What is the cost of hiring a copywriter?

19 replies
Hi Warriors,

I'm planning to hire a copywriter for my service that I will be promoting here in this forum. But I'm afraid that it would cost more than I could afford.

Do you know of any cheap service but of high quality that you would recommend?

Thanks in advance.
#copywriter #cost #hiring
  • Profile picture of the author Tony Dean
    Why not ask on the Copywriting forum here:-

    The Copywriting Forum
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  • Profile picture of the author Johnny Optimo
    I'd recommend outsourcing on a case-by case basis until you find someone who's really awesome and works at a rate you like.
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  • Profile picture of the author Scott Kennedy
    From what I've seen in the copywriting forum, expect to pay anything from $77 to $20,000.
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  • Profile picture of the author MissLauraCatella
    Would you hire a cheap surgeon?

    Most people wouldn't. It's the same with copy.

    If you're on a budget, I'd suggest you draft the copy yourself and seek out a professional to critique/tweak it. Most copywriters offer this service for a fraction of the price of writing a full sales letter.

    But if you hire a "cheap" copywriter, more often than not, you'll get "cheap" results that you'll have to reinvest time/money into in order to see the results you're looking for in the first place.

    Plus, looking for a "cheap" copywriter shows your low level of commitment and that makes the pro copywriters avoid you like the plague.
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    • Profile picture of the author shabit87
      Originally Posted by bambii View Post

      Would you hire a cheap surgeon?

      Most people wouldn't. It's the same with copy.

      If you're on a budget, I'd suggest you draft the copy yourself and seek out a professional to critique/tweak it. Most copywriters offer this service for a fraction of the price of writing a full sales letter.

      But if you hire a "cheap" copywriter, more often than not, you'll get "cheap" results that you'll have to reinvest time/money into in order to see the results you're looking for in the first place.

      Plus, looking for a "cheap" copywriter shows your low level of commitment and that makes the pro copywriters avoid you like the plague.
      You took the words right out of my head. OP if your main concern is simply having a copy, then of course you can find a cheap copywriter, but then again, what is cheap to you? $100 per 100 words, $500 copy guaranteed to convert at 4%, etc. ?

      Also have you looked into getting a video copy done. A 2 minute script and visual maybe more beneficial and cost effect for you at this moment, just something to consider.

      In any case, when I first started doing copywriting, I would do a draft myself and have a great copywriter do revisions. I saved big time!

      You can also post bits and pieces in the copywriting section of the forum and ask for critiques.

      There are also swipe files you can take a look at and adapt to fit your product/service/offer. Take some of the best copy and adjust it to fit your needs.

      In any case, know your potential customer and speak to them. If you're targeting teens, its more appropiate to use 'Dude' and 'Killer' as opposed to your customers being a group of 80 year old ladies. Make sense?

      Wish you the best with your copy!
      Ryan
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      • Profile picture of the author VanessaB
        Well... I can tell you that I base my pricing on 'projected ROI' and I work with my clients to project that ROI by asking about the marketing plan and marketing budget. (Asking about the product, it's price point, it's benefits and features are a given for any copywriter to undertake the project,)

        I use industry standard statistical, analytical data to gauge the amount that any given marketing plan will return to the client.

        Industry standard open rates on email, forums, click-through rates, conversions... all go into projecting the ROI on a products marketing campaign...

        30% of the projected ROI is what I charged to write copy.

        -Dani
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  • Profile picture of the author AnniePot
    Originally Posted by mrdanilodiaz View Post

    Hi Warriors,

    I'm planning to hire a copywriter for my service that I will be promoting here in this forum. But I'm afraid that it would cost more than I could afford.

    Do you know of any cheap service but of high quality that you would recommend?

    Thanks in advance.
    That's almost an oxymoron "cheap service" followed by "high quality"
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  • Profile picture of the author briancassingena
    [QUOTE=mrdanilodiaz;4098182]Hi Warriors,

    I'm planning to hire a copywriter for my service that I will be promoting here in this forum. But I'm afraid that it would cost more than I could afford.
    QUOTE]

    Depends. If your copywriter can't write a good enough sales letter to make back his fee at least, he or she is a cost of doing business.

    But if they're any good, and your product is good, they'll be able to make back their fee and then some. Let's say you pay $5000 for a sales letter, you drive some traffic to it, you sell 100 of your product at $97. That's a gross profit of $4700 over the copywriting fee, so your sales letter didn't actually cost you anything, it was an investment.
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    • Profile picture of the author Mark Andrews
      Banned
      Exactly Brian.

      I wrote this several hours ago in the same vein by way of reply on another thread...

