Free Copywriting?

Hello Horizon... or 'horizon', sorry

Let's see about what you're asking here (on a sunday of all days... or 'Sunday', sorry )...
(note: copywriters generally don't get up on a Sunday :p)

You want experience...

You'll exchange free copy...

You wish to build a portfolio from scratch...

You're an amateur copywriter...

OK.

From what I understand from what you've written... You want to become a better copywriter... and you want to offer copywriting services for free to build your portfolio, presumably so you can then say 'here's what I've accomplished... hire me for money?'

My first thought would be to stary writing your first sales letter focusing on your abilities as a copywriter... post it up in the 'Warriors For Hire' section.

Of course if you are indeed an amateur... no one will want to hire you, and if they do, they'll be disappointed and you won't get good feedback... and it's all about reputation here man so you gotta go careful that.

The more important question is 'What are you doing to become better than amateur?'

You can't rush into this sir... copywriting is an art at least as much as it's a science and it takes time, effort and most certainly dedication to become competent... let alone master.

Check with this guy. You two seem destined to get together

HA!

John, you legend

You should set up an agency sir, well done.

Listen all laughing and fun aside though horizon... get in touch with that guy. It really does seem like the perfect opportunity.

.... I like you Steve

Unfortunately, the only reason I get hired is nobody thinks the way I do.

However, I must confess. My post was merely a setup for my new site: 99bottomfeeders. Essentially I don't make any money from the people joining the site ....just those who use it as a filter to never have to encounter the kind of people who would participate in such a site. Think flypaper.

There is a sort of raw, karmic, satisfaction to the idea I am more than a bit attracted to.

I believe it may make me rich.

Oh yes. There is laughing.

I love bottom feeders, I want to see the site

Did you get the .info ?

It's important.

You should run a competition like the 30 day challenge... but with a zany twist

Try not to do "free" copy.

If you need to gain the experience, hone your skills first, practice, practice, practice.

Once you believe you're ready then offer a "First month free" copy service.

It goes like this....

"I'll write you a profit making ad without any charge for the first month, see if it works for you, test it out for the first month and if it brought you more clients than you've ever had than please pay me $XXXX from month 2 onwards and I'd like a testimonial too"

Create a proper script please, I just wrote that one above so you get the gist of the idea.

When I first started out as a copywriter, I had no experience, no portfolio -- only an unfounded belief that I could make it as a copywriter.

I also knew that what marketers wanted to see above all, was that I could write -- not just write, but sell! A catch 22 to be sure -- I had no proof.

So I posted, on every relavent message board and forum I could find, a simple proposition, the guts of which follows (and it was a sales letter in of itself):

I'll write your sales letter for free, all I ask in return, if you're satisfied with the results, is that you allow me to post the sales letter on my website and that you will also provide me with a glowing testimonial.

End result: a six figure yearly income (though it took a few years to get there).

If you want some tips on how to write sales copy that converts, download my ebook from my blog -- it'll get you started.

Good luck,
--Barry

John has given you the best advice.


I think you should get in touch.

The idea that you have to pay for experience by whoring yourself out is one of the biggest myths in freelancing. And believe me, there are plenty of business owners looking to capitalize on it by beating you up for free services.

Find a niche business that you can specialize in. Look up a few businesses in that niche and rewrite their web copy so you can have a portfolio.

Then, contact the businesses and send a sample, offering to redo their entire website (which you've already done) if they like your work. Then, you either get paid OR you at least have a portfolio of work to show people.

Keep in mind also that not all experience is created equal. One year of experience working for good fees is much better than five years of experience working for junk rates. When you're getting paid what you're worth, it's easier to do good quality work and to develop as a writer.

If you're under pressure to pay bills and having to pump out high volumes of work in order to make up for a low rate, you'll have no time to develop good writing habits and plenty of bad writing habits will crop up in their place.