Start & Run a Copywriting Business (Start & Run a) [Paperback]

Steve Slaunwhite (Author)

Book Description

Release date: June 30, 2005 | Series: Start & Run ...

Turn your talent into dollars by learning to write ads, brochures, direct mail, websites, and business-to-business and e-mail marketing materials. Make writing your business! Corporations and agencies outsource most of their copywriting and need copywriters more than ever today--including for Internet marketing. Most copywriters cannot keep up with the demand for their services, and many make between $50,000 and $150,000. Start & Run a Copywriting Business is your essential guide to getting started and prospering in an industry that offers substantial income, flexible hours, and stimulating work. This book will provide new copywriters and old pros alike with proven, step-by-step strategies on how to find and keep clients, complete common copywriting tasks, set up an effective office, and overcome the unique challenges inherent in this business.

Editorial Reviews

Review

There are many sources that can help you get started. Steve Slaunwhite's book...is particularly helpful. -- Wall Street Journal, April 26, 2002 --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Publisher

Now includes a bonus CD-ROM with marketing and business tools to help you get your new company started successfully! --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 231 pages
• Publisher: Self-Counsel Press; 2nd edition (June 30, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1551806339
• ISBN-13: 978-1551806334
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 0.5 x 9.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #225,389 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Steve Slaunwhite is North America's foremost marketing coach. He is the author of several popular books on marketing, sales, copywriting, and small business success.

You can find out more about this author at: www.SteveSlaunwhite.com.

Steve is also a small business marketing columnist for several publications. His weekly e-newsletter and podcast -- "YOUR MARKETING MEMO" -- is followed by more than 50,000 solo professionals and small business owners each week.

When not writing, speaking and coaching, Steve enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter. He is an avid skier, runner (until the knees give out!), and thriller novel fan.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

57 of 57 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid Advice and Instruction for Aspirants and Pros March 16, 2004

By James Sadler

Format:Paperback

Give Steve Slaunwhite credit, while his writing style is not quite as entertaining as that of Peter Bowerman (author of "The Well Fed Writer"), he most definitely writes an informative and comprehensive book on the subject of freelance copywriting.

The book capably outlines the nuts-and-bolts of the business for both aspiring freelancers and established pros. Slaunwhite discusses everything from the equipment one needs (although the prices he lists are probably actually higher than what one will end up paying today) to finding clients and marketing your services.

Slaunwhite ably anticipates and covers many of the questions one who is considering the business might have. He includes a section with interviews of three other copywriters, notably Bob Bly (the inspiration for so-many other freelance copywriters), discussing the business and how they started and succeeded. He also goes one step further than many of the other books on this subject but providing a detailed discussion of the craft of copywriting, a subject frequently glossed over in other books.

My only real complaint with the book? The CD-Rom that is included is not what one would expect with the book. I had thought it would be packed with forms that were directly tied to the book. Instead it is a collection of helpful, but generic, general business forms. I suspect that this is something the publisher attaches to all their "start and run" series of books. I just wish they had been clearer about what the CD-Rom actually was.

I also wish Slaunwhite had collected all of his forms that he does reference in an appendix. Instead, they are scattered throughout the book in the chapters to which they are pertinent. But this is a relatively minor complaint....

All-in-all, Slaunwhite does an excellent job of explaining how to start and run a freelance copywriting business. His book ranks right up there with Bowerman's. I would recommend both to aspirants and pros alike. Read more ›

46 of 47 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars From soup to nuts - it's in here! August 5, 2001

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

This is an excellent book for those just getting started in the field or considering a move into professional copywriting. The author provides plenty of encouragement, including details of his own journey starting a copywriting business. At the same time, he doesn't gloss over the challenges of the profession. What emerges is an effective, realistic portrayal from a true insider.

As important as this information is, the book is at its best when the author dives into the nitty-gritty details of starting and running a copywriting business. He covers everything from getting that all-important first client, to pricing, to dealing with challenging customers, and much more. The book even includes many of the forms the author himself uses to organize and conduct business. This addition alone is worth the price of admission!

If you have any interest at all in this field, make buying this book your very next move!

44 of 47 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Takes up where Bly & Bowerman leave off... May 13, 2001

By G. Maxwell

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Slaunwhite has done an excellent job of capturing the basics of starting and running a successful copywriting practice. As with other books in this genre, the writer starts at the beginning talking about the ins and outs of the business and then works through to running a copywriting business of your own. Definitely a must for anyone interested in pursuing this lucrative field and a definite "keeper" for your freelance writing bookshelf.

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic book for any budding Copywriter February 9, 2002

By Troy Wilson

Format:Paperback

This book is just fantastic especially for any budding copywriter. This is a very well written book, easy to read understand. How to run and start a Copywriting Business is a must have for anybody wanting to know more about starting and running their own copywriting business. A step-by step guide including how to find clients, how to set up an effective office, how to master basic copywriting techniques, overcoming copywriting challengers, marketing your business and more.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars It's all here! March 5, 2002

By Michael McClure

Format:Paperback

Start and Run a Copywriting Business is a great place to start if you're considering becoming an independent copywriter. Steve's book is tremendously encouraging and filled with vital information gleaned from his many years of experience - no deadwood here. Steve's smooth conversational tone and honest handling of the subject matter make this book a pleasure to read. The tips, quotes, and resources contained in the marginalia are worth the price alone. If you're looking for information on copywriting, this is a great place to start.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Add this to your book shelf June 20, 2001

By P. Flowers

Format:Paperback

I'm ready to start building my own copywriting business because of this book. The author uses great examples and even gives the reader a sample of "a day in the life of a copywriter at home." What I found especially useful was the section about online portfolios. Another great section is the one that covers negotiating fees: hourly rate versus fixed fee. My favorite chapter was the Troubleshooting Guide because it discusses some of the biggest problems that a copywriter may be confronted with and how to deal with these problems. If you are sick of the office (as I was) and enjoy writing--this book can help you move in a new "independent" direction.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Read it, learn it, read it again! April 11, 2007

By Monty Rainey VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

In the last month, I have read Bowerman's and Bly's introductions to the copywriting business, as well as Steve Slaunwhite's, START & RUN A COPYWRITING BUSINESS. These books cover much of the very same material, yet from slightly different perspectives. Like the two previous books, I place Slaunwhite's book on the "must have" list for aspiring commercial writers.

No one book is a definitive source, yet all three are indispensable. I do not believe I could assign any specific order in which the books should be studied, but believe with surety that all three should be on your reading list before approaching such an endeavor.

If I were to judge superiority by the amount of notations and highlighting within the three books, Slaunwhite's book is the clear winner, but that may have as much to do with the format as it does with the content. Slaunwhite's book is designed with wide margins and printed on heavy book paper making it more conducive to note taking than either of the other volumes.

There is much to like about this book. It also comes with a CD that contains Checklists, Worksheets, and Resource Links. I have not used the CD yet, but have looked at some of the content and believe it will prove to be most helpful. At the very least, it is a nice edition to an already fine book.

I really appreciate Slaunwhite's writing style. Though I learned a tremendous amount from both Bowerman and Bly, for reasons I cannot explain, I felt I connected more with what Slaunwhite was saying. Perhaps that has something to do with the fact that I read the others first and they laid groundwork to give me a better understanding. Whatever the case, if you are interested in learning copywriting from the pros, read all three of these introductory volumes.