Copywriting: the beginning, or where to start learning for a beginner

Copywriting is not limited to writing advertising and selling texts. This also includes the preparation of information, image materials, letters for mailings, etc. It is worth starting work in this area by studying the theoretical foundations of copywriting and examples of texts.

Copywriting is writing texts for advertising purposes.

Types of copywriting

There are 4 types of copywriting:

Selling (marketing). Combines advertising texts and promotional materials. Their task is to interest the target audience and sell goods and services.
Creative. It includes commercials, slogans, catchy headlines and names that are invented to convey an idea in an unusual and concise form.
SEO. These are texts for website promotion based on search queries.
LSI. Articles for users, not for search robots. Inserting keywords is optional. The main thing is to reveal the meaning of the requests.

Copywriter - where to start for a beginner?

For an inexperienced web writer, starting a career is easier on content exchanges. There are no options for a beginner, unfortunately. Exchanges guarantee payment for work performed. Plus, the exchanges are full of customers. There will be demand for any skill level. You can gradually move from simple orders to tasks of greater complexity. Choose a load that suits your strength. Gain experience communicating with clients and become a real freelancer.

There are squabbles with customers, sometimes without reason - stock arbitrage works. Conflicting with the customer is the last thing. I admit, there are different customers, but newcomers usually receive harsh criticism without discounts. The patient ones will rake out. Gaining experience in “attacks” and the skill of identifying “special” employers is a significant experience.

Learning to write good articles is impossible without practice. Practice will help when grades are given objectively and teachers are strict. There is a lot of this stuff on content exchanges, pure survival school. Those who got in by accident or came in for a “walk” are thrown out in one fell swoop.

The payment to newcomers on the exchanges is “major”, but without deception. The writer's skill will grow, and you can take on more expensive orders. Working on the stock exchange gives you the opportunity to improve your skills, but most importantly, it gives you self-confidence. The doubts of choosing between a complex expensive order or a couple of simple cheap tasks will disappear.

Raise your rating, take care of your reputation, collect positive reviews. Experience will come, and permanent connoisseurs of style will appear. The chance to work outside the stock exchange at quite reasonable prices will disappear. Whoever can get through will become a copywriter, the rest will simply run away. Popular text exchanges: Advego.ru, Etxt.ru and TEXT.ru.

Requirements for quality texts

Previously, when indexing and ranking, search robots did not conduct a deep analysis of pages.

Because of this, the top positions in the search results received low-quality materials. Currently, high positions are assigned only to those articles that meet the basic requirements.

Clear structure

Users spend about 1 minute studying the material, so it should not be difficult to understand. The text is easy to read when it is structured.

The text must be structured.

Required items:

subheadings;
numbered or bulleted lists;
highlighted blocks, quotes.

Information content of the text

People come to the site looking for answers to their questions, so only informative texts get good responses. A high-quality article fully discloses the topic, contains facts and figures. "Water" is not desirable. Words and constructions that do not carry informational value make the text difficult to read and do not allow site visitors to quickly find a solution to the existing problem.

Audience Focused

A few years ago, texts were created for search engines. The materials contained many keys, entered without taking into account the topic and rules of the Russian language. Nowadays such orientation is undesirable.

The following is not allowed in texts:

unnatural occurrence of keywords;
overspam;
inserting keys that are not related to the topic.

The texts are aimed at the target audience.

When preparing materials, you need to focus on the desires of the audience. People want to read useful and interesting texts.

Style matching the theme

An article can be written in different ways: sensual and unusual, dry and restrained, etc. The method of presentation depends on the style in which you want to write the text. For example, you need material about a disease and treatment methods for a wide range of readers. The appropriate style is informational. The text should be dry, objective, and useful.

Verbal constructions with emotional overtones are inappropriate. They would cause confusion among readers and undermine trust in the site.

Optimized for SEO

A website page will rank high in search results if the published text is optimized.

Basic SEO elements:

Title tag. Reflects the main idea of the article and contains keywords.
Description tag. Small text that appears on search results pages attracts the attention of users. The tag briefly and interestingly describes the content.
Headings. H1 - name of the material. Occurs only once on the page - at the beginning of the text. H2, H3, etc. are subheadings. These elements divide the article into semantic blocks and make it more convenient to read.
Tags assigned to images. Title is the name of the picture, Alt is its description.

