LOAFC Week 7 // The power of taking a punt
By: James Binns
Tags: Copywriting, Copywriter, Freelancing, Freelance, Remote Working

I can’t quite recall exactly how many weeks my brief dalliance with the martial arts lasted. Long enough to realise that throwing someone over your shoulder is much more difficult than it looks. Not long enough for my parents to (wisely) deem it worthwhile to buy me the dressing gown thing.

Optimism around my own ability is simultaneously my best and worst personality trait. It’s how I got my chance in the industry. But it’s also why my Google drive is littered with half-baked screenplays, the pup is semi-competent at dog agility and our loft boarding is wonky AF.

If something interests me, even briefly, I’ll have a go. When I first came out of university I knew very little about copywriting. I’d done Sports Marketing at uni. So my only real exposure to it came in the occasional advertising module. That and those episodes of Friends where Chandler changes careers.

However, the best thing I did was to take a punt when I saw a graduate copywriter position advertised. Unlike the other five candidates that made it through to the two-day assessment centre, I didn’t really have anything to lose. If their interview-friendly small talk was anything go by, they’d all been aspiring copywriters since the womb. I just felt massively out of my depth. But luckily I had my motto to fall back on: it’ll probably be fine.

And it was. So ever since, I’ve continued to do exactly what everyone’s favourite this-will-make-me-look-profound-on-LinkedIn Richard Branson quote tells us to do: keep f#$%ing winging it.

Image credit: that annoying person on LinkedIn trying to look sage.

Jack of all trades, master of (maybe) one

This approach has set me up well for the world of freelance. Once I found my copywriting feet, I spent a lot of time during my agency-side career learning how to do cool creative stuff from people that were all very good at doing cool creative stuff. I’d talk to planners about strategy. I’d get the designers to show me how to do basic bits and bobs in InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop. I wrangled my way on video editing courses. All skills that I can lean on now I’m a multi-faceted creative for hire.

Now, I must stress that when it comes to my clients, I’m always very forthright with what I can and can’t do. But I always follow that up with: if I don’t know how to do something, I can always learn. And paying me to learn will be a lot cheaper than paying someone who knows what they’re doing.

It’s a mutually beneficial agreement which means I can keep learning and trying new skills, even though I’m living outside of the world of appraisals and personal development plans. And it’ll be a key factor in whether or not I stick with the freelance life in the long-term.

Either that or I’ll just fall back on the judo.

James Binns is a senior freelance copywriter, creative and content writer based in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. He’s spent the last 9 years helping brands tell better stories. It’s cost him his formerly glorious hairline.

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