Get Paid To Write - Amazon S3 business name, your structure, your website etc. ... Be smart when...
94
This is Video 2.1 in the course: Get Paid To Write Module 2: How to structure and set up your freelance copywriting business
Transcript of Get Paid To Write - Amazon S3 business name, your structure, your website etc. ... Be smart when...
This is Video 2.1
in the course:
Get Paid To Write
Module 2:
How to structure and set up your
freelance copywriting business
Learning outcomes:
How to:
• Get clear about what you want
• Source the tools and resources you
need to succeed
Learning outcomes:
How to:
• Register a business name
• Get an ABN - Australian Business Number
Learning outcomes:
How to:
• Emulate successful copywriters -
top qualities
• Protect your business
• Decide if you need insurance
What do YOU want?
Get clear about what you want from
your freelance copywriting business:
• A global advertising agency or
copywriting company?
• Jet-setting around the world bringing
in new business?
What do YOU want?
• Work from home, in between the school
drop off?
• Make some money to pay for the annual
trip to Bali?
What do YOU want?
• This will determine how you proceed -
your business name, your structure,
your website etc.
• Do you want to be doing the work, or do
you want to have a team of people to do it
for you?
If in doubt:
• Take the simplest path
• You can change your mind later
• You need to get started
If in doubt:
• Choose the simplest, cheapest, easiest
path and that is often…
• Sole trader
• Your name (not a business name)
• Register for ABN
• Most copywriters start out working from
home so be sure to set up a space where
you can leave materials out so that you’re
not constantly packing up
Where to work:
• A proper office where you won’t be
distracted by domestic affairs
• A serviced office or co-working space
• A private office
Where to work:
Recommendation:
• Work from home before investing in
serviced offices and expensive equipment
Where to work:
The top 5 tools and resources
you need to succeed:
Every writer needs their ‘tool kit’. The essentials are:
1. Mobile phone/answering service
2. Marketing collateral - business cards, website, brochure etc.
The top 5 tools and resources
you need to succeed:
3. Computer and printer - including email
and internet access
4. Hard-cover notebook - why hard-cover?
5. Transport
1. Mobile phone/
answering service:
• Copywriters sometimes visit clients so
they need to be on call and readily
available at most times
1. Mobile phone/
answering service:
• Some jobs also require a very fast
turnaround, so you need to be reachable
or else the job could go to someone else
who is more contactable than you
1. Mobile phone/
answering service:
• Invest in a phone that has a service
whereby people can leave a voice
message not just an SMS message
1. Mobile phone/
answering service:
• Leave contact details in message
• Craft your message carefully - what not to
say…”I’ll get back to you when I can”
• Website
• Business cards
• Brochure
2. Marketing collateral:
• Letterhead/stationery
• Social media profiles
2. Marketing collateral:
2 a) To build a website:
• Domain name
• Godaddy.com, crazydomains.com.au
• Hosting
• Blue host
2 a) To build a website:
• WordPress site
• Themeforest
• Squarespace
• Weebly
• Wix
2 a) To build a website:
• Web Developer
• Web Designer
• Graphic Designer
• Copywriter
2 b) Business cards:
• If you’re serious about becoming a
paid copywriter, you need to have
business cards
2 b) Business cards:
• This will be your most important form of
advertising so you need to get lots of
business cards printed to give out to
prospective clients
2 b) Business cards:
• If you want to get a personalised design
and get going now, contact your instant
print shop
• They can print about 250 cards for
under $100
2 b) Business cards:
• You only have to get one job to pay for
the entire run of business cards
• If you don’t have the money to pay for
business cards yet and you aren’t sure
about what business name you’ll use…
2 b) Business cards:
• Get 100 free business cards from
www.vistaprint.com in the interim so
you have something to give new clients
2 c) Brochure:
• 1-page ‘Credentials Statement’ -
sums up your experience
• Send it through when people want
to know more about you
2 c) Brochure:
• Should be online and hard copy
2 d) Letterhead/stationery:
• When you submit copy to your client,
you’ll need to send it on your letterhead
• Type up your details on your word
processor, print it out on the stationery,
and bingo, instant letterhead
2 d) Letterhead/stationery:
• ‘With Compliments’ slip and envelopes
Social media profiles:
3. Computer and printer
(email and internet):
• This is vital if you are to be seen as a
professional copywriter. A word processor
will be sufficient
3. Computer and printer
(email and internet):
• You need the Internet so you can do
research, and you must have an
email account
• No need to learn how to draw or type
4. Hard-cover notebook:
• You will need a notebook for taking notes
at client briefings
• Buy a hard-cover notebook so that it looks
professional and lasts
4. Hard-cover notebook:
• Don’t use loose-leaf notes as you could
easily lose them
5. Transport:
• You have to be mobile, so having a car or
access to a car is important. Otherwise,
you need good public transport to get you
to and from your client’s premises
What are you going to call your
business?
When it comes to naming your business,
you have three options:
1. Your own name
2. A registered business name
3. A company name
Your own name:
• You can work under your own name. This
means you can get started right away
• Simply order your business cards with
your name on them from vistaprint.com
or a quick printer and you’re off
Your own name:
Basic information needed:
• Name - Katie Smith
• Position/Title - Copywriter
• Contact Details - Mobile 0412 555 555
Your own name:
• Email - [email protected]
• Website - www.kateskopy.com.au
• Social media details -
Facebook/Twitter/LinkedIn
A business name:
If you want to have a snappy business
name, you’ll need to register a business
name with the government.
A business name:
• Word Power
• The Write Stuff
• The Word Factory
• Kate’s Copy
• …or whatever you’d like
Be smart when choosing
a name:
• Make sure the domain name is available
• Use the business-name generator concept
• Choose a SEO-friendly business name
- kateclarkfreelancecopywriter.com.au
How do I register a business
name?
