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Copy Writing and Pricing???

by NathanielR
19 replies
Hi everyone this is my first post on this forum. I have recently been introduced to the world of online marketing from reading the book The Circle of Profit Bt: Anik Singal.

I am looking to get his Copy Writing Academy program very soon. I want to go through it and then get certified.

My question is once certified with a program by Anik Singal what are the most common rates that can be expected when doing your first few Copy Writing Gigs. I was hearing on a webinar from Anik around $5000 your first couple then you can go up from that point.

I just want clarification on this subject and I am looking for sources to find clients right out of the gate as well. Thank you all so much in advance and Happy Marketing.
#copy #pricing #writing
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  • Profile picture of the author adrianpag
    As an agency we have our own full time copy writer and we paid him a monthly fee of $2,000

    For some projects I have paid up to $15,000 for a sales letter and you have Zombie Ads who charge $49 for a simple Facebook ad copy. It all depends on your service and how you position yourself.

    If you'd like to hire Frank Kern for copy he might charge 6 or 7 figures. If you get certified, I'd advise you to build your brand and get clients on board, if you do a good job, you can even charge fix + royalties

    My 2cents, hope it helps
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    • Profile picture of the author j77
      Originally Posted by adrianpag View Post

      As an agency we have our own full time copy writer and we paid him a monthly fee of $2,000
      Full-time as in working 40 or so hours a week only for you? Or do you mean he's working for you on a project-by-project basis as needed? That seems quite low. Is he offshore or a native English speaker/writer? Just curious because this makes some things seem reachable for me if I ever wanted to be able to outsource some of the work that my business gets as client demand grows.
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  • Profile picture of the author TrickyDick
    Originally Posted by NathanielR View Post

    Hi everyone this is my first post on this forum. I have recently been introduced to the world of online marketing from reading the book The Circle of Profit Bt: Anik Singal.

    I am looking to get his Copy Writing Academy program very soon. I want to go through it and then get certified.

    My question is once certified with a program by Anik Singal what are the most common rates that can be expected when doing your first few Copy Writing Gigs. I was hearing on a webinar from Anik around $5000 your first couple then you can go up from that point.

    I just want clarification on this subject and I am looking for sources to find clients right out of the gate as well. Thank you all so much in advance and Happy Marketing.
    The bottom line is... getting Certified is only a small step....

    You have to spend time writing copy... and take time to hone your craft.... over the course of years.

    If you're able to make $500 from your first sales letter, you're doing well...

    Getting to $5,000 per sales letter? Not without solid results from several sales letters and glowing recommendations from your Clients.

    There is no "short cut" to "making" $5,000 a sales letter.... Unless, you're writing your own copy for your information product. :-)

    To get a glimpse into the market, check Warriors For Hire. There are some good Copywriters over there for around $500.

    One more thing...

    If you are looking for paid training, I'd recommend looking at Fast, Effective Sales Copy by David Garfinkel and Brian McLeod... They offer a money back guarantee which Anik does not.
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  • Profile picture of the author Zack Zeller
    Getting certified gives you more confidence in your ability BUT there's a lot to learn in dealing with clients and meeting deadlines.

    Most essential is going to be social proof. When you can point out writing samples and previous winning campaigns you'll have a MUCH easier time demanding big money (easily 15k-20k for a sales letter).

    My first few jobs were around 500-1k but they gave me awesome testimonials, results, and the confidence to demand higher fees because you KNOW you can write and easily 10x your clients investment in your copy services.

    Keep Killing It!
    -ZZ
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  • Profile picture of the author Doan Chi Tin
    I don't know why people want to get certified.

    Can you make money from it?

    It just like the life in the high school....
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  • Profile picture of the author laurencewins
    Here's yet another viewpoint to consider.
    After high school, a large number of people go to university to get that diploma, degree or whatever other pieces of paper they give out these days.

    However, that document doesn't include a cheque for $5000 or even $1.00.
    Yes, it may help open some doors but if you don't go to university (or get certified), you'll still need to practice and keep on going. Copywriting is a skill to learn by doing over and over again and finding ways to streamline your work to achieve even better results.

    I remember when I first started writing articles, I was happy to make any money at all in the first few months as I practiced. Now I can charge a lot more than I did 8 years ago.

    I wish you well in your copywriting journey.
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    Cheers, Laurence.
    Writer/Editor/Proofreader.

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  • Profile picture of the author Mohammed K Sheikh
    In terms of starting off you just start even for free, but once you build up a bit of credibility you can charge what you want. Starting from 1k, 5k, 20k all depends how much vlue your clients see in you.