The published text needs to be optimized for SEO.
Important elements of an SEO article are search queries.
It is recommended that the main phrase be entered in the first paragraph in direct entry, and the remaining keys should be evenly distributed throughout the text in a diluted form, that is, in a different number, case, with a preposition or an additional word. It is important that the material does not contain too many queries.

Secret 7: Logically Complete Paragraphs and Sections

This is the easiest copywriting secret on our list. It goes like this: keep track of the logical completeness of paragraphs and sections. Write in such a way that the reader does not have to scour the text. Don't make him guess what you actually wanted to say in the new paragraph. There is nothing to say about the sections.

Try to fit small meanings into complete paragraphs and large logical meanings into completed sections. For example, as is done in this article.

Follow these 7 secrets to copywriting like a pro and you'll soon see your style improve.

Good for you!

PLACE TEXT FOR DISCOVERY

Do you have text in a similar format?

Free analysis of text quality on the ForCop forum

Typo? Please select it and press Ctrl+Enter. Thank you!

Peter Panda

Head of the “Panda Copywriting” project and the University of Copywriting. Creator of a convincingly positive style. Author of several books on copywriting

my-works.ru

Copywriter Tools

To simplify copywriting work, text checking services have been developed. Most of the tools are free.

Uniqueness services

Content written for the site must be unique. You can estimate the amount of borrowing using:

Text.ru. This is a copywriting exchange that has created a uniqueness verification service. It performs an in-depth analysis and detects plagiarism and low-quality rewriting.
Content-Watch.ru. An independent service that searches for copies on the Internet can identify rewrites. You can check 3 texts with a length of no more than 10 thousand characters for free.
ETXT.ru. Copywriting exchange with a uniqueness verification service. The tool is available on the website. There is also a software version that can be downloaded and installed on your computer for free.
Advego.ru. This copywriting exchange has developed an algorithm for determining uniqueness, which is famous for its high quality verification. You can find out borrowing rates online on the website or using a computer program. The tool identifies non-unique areas in the text and finds sources.

Text.ru is a uniqueness checking service.

Volume check

The Microsoft Word text editor automatically counts typed characters.

Ways to find out the length of an article with and without spaces:

in Word 2003 - in the menu bar, click on “Tools” and select “Statistics”;
in Word 2007 and newer versions - at the bottom of the program screen, click on “Number of words”.

To determine the number of characters, you can paste text into the AkelPad computer editor. The calculation will be performed automatically and the result will be displayed at the bottom of the program. Spaces are counted.

Online services have been created for copywriters who do not use text editors. For example, on the Advego exchange there is a free “Sign Calculator”. Its function is to count the number of words, characters with and without spaces. A similar tool is available on the Text.ru exchange. The number of characters is automatically counted when checking for uniqueness.

You might be interested in reading: How much does a copywriter earn per month?

Semantic Analysis and SEO Compliance

The Advego exchange has a free online service for semantic text analysis.

Advego is an online service for text analysis.

The main indicators that the tool determines:

number of characters, stop words;
water content;
classical and academic nausea;
frequency of words and phrases.

A similar service is Istio.com. There are 2 forms on the site:

Basic. Consists of a field for inserting text and an “Analysis” button.
Extended. Contains additional buttons (“Spelling”, “Highlighting keys”, “Map”, etc.).

When checking the text on Istio.com, you can find out the keyword density, volume of material, frequency, percentage of “water”.

The Miratext exchange operates a service for checking texts for keys. The online form consists of a field for inserting an article and 3 blocks for specifying the desired words and phrases - exact, diluted and LSI. You can additionally mark the types of occurrences to take into account when searching (for example, morphological, reverse, complex).

Spell checking services

To detect typos and errors in the text, you can use the free Speller service from Yandex. The tool is based on the CatBoots machine learning library. Thanks to it, the service finds spelling errors and deciphers distorted words. At the same time, Speller takes into account the context.