• It’s very simple and can be done online at
Australian Securities and Investment
Commission
https://connectonline.asic.gov.au/
A company name:
• If you want to register as a company,
speak to your accountant, as there are
more complex issues at play such as
compliance and tax rulings that you
must abide by
Australian Business Number -
ABN:
• You definitely need an Australian
Business Number
• Irrespective of what name you trade under,
you need an ABN
Australian Business Number -
ABN:
• Speak to your accountant for details
With an ABN you can:
• Confirm your business identity to others
when ordering and invoicing
• Avoid tax being withheld on payments
you receive
With an ABN you can:
• Claim goods and services tax (GST)
credits
Why do you need an ABN?
• When you invoice your client, you will
need to feature this number on your
invoice
• If you don’t list it, you can still do business
(although you will look amateurish and
unprofessional)
Why do you need an ABN?
• Your client will be obliged to withhold a
percentage of the invoice amount
How to get an ABN:
• Direct correlation between the students
who get their ABN quickly, and the
students who get paid work quickly
• Don’t let this simple procedure hold
you back
ABN:
• Get online and get it now. It doesn’t cost
anything to get and you will need it
eventually, so get it now
• Make sure you record that 11-digit number
in a safe place, as you will need to quote it
all the time
ABN:
Is the ABN the same as
registering for the GST?
• No, it’s not
• It is a completely separate matter
Is the ABN the same as
registering for the GST?
• See your accountant to discuss GST if you
think you are going to earn over $75,000
from your copywriting business in this
financial year
Is the ABN the same as
registering for the GST?
• You don’t need to register for the GST to
get started as a copywriter
• But you do need to get an ABN to get
started as a copywriter
The top 8 qualities you need to
succeed as a copywriter:
• We’ve looked at the technical
requirements of setting up as a copywriter,
but what about the personal qualities you
need to succeed in this business?
The top 8 qualities you need to
succeed as a copywriter:
• Copywriters come in all shapes and sizes,
but what they do have in common are the
following qualities
1. Responsive:
• You must respond quickly to a client’s
call, and you must deliver copy within
the deadline
• You should be prepared to work through
the night if necessary to give the client
their work
2. Constant marketer:
• A copywriter’s income could cease
tomorrow, so you need to be regularly
looking for work
• You need to be capable of getting to a
client at short notice
• Clients expect their copywriters to drop
everything and come when they call
• If you don’t respond, someone else will
3. Mobile:
4. Orderly:
• Copywriters must keep proper client
records and timesheets. Keeping control
over the diary and deadlines is essential
5. Calm:
• Don’t throw creative tantrums. Accept
it when a client rejects work, or when a
client fails to do what they promised
5. Calm:
• Don’t expect them to fill out the brief,
do as you ask or do as you say
• Document all decisions
6. Be clear about your values:
• Don’t work on clients that conflict with
your values
• Accept that capitalism is the basis of
advertising
6. Be clear about your values:
• Not-for-profit organisations also benefit
from advertising
• You must be able to handle several
different jobs at once
• You must be able to switch between topics
and projects quickly
7. Flexible:
8. Adaptable:
• You must be able to write about what you
don’t know
• Here’s what you can do to learn more
about a product or service quickly:
8. Adaptable:
a) Visit stores and competitors
b) Ring them up
c) Get online
8. Adaptable:
d) Talk to customers, staff, suppliers
e) Read other ads
f) Research before you begin writing -
it’ll save you hours in the long run
1. Professional Indemnity
2. Public Liability
• When do you need them?
(This does not cover issues re life insurance,
income protection etc. See your Financial
Advisor)
2 main types of insurance:
1. Professional Indemnity:
• If a client sues you, you could be liable
for damages, and legal costs
• You need it to get government work and
some corporate work
1. Professional Indemnity:
• You need to show certificates to prove
you have the insurance
• Protect yourself and your work
• Make it clear that the client is responsible
for the final use of the words you write
If you don’t want it:
• Make it clear that you do not take
responsibility for the legality of the
service they are offering
If you don’t want it:
Suggested wording to use:
• “Please note that we write the copy based
on the information presented by the client.
We do not take responsibility for the
accuracy or legality of this content or for
the final way in which this content gets
used.”
Suggested wording to use:
• If in doubt, see a lawyer to get the correct
wording or look at how other copywriters,
photographers or creative suppliers word
their contracts and be inspired by them
Recommendation:
• If booking media space and supplying the publishers with content, you should consider taking out insurance to cover yourself in case something incorrect goes to print
• When in doubt, insure
2. Public liability:
• It covers you if something happens to
other people while doing business with
you eg a client trips on your staircase
• If you run public events in premises
• If you work with government clients
Tax audit protection:
• If you get audited by the tax department,
your accountant will need to spend hours
getting your paperwork sorted out
• You can protect against this cost by taking
our tax audit protection
Tax audit protection:
• Optional - gives peace of mind - at a cost
Insurance: do you need it?
• This is something best discussed with your
accountant as everyone’s situation would
be different
• Many don’t have public liability because
they visit the client at the client’s premises
Insurance: do you need it?
• If you plan on having a home office where
you will invite clients for meetings etc,
then you may want to consider it
In conclusion:
• The more organised you are with
establishing your office, sourcing
equipment and resources, the more likely
you are to start making money quickly
from copywriting
Resources:
• 2.1A Handout - Contractors responsibilities
• 2.1B Handout - Pros and cons of different
business solutions
• 2.1C Handout - Top free Apps
This is the end of Video 2.1
in the course:
Get Paid To Write
Module 2:
How to structure and set up your
freelance copywriting business
