Niche Your Way to Freelance Copywriting Success

Of the many strategies I have used over the decades to build my freelance copywriting business, niching has consistently been one of the most effective.

“Niching” simply means specializing. For a copywriter, your specialty is typically either a medium or type of writing (e.g., white papers, emails, social media) or an industry or product category (e.g. insurance, dietary supplements, consumer electronics).

(What Is a Swipe File for Copywriters?)

Why do I recommend niching? Because the evidence shows that in most fields of human endeavor, specialists make more money than generalists—and are more in demand.

For instance, who do you think earns more—your family doctor or neurosurgeons?

During my first decade as a freelance copywriter, I specialized in “industrial copywriting.” Meaning I wrote ads about equipment, systems, and raw materials used in manufacturing—everything from pumps and valves, to control systems and sensors.

I did so because it seemed a logical progression for me: I had majored in chemical engineering and been the advertising manager for a manufacturer of process equipment.

And, if you are able to use it, niching in an industry where you already have experience gives you an edge over other copywriters who do not.

For instance….

Susan is a certified nutritionist. And this background makes her eminently qualified to write copy for dietary supplements—one of the best-paying and most in-demand niche markets for copywriters today.Gary became a marketing consultant and copywriter for eye doctors—a natural for him, because he had spent years working as an ophthalmologist in a private practice he owned with a partner who was also an eye doctor.

Although you are being hired as a professional writer, clients seek out copywriters who appear to know the business the client is in—how it operates, the big problems it addresses for customers, the technology, and how it works.

That being said, you don’t have to be a heavyweight to break into and succeed in a niche. Here are just a few of the shortcuts that can help you get up and running in a copywriting specialty fast:

You don’t need an MD to be a medical copywriter. But do take some adult education classes, workshops, and seminars in health care, biochemistry, and related subjects. Doing so can help you write better copy on those topics. Plus, it impresses potential clients in those fields.Earn a certification or continuing education credits in the field. Sometimes you can do this by taking just a couple of courses. I took a single course to become a certified local area network administrator, which gave me significant credibility in IT, believe it or not!Niche in an area in which you already have some work experience and training. For example, working as a salesperson in a car dealership will make you more interesting to potential copywriting clients in the automotive business.

Another tip: Join professional organizations in a niche to gain instant credibility, exposure, and even access to potential clients. For example, if you want to get into medical copywriting, join the American Medical Writers Association.

Even if you don’t meet the full membership requirements for a particular industry association, many trade groups will let you join as an affiliate member—which, when it comes to a credential, seems pretty much to most people the same as full membership.