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Specializing as a copywriter can mean setting yourself apart from the competition, increasing your business (and pay), and doing more of the work you prefer. Sound too good to be true? Just listen to what other copywriters are saying.

MAKE YOURSELF INCOMPARABLE AND AVOID THE 'MUSHY MIDDLE'

Here's some wisdom from Anne Pepper of Pepper Writing Company (http://www.pepperwriting.com) about specializing as a copywriter:

"In terms of marketing yourself, it's better to clearly define a niche area for yourself, because it's hard for clients to remember copywriters who inhabit the 'mushy middle.'"

Although I'd never heard of the 'mushy middle' before receiving the above quote from Anne, just the sound of it made me call up my website and rethink my own copywriting marketing strategy. Who wants to be lumped in with everyone else? Just another nondescript freelancer without a face? Nothing special to offer? Not me!

Steve Slaunwhite (http://www.steveslaunwhite.com/ and http://www.forcopywritersonly.com) makes the case for specialized copywriters this way:

"Be a specialist. Specialists do better than generalists. They attract more clients more easily, face less competition, and can charge more."

We'll get to charging more later, but for now, the thing to notice is that specialization makes you more attractive to clients by setting yourself apart. As copywriters, we can be so consumed with finding the Unique Selling Proposition of our clients that we forget to define our own.

BUT DOESN'T SPECIALIZATION MEAN A SMALLER POOL OF COPYWRITING WORK?

I just heard a retort: "If I specialize, I'll limit the types of work I get. And I can't afford less work."

Ah, but the secret is you won't limit the work you get. Listen to Anne Pepper again:

"And you needn't worry about only ever having to do just this specialty, because if clients like your work, they'll hire you for their brochures, web, newsletters, and even phone messages."

The catch is "if clients like your work." In other words, be a good copywriting specialist and you'll end up getting your clients' general work too.

Of course, you might not be interested in the general work. If that's your case, then make sure you don't miss "Copywriting: Specialize For Your Own Sake -- Part 2 of 3" where we'll explore shaping your copywriting business to suit you best.

Copyright (c) Grant Pasay 2005. All rights reserved.