing!