So you've had it up to here with salary freezes, downsizing and your ever-elusive job security? Join the club.

Today's seasoned copywriter has every reason to want to make that transition from corporate drudge to free enterprising free spirit. Here are seven tips to help you carry out your plan.

1. Save your money.

Your dream of success and personal freedom CAN be achieved far quicker and far less painfully if you start with a nest egg. Saying goodbye to that steady paycheck doesn't have to be such a burden if you at least have all your ducks in a row. Penny pinch, sock it away, save it for a rainy day. With the uncertainty of today's job market, that day will come sooner that you think. Cut back on those things you don't need; manicures, pedicures, friday night dinners out, that new pair of hundred-dollar jeans that won't be in style next season anyway. You can put that money to far better use, like for the future of your business.

2. Use your free time constructively.

Instead of whiling away your hours, be a voracious student and suck up every bit of new knowledge you can wrap your head around. Join web forums and live discussion groups, find out what the experts are doing and how you might be able to apply that to your own business. Study these people carefully. Take a computer course, learn web design, practice honing your writing for different markets. The time will come when you need this information, and sooner than you think.

3. Gather up your credentials.

Before you even think of quitting your day job, get your hands on every gem you ever created. Save those files onto your work computer's desktop, print out perfect copies and put it all together into an attractive portfolio package. Also send electronic copies of your finished copywriting files to your home email account, so that you'll be able to upload these to that website you'll no doubt be creating and display them in links on the Samples page. If you can, talk to colleagues about writing you a letter of recommendation or testimonial to use on your site. You will need all of these things as hard evidence of your capabilities when you're pitching to copywriting clients who don't know you from a hole in the wall!

4. Get the right equipment.

A computer with plenty of storage space on the hard drive, a speedy internet connection, a laser printer that can handle large-scale print jobs. Don't forget the fax machine, you'll need it for those contracts you'll be sending to future clients to sign and fax back. You may also want a digital camera to take photos for advertising purposes that can be easily uploaded to your computer and displayed on your website. And don't forget those office basics like file folders, organizers, and the staple machine!

5. Make people connections.

Get out there and meet inspiring folks on the web. Join business networks, such as Ryze or LinkedIn. Form relationships with designers, web developers, tech support people and even other writers. Your corporate safety network will soon be gone, but there are tons of folks out there who are going it alone already and can help answer your questions, share their experiences and be your support system when you're feeling the freelance ebb and flow. Don't ever be afraid to ask them questions!

6. Build a website.

If you've got funds, hire someone to do it the right way. If you don't, be a web design pioneer. There are tons of reasonably-priced webhosting packages that offer free web design software that's fairly easy to learn. Experiment with different colors and style, consider ease of navigation and relevance of content for your target audience. It's likely that you'll change your mind about the design before you're satisfied with it, so start the designing process early. While you're at it, look into getting a logo done that reflects the essence of your brand. Put that logo to work for your business on every page of your website.

7. Fake it 'til you make it.

One of the fastest and most effective ways to get your name out on the World Wide Web is to write web articles. Sites like Ezinearticles.com encourage users to sign up for a membership with their site and write articles that will be distributed as web content for other websites who pick them up. These articles will include the link to your website, and that's a pretty sweet branding opportunity for you. So map out an article marketing campaign that positions you as having the knowledge and expertise to be a leader in your niche. Each time you learn something new in your online marketing endeavor you can write about it in an article that your readers will appreciate and love you for the information! Pretty soon you'll be talking like an expert... because you ARE one.

Still feeling shaky about making that leap? Visit me at http://Wordfeeder.com, the home for my online copywriting business, and learn what resources you can use to help carve out a name for yourself as an internet copywriting expert. Then, get ready to launch your freelance copywriting dream career. It takes hard work, patience and resilience. But I know you can do it!

Copyright 2005 Dina Giolitto. All rights reserved.