A multi-layered agency carries multi overheads. For clients wanting their budgets to str-e-t-c-h further, a highly elastic option is the freelancer.

But, as with everything, you get what you pay for. (And if your budget is teeny-weeny then, please, stop reading now and head over to People Per Hour, Fiverr or ChatGPT or Bard.)

But what, exactly, are you paying for? The word ‘copywriter’ has taken on many synonyms today (blogger / content writer / digital copywriter / creative copywriter / content creator etc, etc – see six differences between a blogger and a copywriter). Who do you use? How do you choose? Do you decide on cost alone? I certainly hope not.

One thing is for certain: ‘experienced freelance copywriter’ doesn’t have to mean ‘expensive freelance copywriter’.

One of the most frustrating questions when contacted by a potential client is ‘What’s your day rate?’ The reason why is because you simply can’t compare apples to apples – one writer may quote half the day rate of another, but take twice as long …

I charge by the project: the fee includes one or two rounds of revisions plus time in discussion by phone and email so that my client has a final amount for copywriting in their marketing budget and there are no hidden surprises. The cost reflects my time and effort, my experience and expertise, and the advice I can offer: you’re not paying for the day/week/month it takes me to do a job, but for the 25 years of experience that goes into doing it.

Here’s how an experienced freelance copywriter can help – and add value:

• • • They know the right questions to ask you to get the right answers.
    • They’re not afraid to say ‘why’ rather than ‘yes’. They’ll question decisions and strategies which may prompt you to think twice and think through a better solution for the way in which you present your brand/speak to your target audience/set out the FAQs on your website, for example.
    • They know how to write a great website/press ad/ PPC campaign/radio commercial/TV commercial/ sales email/direct mail letter because they’ve seen it, been it, done it a hundred and one times before.
    • They know more than how to write: they know what makes a good brief good, what makes a great idea great, that you shouldn’t have widows on a page, and how many words you can fit into a 30” radio ad.
    • They’re not afraid to push back on a flabby brief because they know the tighter the brief, the better the work.
    • They’ve worked across lots of different sectors so can hit your ground running.
    • There’s no danger of them missing the point or misinterpretation.
    • They know that a client relationship is built on giving not taking. They’ll happily throw in suggestions and ideas above and beyond the brief.
    • They know how long a job will take and what to charge accordingly.
    • They don’t need managing. They know what needs to be done and will get on with the task in hand and deliver on time.
    • They’re grown up.

In short, a very experienced copywriter can be worth their weight in gold.

But then, I’m biased.

 

Written by Caroline Gibson, a freelance copywriter with oodles of experience.

E: caroline@carolinegibson.co.uk  T: +44 (0) 7957 567766

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