Start & Run a Copywriting Business. Steve Slaunwhite

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СКАЧАТЬ business may be exactly what you’re looking for.

      Cons

      Still interested in your own copywriting business? Great. But bear in mind the following down sides to the business before you make your decision.

      Working from home

      This isn’t a mistake. I intentionally put “working from home” on both lists. Yes, working from home has its advantages — and for me the pros far outweigh the cons — but there are some drawbacks.

      Most commonly considered a con is the solitude. If you like working with people — perhaps in a busy office environment filled with meetings, power lunches, and water-cooler chats with colleagues — then you’ll find working from home to be quiet. Very quiet. You might meet with clients once or twice a month, but most of the time you’ll be working alone. I like it, but it’s not for everyone.

      Lack of professional recognition

      Successful self-employed copywriters are respected among their clients, colleagues, and the advertising and direct marketing industry. But attend a house party and tell someone what you do, and you might be greeted with, “What’s that?” I’ve given up trying to describe my work to my parents. And when I told my sister how much I charge for a one-page sales letter, she almost fell to the floor.

      Writing of any type is considered by many people to be a soft skill. You’ll encounter professionals in other disciplines who do not understand the strategy and insights of copywriting. You might earn the same income as them (maybe more), but being a self-employed copywriter does not have the same status in mainstream society as an architect, lawyer, accountant, consultant, or plumber.

      Uneven work flow

      I know several professional speakers and admire their ability to book their seminars and speaking engagements months in advance. And when their schedule is full, it’s full. The same cannot be said for copywriters. I have yet to receive an order in May that is due in September. Usually an order received in May is due in May (or sooner, if some clients could have their way).

      Orders from clients tend to come in waves. Sometimes big waves. One week you’re overloaded with all the business you can handle. The next, you’re begging for the phone to ring.

      The feast and famine roller coaster, especially during the first few years, can be stressful. To stay sane, you have to remember that clients do need your ongoing services — it may just be infrequent.

      Deadline stress

      Remember that English essay you had to write in the tenth grade? Remember how you felt as the due date approached? If you normally take a disciplined approach to completing tasks, then you’ll handle deadline stress better than most. But if you’re like the rest of us, tight deadlines can seem daunting.

      Of course, you can always turn work down when you’re busy, but that may be dangerous. What are you going to say when your best client calls and begs you to take on an extra project? If you say no, another copywriter is sure to get his or her foot in the door. And, when another project comes up, your “best client” may call that copywriter instead of you.

      Most copywriters rank deadlines near the top of their list of stressors. I fight it in a number of ways: I plan my work the best I can, take a disciplined approach to completing tasks, and turn down work from potential new clients when I’m busy. (I rarely turn down work from a current client, and strongly suggest you don’t.) I also reward myself after a particularly busy period with a few days off.

      No published writing credit

      This may affect your ego more if you’re used to seeing your byline in articles and other pieces you have previously written for publication. As a copywriter, only you and your clien will know who wrote the materials you worked so hard to scribe. Your name will not be anywhere on it.

      Copywriting is writing-for-hire in the strictest sense. Once your fee is paid, you have no further rights to the work. Your clients are free to rewrite, edit, republish, or reuse your words any way they wish. There are many websites that contain copy I had originally written for a brochure. The text was simply lifted from the brochure and pasted on the website. Do I mind? Not at all. But you might.

      Your wrists, butt, waistline, and back

      Copywriting exercises your mind, but not your body. By its nature, writing involves sitting and typing. Sure, you’ll develop dextrous fingers, but your behind may spread in unwanted directions. And the fridge is temptingly close when you’re working from home.

      If you are going to be spending hours each day in front of a computer, you need to develop an exercise program. I like to take a short break every hour or so to get up, stretch, and walk around. I also exercise at a local gym (although less frequently than I care to admit). See Chapter 3 for suggestions on avoiding eye, back, and wrist strain.

      No regular paycheck

      It’s obvious, but worth remembering. Once you become self-employed, your days of receiving a regular paycheck are over. No more Christmas bonuses. No more paid vacations. You may very well go weeks without any money coming in, and then open your mail and find three client checks worth thousands of dollars.

      Your paychecks may not be regular, but as a self-employed professional, you’ll have more control over how much — and how little — you earn than you ever had while employed. I can tell you from experience that earning a self-employed income is very empowering. I once rewarded myself with a new Nikon camera system after a particularly exhausting few weeks of working on client projects. I knew the effort that went into every cent I paid for that camera system. That was my Christmas bonus.

      Financial stress in the first few years

      When I asked copywriter Alan Sharpe what he liked least about the copywriting business he replied, “Number one, not being paid on time.” In my experience, clients will usually pay your invoice 45 to 90 days after you send it. That’s two to four months after you begin a project. So if you have a slow month in June, you’re going to feel a cash flow crunch in September.

      Before I started in this business, I was able to squirrel away an amount equal to six months of personal and business expenses as a cash reserve. But you may not be able to do the same thing. While you begin to establish yourself, your marketing expenses will be high, and client orders will tend to come in fits and starts. You may experience long lulls between projects. This is normal, but can be frightening and stressful.

      A Day in the Life

      You’ve probably heard of the Shadow Dad for a Day or Visit Mom at Work programs at school. Well, here’s your chance to spend a day with me. Be my shadow, and see for yourself what a typical day may hold for you in the future.

       7:00 a.m.

      My usual starting time. After having breakfast with my family, I walk upstairs to my home office. As I turn on my computer I can still hear the sometimes distracting sounds of my wife and daughter getting ready for work СКАЧАТЬ