"Spelling" is a web service that checks text for:

Literacy. Identifies errors related to spelling, grammar, punctuation, style, semantics, typography, and gives advice on correction.
Beauty. Finds tautologies, discordant words, selects synonyms and epithets.
Quality. Evaluates SEO parameters (water content, frequency).

The spelling checker checks the text for literacy.

The disadvantage of Orfogramka is that it is a paid service. Access for 0 rub. Only writers receive it to review works of fiction.

Copywriting: how to determine the cost of your services

When going through any copywriting training, you will probably want to know how to determine the cost of your services. The price largely depends on experience. Beginners often start with text exchanges - there they look for orders for themselves.

Note! In the vast majority of cases, the price is quoted for 1000 characters without spaces. That is, if the cost of one 1000 characters is 2 dollars, and the size of the article is 5000 characters, then 2 is multiplied by 5 and the result is 10 dollars for the entire article as a whole.

At first you will have to work at minimum prices. They range from 30 to 50 rubles per 1000 characters. However, high competition leads to the fact that newcomers are even ready to reduce their wages just to get a job.

Customers are happy to pay the minimum amount. After all, they receive content for their sites. However, they understand that they are taking a risk - since the quality of the articles is not always high.

If they need truly high-quality content, customers turn to more experienced authors. They are willing to pay a lot of money, but be sure that the articles they receive will be:

unique;
original;
interesting and useful;
readable;
exciting.

That is, they will attract visitors to the site. The cost of work by experienced, professional authors ranges from 100 to 500 rubles per 1000 characters.

Note! Good authors earn quite substantial sums. Among them there are those who receive over 2 thousand dollars a month.

There are several ways to work. The first is to get a full-time job at the company. However, this option is not the best. Because you have to go to the office every day. And the salary level for office copywriters leaves much to be desired.

To earn substantial sums, I recommend setting out on a free voyage. That is, work remotely only for yourself. You can search for orders in several ways:

through freelance services exchanges;
through job search sites;
through social networks;
through word of mouth.

Examples of copywriting by area

Each type of content has its own writing guidelines. By following the basic rules and tips, you can learn to create high-quality and effective texts.

Information articles

The most common type of information content is descriptive articles. Their task is to give the user information about a place, object, phenomenon, etc. In texts you cannot use appeals to the reader or express an opinion. Vague phrases must be replaced with numbers and facts.

An example of an unsuccessful description of popular financial institutions: “The company is a leader in the lending industry. Beneficial loan programs with low interest rates and large amounts have been developed for borrowers.”

Informational articles are the most common type of content.

This passage uses general phrases, but readers need specific information. An example of a suitable description: “The company issues loans in Moscow and the Moscow region. Amounts - from 1 thousand to 30 thousand rubles. The rate for new clients is 1%, for regular clients – 0.5% per day.”

Information content can be in the form of impression articles. They contain descriptions and personal opinions. Such texts are often found on the pages of travel agencies in the form of reviews in which travelers talk about vacation spots, attractions, and share positive impressions.

Another type of information content is advisory articles. They represent an answer to a specific question.

The texts describe in detail the actions that need to be performed and provide instructions.

LSI copywriting

The rule to remember when creating LSI articles is that people need texts, not search engines. A person visiting a site should receive a comprehensive answer to a question.

To write a high-quality LSI article, it is recommended:

select the main key, which will be the topic;
collect an extended semantic core from relevant and synonymous search queries;
create a structure that fully reveals the topic.

SEO texts

Main characteristics of SEO-optimized material:

The information is presented in simple language and is useful for readers. There are no tautologies or meaningless phrases in the text. All facts are reliable.
The material is structured and formatted. The topic is completely covered.
Keywords are correctly entered (in a natural form in compliance with the rules of the Russian language). No overspam was detected.
In addition to keywords, the article contains their synonyms, which help reduce nausea and make the text more attractive to users and search robots.
The metadata is entered correctly. Title length is no less than 40 and no more than 80 characters, Description length is about 140-200 characters. These elements contain keywords.

SEO texts are presented in simple language.

Image texts for PR

PR texts are created to form the image of a company, product, service, or person. Compared to traditional articles, they should be less formal, more interesting for the target audience, and short.