      Originally Posted by Pete Walker View Post

      Yes they are. Reverse psychology.

      A newbie copywriter charging peanuts is actually more expensive because they can't get the conversions that a professional copywriter can bring to the table.

      An 'expensive' copywriter who charges thousands on the other hand could send your conversions through the roof so even though you had to invest let's say $5,000 minimum, the return on your investment was so good that essentially you got the sales copy completely free of charge.

      Now that's 'cheap'.
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      • Profile picture of the author briancassingena
        Originally Posted by Pete Walker View Post

        Exactly Brian.

        I wrote this several hours ago in the same vein by way of reply on another thread...
        Yep, you either get your sales letter for free, (from a top shelf copywrter) or you pay through the nose (If you get it done on elance or fiverr). There is no middle ground.
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  • Profile picture of the author Josh Walker
    I've personally paid $600 and up to $30,000 plus a royalty on sales. It ranges, completely depends on your industry and product.
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  • Profile picture of the author Cherie H
    Hi there,
    You could try an incentive based model that you could agree with your chosen copywriter. That way you set a target for the writer to accomplish and reach and once your copy starts "paying" you can pass some of this onto your chosen quality writer. I would still pay a flat rate that you agree upon but with an incentive you are both winners!
    Good luck,
    Cherie
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  • Profile picture of the author dominicyordz
    You can hire a lot of cheap copywriters on oDesk. There are a lot of copywriters there who would work for as low as $2 per hour.
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  • Profile picture of the author kpaulmedia
    My two shekels...

    • < $0.01/word --- scammer, scraper, rewriter
    • $0.01/word ----- ESA writer - usually low quality
    • $0.015/word --- ESA writer who is getting better
    • $0.02/word ---- Good ESA or Native English writer - single mom, college kid, enthusiast, better quality but still rough around the edges
    • $0.03 - $0.05/word ---- Native English writer - usually okay quality, but not over the top great
    • $0.05 to $0.10/word -- Copywriters! Low level copywriters, but genuine word smiths
    • > $0.10+/word --- Professional copywriter with a good track record.
    • > $1/word ---- High level copywriting genius with proven results.
    At the higher levels, you also get better reliability most of the time as well as more professional communication.

    As with most things in life, "you get what you pay for" as they say.
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    • Profile picture of the author MontelloMarketing
      Here are a couple more shekels...

      Any of the the "per word" writers mentioned below are not copywriters. They're content writers.

      Copywriters don't work "per word."

      Originally Posted by kpaulmedia View Post

      My two shekels...

      • < $0.01/word --- scammer, scraper, rewriter
      • $0.01/word ----- ESA writer - usually low quality
      • $0.015/word --- ESA writer who is getting better
      • $0.02/word ---- Good ESA or Native English writer - single mom, college kid, enthusiast, better quality but still rough around the edges
      • $0.03 - $0.05/word ---- Native English writer - usually okay quality, but not over the top great
      • $0.05 to $0.10/word -- Copywriters! Low level copywriters, but genuine word smiths
      • > $0.10+/word --- Professional copywriter with a good track record.
      • > $1/word ---- High level copywriting genius with proven results.
      At the higher levels, you also get better reliability most of the time as well as more professional communication.

      As with most things in life, "you get what you pay for" as they say.
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      • Profile picture of the author kpaulmedia
        @MontelloMarketing

        Yeah, that was the "> $1/word" Or more than $1/word or not really based on word count.

        There is a definite difference between a copywriter and a content producer or article writer.


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  • Profile picture of the author johnice
    Actually There are many PLR ebooks available on the web and other PLR materials like sales letters and sites. If you're on a tight budget that might be cheaper than a copywriter
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  • Profile picture of the author aquamarineseafood
    It depends form writer to writer, if you need a very good one for your business as everybody wants then it must be more than you anticipated as per price. The price may be vary from $200 to $20,000. Just choose the one who is absolutely necessary for you...
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  • Profile picture of the author David Raybould
    Originally Posted by mrdanilodiaz View Post

    Do you know of any cheap service but of high quality that you would recommend?
    No. Good copywriters make our clients
    tens of millions of dollars.

    Why would we do that at low cost?

    If you knew without a doubt what next
    week's Powerball numbers were, you
    wouldn't sell that information cheap
    would you?

    It's basically the same thing.

    Good luck with it.

    -David Raybould
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    Killer Emails. Cash-spewing VSLs. Turbocharged Landing Pages.

    Whatever you need, my high converting copy puts more money in your pocket. PM for details. 10 years experience and 9 figure revenues.
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