In today’s day and age, switching from a corporate job to a freelance job has never been easier.
Being a freelance copywriter and a digital nomad has CLEAR advantages over a traditional 9-5 job. To name just a few…
Flexibility: You have the freedom to work from anywhere with an internet connection, allowing you to explore new destinations and cultures. This flexibility extends to your work schedule, as you can set your own hours and workload, catering to your preferences and productivity levels.
Diverse clientele and projects: Freelance copywriting exposes you to a wide range of clients and industries, which helps you develop versatile writing skills and broadens your knowledge base. This diversity also keeps your work fresh and engaging as you constantly adapt to different styles, tones, and subjects.
Great pay: Freelance copywriting can offer a potentially lucrative income, especially as you build your reputation and client base. As a digital nomad, you can also benefit from lower living costs in certain destinations, enabling you to save money or maintain a higher quality of life than you might have in more expensive locations.
However, there are a few things you need to know beforehand, whether you’re considering becoming a freelance copywriter or starting your own copywriting agency.
First of all, we are talking from personal experience. Copyriders is now a big team with clients all over the world in different industries, but we also had a rough start. No clients. No portfolio. No reviews. No website. Nothing.
We built ourselves from the ground up.
The hardest part is DECIDING that you want to get started with copywriting.
Once you’ve made the decision, it’s just a matter of executing and non-stop hard work.
So what are the steps to getting started?
1) Create a swipe file on Google Drive and start writing articles, blog posts, ad copy, or any written content of anything that you’re interested in. Just focus on the stuff you like. For example, soccer, fishing, outdoor sports, nature, beauty, healthcare, robotics, you name it!
You should research copywriting. At the end of the day, 90% of copywriting is research. Find written posts and advertisements online and save them into your swipe file as well.
2) Join a copywriting network or social media group. There are thousands out there.
3) Find your first client for free or a low fee (you decide what small means for you). You should reach out to people on social media who are in the niche that you’re interested in. Just send out 30-50 direct messages per day (or more) until you get someone interested. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART.
4) Once you start working with a client, ask for a testimonial!
5) Repeat the process until you figure out the rest on your own (creating a portfolio, building your website, finding other freelancers to start an agency, leveraging technology and tools to improve your workflow, etc).
That’s it! No magic formula. Just do research, write EVERY day, and reach out to people NON-STOP until you land your first client. The rest will follow.
Now back to work!
