{"id":4813,"date":"2015-08-10T08:21:58","date_gmt":"2015-08-09T22:21:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/allisontait.com\/?p=4813"},"modified":"2020-08-17T10:24:02","modified_gmt":"2020-08-17T00:24:02","slug":"6-skills-you-need-to-make-it-as-a-copywriter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/allisontait.com\/2015\/08\/6-skills-you-need-to-make-it-as-a-copywriter\/","title":{"rendered":"6 skills you need to make it as a copywriter"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"6<\/a>Copywriting can be a great additional income stream for writers, and\u00a0it’s one of the areas of writing about which I’m asked most often – most specifically, “how do I get into copywriting, Al?”<\/p>\n

Copywriting is definitely something I do. I write websites and brochures, advertising copy and blog posts. Even so, I decided that to give you the best possible answers to the most common questions about copywriting, I’d take myself off to someone who specialises in copywriting.<\/p>\n

Kate Toon<\/a> is an award-winning SEO copywriter and SEO consultant with almost two decades of experience in all things advertising, digital and writing. She has worked with big brands such as Westpac, The RTA, Curash and Kmart, and\u00a0is the founder of The Clever Copywriting School<\/a>, the Hot Copy Podcast<\/a> and The Recipe for SEO Success eCourse<\/a>.<\/p>\n

She is, therefore, the perfect person to grill about how to be a copywriter.<\/p>\n

AT: What exactly does a copywriter do? Is it all about writing ads, like they do in Mad Men<\/em>?
\n<\/strong>Kate Toon<\/strong>: “A copywriter generally writes advertising and marketing materials for businesses \u2013 things like websites, emails, brochures, adverts and blog posts.\u00a0We help clients identify their customers, work out their customers\u2019 needs, their fears, desires and preconceived beliefs. Then we generate sales copy, or content that addresses those customer issues.<\/p>\n

When I worked at big agencies in Sydney and London, it was a little Madmenish<\/em>. Lots of arrogant Creative Directors and far too much drinking. But these days most copywriters I know work in their pyjamas at home. so it\u2019s a little less glamorous!<\/p>\n

Day to day work involves talking to new prospects, creating proposals and quotes, writing copy, editing, proofing and playing around on social media.”<\/p>\n

How do I find copywriting work?
\n<\/strong>KT<\/strong>: “Personally, I get most of my work via my website. I\u2019m a bit of a Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) whizz, so I\u2019ve worked hard to achieve top ranking for around 100 or so phrases that include something to do with \u2018copywriter\u2019. People visit my site, check out my service, my portfolio and my testimonials and get in touch.<\/p>\n

Copywriters generally get a lot of work through word of mouth, either through previous clients or through networking (online and in real life). I\u2019ve never used any of the listings websites (like Upwork<\/a>), and I\u2019ve never really advertised my services directly.”<\/p>\n

What sort of skills will I need to be a copywriter?
\nKT<\/strong>: “Well, the obvious answer is that you need to be able to write. But I know lots of good writers who make terrible copywriters. I think other important skills include:<\/p>\n