There's no formal training for copywriters. Learning copywriting is very much a matter of experience and practice.

I started my copywriting career by accident several decades ago when I discovered that newspaper display advertising was expensive, and that press releases were not only free, but resulted in great publicity. A little creativity and ingenuity not only won free advertising, but also led to a surge of customers for the business.

The initial editorial attention - newspaper stories - brought the business credibility and even more publicity from other media.

So I learned the benefits and power of copywriting in helping a business to grow. Other businesses asked me to write copy for them, and I began a self-education process in copywriting which continues. A copywriter is always learning new skills and tricks of the trade.

Here are three tips which will help you to begin copywriting.

1. Get a copywriting mentor

The best way to learn copywriting is with the help of a mentor. A mentor can help you not only to learn the basics of writing copy, but will also help you to learn to get clients, work with them, and keep them happy.

The usual way of finding a mentor is to get hired by an advertising agency, and to learn copywriting from the ground up, so to speak. By seeing how copywriters write, you'll develop your own skills.

With the growth of the online world, you can find copywriting mentors online. There are many courses you can take, and some professional copywriters offer mentoring programs. Although these programs may seem expensive, when you consider that they lead to a lucrative career, they're a great investment in yourself and your future.

2. Write samples until you get hired

All writing is both a craft, and a skill. As with any craft, you learn by doing. Initially, the copy you write will be exercises you've devised for yourself, or which someone has given you.

Doing exercises is vital. Not only do the exercises help you to build your skills, but your best exercises will form part of your copywriting portfolio, until you have copy which you've written for others.

Humble though they may be, your copywriting exercises have a powerful effect on your future.

3. Develop a copywriting Web site

My final tip is for you to develop your own Web site, from which you can sell your copywriting services.

A Web site saves you a lot of time and money. Years ago, clients' initial enquiries came to me via the phone. I'd talk to the prospective client, assess his needs, and would then send him my portfolio, which formed a large paper package. I spent a lot of time on the phone, and a lot of money sending clients packages.

A Web site cuts down on the time you spend on the phone. Clients can visit your site, view your portfolio, and can self-select themselves as potential clients. By the time they contact you, nowadays via email, they already know a lot about you and what you can do for them.

So there you have it: three tips which will help you to begin your copywriting career. Welcome to the world of copywriting.