What Can I Expect From a Copywriting Course?

There are hundreds of copywriting courses out there, so how do you choose the best one for you? To begin with, it helps to know what copywriting is. Once you know this, you can assess whether courses include tuition on all the areas you need to become a successful copywriter.

Who Do Copywriters Work For

Even though some may not realise it – every single business can benefit from the services of a quality copywriter. They play an essential role in creating interesting copy that will:

• inform
• advise
• persuade
• influence

And, every business or organisation needs to do one of the actions listed above – no matter what they sell or provide. For example:

• correspondence colleges need to produce sales letters
• universities need to produce prospectuses
• hotels need to produce advertisements for special deals
• manufacturing companies need to produce product packaging

The list could go on and on. Plus, these days, pretty much every company has a website that will require copy to fill its pages – what you are reading right now has been produced by a copywriter. So, it’s not hard to see how many opportunities there are for copywriters – you just need to look around you.

What Should a Copywriting Course Cover?

Now that you know what copywriters do and who they work for, you can start to understand what should be included in any good copywriting course. If you want to make it as a freelance copywriter choose a course that contains tuition on the following:

• an introduction to copywriting and advertising – this should cover the basic concepts of copywriting, such as:
  
  - the marketing mix
  - AIDA
  - selling the sizzle
  - WAYS
  - ‘You vs We’ copy
  - customer focus ratio
  
  
• writing advertisements – including how to follow briefs, research, demographics and positioning, legal and moral obligations and images and graphics
  
  
• public relations writing – the course should explain the differences between advertising and PR, how to write press releases, advertorials, brochures, letters, leaflets and so on
  
  
• writing for online markets – including writing, editing and updating HTML web pages, email marketing and e-zines, print and electronic sales letters, blogging and SEO
  
  
• sales letters and direct mail – this is one of the main ways copywriters make a living. It should cover how AIDA is applied to sales letters, the layout and style of sales letters, and a detailed example for you to use as a blue-print in the future would be a great addition.

Information On Becoming a Freelance Copywriter

Most copywriters work on a freelance basis and if this is the path you wish to take you should ensure that your course also contains details on:

• setting up in business – the different types of business, the benefits and drawbacks of working from home, setting fees, producing invoices and keeping track of payments, plus details of how to meet tax and other contributions you’d be responsible for
  
  
• finding and keeping clients – this should include details of how and where to find work, such as:
  
  - forums
  - freelancing websites
  - leafleting
  - print advertisements
  - setting up web pages to advertise your services
  - social networking.

If you would prefer the stability of a salaried position, the course you choose should also contain details on:

• businesses and agencies – including:
  
  - how to apply for jobs
  - what to do to get over the ‘no experience’ problem
  - preparing a professional portfolio.

Practice

It is beneficial for you to have some practice when trying out a skill for the first time. So, choose a course with tutor-marked assignments included. This allows you to have your work assessed by a professional copywriter who will be able to give you feedback on how to improve your writing to make it more effective.

If you use the advice above to choose a course, you’ll soon be on your way to building yourself a new career as a copywriter.

If you want to find out more about being a freelance copywriter request a Writers Bureau Complete Copywriter Course prospectus.

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