When you’re looking for clients, especially for copywriting work, it’s important to consider how much you can demand for your effort. Unfortunately, a lot of copywriters (myself included) out there think that pricing is flexible. They’ll quote you a price that seems fair enough at the time, but once you get the work done, you’ll realize that it wasn’t necessarily fair at all. I know, because I’ve been there. I’m guessing that you’ve been there too, since you’re reading this now.
Here’s the thing: If you’re new to the field and don’t have any experience to base your prices on, then it’s best to start low. In my experience, these are the clients who usually pay the least, but they’re also the ones who appreciate your work the least. The good kind of copywriter wouldn’t necessarily charge a lot, but they’ll appreciate you referring them to someone else who can do the work for cheaper. The following are some of the most common mistakes that new copywriters make, which can actually end up costing them money in the long run.
Not Seeking Collaboration
A lot of times, new copywriters will undervalue their efforts, thinking that they can just go in and do the work and get paid. While this may seem like a feasible option at first, that’s not how real life works. If your goal is to go in and simply write what you’re given, then yes, you’ll probably get the work done quickly and for less than you’d expect, but if you want to make sure that your work is of the highest quality, you may end up having to charge more than you would for a similar piece that you wrote collaboratively with someone else.
To avoid this, you must seek out and work with experienced copywriters who can give you advice on content and pricing, as well as who can bring additional value to your business by creating a unique voice that you can’t quite pull off by yourself. Believe it or not, there are people out there who are better at writing than they are at speaking. In my experience, finding these writers can be difficult, because they’re often buried in work. However, if you’ve been searching for a while, you may end up finding a collaborator who can help you bring your vision to life and can also help with the financials end of things.
Not Seeking Experienced Help
This one’s pretty simple. If you want to get paid, then you must earn it. You cannot rely on clients who have money to give you what you need. Even if they have a lot of money, they may still have specific needs and expectations, and you must be able to meet those needs to get the job done. If money’s an issue for them, then you know that it’s an issue for you too.
The key is to find an experienced collaborator who can help you bring your vision to life and who can negotiate the price down based on their experience and knowledge of the industry. If you want to make sure that your work is worth what you’re getting paid, then you cannot simply go in and do the work. You must find someone who is experienced and capable of helping you produce a unique piece of work that will stand out.
Not Seeking Feedback
This one’s a little more complex. Sometimes you’ll have a task to complete, and you won’t even know if it’s right or wrong until you’ve written it. In those cases, it can be difficult to find the feedback that you need to make the right decision. While there are certainly times and situations where you don’t need or want explicit feedback, you should strive for a middle ground where you can get some indication of whether or not what you’ve done is going to work. The most effective way to do this is through collaboration. Ideally, you want someone who’s objective and can give you some helpful input without being too critical. Even if they’re still going to be critical at times, being able to give and receive feedback is important, and it’ll help you make the right decision. Without it, you’re just shooting in the dark.
Sometimes you’ll have a task to complete, and you won’t even know if it’s right or wrong until you’ve written it. In those cases, it can be difficult to find the feedback that you need to make the right decision. While there are certainly times and situations where you don’t need or want explicit feedback, you should strive for a middle ground where you can get some indication of whether or not what you’ve done is going to work. The most effective way to do this is through collaboration. Ideally, you want someone who’s objective and can give you some helpful input without being too critical. Even if they’re still going to be critical at times, being able to give and receive feedback is important, and it’ll help you make the right decision. Without it, you’re just shooting in the dark.
Not Seeking Experienced Help
This one’s pretty self-explanatory. If you want to get paid, then you must earn it. You cannot rely on clients who have money to give you what you need. Even if they have a lot of money, they may still have specific needs and expectations, and you must be able to meet those needs to get the job done. If money’s an issue for them, then you know that it’s an issue for you too.
The key is to find an experienced collaborator who can help you bring your vision to life and who can negotiate the price down based on their experience and knowledge of the industry. If you want to make sure that your work is worth what you’re getting paid, then you cannot simply go in and do the work. You must find someone who is experienced and capable of helping you produce a unique piece of work that will stand out.
Pricing Before the Work Is Complete
A lot of times, new copywriters will undervalue their efforts, thinking that they can just go in and do the work and get paid. While this may seem like a feasible option at first, that’s not how real life works. If your goal is to go in and simply write what you’re given, then yes, you’ll probably get the work done quickly and for less than you’d expect, but if you want to make sure that your work is of the highest quality, you may end up having to charge more than you would for a similar piece that you wrote collaboratively with someone else.
To avoid this, you must seek out and work with experienced copywriters who can give you advice on content and pricing, as well as who can bring additional value to your business by creating a unique voice that you can’t quite pull off by yourself. Believe it or not, there are people out there who are better at writing than they are at speaking. In my experience, finding these writers can be difficult, because they’re often buried in work. However, if you’ve been searching for a while, you may end up finding a collaborator who can help you bring your vision to life and can also help with the financials end of things.
The key is to seek out and work with experienced copywriters who can bring additional value to your business by creating a unique voice that you can’t quite pull off by yourself. If you want to make sure that your work is worth what you’re getting paid, then you cannot simply go in and do the work. You must find someone who is experienced and capable of helping you produce a unique piece of work that will stand out.