The creation of image materials requires compliance with a number of conditions:

texts are written in simple language understandable to Internet users;
the content does not contain advertising, because its task is not to sell a product or service, but to fight for image and recognition;
The texts contain specifics and irrefutable facts.

Articles-translations

Translation if you know the language is not a difficult job. However, even when implementing it, several basic requirements must be taken into account:

The text follows the spelling and grammatical norms of the target language.
The resulting article must match the source code in style.
It is necessary to maintain the unity of terminology inherent in the subject of translation. You cannot replace special vocabulary with phrases of a neutral style.
The translation must be completed in full, without arbitrary abbreviations of the text.

You might be interested in reading: Earning money from rewriting

Article translations are one of the most popular types of earnings.

Selling models

The main model for constructing a selling text is AIDA. Based on 4 principles: attention, interest, desire, action. The user's attention is attracted by the title - non-standard, bright. The first paragraph (lead paragraph) arouses interest in the proposal. The purpose of the main part of the text is to create a desire in people to make a purchase or order a product. The important thing here is to focus on the benefits. The final part is a call to action (for example, “call the phone,” “make an online order on the website”).

Pain - More Pain - Hope - Solution is a more stringent model for constructing a selling article in relation to readers. The principles used are pain, more pain, hope and solution.

Material structure:

Intriguing and bright title.
Identifying the reader's problem. It is recommended to strengthen it by listing the most dangerous consequences.
Building hope that the problem can be overcome.
The solution is a description of the product or service, listing the benefits of the offer.
Call to action.

AIDA is a model accepted in marketing practice.
For example, you need a selling text for an agency that provides a service for selecting a nanny for a child. The problem can be stated as follows: “Does your child get sick often? There’s no one to leave him with and you have to ask your boss for time off?” Increasing pain: “Can you get fired because of this?” Hope: “You won’t lose your job.” Solution: “Our agency has a service for selecting a nanny. We will find for you a conscientious person with work experience, and you will agree with him on what days and hours to sit with the child.”

In sales texts you can mention gifts and bonuses. It is only recommended to limit their quantity or time of issue. This will push readers to take immediate action. Credible and interesting stories described in lead paragraphs work effectively. They increase the chances of reading the text to the end.

Mailing letters

Elements of an email and basic rules for composing it:

Sender name. The company name is indicated. It is worth writing your first and last name if the sender is a well-known expert or public figure.
Subject. A short, catchy and yet informative sentence that motivates to open or read the letter is effective. You can use provocations, questions, humor. The recommended length is 30-35 characters (this number of characters is displayed on mobile devices).
Preheader - text after the subject line that complements the subject line and serves as the last chance to convince the reader to open and read the letter.
Text of the letter. It begins with a greeting, which is selected taking into account the type of mailing and the specifics of the target audience (“Hello”, “Hello”, “Yo”). The main part of the letter can be selling or informational. The content depends on the type of newsletter.
Signature. This is an optional part. If available, it can perform various functions (for example, maintain reader loyalty, report important information).

Mailing letters should highlight key points.

The main thing when composing mailing letters is to write in clear language, briefly, highlight key points, and use thematic icons. You can use different font colors. However, it is important not to overdo it, because the “traffic light” is difficult for readers to perceive. Two colors are enough to design the text.

Landing page creation

Landing Page (LP) is a target selling web page that contains information about a product or service. The purpose of the content is to encourage the visitor to make a purchase or place an order.

Any landing page consists of 3 blocks:

first screen;
body;
last screen.

The first screen is the area that the user sees after opening the page without scrolling down. The purpose of this section of the landing page is to attract the visitor’s attention. Elements that should be on the first screen:

an image or video associated with the offer;
a short title that makes you want to read the content of the landing page;
a subheading that deciphers and complements the main heading;
a small body of text that describes the sales offer and concisely and concisely formulates the benefits for the user;
a call to action element (a button for submitting an application, purchasing);
“header” of the site with a logo, phone numbers, address, callback order form, navigation menu.

Landing is a website whose purpose is to encourage the visitor to take a specific action.
The body of the landing page is the main content of the page. It may consist of rectangular information blocks with icons, pictures, and additional graphic elements.

