• By Sadiyya Patel
• Published 02/2/2012
• Copywriting

Making the leap from your job to a full time freelance career can be daunting to say the least. Here are six steps to make the transition as smooth and easy as possible. 1. Start looking for ways to invest in your dream. If you still have a job but have plans to quit then start saving to buy the things you’ll need when you start your copywriting career. This could be anything from purchasing the necessary training to upgrading your computer. Stop buying work clothing and save by taking a packed lunch to work. 2. Set up a home office. This could be a dedicated room or even the corner of the diningroom. You’ll need a desk, a comfortable chair, space to store reference materials etc. 3. Leave on a good note. As tempting as it can be to tell the boss to shove it, resist the urge to do so. It’s important to maintain good relationships at your old job as it is to build new ones. You never know, your old employer may just turn out to be your best client or a great source of referrals. 4. Start collecting your junk mail. I’m serious. Start saving all the direct mail salesletters that you receive in the mail. File them or keep them in a shoebox.

Ask your neighbors,

friends and family members to save their junk mail for you. Spend just 15 minutes a day reading and analyzing the salesletters. You’ll be amazed at how much you learn and how your own 5. Start copying winning controls by hand. I know that this may sound trite and stupid but it’s THE MOST POWERFUL exercise you can do to master the art of copywriting. Doing this will help to hard wire the flow and feel of good copy into your subconscious mind in a way that nothing else can. You will notice things that you would have never noticed otherwise. To really get the most out of this technique, read each letter out loud a minimum of 10 times and then it out at least 3 times. And don’t make the mistake of copying just any letter that arrives in your inbox. Some of them are “bombs”. Only copy proven winners. I suggest that you not only read and copy out the letters but that you also analyze each one. Use different color highlighters to do this. For example, highlight benefits in pink, proof in blue, use purple for the call to action and false close, yellow for the guarantee etc. 6. Start establishing vital contacts.

A good first contact for copywriters would be a graphic designer. You can pass work on to each other. You can start establishing your network locally and online.