Start & Run a Copywriting Business. Steve Slaunwhite

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СКАЧАТЬ It didn’t sound like me and it created confusion. Some people thought I offered writing seminars. Others commented that the name sounded like academia, not business. So eventually, I began to market my services simply as “Steve Slaunwhite, Copywriting/ Consulting.”

      The funny thing is, once I began to market my services under my own name, my business improved. I discovered that agency executives and corporate marketing professionals were far more interested in Steve Slaunwhite the copywriter than the business name I used. In fact, when I hid behind a business name, I would sometimes get confused for a mortar-and-brick type business, not the independent professional most clients were interested in hiring. So Steve Slaunwhite, Copywriting/Consulting it was and has remained.

      If you do decide to use a business name — rather than your name — expect that name to change as your business evolves. I know very few self-employed professionals who have kept the same business name they started with. You may find within a few years that your business has gone down an unexpected road, and the business name you are using isn’t appropriate anymore. You might want to think about this before you invest in your initial supply of business cards and letterhead. (I still have reams of The Writing Project stationery, and use it for scrap paper.)

      Business Cards and Letterhead

      Business cards and letterhead are a necessity for any business. You’ll need business cards to trade with clients and prospects. Imagine how clients will react if they ask you for a business card, and you don’t have one? You’ll also need letterhead to write sales letters, invoices, and other client correspondence. Without professional-looking stationery, few people will take you seriously.

      I have seen lots of effective business cards — some jazzy and daring, others plainer and more conservative. I suggest you go with a business card design that is simple and effective. You can always invest in more complex designs, or even a logo, as your business matures.

      A simply designed business card and letterhead doesn’t mean cheap. Be sure to use a professional designer (unless you happen to be a very good designer yourself) and get your stationery printed on high-quality stock. Never yield to the temptation of buying those business card templates available in most office supply stores, and printing cards with your inkjet printer. This is not suitable for the professional image you need to convey. And no “bubblegum machine” business cards, please. In my local shopping mall there is a kiosk in the main hallway. For $10 you can punch in your name and other information, pick a template, and print out 100 business cards. No, no, no.

      Michael Huggins, a graphic design professional and president of MindWalk Design Group of Toronto, says, “Expect to pay at least $1,000 to $1,500 for a good business card and stationery design. Of course, less experienced designers will charge you less, but will have less expertise and require more direction.” And be sure to show your designer samples of business cards and stationery you like. That way, he or she will be able to create a design that best appeals to you and fits your business needs. Design, by the way, does not include printing costs. That is extra.

      Planning Your Work Space

      I once received a sales letter from a freelance copywriter offering a cassette program on — what else? — becoming a successful freelance copywriter. He described in blissful terms the wonderful life he leads sitting by his swimming pool each day, getting a tan, and writing copy for his blue-chip slate of clients.

      Sounds idyllic, but I suspect very few successful self-employed professionals work this way. (I once tried working on my patio and I got too distracted.) Most copywriters I know work standard business hours in well-equipped, comfortable home offices.

      As a copywriter, you’re going to be spending a lot of time in front of a computer, so I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to create a pleasant, productive work environment for yourself. If that happens to be by the pool, great. Just make sure it’s quiet, efficient, and comfortable.

      When setting up a home office or any work area in your home, make sure it is dedicated to your business. This is especially true if you intend to use your home office as a tax deduction. Most tax jurisdictions will not allow you to write off a home office that doubles for another purpose. Canadian Income Tax Interpretation Bulletins, for example, specifically state that a home office is not deductible if it has a bed in it (so there’s no tax advantage to the popular guest bedroom/den combination).

      There are other reasons why you should strive to make your home office as dedicated and private as possible. For example, if your office doubles as the rec room, what if you’re working late and your kids have scheduled a ping-pong game? Or a pajama party? If your desk is in your bedroom, what if your spouse is taking a nap just when you want to get some work done?

      Of course, if you already have a room in your home designated as the home office, you have an advantage. If you don’t, and no room in your home is available to be used exclusively as an office, then you’ll have to get a little creative. I know someone who converted an oversized closet into a very comfortable (but admittedly small) office. You might have a similar nook in your home that you can adapt.

      Shop around for specialty desks that cater to home office workers with space challenges. I’ve seen several that look like decorative wall units or corner hutches. With a few pulls and tugs these units morph into highly efficient office centers with plenty of desk space and space for a computer and phone. When your work is finished, you simply close them up again. Because of their design and complexity, however, the prices for these units tend to be high.

      Of course, you might consider renting office space outside your home. This can be very costly, and I wouldn’t recommend it — at least not until your copywriting business is firmly established and generating a consistent monthly income.

      If you decide to rent office space, monitor the classified section of your newspaper. Sometimes leasors of large office suites will sublet one of their private offices to a self-employed professional — often to offset their own costs. In fact, you may know a business owner with a spare office who might be willing to do just that.

      The small-business office co-op is another alternative. These are office suites that are home to several small businesses that share common expenses such as meeting rooms, phone lines, Internet servers, and sometimes even a receptionist. In tight markets, they often have waiting lists. Check out the classifieds under “Office/Commercial Space” for co-op office ads.

      You Must Have a Computer

      You won’t get far as a freelance copywriter without a computer. In fact, you won’t get anywhere. No client I know of accepts typewritten copy anymore.

      If you don’t currently own a computer, your first decision will be “laptop or desktop?” A laptop computer takes up less space than a desktop does and is, of course, portable. But a good desktop model is more comfortable to work on.

      The good news about purchasing a computer is that the technology is maturing, and prices are constantly tumbling. In this morning’s newspaper, I noticed a flyer from my computer manufacturer offering a model with virtually the same features I have now — at half the lease price. And I leased my computer from this company just a year ago!

      You’ll find, when spending hours at a computer, that little enhancements make a big difference. When I leased my computer, I paid extra for an ergonomically shaped keyboard. It looks odd, but is tremendously more comfortable and a lot easier on my hands and wrists than a conventional keyboard. When my conventional mouse broke, I purchased a cordless mouse as a replacement. Now, instead of fighting with a cord, I easily and СКАЧАТЬ