Main body parts Landing Page:

product advantages, ) is a required block;
description of the work process (Workflow) - an auxiliary element for information about the manufacture of goods or delivery;
information about the manufacturer, seller - a block with a story about the company, work experience, specialists, achievements;
price, reviews, list of major partners and client companies, certificates, awards, examples of work.

The last screen is intended for the visitor to perform some action.

Here it is recommended to place a lead form, comprehensive contact information and a closing argument that encourages an order or purchase.

What is a regular copywriting exchange?

This is a place where hundreds and thousands of people write cheap texts. There is no professional growth, pennies rule there. The best local authors dream of earning a few dollars per 1,000 characters and pray for those coveted four bucks.

You'll write boring stuff there for years and enjoy every tiny increase in your current rate. Here's another example for you to finally see the light:

People living in the DPRK receive about 300 grams of rice per day using coupons. This is a known fact. So, these people secretly talk about the USA as some kind of earthly paradise, where you can get a kilogram of rice per person per day!

This is their picture of the world, they cannot simply imagine that somewhere this rice is standing in bags and no one needs it for nothing. Their way of life simply does not initially provide for such an opportunity. .

Same thing on the stock exchanges. Local residents are accustomed to the fact that a dollar per thousand signs is good, and four is the top of the world and a synonym for complete success in life. The natives simply do not have role models; they look up to those who are content with little.

The main thing is that these people cannot even be called full-fledged freelancers. They are tied to a specific service and working as a copywriter for them consists only of executing fixed requests. An extreme case is writing articles for content stores.

Such people have neither their own client base, nor their own websites, nor aspirations or big plans. They are slaves to the lamp, but they just don't understand it and feel happy when they get a handful of rice. If you like rice, stay. Lovers of kebabs and chocolates, follow us, we will continue to study the basics of copywriting!

Established models in copywriting

There are 5 classic ways to construct text:

From general to specific. First, emphasis is placed on some common factor. The text then goes into detail.
From particular to general. The article begins with details. At the end of the text, everything comes down to a general statement.
Chronological order. This method is used when submitting information in the form of a step-by-step guide or cooperation scheme (for example, listing the stages of work). The main feature is that each subsequent unit of information logically develops and complements the previous one.
Comparative order. Involves a presentation based on classifications, descriptions of several points of view, situations, etc.
Structural order. This method of presentation involves parsing the object of the article into parts. This is a classic decoding of information.

You will be interested in reading How to make money writing texts on the Internet

There are different ways to write text.

Why is it better to learn copywriting for free?

Is it possible to buy a profession?

“Copywriting is easy to write and pays a lot? How much, how much do they get? I will be an online writer, send me an invoice for tuition! Damn, I’ll work it out!”

There is an illusion that copywriting is an easy way to make money. You know the keyboard, you can type out the words - you will be a rich man! There is an illusion, which means someone benefits. There is a way to make money without noise and dust - paid copywriting courses.

“You don’t need to deceive me, I’m happy to be deceived myself.” The rose-colored glasses come off after a couple of months after the course. The epiphany will come that the profession is serious. It turns out that clients demand “through the roof”, but pay a pittance. Nobody signed up for this. The strong will continue to “sharpen” their craft. 95% of debutants will go looking for a new “field of miracles”.

Paying two hundred rubles for a cheese product instead of cheese is easy - forget it, forget it. For web writing courses, you will have to shell out other amounts, by an order of magnitude. There are no refunds under any circumstances or promises. There will be no one to complain to. True, it happens that you have extra money and need to spend it somewhere...

Walking hand in hand with a “stalker” instills confidence. He will guide you along an unknown path, like taxi drivers through the area of three Moscow train stations, and present you with a certificate. For a couple of weeks there remains a feeling of enormous opportunity. Then the adrenaline in the blood will decrease, the sensations will go away, and everyday life will begin.

You will have to make your way further yourself. As you learn, so will you go. There will be no fanfare. They will not notice the arrival of the young fighter. A strong trump card will be the ability to “spin” and famously obtain knowledge, if you know how. The rest is husk.