    Also, check digitalmarketers certification Ryan Deis
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  • Profile picture of the author Papercut
    I think certification might help when you're first starting out and you don't have any results to show. It's a trust signal -- providing that your target audience actually trusts the organization you got certified through.

    But if you want $5000+ gigs, I don't think certification will help in any way.

    In my experience, the people who recognize the value of copy (and will gladly pay $150/hr+ for it) are savvy enough to know that certifications don't really mean all that much.

    Proving you can deliver results is what matters most.
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  • Profile picture of the author NathanielR
    I truly want to thank everyone for the responses. You have given me a lot of great advice and lots to consider thank you so very much you all rock. Take care and to all our success and happiness I solute you all.
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  • Profile picture of the author Hussain Jafari
    See, CopyWriting is a journey. Being certified does not help you much in this industry. What really helps you is...

    The Real World Results

    Focus on three main things as a beginner copywriter...

    1- Writing everyday as much as you feel good.
    2- Find several proven templates from top expert copywriters.
    3- Do your own writing religiously.

    You can achieve your goal by just one thing...

    Practice. Practice. and again practice.

    Thank you.
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    • Profile picture of the author Jason Kanigan
      Originally Posted by Hussain Jafari View Post

      See, CopyWriting is a journey. Being certified does not help you much in this industry. What really helps you is...

      The Real World Results

      Focus on three main things as a beginner copywriter...

      1- Writing everyday as much as you feel good.
      2- Find several proven templates from top expert copywriters.
      3- Do your own writing religiously.

      You can achieve your goal by just one thing...

      Practice. Practice. and again practice.

      Thank you.
      While I agree with you in principle...and I do not have a certification...

      ...there are some buyers, especially in the B2B world, who want to see certifications. In everything, not just copywriting. It gives them the assurance that this person knows what they are doing, and results will only take you so far with this type of buyer.

      And yes, you do have to write! Copywriting is not a lab research project. It's a skill that needs action in the real world with real readers to give you feedback.
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  • Profile picture of the author marciayudkin
    ...there are some buyers, especially in the B2B world, who want to see certifications. In everything, not just copywriting. It gives them the assurance that this person knows what they are doing, and results will only take you so far with this type of buyer.
    I agree that certifications can add a comfort factor for some copywriting clients, particularly those who are less familiar with the industry. However, I've been writing copy for 35+ years and have never had anyone ask me for certifications or for degrees in marketing (I have none). Likewise, I have never had any of my proteges tell me they lost business for not having certifications.

    Much, much more powerful than formal third-party credentials when it comes to copywriting are client lists, testimonials, samples and sheer confidence that you know what you are doing. Published books do help as well (I have several of those).

    Marcia Yudkin
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    Check out Marcia Yudkin's No-Hype Marketing Academy for courses on copywriting, publicity, infomarketing, marketing plans, naming, and branding - not to mention the popular "Marketing for Introverts" course.
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  • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
    Jason touched on this tangentially in his last post, but let's throw it out there...

    Whether a certification means anything at all depends on how much weight the potential client puts on the certifying body.

    If you're hiring a systems guy, which carries more weight?

    A certification from Cisco or Microsoft? Or a certificate from Backwater Community College? How about one from John Doe's Universal Academy that no one has ever heard of?

    If the OP thinks Singal's program is worth it, then fine. But I wouldn't count on the certification meaning much.

    On the other hand, if you want to work with Agora, having a cert from AWAI will give you an edge, all else being equal. That's because the powers that be at Agora have close relationships with AWAI and their trainers.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jessica Amboos
    A copywriter's rates will depend on how skilled he is and how much the company he working for is willing to pay him. The rate of services also depends per country. In the Philippines, it ranges from $225-$490. The average is $400.
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  • Profile picture of the author Pooosia
    I guess I'm not a lucky one as I was always paid almost nothing for copywriting

    I had to work as a horse to earn at least 100$ per month
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    • Profile picture of the author Jessica Amboos
      Oh my... and that is per month! You should bump up your rates then. I do hope you're getting more clients now.
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    • Profile picture of the author sethczerepak
      Originally Posted by Pooosia View Post

      I guess I'm not a lucky one as I was always paid almost nothing for copywriting

      I had to work as a horse to earn at least 100$ per month
      I didn't know working as a horse paid anything. I typically work as a human. But, to each his own.
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    • Profile picture of the author IPLease
      If you are working that hard to earn that little, and do quality work, up your rates. There are people that will pay for high quality work, and if you are working your tail off, you deserve to be compensated for it.
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