How I Got Started Making Money as a Copywriter

[The Writer’ s Life]( May 10, 2019 Hi {NAME}, New AWAI Member Bernadine Boyd was eager to start getting paid to write … And while she wanted the strong foundation in persuasive writing she was getting through [The Accelerated Program](, she was eager to dive in and start earning. So when she saw another opportunity from AWAI — one that enabled her to get started without having to write a sales letter, she jumped on it. Even though she still knows she could ultimately make more with a solid foundation in direct-response sales letters, she saw the AWAI VerifiedTM Badges as a way she could start getting paid to write NOW. And it worked! So today, Bernie is here to share some of the short copy projects she's gotten started with right away, as well as the project fees. In today's digital world, marketers need a high volume of these written now, and Badges is the easiest, fastest way to learn. But, today is your LAST CHANCE to get in on our wildly popular "[Professional Writer Verification" program]( … And after practicing and taking a test for each, you'll earn AWAI VerifiedTM Badges to prove you've successfully mastered the skills. You'll build up the confidence and knowledge you need to land clients. And have the professional samples and Badges to prove you've got what it takes. We'll even give you personal feedback on your writing, so you'll know you're doing everything correctly, and walk away with professional samples to show clients. You'll have the validation you're doing the right thing, and the concrete proof you can share with prospective clients. But enrollment is closing today due to an overwhelming demand … So this is your LAST CHANCE to sign up! [Go here now to check out the details and register.]( Have a great weekend, and if you're a mom to kids and/or fur babies, Happy Mother's Day! Rebecca Matter President, AWAI CLOSING TONIGHT: AWAI's Most Popular "Verification" Program! Right now, marketers (like me) are paying qualified writers $150 for a 15-word ad … $500 for a 3-minute video script … $1,000 for a few one-page emails … even $2,000 per month to write social media posts! Learn how to write 8 of the most in-demand copy projects, get verified you have the skills, and start getting paid to write them. But hurry – enrollment ends tonight at midnight sharp! [Go here now for full details.]( How I Got Started Making Money as a Copywriter (With No Sales Letters!) By Bernadine Boyd [Written word TARGET next to an easel with an image of a bag of money with a dollar sign on it; representing goal of earning money] No question, it can be intimidating to tackle a full-blown long-form sales letter, even with the top-notch training provided in [AWAI's Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting]([.]( The truth is, it takes practice to write a sales letter that is persuasive from start to finish, while keeping readers hanging on the edge of their seat … ready to pull out their wallets. I know, because I'm still learning myself. But I did make a discovery that helped me start earning fees while I was learning. It could work for you too, even if you're early in your copywriting journey. Short Copy, Big Money Let me tell you the secret I learned not long ago … Long-form sales letters aren't the only way to make good money as a copywriter. There are shorter pieces of copy that require much less research and planning. And in general, they are easier to write and take less time, which means you'll be earning money at a faster rate than if you were an aspiring writer working on long-form sales letters. What kind of shorter copy projects? Here are five of them: 1. Short Copy Project: Emails Imagine writing an email for a local health food store about their upcoming sale on Turmeric supplements … and making $100-$250 for a couple of hours of work. But wait, that health food store isn't going to need just one email. They're going to need emails every week, all year long. Now those fees start to add up. Plus, as your skills grow, you'll be able to snag some high-level clients, and could make up to $1,000 or more per email. Here's another way to make money writing emails … Ever sign up for an e-newsletter? I did last week. I signed up to receive a newsletter from a running store. I immediately got a welcome email. The next day, I got another email about customizing the type and frequency of email messages I wanted to receive from the store. Two days later, another email arrived telling me how to earn perks with their "Run Rewards" program. Those emails are called autoresponder or funnel emails. Companies use them to build their relationship with customers. They're short messages designed to inform, engage, and drive traffic. Email series like these can be three, five, seven, or even more emails. You can get paid anywhere from $100-$1,000 per email in a series. Emails are also used to drive sales. You've seen these … You get an email about a sale from the pet store. Then you get the "Sale ends tomorrow, don't miss out!" and "Last chance, sale ends today" kind of emails. All these emails are in high demand. According to HubSpot's 2018 digital marketing report, more than $350 million is expected to be spent on email advertising in 2019. No reason you can't get in on this! 2. Short Copy Project: Online Ads You've seen these ads on your Facebook feed and in your internet search results or on websites. When I checked a news site this morning, I saw an ad for my favorite women's athletic wear store. (I resisted the temptation … this time!) Again, these are smaller writing projects that are high in demand. Study the ones that show up when you're online. Notice the short, intriguing headlines, specific benefit-filled descriptions, and a convincing call-to-action. And if you don't spot these things, there's your opening! Rewrite some of them and reach out to the company with your samples. You could be on your way to making $100-$150 for a 50-word ad! 3. Short Copy Project: Social Media Posts Like emails, you're probably very familiar with social media posts. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, etc. Most of us use at least one of these apps daily. Well, businesses are using them too. HubSpot reported two million businesses use Facebook for advertising. And 88% of companies with more than 100 employees use Twitter for driving sales. However, in a recent study by eMarketer, nearly half of businesses said social media was one of the most difficult strategies to execute. That spells opportunity for writers who understand how to use social media effectively. So, check out your favorite stores and see which social media sites they're using. Then take a look at their posts. Are any of them posting sporadically … one or two a week, then nothing for a few weeks, then one or two a week again? Maybe they get too busy and don't have time to post regularly. Maybe they need someone just like you to give them a hand. Land a retainer deal with one of these businesses to handle their social media and you could be raking in $1,000-$2,000 a month on retainer. Imagine if you set yourself up with two or three deals like this! You'd have consistent fees coming in the door, even working part-time. 4. Short Copy Project: Video Scripts This isn't about the long sales videos that run for 45-60 minutes or more. Instead, think about some of the videos you see on YouTube or Facebook. I recently saw a video about a dog training course on my Facebook feed. (How did they know my dog barks too much?) Sometimes the videos are selling, but other times they are explaining how to do something. These videos are usually less than two minutes long. And guess what? They need a script for the content. A script someone needs to write! Businesses want video script writers because according to HubSpot, 64% of viewers are more likely to buy a product online after watching a video. Who better than you to write the script? Master the short video script and you can make $125-$150 per "script minute," maybe more. 5. Short Copy Project Articles and Blog Posts Articles and blog posts are longer than emails or online ads. They also require a little more research. But they require far less time and effort than a 15 or 20-page sales letter. You still need to grab and hold the reader's attention. You still need to persuade the reader to do something, even if it's just acting on a recommendation. But you need much less supporting proof than long-form sales letters require. Articles and blog posts are about attracting potential customers and building trust. They can also be used to keep existing customers engaged and lead them toward additional purchases. You can write articles or blog posts for companies that deal in products or services you're passionate about and get paid anywhere from $150 to $800. Again, you can find plenty of businesses that need this content weekly or even daily. Don't give up on the long sales letter, but … The moral of this story is this. You don't have to give up on honing those sales long-form letter skills. But in the meantime, if you want to jump-start your earning power, check out writing some of these smaller copy projects. They're easier, but they still bring in good money. The simplest way to get started is to check local businesses. Find out which of these copy projects they're using. Study what they are doing and see how you can improve it. Then reach out and offer to take some of this work off their already full plates. You can get your foot in the door if you choose these short copy projects. Keep in mind, you could make a good living focusing strictly on these short copy "collateral" projects and never write any long-form sales letters. That's the great thing about copywriting — you have a lot of options and you're in control. Do you have questions about any of these smaller copywriting projects? Please share with us in the comments [here]( so we can help. Editorial Note: To get started earning money, you don't have to learn every single one of the short copy projects at once. You could begin with the ones that best suit your skills or that interest you the most. That's one of the benefits of being a copywriter. You can pick and choose where you want to start. If you learn the skills to help your client get the most out of their digital marketing efforts … you can build a prosperous career for yourself at the same time. That's what our new ["Professional Writer Verification"]( program is all about … You'll learn how to write eight of the most in-demand copywriting projects (no sales letters!) … And after learning, practicing, and taking a test for each one, you'll earn AWAI VerifiedTM Badges to prove you've successfully mastered each particular skill. [Don't wait — go here now to get all the details before enrollment closes at midnight.]( Join B2B Writing Success for Only $1! Whether you're a new or seasoned B2B copywriter, having access to the right information is key to launching and maintaining a successful B2B writing career. B2B Writing Success is designed to provide you with a continuous flow of information, techniques and strategies to help guide your B2B copywriting career so you can excel and prosper in this exciting and lucrative industry. [Learn more about B2B Writing Success here.]( LAST CHANCE: Get Paid to Write. New to the world of well-paid writing? Let us show you the best ways to make money as a writer and help you land high-paying assignments. Until midnight you'll save $100 … PLUS, get over $313 in bonuses that will help you make money faster. But hurry! This deal ends in a matter of hours … [Get started by clicking here now.]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Trouble viewing this email? [View in your browser, here](. For questions or requests: [contact us online](. --------------------------------------------------------------- ©2019 American Writers & Artists Inc. Do you know of someone who would benefit from reading The Writer's Life? 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