It is impossible to succeed without independent work skills. However, being able to work off the cost of training is already a skill. See How to master copywriting yourself for free.

Don't lose money - it's free?

The Runet is bursting with copywriting materials. Foreign authors, our masters, shared their experiences and wrote books. Take it and read it. Find the secrets of the best headlines, powerful articles - Yandex search is always ready. To understand the ABCs of the craft, you need to read a dozen books. It will take a week for the average reader. Learning to write articles is simple - write more often, more, for any money. Then secrets will be revealed that there are no secrets. The result will appear in three months, “no fools”, who needs it.

During the courses, chapters from the books of masters are read - the delight of the listeners. They promise practice to learn how to WRITE texts - they get in line. Is it possible to become a master of words in just a couple of texts? On YouTube, a dozen channels slyly quote books by famous authors. Presented as personal experience of web writers. Viewers leave comments in admiration! Don't know about books or are you too lazy to read? Surrealism, however.

Only foodies can pay for free things. There are good courses on the ABCs of copywriting on the RuNet, free of charge, by the way. You can work - there will be a result in any way, if not - everything is empty.

Books on journalism are useful, but journalism genres will have to be greatly adapted to the peculiarities of the Internet.

So web writing publications are still waiting in the wings.

If we talk about selling texts, then excellent books (such as the works of Denis Kaplunov and Dmitry Kot) usually present material NOT for beginners. Most often, these are collections of tricks and techniques that will be useful to an already practicing copywriter. But becoming a copywriter from books is quite difficult: there is a lack of a systematic approach to acquiring skills

And most importantly: you will not have someone who would lead you by the hand and point out your mistakes. If you misunderstood something, it will stay with you.

Examples from famous text exchanges

Content of various types is created on the Advego, ETXT, Text.ru, etc. exchanges. Some copywriters comply with the terms of reference, but their texts are still not of sufficient quality.

Common disadvantages:

Incorrect introduction. The first sentences should be short, informative, and reflect the meaning of the article. In this part of the text, it is important to maintain a balance of already known information and new information. If, for example, the material is devoted to the description of a product, then it is best to start with a small definition and draw the readers’ attention to the useful properties. It is not necessary to talk about the history and technical characteristics in the introduction.
Overspam. Often copywriters distribute keys unevenly and insert them into adjacent sentences.
The presence of unimportant words, cliches, clericalism. Copywriters often overlook these elements.

A well-known site is Content-Online.ru, where texts are written turnkey. The service makes the work of webmasters and copywriters easier.

The process of creating a quality article consists of several stages:

The client downloads the keys or theme.
The technical specification maker creates a text structure that fully reveals the topic.
The copywriter completes the task.

Automatic checking evaluates nausea, insertion of specified keywords and their uniform distribution throughout the text, and identifies verbal garbage. If the requirements established in the system are not met, the copywriter carries out revisions. An incorrectly composed introduction, incomplete disclosure of the topic, and tautology also do not go unnoticed, since the finished article is checked by the editors of the service.

Do I need to take paid copywriting training?

This question is asked by many, especially considering the fact that paid training is not cheap, and people come to copywriting just to start earning money and improve their financial situation.

The answer is simple: ideally, copywriting can be learned for free. And it’s best to get the most out of free sources at the initial stage in order to understand what’s what. I know a lot of people who regretted that they had paid a lot of money for training to work on stock exchanges, and the costs of studying did not pay off. Therefore, my unequivocal recommendation: get your bearings for free. And you will always have time to pay the money, there is no point in rushing. This decision must be conscious and balanced. And to make such a decision, you need a system base - that’s how the puzzle comes together.

It makes sense to pay for training only when you understand that independent practice is no longer enough for you, and you need feedback from the teacher in order to correct the vector of skill development and grow further. Or if you need to immediately install such a vector and save time on development (when skills are needed urgently).

Analysis of errors using specific examples

Often, beginning copywriters abuse the phrases “many are interested”, “the question of how to do... worries people.” These and similar phrases do not carry a semantic load, so they are superfluous in the texts.

