Many people associate professionals working in the television industry as being on a pedestal that is only shared by those who are glamorous, rich, beautiful, or at least college educated with a degree that is suitable for framing!
Unfortunately, this mindset deters many highly creative people from pursuing their dreams. And the truth is, there are an unlimited number of opportunities in the television industry, especially in the field of creative writing.
I did not intentionally set out to write television commercials on a professional level. After all, I was a high school dropout who barely got by with a GED. But like so many people, he dreamed of living the life of a creative artist while working quietly from 9 to 5 in a tiny cubical office.
I was employed at a large real estate corporation for several years as a paper salesman in the human resources department. But one day in particular changed my life forever.
I was having lunch in the break room, and one of the company’s real estate agents happened to walk in looking extremely frustrated, distraught, and puzzled. So, naturally, I asked her what was wrong, and she proceeded to tell me how the deadline to submit verbiage for the local cable station the office advertised on every week, featuring our sample of available homes for sale, was approaching. This real estate agent only had two days left to submit a final proof, and he hadn’t even managed to scribble a rough draft! She then proceeded to ask me if she knew anyone who was a good writer and since she enjoyed writing as a hobby, I offered to write a 15 second ad on the cable station for a house she had listed. We negotiated a price and I wrote the ad for him in less than fifteen minutes. My first ad went something like this:
“If you have more projects to finish than Martha Stewart, it’s a good thing this place has plenty of storage!… Take a look at this three-bedroom, two-bathroom lakeside home featuring two living rooms, one billiards room, and dressing rooms…There is a great deck in the backyard, perfect for summer barbecues!”
Needless to say, my first client LOVED the ad and was so relieved when it was submitted before the deadline. I made a few extra bucks doing something I loved to do anyway. But I never thought of creative writing as a serious profession until another realtor in our office reached out to me asking if I would write HIS ad!
Word spread like wildfire that I was an excellent copywriter who charged a reasonable price. In fact, I acquired 10 new real estate agents to write TV commercials in the second month I started! I could clearly see that I had a rapidly growing business on my hands that was easy to market to. I also realized how limitless the opportunities were in the field of creative writing, because there are over 10,000 real estate agents in my city alone who needed to not only write TV commercials, but also verbiage for flyers, brochures, and websites! But I decided to stay writing TV commercials, because I have to admit: it was really cool to hear the commercials I wrote enthusiastically advertised on TV every Saturday morning.
In order to promote my service to other professionals in the real estate industry, I recorded a video resume of the TV commercials I created. I also asked my real estate clients to write a glowing letter of recommendation, which most of them were happy to do. I then laminated the letters and kept them in a three-ring binder for an awesome reference. With these two marketing tools in hand, suddenly, anyone who advertised on TV was a potential prospect! From car dealers, insurance agencies, and attorneys, to chiropractors, florists, and caterers! But best of all, he had what no recent college grad did: years of experience in the field and documented evidence from the hundreds of commercials he’d written. I also had a huge customer base who swore by the quality of my service, both verbally and in writing. Not bad for a high school dropout!
If you are interested at this point in what is needed to get started, I can assure you that it is not complicated at all. Here are four points to consider before starting your own copywriting business:
1. Have an idea of what industry you would like to target. My industry turned out to be real estate, but there are hundreds of others out there. Check your local cable shows to see which companies are continually advertising. Don’t be afraid to call these professionals or approach their business to tell them what you do. You’ll be surprised how many of them will be RELIEF that you walked through the door and offered to take the daunting task of creative writing off their hands! People who love to write take their skills for granted. Just because writing is easy and natural for you, doesn’t mean it is for everyone.
2. What is the name of your company? Make sure it’s something easy to remember and that the title reflects the profession you’re in, such as “Creative Writing Services Incorporated” (CWSI)
3. How much do you charge for your services? I personally charge $20.00 for a 15 second TV ad, which is between 25 and 35 words, give or take. It takes me about 15 minutes to write an ad of this caliber, which means I can write four 15 second TV commercials in an hour at $20.00 each, or four ads an hour. That’s about $80.00 per hour!
4. Practice setting limits. The reason why is because some people are naturally procrastinators. If you have 10 customers calling you at once to tell you that your ad is due tomorrow, you are simply setting yourself up for a stressful situation, if you accept the task. Even if you’re not too busy at first, it’s never wise to let a client get used to giving you last-minute deadlines. Ask your customers to give you three days (or more) notice depending on their schedule.
Now, let’s take a look at the startup cost of your copywriting business. Fortunately, this business costs very little to start! In fact, if you’re reading this article now, the changes are, you already have almost everything you need. But here’s a list of everything you’ll need, plus the cost involved, if any:
1. Computer with printer and Internet access (or at least a typewriter)
Cost: $50 to $1,000
2. Invoice Book (to keep track of accounts receivable)
Cost: $3
3. Dictionary (soft cover)
Cost: $5 (Online, it’s free)
4. Thesaurus (soft cover)
Cost: $5 (Online, it’s free)
5. Three-ring binder (for those glowing recommendation letters, remember?)
Cost: $1
6. VHS or DVD recorder (for recording your video resume commercials) Not required, but strongly recommended.
Cost: $25 to $100
7. Constitution for tax incentives.
Cost: $50 to $150
8. Business cards
Cost: $15 to $30
As I mentioned earlier, most of you reading this article have most of these items at home. But if not, these are things you can add as you build your business. The library is a great resource for Internet access, which is completely free. There may be a small charge for printing, but you’ll most likely get it back once you complete your final proof.
It is always extremely important to type up the final proof and make a copy for yourself and your client. Even if your handwriting is attractive and legible, it looks more professional when writing. Be sure to put your business name and address with your phone number on the final proof. It makes it easy for your customers to contact you if they have questions or need to place another order! Always keep a record of your final test. Remember, you are documenting your experience, which is absolutely invaluable to you when it comes to growing your business.
Best of luck in the exciting field of creative writing! Not that you need much luck, because there are professionals who are desperate for your help. So, go create the art career of your dreams!
