By W Allen
There are certain things you need to have to be able to effectively do your work as a professional freelance copywriter. Now, some of this stuff is expensive, so if you’re running on a tight budget then it would make sense for you to try and buy some of these items used. As long as it is functional then you’re alright. Once you begin to pull in more clients you’ll be able to afford an upgrade.
As a Freelance Copywriter You’re going to need:
1. A Computer. You can buy a laptop or a PC. These days you can find a pretty reliable laptop for cheap. Most places even offer some sort of monthly payment plan. I know my first laptop cost over $1,000 but I only ended up making monthly payments of about $27. PCs are no different. The big retail electronic chain stores have reliable PCs for less than $500. And I’m sure they also offer payment plans. The computer is your life in this business. Without my laptop I’d probably just waste away. It is the core. And always make sure to back up your information. I had a computer crash on me and I lost about 7 months worth of work because I hadn’t backed it up. So make sure you back it up.
2. The Internet. I prefer high speed internet access because I do a lot of my research online and with anything less I feel I wouldn’t be able to be as productive. However as budget allows, you may not be able to afford it at first. Some cable providers have specials where you can sign up for so many moths at a discounted rate. I suggest you check and see. DSL is also an option. It’s cheaper than cable (in most areas) and is more widely available. Faster internet access is great for my business but it’s not a necessity. Once again if you are running under a tight budget then you can go with less expensive options. There are many dial up services that cost less than 20 dollars and some that are free. The main problem with the free services is that they tend to run constant advertising messages across your screen while you are connected. This could be very distracting.
3. A Telephone. You need a phone to make and accept calls to and from your clients. I think that’s fairly obvious. I have two phones--a cell phone and a home phone. I use the home phone when I’m doing business from my home office and when I’m out during business hours (at a coffee shop or library) I have my calls forwarded to my cell phone. That way I don’t miss any important calls.
4. A Fax Machine. A fax machine is optional. But if you decide to purchase one it can help you be more productive. If you plan on using a copywriter’s contract (discussed later in the manual) that you want signed by the client then it really helps to have a fax machine to send and receive it. Plus some clients haven’t fully grasped attaching documents to emails so they insist on sending them via fax instead. If you have a document store nearby you can always use their fax
machine, but it is a slight hassle to have to go there. It takes away from time you could use to be more productive.
5. Various office supplies:
• Desk
• Paper
• Pens
• File Cabinet
• Folders
• Envelopes
• Pads of paper (I like to use legal pads to take notes while on the phone with a client. Also when doing research)
• Comfortable chair
• A motivational poster or two (to keep the spirit up and focus on the task at hand)
For more information on freelance copywriting home office supplies or the business of freelance copywriting in general visit http://www.become-a-copywriter-today.com/page/page/4298993.htm
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