What Are You Really Paying For?

Fees can vary wildly for copywriting services. Some charge up to $300 for a single page. Others just $10! So, how can that be. How does a business person shopping for a copywriter justify spending more when such bargains are available?

Here are just some of the benefits you're paying for when you contract a professional copywriter / web writer versus somebody doing it in their spare time for pocket change:

-Education and experience: Check the credentials and years in business of any writer you're thinking of commissioning. Their experience is actually more important than their degree/diploma, so give added weight to their body of work.

-Research: A good copywriter spends time getting to know your industry, your business, and your competition so he/she can help you carve out your unique selling proposition. Doing this research can often take longer than the writing itself, but the writing is meaningless without it.

-Innate talent: Folks who don't have the writing gene or talent or whatever you want to call it know its value. But that talent has to be combined with a diligent work ethic and attention to detail for a really gifted copywriter to emerge.

-Original sales copy: I once had a prospect show me an article that was written for him at a cost of $20. It was 300 words of inane gushing about his great new website. He will have to pay people to publish it as an advertisement, because that's all it was. If all you care about is cost per word, then this is a real bargain. If you care about effectiveness, then saving your pennies for the real "article" is an investment that will actually be able to pay for itself by attracting qualified prospects to your business.