Every writer should know a little copywriting

Copywriting is often confused with content writing. The former is compelling and intended to persuade the reader to take an action. On the other hand, the latter is informative and intended help the reader make a decision.

Even if you’re not a copywriter, you can benefit from having some copywriting skills.

Part of being a freelance writer, no matter what your specialty, is convincing editors and webmasters to hire you. To do that, you’ll need some of the sales skills that copywriters use.

Write compelling headlines. Editors receive hundreds, even thousands, of letters from freelance writers. Having an enticing headline improves your chances of getting hired.

Stress benefits, not features. Talking about benefit helps the hiring client see what they have to gain by hireing you. Feature: I have 10 years of experience. Benefit: My experience will help you get more readers.

Show that you’re different from the competition. Make yourself stand out from other writers and convince potential clients that you’re a better choice.

Prove your credibility. Who are you and what qualities do you have that enables you to deliver the results you promise? For example, why exactly are you qualified to write the article, “7 Reasons the Sky is Falling?”

If you want to know more about copywriting, I suggest The Ultimate Sales Letter by Dan S. Kennedy and The Elements of Copywriting by Gary Blake and Robert W. Bly. You can find both books in the Amazon carousel in the sidebar.