Copywriting for around $200?

It's good to know I'm not the only one who thinks like that.

If you're qualified to look at someone else's work to determine if it's good enough, then you might as well save the $200 and write your own copy. Even master copywriters don't know just by looking at someone else's work it something is a sure thing -- there is always testing involved.

Not having the money to hire a copywriter you can simply go to the Library, study books on copywriting, then start testing your own copy. Once you have some sales (maybe even a control), then you can hire a qualified copywriter to test against your offer.

Your budge of $200 isn't even enough for a good PPC test. Save your money. Focus on gathering testimonials from users, study hot points in your market, and go through the steps to write your own copy. You'll have $1,000+ before you know it.

Best,

Justin

P. s. As for design, you can't even get a decent logo for $200 -- so boot strap it with a simple website focused on your buyer, their interests, and your offer.

It's hard to find someone to do a "copy critique" for $200.

Maybe you'll find somebody willing to cut you a deal

For $200 you might find someone willing to write the sales page - for a generous percentage of the sales. Kind of hard to judge it without seeing the product.

Damn, son! I wouldn't write my name for $20.

Hi there

I'm trying to start out as a copy writer, but I have no experience in the field yet, so I'm looking for someone who is ready to put a lot of trust in me.
I'm very good at using language, since I'm "trilingual" (I speak and write Danish, English and German fluently). Also I've been studying the psychology of persuasion and influence for a long time along with a strong interest in seduction, which might come in handy.
Sadly I have no clue about design but I'm more than willing to write a sales letter for $100 (and preferably a review about my effort for future reference).
I'm very flexible with my writing and can do just about anything - from serious to silly, from personal to objective. If you want me to, I'll even make your product sound like it was created by God himself :p

So send me a PM if you're interested in working with me

All the best,
-Daniel

Aren't you the one who just spammed the crap out of me and a bunch of other WF members with an offer that made absolutely no damn sense? Your point about learning copy is valid, and I suggest you take that recommendation to heart. Learn how to reach your target market and craft an offer before you start telling others that copywriting isn't worth spending money on.



And alfid - if you thought you could get it for $20, you haven't done any research, or have been listening to shoddy and/or shady business people. I recommend looking at Writer's Market, which can usually be found at your local library. You'll find a wide range of prices that writers (not just copywriters) charge for a variety of pieces. Copywriters generally make more than article writers, but that's not always the case. Copywriting tends to involve a lot more research and testing.

This kind of thinking is responsible for the massive amount of bad copy on the web today.

Copywriting is deceptively simple. It's very easy to think you know what you are doing from reading a few books. There's no shortcuts but experience.

You can certainly do it yourself. But don't kid yourself. There is a steep learning curve to mastery. While mastery isn't required to get results, getting the ability to generate decent copy is not an overnight process.

Ray,

If that's true, then it could be a sign that the economy is improving globally.

I can remember prior to the 2008 economic crash copywriters running WSOs for $8K salesletters and selling it out in a few days.

Mike

I deleted it. Thanks for the Thanks though - I'm glad the advice contained within it for the short time I let it remain helped somebody at least.


Mark Andrews

I read the post as well and had a similar experience.

Sine I was I mentioned by name for being a hypocrite for
having some time in the past offered low fees I'd like to
address that concern.

In another thread addressing the same issue I wrote that
I had learned in my 10 years of writing online copy that
people who pay $200 the first time around will not pay
$2,000 the next time around. Now this sounds to me
like I used to charge low fees and learned by experience.

So if I learned something from EXPERIENCE, how could
suggesting not to do this be hypocritical?

-Ray Edwards

I'm not aware of any copywriter that thinks their clients have unlimited amounts of money to burn.

No copywriter will (Or should) guarantee you a winner because the copy is only one element of success. I suppose that's a good reason to try to do the copy cheap. But if you are unsure that you've got the other elements in place it's a big gamble to make. Because if the copy sucks it doesn't matter if you've got everything else right.

Your whole post reeks of a hidden agenda to sell people on your service or product.

In both sales letters there's a basic English mistake in the very first sentence...

Why is his dream in dispute in the first place? Why is there even a dispute going on? I am totally unaware of his request for feedback on whether he made a reasonable request in the first place. As far as I could determine, he was asking for contacts of copywriters that would do the job for $200.00 or less. Why even respond to his post if you have no interest offering to help? What possible help could it be to invalidate his request and belittle him in the process?


