Get into the habit of creating writing samples, and do this right throughout your career. Although you won’t get paid for your samples, they will build your skills and your portfolio, and *they will help you to get work without trying*.
Some experienced copywriters feel that creating samples is beneath them. This attitude is short-sighted. Creating samples gives you confidence that you can handle the work. This confidence translates into money.
Here's an example of how creating samples helps you to get work. A few years a go I wanted to get into writing radio ads.
I taped lots of ads off the radio, and wrote ten sample radio spots. Then I called a couple of radio stations, asked for some scripts, and wrote more ads. I made this fun for myself: I tried to see patterns in the ads, and which types of businesses used various spots, and when and where they placed them.
It took me around three weeks to become a professional radio copywriter. I didn’t even have to promote myself in this new role. When I rang the stations for the scripts, guess what? Yes, I got work, even as a new radio copywriter. At smaller stations, the DJs write the radio spots, and most hate it. I got the work because I showed up, and because writing the samples gave me confidence to say: "Yes, I'd love to write that for you".
Technorati Tags: copywriting, get started copywriting
