Freelance
Copywriting: How Much Should You Charge?
by
Dina Giolitto
I know what you're thinking: online copywriters are a sneaky
bunch, and that's why so many of them refuse to publish their
rates on their websites. Not true, not true at all.
Several
months ago, a bold young copywriter called me from across
the country to ask what I charged my copywriting clients.
The throwaway answer to this question (in 2006) is, "Anywhere
from $40 to $100 per hour." Even so, I had to give her
the classic response, you know what it is, come on, say it
with me:
It Depends.
I
know that's not the answer that people want to hear. They
want
a magic number that they can say yes or no to and be
on their way. "It depends" begs a discussion, which
nobody has time for these days. But the dead honest truth
is that you MUST discuss... because what you charge
your copywriting clients really and truly does depend on
a several
critical factors. These are:
1.
Your level of experience. Let's be realistic. If this
is the fourth website you've ever worked on in your life,
you can't very well charge the same that the local 20-year
copywriting legend is getting. Your samples tell the story...
so if you have great ones, get those up there and make it
look sharp! People will be far more likely to pay you a price
that professionals get if they believe that you are, in fact,
a professional. A professional is someone with experience.
Can you say that about your copywriting skills... and mean
it?
2.
Your location and the client's location. I
learned the hard way that you won't get so much as
a nibble from Mom and
Pop
Midwest
clients if you're pitching Manhattan
rates. Of course, you can choose to be selective about
your clients and only skim the cream from the top. But
let's not forget that some terrific portfolio-builders
can be had from the client on a budget who needs you
to meet him halfway. Strum your fingers waiting for that
windfall... or, roll up your sleeves, have a taste of
humble
pie, and build
up some real credibility that will help you reel in that
Big Fish later on!
3.
The scope of the project. Picture
this: two websites, both seven pages each. One sells
baby clothes and
toys; the other explains the science behind ergonomic office
furniture. Do you charge your standard rate per page in both
cases? No way, no how! It's going to take you at least twice
as long to research, write and edit the ergonomics website;
and you deserve to be compensated fairly for your work. So,
DO adjust your rate according to the difficulty of the subjectmatter
and the attention to detail that will be required of you.
4.
The customer's track record. Here's
a line
that every new client and his mother will feed you
during the price negotiation phase: "We're looking to
develop a long-term relationship with our copywriter" (Insert
hidden meaning, "So, can you cut us a nice price
break?").
That may in fact be true, but don't wrongly assume that the
chosen copywriter will be you until the day it happens. In
other words, it's unwise to offer a sweet deal to someone
who just walked in off the street. It may take getting burned
a few times before this sinks in with you, but trust me,
the new guy hasn't earned squat.
Your loyal, low-risk customers who have been with you for
years are the ones who deserve the royal treatment and the
discounts. Everybody else gets standard rates until they
prove that they're worth investing in for the long term.
5.
The anticipated turnaround. If
you know that it'll take you two weeks to fit the new client
into your work schedule
and turn around a respectable-sounding draft, then what
about the rush job guy who wants it done by Friday? Simple,
charge him extra and let him know exactly how much more
he'll be paying to make you hustle on no advance notice.
Some clients would have you typing into the wee hours
of the morning while walking all over you and dipping
their slippery hands into your back pocket. Don't
let 'em get away with it! Priority jobs deserve priority
pricing
and
that means
the customer
pays extra to get extra special treatment. If he doesn't
like the number you're giving him, then tell him you'll
go back to the standard rate if he agrees to accept your
timeframe. Either way, am I making it clear why some
clients should be charged more than others? 6.
The client's budget. As I mentioned in Point 4, your
freelance comrades and long-term customers are the ones who
deserve the real break here. If you know someone that's a
great payer, solicits your services repeatedly, refers your
name to their own list of trusted contacts, and whom you
have an excellent working relationship, consider offering
a Preferred Customer rate for this person. Many freelance
copywriters develop a nice working rapport with web designers
who are in the same boat. Having a web designer on your side
who can wade through the technical mishaps is a true blessing.
If you have one who also sends business your way, even better!
Make this person a business partner and offer terrific incentives
to work with you including lower rates, and even work barter
arrangements in some cases.
But Dina, why not just have a standard fee?
If
you were selling web copy in a can, then I'd say to you,
absolutely develop a standard fee and stick to your guns
about it. You could charge X amount per page, per word or
per item. The underlying logic would of course be the value
of the product would never change, so why should the price?
But that's NEVER the case with individually-contracted copywriting
jobs. Run through points one through six again and remind
yourself that every project must be quoted on a per-case
basis!
What
about an hourly rate for all projects? Hourly
works in the freelancer's favor for sure. The problem,
however, is that hourly rates sometimes scare away new
clients
who are afraid you'll take a really long time to turn drafts
around and they won't get their money's worth. So, if you
do charge by the hour, reassure your clients that "one
hour" is approximately two pages of copy or whatever
the case may be for that particular project.
Which
brings me back to my initial point: every
copywriting job is different; therefore, the rate you charge
will really
depend on the project details.
The best solution: do what auto repair shops do, and provide
a written estimate for each copy job after discussing
the preliminaries with your potential client. State an
hourly
rate, and then do a "guesstimate" of the time
it will take to complete the project. If, after beginning
the
work, it seems like the project will go over the allotted
time, hit the brakes and ask to discuss fees for the next
phase of production. And always give yourself a contractual
legal loophole, in case you have to back out of an uncomfortable
situation in a hurry!
Go
forth and prosper in your freelance
copywriting endeavors.
Copyright 2006 Dina Giolitto. All rights reserved.
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