11 Steps To Start a Stand Out Freelance Copywriting Business
Woman on a mission to start her copywriting biz.
Whether you’re starting a freelance writing business, taking the steps to become a copywriter, or even a writing coach, congratulations!
I took the leap back in 2015 when I was still working at a demanding corporate consulting firm, with two hours or more of commuting a day and two young and active kids.
While I did a lot of thinking back in those days, what was required of me was more action.
When I finally did take action, was when I started to see momentum1.
I built my website (which is totally not required to get started), but as a writer, your potential clients will want to see that you can write — the easiest way to do that is to write. And writing for yourself first is an excellent way to show off your skills and your authentic voice. Besides, creating a website yourself with options like Squarespace is easier than ever.
With focus, you can complete this entire list in a weekend. It’s doable! Taking these steps shows you mean business.
Now, if you’re not sure if you even want a business, I suggest looking for work on sites like Upwork. I got my start there and developed some great relationships. Every client I worked with there was a delight. You can do this first — creating your online profiles and using that to help you pitch potential writing clients.
Before I get to the steps, a love note on generative artificial intelligence (AI). Some copywriters are wondering, “Will AI take my job?”
In some cases, yes. AI has only helped GROW my business because the people I work with know the importance of the human touch and the power of our voices.
A machine can’t replace this. AI will replace copywriters who are stealing ideas and words from others, especially those who don’t invest time and energy in strengthening their own voices.
Here are 11 simple steps you can take to get your copywriting or content writing business off the ground and welcome clients right away
1) Decide what kind of writing you want to do.
Do you want to write website copy? Content for blogs and social media posts? Or do you want to focus on email marketing? If you’re getting started and not sure where you want to focus, try out lots of different kinds of writing and decide what’s best for you. Early in my freelance writing career, I took on book ghostwriting. By the end of the project, I could tell it wasn’t aligned for me to continue writing books for others, and instead, coaching them was the way to go. I only discovered this because I tried it out. Play with new mediums, give it your all, and double down where your heart and skills lead you.
2) Secure a website domain and create your website.
Your domain can be your name or a business name. Decide if you’ll use a business name or do business as yourself at first. I did this for about a year. For liability purposes and privacy, you’ll eventually want to create an LLC for your business. Now, whether you decide to do sole-proprietorship, a C or S corp, talk to an attorney who will recommend what’s best for your business.
You can always change your website or business name. It can be very basic for now, with just two pages:
Sales Page or your services list
That’s it — just two pages are all you need for now. You could combine both into a single-page website for now and use that to get you started.
3) Write your Sales Page or Services page.
A lot of writers overthink this for their own websites. Trust your intuition and write what you think your potential clients want to hear. You’ll refine this in time. Remember, your website copy is changeable and will adapt with you as you add or remove services and get clear on your skills.
Include:
What people want
What emotions they’re feeling right now
Why hiring you will make their lives easier and make them money
What to expect from the process
What’s included, or if you’re not ready to offer packages yet, you can list an hourly rate (this is how I started)
What step to take next to hire you.
4) Write your About Page.
If you’re worried about sharing too much and are a private person, I understand — me too. I think that’s why we became writers. We’re private and love immersing ourselves in others’ words and writing for other people.
On my About Page, I went into my story. It detailed three layoffs in the corporate world, starting a food blog, writing about being a busy working professional mom, and the nudges I received on my path that led me to want to become a freelance writer.
My potential clients would get on calls with me and share that they loved my About Page so much. They’d often see parts of themselves in my story. They found me relatable. Note they weren’t judging me or seeing it as gossip. People want to work with people they know, like, and trust, and the About Page is a fantastic way to do just that.
What people also told me was that they wanted their website to read like mine. They didn’t want the exact words, of course (that’d be stealing), but what they noticed was my authenticity. They wanted their voice to sound like theirs — not like their competitors, their coach, or anyone else.
They wanted permission for their voice to shine through, and that’s exactly why they reached out for my support.
Your about page is important!
Tell your story as it relates to your reader and end with a call to action (CTA) — book a call! Sign up here!
5) Set up a way to take payments.
They’re all free to set up — Venmo, Paypal, or Square or Stripe for people who want to pay with a credit card.
6) Set up a way to make appointments.
The no-fuss, express route is to have potential clients email you, and you set up a time, but this can be tedious and take lots of back and forth. But it's doable, and I’m sometimes surprised by how many people still make appointments this way. You’ll be spending more time trying to set up clients than serving clients, though and since your goal is to serve clients, I suggest making it as easy as possible for them to make that happen. Calendly and Acuity are great options and have free tiers.
7) Set up social media accounts (if you want!) and play!
You can build a thriving writing business sans social media. I’ve been unplugged from social media many times. In 2022, after a few months’ hiatus, I returned with renewed vigor and never looked back. My advice — choose ONE platform and focus on posting there consistently before considering adding another. You’ll share useful information and occasionally invite followers to work with you. Use it to engage with people you’re genuinely interested in from a business perspective. NOT your friends, family, or anyone who’s not your ideal client.
As a business owner, you’re going to shift how you see social media to one of using it for a purpose — not for endless scrolling and entertainment.
To help you choose which platform will be best for your business, consider where your potential clients are hanging out.
Note that you’re not going to engage on other people’s accounts doing the same kind of writing as you to try to swipe their clients. That’s a low-vibe way to do business that will come back to bite you. If it even works. If you don’t have a blog, consider social media your playground for trying on types of writing. Use it as a place to practice writing freely from your heart (not your head) here and share advice, talk about conversations you’re having, and share insights from your work. Tell stories about your day and how this relates to your business.
A fun challenge for yourself here is to write one post a day. Challenging yourself to this kind of thinking is great practice. Over time, you’ll get to see what sticks and what kinds of topics people are resonating with.
8) Practice your one-liner.
Having a simple way to describe what you do makes it easy for people to grasp what you can do for them.
Examples:
I’m a writer who writes content for life coaches
I write website copy for health and wellness entrepreneurs
I’m a content writer for tech companies
I’m a copy and content writer for small businesses
Your one-liner can be broad as you start out. You’ll refine it as you get additional information from conversations. When people ask what you do, practice saying this line out loud to see how it feels. If it feels a little off, try something different next time. You’ll tweak and refine it over time as you get to know yourself and the kinds of writing projects that light you up.
9) Assemble writing samples.
Before you have clients, this can be all your own writing — blogs, social content, website copy, sample ads
. It can also be writing or editing you do for free in exchange for a testimonial. Get permission for any projects you complete and share.
10) Announce and then keep announcing your business.
Social media and inboxes are a busy place. Just because you say something three times doesn't mean that anyone saw your post or even remembers it. Keep talking about your work, share your exciting wins, and ask for help and advice in kind and supportive communities. Check out the actual email I sent to get my first clients.
11) Write!
Maybe this one is the most obvious to you, or maybe it’s not. I believe the best copywriters, content writers, and writing coaches have creative outlets for their own words. Blogging, writing books, and even writing social captions are the best ways to practice creating your writing voice. Perhaps the most overlooked strategy to getting started in a new copywriting business is sharing your words, which can attract clients and help you stand out.
If you liked this article, read these next:
20 Writing Prompts To Help You Create Your Writing Voice
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