I’m not going to lie: it can be hard to decide to transition from one career path into another. But once you do, I promise that you won’t regret it! There are so many benefits of becoming a copywriter-for example; there’s no shortage of jobs and opportunities for growth in this field. And what’s more, if you’re bilingual or multilingual (and we know there are plenty who fit that bill), then your options increase even further. All around, it seems like a great idea to pursue a career as a copywriter-whether English is your first language or not!
But even though I believe that going from being a marketer to becoming a copywriter is great, you might have certain doubts about it. You may be worried about the job requirements, or maybe you’re concerned about whether or not your language skills would qualify as sufficient. And one of your biggest concerns might be how long it would take you to make the transition.
To put your mind at ease, I wanted to share some of my knowledge on how to transition into copywriting successfully. If I can answer all of your questions and concerns about this career path, deciding to pursue it will be a lot easier for you!
And the best part is that even if you don’t feel like making the switch is right for you, with this information, you’ll be able to understand whether or not copywriting accurately would be a good fit for your skillset and background. So let’s look at some of the most important elements in transitioning into copywriting by looking at exactly what copywriters do.
What Does a Copywriter Do?
A copywriter’s job is to create and write advertisements, promotional content and other marketing material for products or services that need attention and exposure. That includes everything from brochures, flyers, and commercials on the radio, television, or social media to emails, letters, and banners online.
Copywriters use persuasive language, or copy, to convince potential customers of the value of a product or service (think about how many times you’ve seen an ad for weight loss products that’s copywriting at work!). It’s also the copywriter’s job to ensure that all of their promotional content clearly explains why it would be in somebody’s best interest to purchase a product or service.
Now that we know what copywriters do, let’s talk about the skills and experience you’ll need to become a part of this profession.
Copywriters Need…
– Excellent Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling Skills
As with any career, the foundation of your success in becoming a copywriter will be laid with your education. You’ll need to have what is referred to as “strong English skills”,–meaning that you’re an absolute whiz when it comes to grammar, punctuation and spelling. If you’re unsure about your English language skills, I highly recommend that you take a college-level course or snag a book from the library on the art of writing.
Don’t forget: You can also brush up on your language skills with Transparent Language Online and our Language Learning Software!
– Business Skills in Marketing, Sales and Customer Service
Another important quality for copywriters is their ability to work well in a team. You’ll need business skills (and lots of patience) when it comes to working with clients-the people who will hire you to create ads for their products or services.
What Skills Do You Need?
It might surprise you to learn just how much writing is involved in advertising. That’s because copywriters not only need to be great at writing but also have an understanding of the psychology behind why people buy what they do.
Besides having excellent English skills, there are certain things you’ll need to know to transition into copywriting successfully:
– Understanding the Concepts of Salesmanship and Persuasion.
To be a successful copywriter, you’ll need to have an understanding of sales and persuasion, and you’ll need to know how to market your “product“–that is, your written words themselves. While the first part of this may feel like studying for a test, the latter will come with your creative writing courses.
– Knowledge of Business.
Copywriters also need to know business to know what works and doesn’t work when advertising products or services. Depending on where you live, this could be something you learn about while attending school to be a copywriter.
– The Ability to Write Well.
Since writing well is the foundation of being a copywriter, it’s an absolute must that you have strong English skills before making the switch from your current job to a career in copywriting. In terms of what this looks like, think about how much direct mail you get in the mail each day or how many ads you see on the covers of magazines when you visit your local grocery store. If you can’t instantly pick out what’s well-written and what isn’t, stick to writing about topics that are familiar to you (like pop culture) until your language skills improve.
What Career Opportunities Are There?
So you’ve become a copywriter. Congratulations! You’re on your way to having one of the most in-demand professions right now. But how are you going to make sure that people find out about what great work you do? Besides having your website (here are some blogging tips), there are many other career opportunities that you can take advantage of. You can also find jobs in:
– Marketing departments at various companies
– Telecommunications companies, media organizations and print shops
– Public relations positions within private businesses or government agencies
– IT positions that involve writing content for the internet
– Communication in the Workplace.
One of the best things about being in charge of your writing is that you get to do it however you want … right? Not quite. As a copywriter, you need to understand that you need to communicate with the people around you. This will mean more than just asking someone for an extension on your deadline so you can write at home-you need to be able to work well in a team, which often requires deleting passive-aggressive tweets on Twitter or being open about how much time it’ll take until your next writing assignment is complete.
– Finding Your Work Style.
There’s no one way to be a copywriter-some people like writing short and sweet 15-word ads, and others prefer writing long and descriptive blog posts. You need to understand that your work doesn’t begin once you’ve written the first draft of your article or advertisement-it begins when you’ve brainstormed all of the ideas that are rattling around in your head. Quite often, you’ll realize your original idea for an ad isn’t quite what fits best with the product you’re trying to sell the process of writing is the process of making sure that everything works together, so it’s cohesive.
– Being Able to Balance Your Work and Personal Lives.
As a copywriter, you’ll be expected to work many hours per week; the best way for you to do this is by balancing your work life with your personal life so that there are fewer distractions (although it’s pretty hard not to check Facebook at least five times before noon at work). To get started, make sure that you’re getting enough sleep (about eight hours per night), and create a schedule for yourself. This way, you’ll be more focused in meetings with your boss and in writing your next big project.
Conclusion
So you’re a copywriter-congratulations! It’s one of the most in-demand professions right now, and it includes many opportunities to grow. You can even find jobs in marketing and writing for various companies and organizations. If you want to succeed as a copywriter, you must stay on top of your language skills, communicate with the people around you, have your writing style, and learn how to balance work with your personal life. Now that you’re a copywriter happy writing!