A common mistake is tautology. There are repetitions:

Direct - the same word or a word with the same root occurs several times in the same or adjacent sentences.
Hidden - elements of meaning are repeated. This error often goes unnoticed. Examples of incorrect phrases: “qualified experts”, “traditional classics”, “shampoo for washing hair”.

There may be errors in the texts due to incorrect compatibility. There are paronyms in the Russian language. They sound similar, but have different meanings. For example, the phrase “thrifty person” is incorrect. The meaning of the adjective used is “profitable”, “allowing you to save money”. The phrase should include another word - "frugal". Its meaning is “one who observes economy”, “who spends something thriftily.”

Secret 2: Feel free to start sentences with “and” or “but”

Forget what your Russian teacher told you. Not all of them, of course, but forget about the use of “but”. Putting “and” or “but” at the beginning of a sentence is not only possible, but in many cases it is even desirable. Rarely, very rarely, but desirable.

Starting sentences with a conjunction is useful when you need to avoid extended phrases and add assertiveness to the text. It's also a great way to focus readers' interest on key points in your argument.

Of course, if you adhere to a formal business style when writing, then it is better not to use “but” or “and” at the beginning. In other cases, you can use it safely.

Part 4: Behind the text - how to communicate

To make good money freelancing, you need to be able to communicate - without this you can’t get anywhere.

Here we have collected tips on business correspondence, communication with experts, customers and editors.

General tips on business correspondence and etiquette

81. "Chat etiquette"

Andrey Novoselsky formulated common problems in chats and told how to avoid them. This is relevant considering that most work issues are resolved via messengers and social networks.

82. “Ways to save time on work correspondence”

Work correspondence - agreeing on topics, discussing edits, etc. - takes a lot of time (unless, of course, you write in a conveyor belt using the same type of terms of reference). Lyuda Sarycheva spoke about 5 simple ways to save time on communications.

83. “Email Culture: 10 Commandments”

Artemy Lebedev talks about how to use email with respect for recipients. Most of the commandments apply to mass email campaigns as well.

84. “13 things in business correspondence that are simply infuriating”

If you want to get an editor or a customer, do so. Otherwise, do the opposite.

85. “15 main rules of business correspondence”

Competent correspondence helps to achieve success, illiterate correspondence leads to loss of money, time, and reputation. If you want to increase rather than lose, follow Sasha Karepina’s advice.

Interviewing, communication with experts

86. “How to improve a text with the help of expert opinion?”

Tamara Vitruk explains in order: who is an expert → how to choose him → how to extract that very expert opinion from him. At the end of the material there is a checklist, sample questions to ask the expert and ways to use his opinion.

87. “Yuri Dud: how to do a great interview”

In this section it was impossible without the advice of Yuri Dud. “What to Read for an Editor” has prepared a summary of one of his lectures - read it before looking for an expert and preparing for an interview.

88. “How to write a good interview remotely: personal experience”

Our article is about how to interview, not like Dud, but remotely - this is how freelance copywriters usually have to work. Victoria Kuchinova discussed in detail the stages, methods, and rules.

89. “Ask for consent first.”

Lyudmila Sarycheva - about an important rule of business correspondence. The principle: first ask for consent, and then agree on everything else. Everything is clear – with examples and anti-examples.

Communication with customers, clients

90. “How can a freelance writer get hired by an agency and not quit after the first project?”

Olga Kozachenko soberly assesses the situation on both sides and shares her experience. She told me how to and how not to behave with a potential client. Freelancer, keep up the good work.

91. “How to negotiate with clients remotely: 5 years of freelancing experience”

Ekaterina Kushnir shares her personal experience: she tells how to negotiate without personal meetings and at the same time find a common language with clients. The article is useful for everyone: both copywriters and customers.

92. “How to increase your salary”

Ilyakhov on how to negotiate a salary increase. Inside is a list of questions to ask your boss and a list of possible scenarios. The main thing is not to be afraid.

93. “There is neither a comfortable nor a fair price.”

Article by Katerina Eroshina about economics and the market. If you are motivated to raise the price tag 2-3-5 times, read this article first before “delighting” your customer. Spoiler: in addition to your needs, you need to take into account the client’s budget too.