Copywriting for freelance journalists - live Zoom course

At a time when freelance journalism is increasingly undervalued and underpaid, why not transfer your writing skills to a sector where you can charge what you’re worth and be treated with respect?

One delegate said: "This course should be called 'Find out how to get paid lots of money and not get treated like sh*t.’"

Discover everything you need to know to become a successful freelance copywriter, with two live Zoom interactive sessions including hands-on practice and feedback followed by a month of email support.

Course description

What you’ll learn:

• Differences and similarities between journalism and copywriting

• Traditional marketing theory and useful marketing acronyms to help sell your service and your clients' services

• 12-point checklist for marketing communications – you’ll never look at an ad the same way again

• 10 tests for effective copywriting, 28 'power' words for headlines, and 25 copywriting tips, tricks and techniques you can turn to for future inspiration

• Offline marketing: Basic skills you’ll need and can transfer to the online world.

• Digital marketing: the difference between writing for screen and writing for print, including search engine optimisation (SEO) basics for web copywriters

• The unbelievable benefit that copywriters enjoy and journalists LOVE! (Clue: It’s to do with payment)

• The business of copywriting, including how to find clients, what to charge, and how to manage your workflow

• Marketing and packaging yourself for freelance copywriting success

• Links to further resources where you can join other copywriters for mutual support.

One-month followup support:
You’ll also have the option of personalised feedback on your copy for one month after the course.

Learn at your own pace
Alternatively, work through the half-day pre-recorded version of the course with a followup one-hour group webinar.

Free book

At the end of the course, you can download a FREE PDF of Jackie’s book: Copywriting Q&A: 101 freelance copywriting questions answered. It contains answers to the most common questions Jackie has been asked during her training and mentoring sessions.

Getting there

This is an online course running as a Zoom session from 10am to 5pm on the 16th of January. Start and end times may vary due to scheduling.

Book early: The live version of this course nearly always sells out well in advance!

About Jackie Barrie

Your tutor trained as a journalist but has been a copywriter all her working life. She has lots of fascinating stories and insights to share…

After qualifying as a journalist, the only writing job Jackie could get was as an in-house copywriter at Freemans catalogue. She worked her way up to senior manager level before going freelance in 2001.

This depth of experience means there’s not much she doesn’t know about selling off the page and screen. She generously shares how to run a successful freelance copywriting business so you can avoid the mistakes she made and get a shortcut to success.

As well as writing for her own clients and mentoring other copywriters, she also speaks and trains across the world. Her clients range from corporates and marketing teams to small businesses and aspiring copywriters.

She’s renowned for using interaction in her talks and training sessions, to engage attendees and help embed the learning, whether that’s live online, on video or offline.

Jackie has also published books on copywriting, marketing, networking, writing for the web, icebreakers & energisers for speakers and trainers.

Testimonials

Over 300 journalists have been through Jackie’s course since we started running it in London in 2013. Read what some of them say…

"I thought this course was expensive when I booked. After completing it, it seems a steal. More densely packed than a commuter train full of rye bread, I finished up exhausted but enthusiastic and confident about starting out as a copywriter." Nione Meakin

"Jackie is a fantastic copywriting coach. Not only is she deeply knowledgeable about the fundamentals of copywriting, she also understands how to build long-standing, positive relationships with clients. She’s also nerdy (in a good way) about the psychology and marketing theory that drives quality copywriting. I’ve seen her transform people used to churning out robotic copy into confident independent copywriters with the kind of well-paying clients everybody’s heard of." Oli Rahmen

"Since taking your 'Copywriting for Freelance Journalists' course last year, I've now set up my own copywriting business…thanks again for a brilliant course which gave me the confidence to launch myself into the world of copywriting after 20+ years as a journalist and PR.” Lucy Banwell

"The course paid for itself within weeks, & while I am far from what I would class as an ‘experienced’ copywriter just yet, the tools you equipped me with help me convince potential clients I am just that!" Sam

“Jackie's Copywriting for Freelance Journalists course delivered via Zoom was packed with practical advice and insider tips. Pitched to the right level for professional writers - the course was very informative but also entertaining. Jackie is an expert in her field and so was able to explain the world of copywriting in clear terms and also organised interactive exercises. I've taken part in a few Zoom courses over the past few months on various subjects and this was one of the best thanks to Jackie's enthusiastic delivery and the valuable information she shared. Now I'm moving into the world of communications I think I'll still find the information I learned from Jackie useful." Maria Croce

"Helped me to approach copywriting as a serious next career-step. It was what I needed to see it in a completely fresh way. The real value of Jackie Barrie's course was having the distilled experience of a professional copywriter who has made a very successful career from copywriting. I came away feeling confident in my value as a copywriter." Sara Verbruggen

"Jackie is clever and competent and this course definitely gave me a taste, and an admiration for copywriting. I knew next to nothing about it, but came out with ideas to immediately incorporate in my own work, and encouragement to ask for what I'm worth." Nicki Grihault

"Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed your copywriting for journalists course. It succeeded in covering several relevant and useful areas in a very in-depth and thorough way and the tips, insights and information you shared were invaluable. It was also a great deal of fun. Thanks to your course I now feel I can pursue copywriting as a career." Sarah

"This course provided me with priceless practical information, but I also found it extremely useful on a personal level. Jackie helped me think like a marketer, and reminded a jaded journalist that my talent as a writer is a sellable commodity. I came away with the insider know-how and, more importantly, the confidence I need to successfully market myself as a copywriter – and to demand adequate payment for my skills." Aoife Stuart-Madge

"I didn't have a lot of confidence in my copywriting as I was 'self-taught'. The course reassured me I was on the right track, and – most importantly – what my words are worth." Rosalind Ryan