How do you know there will be a pitfall for him? What I hear in this thread is the use of scarcity and loss tactics on him to justify copywriter pricing because you feel threatened that someone might be able to help him for less. You talk as if you can guarantee him a big return, without actually guarantying the big return. This is typical sales copy language, and you are using it against the OP.


No, but they feel fine about charging you for services that result in no improvement. That's bad and dishonorable business no matter how you look at it.


No, but then you are paying for an intangible that will likely be one of their best performances. Theres no point in a guarantee because with artists your investment is primarily egotistical. Why do you think people are always saying "I saw so-and-so in concert?" It's an ego trip based around that fact that they were THERE with the artist. That's the prize!


We don't have a choice in paying them either. I wouldn't call this a good example. Based on what I have experienced, I would not rely on them anyway.


Based on what you and others are stating, it's because you are saying we will make a lot of money. Only, it's seems none of you can back that promise up.


Where's the proof, the track record? The client can't see it. Anyone can say they are worth it, and make up their own story of credentials. That's just another sales job for the copywriter. And I would like to go on record at this point and state that I never said high priced copywriters were not valuable or worth their rate, I just made the distinction that there is a context and budget that the a business owner must consider when seeking one out. You guys are playing the whole copywriting gambit here as if high priced copywriters are the only valid and competent kind for all practical purposes and clients. That's pure arrogance. And I never trust arrogance. Humility coupled with confidence, determination, and dedication is always the best way to go. The problem with high priced copywriters today is that they get caught up in their own copy, and start defining their roles in terms of the flow of their copy, and then project that onto the entire world's marketplace as gospel. It's like an actor that can't come off of the role they just played in a blockbuster film, and come back to reality fast enough before it has a detrimental effect on their relationships. The attitude of self-importance is damaging to their relationships and happiness, and it produces a buffer identity they have to live up to for the sake of social caste systems they consider beneath them, but need for the sake of income generation. There is a difference between self-importance and self-esteem, confidence or faith, and the primary distinction is arrogance. Arrogance is simply an assertion that one person or group is inherently worth more than another. I do not build my self-esteem at the expense of others. It's an illusion that comes crashing down one day.


They can with those who are willing to pay it. Which brings us to the question of why they would waste their, supposedly valuable, time here on a thread with a $200.00 budget? You would think they'd have better things to do with their time, such as copywriting for $5000.00 and $10,000.00, than spend it here on a $200.00 deal. I wouldn't call that very good prospecting, would you?


Fact is also, that good copywriters don't always charge the prices you are saying they're charging. That's what competition does eh? Brings down the price of things. I think that's what is really ticking off the copywriters here in this thread.


That is an insult to those who charge less, and to beginners and intermediate copywriting students. It is also an insult to the intelligence of small business owners, and entrepreneurs. The arrogance and condescension here is frankly sickening. You appear to be playing the role of a know-it-all about everybody, and seem so stuck in your sales mindset that you put yourself above everyone. Your words are a very good indicator of this attitude.


You just attacked the credibility and worth of every person that has sold or bought a WSO in this forum that wasn't solely designed around making large sums of money. There are literally hundreds of WSOs that have sold here that were specifically designed to help people make some extra income on the side, and you just invalidated ALL of them. Why don't you just shoot for the Stars and proclaim yourself as GOD over the rest of us? After all, according to what you are saying you should set your sights at the highest! Let me know how that works out for you.


Sure.., of course.., we shouldn't be concerned with price. We'll spend all the rent money, utility money, child care money, food money, car payment money, and money for other financial responsibilities so our great copywriter can make it big for us by the end of the month when all the bills come due. On second thought, maybe all of us pathetic entrepreneurs better just quit dealing with the Warrior forum and buying WSOs and such. We're just wasting our time here. We all need to just go back to working a job and stop messing around online with petty little business interests. Unless we are taking on the world with the biggest venture in history, it's a complete waste of everyone's time., right?


Really, that's not what I heard from your words, and the words of some others here.


No.., those are the reasons why high price copywriters think they are better than their low priced colleagues. Pure arrogance.

Well said!