The topic of how much to charge for email copywriting services often comes up. After all, a good chunk of your income comes from this source, and it’s not always easy to determine how much you should charge. You have to consider a number of factors, including your experience, training, and any certifications or licenses you may have.
Let’s take a look at how much you should charge for email copywriting services in the Philippines.
The Niche
The first thing you need to do is to look at the niche you are in. What is your specialty? What makes you different from other copywriters? Answering these questions will help you figure out how much you should charge. If you are a medical copywriter, for example, you might consider setting your price based on the average cost of a blood test. If you are a financial copywriter, take a look at the the cost of an average mortgage application. You get the idea. The more specific you can be, the better. This will not only help you figure out how much you should charge, but it will also help potential clients find you more easily. For instance, if you’re a genealogist and you happen to find a particular family for which to research, you might want to set your price higher, as there’s a good chance you’ll encounter plenty of searching and inquiry phone calls from interested parties.
The Industry Standards
The next thing you need to do is to look at the standard prices for your particular niche in the industry. While you’re not necessarily competing for business with other writers in your niche, you are competing for the attention of clients with other agencies, marketing firms, and online content creators. If you want to maximize your income and you’re not sure how much you should charge, the best thing you can do is to look at the standard rates in your industry. Having a general idea of what your competitors are charging will help you decide how much you should actually charge. Keep in mind: this is just a general idea of what others are charging, so you don’t have to necessarily follow suit, but it’s a good place to start.
Your Experience
Experienced writers usually get paid more than inexperienced ones. Not only does experience bring with it a wealth of knowledge, but it also means the client knows what they’re getting into. If you are new to the industry, it can be hard to gauge how much experience you actually have. If you’re looking for freelance work, you can inquire about previous customers and see what they say about your work. You can also ask for references to get a sense of how others rated your writing skills.
What’s Your Specialty?
Your specialties don’t have to be things related to your career. Instead, you can use your specialties to differentiate yourself from other writers. If you are an insurance copywriter, you might want to set your price based on how much face-to-face time you’ll need with the client. If you’re a medical copywriter, you might want to consider setting your price based on the complexity of the case. If you are a financial services copywriter, you might want to set your price based on the amount of regulatory requirements the project will entail. Know what your specialties are and how you can differentiate yourself from other copywriters. Clients appreciate it when you specialize in a particular niche, and it makes it easier for them to find a good match between you and their needs.
Your Training
No matter what specialties you have, you’ll inevitably have to train to become an expert in your field. While some firms and copywriting agencies provide formal education in writing, you can also get a good sense of how skilled you are through mentoring. During your apprenticeship, you’ll learn from more experienced writers and gain the necessary knowledge and skills to become one yourself. Having training is always beneficial, especially since it shows your potential clients you’re more than capable of doing the job.
How Much Should You Charge?
As mentioned before, experience helps. However, even with experience, it’s still difficult to determine how much you should charge for your copywriting services. We couldn’t tell you how much you should charge, as this depends on so many factors. Some of these include your experience, training, and any certifications or licenses you may have. We can, however, tell you how much not to charge, as it varies from company to company. If you’re not sure where to begin, below are a few pointers that might help you decide how much you should charge.
Don’t Charge Too Much
The first and most important rule you need to follow is not to charge too much. As a copywriter, you’ll usually have to negotiate a price with your clients. Although you might think you can charge what you want, this isn’t always the case. Like any other professional, you need to consider your costs and the value you bring to the table. If you are new to the industry or if your prices are a bit higher than average, you might want to reconsider your asking price. Always remember: the more you ask, the more you’ll get! It’s a good idea to set a price range you’re comfortable with and try to stay within it. Strive for perfection, but don’t be afraid to ask for what you want. Never, ever, ever, agree to write something for free. Sometimes, certain publications will give you something to read for free, but rarely does anyone want to waste their time reading something that was written solely for the purpose of making money.
The Cost of Living
If you’re not from the Philippines and you’re looking for work, you’ll have to consider the cost of living. Apart from the fact that you need to eat every day, you’ll have to pay for everything else. Even in the most developed cities, everyday living is quite expensive. Gas bills are high, as are rents. If you’re looking for a place to live, you might want to consider moving to a less populated area or finding an apartment building with a rent control law. This will help keep your costs down.
Review Client’s Budget
Another important thing to do as a copywriter is to review the budget of your prospective clients. Before you start pitching your ideas, you need to make sure your client understands how much they can spend on the project and still have money left over. Even if you are writing for a small business, they might have certain financial limits, and you need to make sure you don’t push your luck. If you’re not sure how much they can afford, ask them directly. Most businesses have a written policy outlining how much they can spend on marketing and advertising without having to ask permission. This is usually the case because the expenses are already included in the company’s annual budget.
Set A Goal
If you’re looking to make money online, it’s important to have a goal in mind. Even if you’re just doing it for fun, you can set a goal for yourself. For example, you can decide you’ll make $10,000 per month, or $120,000 per year selling products online. You’ll have to determine how you plan to achieve this goal. There are many ways to make cash online, including blogging, viral marketing, and affiliate marketing. You can choose the method that seems the most promising to you and start small. You can also incorporate some of these methods into your existing businesses if you’re currently working in retail or marketing.
How Long Will It Take?
When you’re writing copy for advertising or marketing purposes, you need to take into account how long it will take to get results. People are usually less aware of the results they’re looking for and more focused on the copy itself. Ideally, you’d like to write something that will grab the interest of the reader and make them want to action what you’re saying or do what you’re suggesting. If you’re lucky, this will lead them to your website or to a specific product you’re promoting. However, in most cases, it will take some time for them to actually do something after reading your content.
When it comes to pricing, experience is everything. If you’re not sure where to begin, look at what others are doing in your niche, research various costs related to your niche, and ask for references. You can also find books and blogs that discuss this subject in-depth, as well as the prices charged by different agencies in your niche. Don’t be afraid to ask for more money; after all, the more you ask for, the more you’ll get!