Freelance copywriting remains one of the most rewarding jobs in the world. It gives you the chance to make flexible money and work where you want.
That’s not all…
Freelance copywriting gives you the opportunity to have a work/life balance. Something hard to find with traditional white-collar jobs.
What’s more…
The demand for freelance copywriters has increased over the years as the gig economy continues to experience tremendous growth.
On one side, this means there are more opportunities for freelance copywriters. But, on the other hand, this has led to a spike in the number of freelance copywriters, consequently making the industry highly competitive.
So, what does it take to stand above the rest and make more than $100,000+ on freelance platforms like Legiit?
Below are some valuable tips for freelance copywriters looking to make more sales.
How to Make More Sales as a Freelance Copywriter
Build a Solid Portfolio
Freelance copywriters with solid portfolios are always in a better position to close better clients than those who do not.
I believe if you are reading this, you also aim to close better clients, right?
Well, building a solid portfolio is quite easy. With sites such as contently, you can create one in a few clicks. All you have to do is upload projects you’ve handled, and potential clients can view them when you share your portfolio link with them.
However, freelance copywriters on Legiit have an advantage over others.
How so?
Legiit offers a unique portfolio feature where you can upload your previous works for clients to view even before they interact with you. As a result, one does not need to drive potential clients to an external site to look at their portfolio, which shortens the sales cycle, which is a plus for the seller.
Add Social Proof
It is important to show that people love and trust what you do as a freelance copywriter. You can achieve this by adding customer logos, case studies, or even reviews received from past clients.
Without a doubt, clients are more willing to outsource their writing to freelance copywriters who have had good experiences with other clients.
- Pro tip: social proof in the form of videos works best. Some will, even though not all clients will be willing to go on camera and give you a testimonial. So, leverage on that and embed the video testimonials on your sales pages.
Example:
User BlogCave on Legiit shows a video of all of his feedback to show prospects what he can do for them.
Do Away with the Jargon
Effective copywriting is all about straightforwardly getting the message home.
Once you start to use technical terms in your sales copy, then you’ll have eroded the essence of your copy.
After all, no one’s interested in knowing how good your grasp of industry terms is. Instead, the main thing the clients want to see is that you can communicate effectively through your copy.
Writing in a simple language makes it easy for your audience to understand your message. As a result, it increases the chance of them taking action and hiring you to work with them on their projects.
Learn Basic SEO
We all do understand the importance of SEO in present-day marketing. However, without getting your SEO right, even with the best form of writing, the efforts shall be in vain.
That is why clients are looking for freelance copywriters that can create copy that’s optimized for search engines.
If you want to become an indispensable freelance copywriter, then you need to learn some basic SEO. Learn how to format your work using the correct heading tags, proper use of anchor texts, and other basic SEO principles.
If you currently don’t have any idea where to learn this, don’t fret. There are hundreds if not thousands of resources online that can help you master basic SEO principles for your copywriting business.
Note, understanding the basics of SEO is one thing, and making it known to your clients that you possess this knowledge is another. Therefore, when writing your sales page, make sure that you highlight that you understand SEO.
Experience in Sales Is More Important Than Expertise as a Writer
When it comes to freelance copywriting, the number of years you’ve been a writer does not matter if you can’t sell through the written word.
- Does your writing inspire action?
- Does it address the customer’s pain points?
- Does it explain a product in the easiest form to the buyer?
These are some of the things that differentiate good copy from the rest.
If you are new to the game, invest in learning how to create copy that sells, and clients will start flocking.
Always Be Humane in Your Writing
A lot of freelance copywriters struggle to be something they are not.
You’ll find them writing in fancy styles and with lots of JargonJargon to prove they are knowledgeable.
Don’t do that. Just be you.
In fact, writing in some weird fancy style does not impress clients; it turns them away.
When creating copy, write as you would speak face-to-face. This will help make a good first impression with your clients – the people who’ll get you more sales.
Understand Human Psychology
The human brain is quite interesting and predictable. As a freelance copywriter, it is helpful to understand how the brain functions.
Research has proven that the human brain reacts differently to certain phrases, images, or colors. Knowing how to manipulate this while creating sales copy is important in getting more clients for your services.
Once you’ve identified specific cues that trigger buyers into taking action, incorporate them into your sales copy. This can either be by using catchy phrases or headlines that promise to make the client’s life easier with regards to their copy needs.
Write with Customer’s Needs in Mind
Clients always have specific needs in mind when looking for freelance copywriters to work with. If your sales page does not address what they are looking for, then rest assured they will not have a reason to work with you.
Therefore, before you start to pen down your sales copy, carry out research on what clients would be looking for. Once you have an idea of this, you can start the writing process with this in mind.
Your Copy Should Be Scannable
The human attention span continues to shorten, and this makes it even harder for marketers.
However, creating scannable copy helps to combat the reduced attention span by making it easy for clients to grasp more content in a short period.
How can you make your sales copy easily skimmable? By breaking up the text as many times as you can.
In fact, a sales page that converts should:
- Have a combination of long and short lines
- Clear subheadings
- Images to break the text
- Use bullet points
Other ways through which you can make your copy scannable is by:
- Using colored outlines on certain pieces of text
- Adding images to the text
- Using the right font on your sales page so that clients don’t have to struggle reading your copy
Note: Adding a clear call to action on your sales page is important in driving more sales for your services. Since you are selling your copywriting services, make sure to buy from you explicitly. Not doing so will affect your conversions and consequently your chance to make more sales.
Bonus Copywriting Tips for Freelancers
The tips we’ve discussed above should help to give you a solid base for your copywriting business. However, they’re not exhaustive.
Your sales page aside, other factors will determine your ability to make more sales from your copywriting business. The following are additional ways through which you can get more sales:
Build an Email List
Email marketing remains one of the formidable ways through which you can market yourself as a freelance copywriter.
You can build your email list by creating a lead magnet to collect emails from your past clients and market more of your services to them.
Learn from Other Copywriters
Continuous learning will help to sharpen your marketing skills. In whatever industry you are in, there are those copywriters that have attained great success. Take your time and learn from them.
What are they doing differently? Is there something you can borrow from them?
Niche Down
I know…
You’ve heard this a million times.
But still, it is important to focus your attention on a specified target area for your copywriting services. Niching down differentiates you from the generalist copywriter, and rest assured, clients will be more willing to work with someone with a special focus on one area.
Promote your service on social media
You can make more sales by driving customers from social media platforms to your sales page.
It’s easy to do and does not require any money to get started. You can sell your services on Twitter, Linkedin, or Facebook depending on where you’ve got your audience well built.
Final Take
As we’ve already discussed, freelance copywriting is lucrative. But you have to distinguish yourself from the millions of copywriters out there.
The best way to do that starts with creating effective copy for your service pages.
We hope that the tips provided herein will be of great value to your sales arsenal as a freelance copywriter.
Download