| 1. If you visit your local office supplies store or an art | | | | want to write at the top of the page "SPEC AD." |
| supply shop you can find a standard balck portfolio | | | | Just remember when putting together your portfolio or |
| case for around $20 to $30 dollars. You will find them | | | | any other form of self marketing - potential clients or |
| in varios sizes but you don't need a large one. A | | | | employers are reading your material to evaluate your |
| medium sized one should be sufficient. | | | | ability to write. They are not hiring you as a graphic |
| 2.You will need to purchzse additional portfolio starter | | | | designer so the design of your work is irrelevant. Don't |
| pages so you won't run out. The portfolio starter | | | | waste too much time trying to create copy that looks |
| pages are protective plastic that goes over your work | | | | finalized. Just make sure the copy you do have is your |
| and over a black page. It's always a good idea to | | | | best work. Work that you are proud of and shows |
| have extra pages on hand because you never know | | | | how you can really sell a product. |
| when you may want to quickly add an additional page. | | | | Even veteran copywriters include plain text copy in |
| 3. Always include your resume as the very first page | | | | their portfolio. It's the writing that counts in copywriting. |
| of your portfilio. It's true that you will be sending your | | | | Always use professional quality paper to dress up |
| resume first to potential clients or employers but you | | | | your plain text ads. This is the same paper you would |
| still want to include it on your first page. There may be | | | | use to put a resume on. |
| many prospects aside from yourself who are vying | | | | If you really want your text ad to stand out buy a |
| for the position so you want to make sure that they | | | | decorative background paper and offset the two by |
| know who you are when they see your portfolio. | | | | about an inch. A little extra effort can go a long way! |
| 4. This is very important---> Make sure you pick out | | | | 7. Make sure you don't glue your brochure down to |
| your very best work for your portfolio!!! If you don't | | | | the portfolio page and then stash it behind the |
| have many samples to show you can use text on | | | | protective plastic. Cut into the portfolio page so that |
| paper as a writing sample. | | | | the potential client or employer who is looking at your |
| Choose the work that best shows your copywriting | | | | portfolio can have easy access to your copy. This |
| talent, even if it is simple text on a piece of paper. | | | | means you may have a brochure flap sticking out of |
| If you don't have samples then don't worry. There are | | | | the protective plastic but your prospect can easily see |
| many times when copywriters have a great project | | | | your work. |
| they've finished but the project is still in production and | | | | Your work is protected by your portfolio pages. That |
| hasn't gone to print so they don't have the finished | | | | is what the portfolio is designed to do. The last thing |
| product to show off. That's ok. If this is the case then | | | | you want is a potential client trying to take a closer |
| simply use the copy. If the person hiring you has any | | | | look so they start trying to feel the protective plastic |
| sense at all they won't be looking at the design (they're | | | | back to get their hands on your copy. |
| not hiring you for that!) they will be reading the copy to | | | | 8. Always try to adapt your portfolio's pages to a client |
| see if it flows, if it sells. | | | | or employer's specific needs. If you know in advance |
| This is also true for beginning copywriters. The | | | | that the company you're submitting your portfolio too |
| beginning freelance copywriter who has no samples at | | | | exclusively handles direct mail then you should include |
| all to showcase can create SPEC ADS. A SPEC AD | | | | in your portfolio as many direct mail samples as you |
| is an ad that you create on your own. You can take | | | | can. An assortment of many different types of copy |
| an ad for a major company you see in a magazine or | | | | won't be as effective as a specifically targeted group |
| a newspaper and rewrite it using your own style, label | | | | of your best copy aimed at whatever your prospet |
| it a SPEC AD, and those who are looking over your | | | | company mainly creates. |
| portfolio will know that you are showcasing your | | | | Your offline portfolio should be constantly changing to |
| abilities. | | | | meet the needs of those prospects you are trying to |
| 5. In your portfolio create divider sections to divide your | | | | work for. |
| work into the proper categories. Let's say that you | | | | 9. Ok. Now you're in the employer's or potential client's |
| have brochure copy, print ads, newsletter copy, and a | | | | office because he or she looked at your resume and |
| radio script. You would want to create divider sections | | | | called you in for an interview. Don't get too excited at |
| to make your work stand out and not seem jumbled | | | | this point. You could be just one of many, many other |
| and unorganized. | | | | copywriter's vying for the same job. |
| For this example you would want to create a divider | | | | Make sure to put some extra copies of your resume |
| page with a heading for Brochures, one for Newsletter | | | | into the back flap of your portfolio case. This is handy |
| copy, one for Print Ads, and finally one for Radio | | | | in case your potential client or employer has lost yours |
| Script. | | | | or would like an extra copy. |
| And always remember when working on anything | | | | 10. Remember this... |
| from your portfolio to your website, copywriting is a | | | | No matter what compliment a potential employer or |
| very creative field so do not be afraid to get creative | | | | client gives you about your resume - never leave it |
| with your own marketing. | | | | with them. EVER! Even if they promise with all their |
| Try something interesting. Create a collage from | | | | hart that nothing bad will happen to it. |
| pictures cut out of magazines. Anything to differentiate | | | | The reason you don't ever, ever want to leave your |
| your work from others. You want your work to stand | | | | portfolio behind is that once your portfolio is out of your |
| out and your want your creativity and talent to shine | | | | hands, you have no idea how it's going to be handled. |
| through. This will greatly increase your chances of | | | | They can easily be damaged, lost, or used as a |
| landing good clients. | | | | coffee cup coaster. |
| 6. Don't be afraid to inlcude your text ads in your | | | | The best way to handle a situation if a potential client |
| portfolio. You can dress up these ads and make them | | | | loves your portfolio and wants to keep it is to say that |
| every bit as appealing as a full-color ad. | | | | you are available for a second appointment. You can |
| If you have a page of text and it's not in it's final post | | | | also say that it would be a sinch to fax your samples |
| production form simply entitle the top of the page "In | | | | over to them as soon as you get home. This way |
| Production". If you have written a SPEC AD you would | | | | everyone gets what they want. |