"If you're a journalist and think you know how to do copywriting, think again. You need this course to bridge the gap before you write. A day well spent." Rob Campbell

"Jackie was clear, concise and demystified the world of copywriting. The advice was straightforward and Jackie was also very entertaining." Jane Clinton

"Jackie was an excellent course leader and an obvious expert in her field. She covered so much ground in one day and has given us the perfect foundation for a copywriting career." Shaun Curran

"A thoroughly enjoyable course, worth every penny. I now feel a lot more confident in adding 'copywriting' to the services I offer as a freelancer. She's also a great source of tips and advice." Liz Jones

"It was useful to have the time and space to focus on how I can become a better copywriter. I also appreciated the chance to speak with other people in a similar position to me and bounce ideas off one another. The day was well-structured, and numerous resources were made available to continue the learning afterward." Oscar Tollast

"If you want to expand from content writing into copywriting for advertising and marketing then Jackie's course is ideal. Her level of organisation and her clarity of thought were excellent - she's a brilliant teacher." Peter Ranscombe

"This course is an engaging starting point to dip your toes into what copywriting is and how to approach it." Zajc Tjasa

"There are lots of courses out there if you want to learn how to write copy. Jackie Barrie's one-day course packed in information about that, alongside valuable tips on how to manage a copywriting business. The glimpse she provided into how she organizes her time, finds clients, and works with them was invaluable." Annie Welsh

"Jackie is an experienced and knowledgeable copywriter and a very personable trainer. She provided a mix of practical exercises and discussions which were peppered with useful tips and tricks I have already begun to incorporate into my work." Gemma Pettman

"If you're looking to make the transition from journalism to copywriting, this course is a must. Science-based expertise, insightful anecdotes, and with wit and humour to boot - Jackie Barrie delivers this engaging course with aplomb. The part of the course dealing with the business side of copywriting and how to market yourself is especially valuable. Louise Hallman

"Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed and how useful I found your copywriting course. [The] course covers an incredible amount of ground. As a journalist of 20+ years, it has opened my eyes to a whole new world I never knew existed. The commercial world of copywriting was a scary place before because I didn’t really understand it, so thank you for making it considerably less daunting." Adam Postans

“Jackie Barrie’s course boosted my confidence in my copywriting ten-fold!” Lucy Fry

"If you're looking for a no-nonsense introduction to copywriting, this course is for you. Gareth Rees

"Fantastic intro to copywriting - never thought it could be so creative and interesting." Harriet Hernando

"Breaks down the elements of copywriting and builds your confidence to go out there and do it." Deborah Wald

"Jackie Barrie is the perfect person to introduce journalists to the world of copywriting!" Jack Shenkar

"A very useful and targeted course by someone whose years of hands-on experience clearly shows." Nick Bezuidenhout

"Relaxed training course suitable for journalists. Understands skills journalists have and takes it from there." Angela Rumsey

"I came to this course as a fairly jaded journalist, nervous that my skills might never help me make a decent living. Now I realise that my words and skills ARE valuable." Geraldine Cooper

"Interesting and engaging with practical skills and knowledge to set up your copywriting business." Emily Sheridan

"It was a really insightful day which has given me renewed inspiration for my copywriting - I've been using many of your tips at work." Maddy Everington

"I was probably guilty of thinking that the side of the course focusing on business would be of more use to me than the side focusing on copywriting techniques. In fact, the opposite was true; I realised that the writing side is in many ways extremely different, but the methods for finding clients broadly similar. I found it really informative, and it has definitely given me the impetus to properly crack on with copywriting as a potential profession." Oliver Ricketts

"I just want to say a big thank you for the Copywriting for Journalists course. I don't think I have ever learned so much in one day, and now feel inspired to take my career in an exciting new direction." Tim Nixon

"Jackie provided a really good oversight of the industry. I certainly left more confident than I was when I arrived." Kayleigh Lewis

"Makes the copywriting industry seem much larger and more lucrative than journalism." Jamie Carter

"Easy-to-understand advice, especially as a complete beginner." James Ellis

“A good grounding in the skills needed to be an effective copywriter, the thinking behind creating good copywriting, what it is, what it isn't. The course was well-crafted, delivered with energy and had just the right balance between teaching and participation. The human element was really important, both the way Jackie related to us and the participation of the group. It gave me some key skills and the confidence to hold my head high and sell myself to clients without feeling like an impostor." Alexandra Borthwick

"Thank you so much for sharing your valuable and practical tips during the online copywriting class. You made it all very clear and digestible and your lovely personality was quite refreshing compared to other online courses. " Deborah Gouffran

"As a long-time journalist who has ventured over to the "dark side", this course was ideal for me. Jackie provided a practical introduction to copywriting and how the guiding principles differ from journalism. The course clears up a lot of the big questions about how to run your business, how to attract clients and what to charge. It left me feeling much more confident about what I'm doing."
Jonathan Kent

"Very fun, engaging, and interesting. An absolute must for any journalists eager to de-mystify the world of copywriting and build confidence along the way."
Aoife Hanna

"Jackie Barrie's webinar - Copywriting for Freelance Journalists was excellent. It was fun, full of really good content and well presented. Very clear cut with some excellent tips and takeaways. I came away knowing a lot more than when I started! Really worthwhile and I feel better equipped now to start my copywriting services having done this course."
Mary Wardell

"It's hard, having worked in the competitive field of journalism throughout my career, to know my true financial worth as a writer. In the few short hours of this course, I gained the confidence to appreciate that I am worth so much more than I thought."
Anon

"There was so much to absorb and so much new information - it’s given me a clear direction for where I’m going next.”
Faith Eckersall

"It was wonderful to learn more about copywriting and how to form a viable career from a successful pro! Jackie was willing to share her wealth of knowledge in an engaging and accessible way, it was inspiring!"
Sonia Nimley