Can you help me become a Copywriter??

Agreed. I'll add that you should just write copy all the time, whether it's for your own products or for others. Even if you're just writing to improve and the copy doesn't have a specific use. It's too easy to read about copywriting, the hard part is getting stuck in and writing good copy.

An even quicker way would be to find a reasonable product, erase all traces of the pathetic copy from your computer, write a killer sales letter and sell a ton of them. People will start asking who writes your copy.

Bruce,

Without seeing what your copywriting skills are when you do decide to turn pro, your guess is as good as mine.

It will also depend on what you're offering. Every type of marketing piece you write or rewrite will vary on the amount of time and the fee you'd charge.

For example, one part of my copywriting business launch in 2006 was a WSO where I offered $200 salesletter rewrites. The mistake I made was making it a flat fee for the rewrites instead of a per-page fee. I wound up doing a few 20-40 page rewrites as a result.

Hope that helps,

Mike

Hi Bruce,

Good for you seeking advice about a freelance career. It's a great life when done right, and you've received some excellent advice from smart people here...

... but if you don't mind, I'm going to be a bit more blunt.

Reality is, you're getting way ahead of yourself. You've yet to complete your first sales letter and you're asking how much you should charge clients?

The better question is, "what is a good indication that I am ready to take on clients?"

Think about it, Bruce... how would you feel if you overheard the person you trusted with your auto repair asking other mechanics: "I've never actually fixed a car before, but I love the smell of grease. How much should I charge to rebuild an engine?"

You'd probably flip out, right?. I know I would.

Keep in mind, there are a lot of potential clients trolling the boards here looking for writers. They don't post, they just lurk and take careful notes.

So, while the people who do respond will be (generally) kind and helpful, the real damage from asking questions like this can come in ways you'll never see.

But the truth is...

... the risk of losing a potential client by getting out ahead of your abilities would be your BEST possible outcome.

The worst would be if someone actually paid you good money to write the first (or second, or fifth) sales letter you EVER write -- for them. Because chances are you will not be ready for prime time and the letter will tank. And people do not forgive quickly when you lose their money for them.

Now, I'm not saying you would do this on purpose. Most rooks don't do it on purpose.

They truly think because they've fallen in love with copywriting... because they've discovered the genius of guys like Halbert and Bencivenga and Caples and Hopkins... and learned a new language that most folks outside this forum don't understand... they are now copywriters.

But that's not becoming a copywriter, that's becoming a fan of copywriting. Big difference.

Becoming a fan -- then an ardent student -- is a great place to start, Bruce, but it doesn't qualify you to start charging clients.

Because if you do -- then find out on their dime that you have no idea what you're doing -- it will cost you a whole lot more than whatever fee you're so eager to learn you should be charging.

Big as the 'net is, word still travels very fast. Especially when fueled by someone who feels they've been burned.

So, as to not come off as being preachy without purpose here (we've never met, but I've trained many copywriters both privately and as an instructor in John Carlton's Simple Writing System)... I'd like to answer the question I thought you should be asking:

"What is a good indication that I am ready to take on clients?"

The answer is, you'll be ready for hire...

Once you've at least: a) Made money with the copy you're writing for your own products. Then improved the copy and upped conversions even more -- in a few different niches.

Or b) Worked closely with a coach or client who's agreed to test your copy on their products -- and has agreed to share the results and allow you to keep tweaking until it's converting at peak.

See, just like the gearhead who loves wearing grease, you're not truly qualified to call yourself a mechanic until you've ripped out the dead parts, replaced them with working parts, then turned the key to hear the beautiful sound of that engine firing up.

I have no doubt you're prepared to take the right steps, Bruce. Once you've seen the results if your copy on a live campaign, and tweaked it until it purrs...

... then you'll be ready to charge for your experience.

And by then you'll know what your time is really worth, which will answer your original question of how much.

Because your best clients won't care much about reading your "portfolio" of letters -- they'll just want to know "how'd they do?"

Good luck.

Kevin

Hello there, I'm not clear on this point. Are you saying that clients pay to refer their copy writers? Is money involved in the referral process? Isn't that just paying someone to be nice? Sorry, I'm new here. Learning a lot. Thank you.

Sorry for that silly typo. LOL

Thanks to everyone who shared their precious suggestions.

Keep 'em coming..

Bruce,

When setting pricing, think in terms of value. How much value do you bring to the project? Then set your price accordingly.

To actually get your price, of course, you will need to communicate to the potential client the value he will receive.

Alex

Bruce, you are just getting started so take it one step at a time, and perfect one area or niche. If you write blog articles, become the really good at that first. If you write sales pages, become really good at that first.

Spend the hours you need to be really good at something rather then average at a number of things. It's what I always teach my clients, focus on one thing until you do it well, then you will see results.

Hey Bruce,

My advice would be get everything you can on copywriting and study it. Books, cds, DvDs.

Read it, take notes, listen, take notes, watch it, take notes. And then do it all over again. There's the sticky with all the copywriting books mentioned.

But, you know, you may want to find a copywriter that you resonate with. Be it Halbert, Carlton, Bly, Makepeace, Kennedy. Who ever seems to flow with you and concentrate on their material and learn from them.

Good luck.

Bill Jeffels

Hi Bruce,

First, much respect for handling all this advice with grace. That's a really good sign of how well you'll do in this often cutthroat biz.

Second, you've made another great choice, based on Bill's excellent recommendation, to focus in on one source of learning.

Quick story that may help you...

When I started started writing for clients full time, I became obsessive (and a bit paranoid) about needing to know (and implement) every copy tactic I read here and other places like Makepeace's Total Package, etc.

I felt like any "trick" I wasn't using in the current piece I was writing had me (and my client) at a disadvantage. I can't tell you how many times I started a letter over, just to include a hot new tip I'd come across that same morning.

This was a maddeningly inefficient way to "get good."

The better way -- I finally figured out -- was to pick the ONE copywriter that resonated with me most and deconstruct his method with the desperate determination of a war general preparing to engage his enemy.

Like you, I chose Carlton... then I shut everything else out.

I studied John's stuff so intensely it infiltrated my dreams. My wife practically felt "cheated on" because I talked about his methods ad nauseam.

Today John jokes that I "stalked him" and it's basically true.

But it paid off. When I was through I could hear his voice in my head (complete with bizarro Cucomonga accent), guiding me through rough patches in whatever I was writing.

Now, you obviously don't need to go to those same extremes (that's something I'll working out with a therapist some day) but, I think you'll find digging deep into ONE master's method (whether Carlton, Makepeace, Bencivenga -- helps if they're living and actually teaching their methods)... along with digesting all the crucial works of the greats we all know so well (Caples, Schwab, Schwartz, Collier, Halbert, etc.) will be a HUGE boost to your learning.

It won't be the end of your education, and the goal is NOT to get your writing to sound like anyone else's... but figure it this way...

Once you get to a point where there's a master copywriter living inside your brain (and guiding your pen) you'll have the confidence to take new paths without fear of sliding off the rails.

Be patient and stick with it.

Kevin