22 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
22 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

50USD article vs 250USD article

by Ravikanth
18 replies
Is it similar to the way public speakers are paid?

I have been reading a book called "Confessions of a public speaker". It was a book recommended by Derek Sivers (TED speaker). In that book the author talks about how speakers get paid. After a point the fame of the speaker decides the pay and not the expertise. The variation is 10,000USD vs 100,000USD speaker. The understanding is that the fame of the speaker brings in customers.

Here is what I do not understand about 50USD vs 250USD articles. Is the Brand value kicking in ? Is it content, style of presentation or persuasiveness?

What kind of websites look for such articles(250USD)?
#250usd #50usd #article
  • Profile picture of the author drmani
    Originally Posted by raviandkanth View Post

    Here is what I do not understand about 50USD vs 250USD articles. Is the Brand value kicking in ? Is it content, style of presentation or persuasiveness?
    Generally, it's the writer's self-confidence to claim the price they are
    worth, for the quality they produce and the value they add to a client.

    That's how I can charge - and get - $250 for approximately the same
    quality as another writer may create for $50, or even $25 or $10 (at
    least until they too wake up and realize what they're worth!)

    What kind of websites look for such articles(250USD)?
    Ones that consistently generate a higher ROI from them than what
    they pay the writer to create.

    All success
    Dr.Mani
    Signature
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5655597].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author StunningWarrior
    How much would you pay Alex Ferguson to write an article about how to manage a soccer team? Or Vince Lombardi for American football?

    Price is ALL about perception.

    Look at the price of Tony Robbins seminars. Yes he is good at what he does, maybe he's the best in the world, but is he ten times as good as his compatriots?

    Look at the price for the seminars and mentoring programs from the top IMers. Do you think USD1997 to sit in a hot, stuffy room for a day with 50 other students to listen to one of the best IMers is really that much better than paying USD 47 for a recording of a day by a lesser known IMer?

    Regarding the websites that pay USD 250 for an article, I'm afraid I can't help. It's not my area.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5655611].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author pilotgardens
    They say you get what you pay for. There are many factors that come into the price an article is worth, length, quality, style etc. But for an IM the bottom line is how much you can earn using the article. If you can make the same from a $50 article as you can from a $250 one, why spend the extra $200. But I find that most of the time the higher priced articles are of better quality and bring more repeat business.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5656604].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author fin
      Imagine having an authority website where every article is great.

      Now imnagine having on where every artcle is $5.

      What one do you think people will come back to?
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5656618].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author xypoon
    Sometimes some services are insanely overpriced. Others are respectively the opposite. It's all very subjective and the price is not mirror of quality only but a complex end occurrence.

    So if you are trying to choose or understand the difference between 250$ and 50$ article, look deeper and bear in mind the background factors not only the quality. Then make sure you know what you are looking for and what you are expecting also how it will fit with your goal. In many cases though the 50$ article may be even better than the 250$ one.
    Signature
    www.hnlanimations.com - various video animation services in both 2d and 3d
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5656660].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author RatRaceWatch
      I agree with most of what you have to say, but to address the LPN reference, there are many people that are knowledgable with high credentials in their field, but just a fair warning to people to not automatically assume just because someone is knowledgable on a subject or has worked extensively with it, that you are going to get a great article.

      Credentials help, but if you don't know how to cleverly deliver your words and engage the audience it doesn't mean anything.

      Originally Posted by NY1 View Post

      ^^ This. Let's say that I had a localized parenting website. I can go to the local hospital and find an LPN working in the pediatric wing who makes about $ 21 -24 per hour and get them to write an article for me for about $ 60 to $ 75. Probably take them about an hour for 750 words, give or take.

      That article is probably going to go over well with the crowd that comes to that website, because it is written by someone with credentials and anecdotal experience (people love that sh*t).

      Of course, the $ 250 writer who is just going to research is going to think that their article is better than the LPN's all day long. That would not be my concern as it matters what the target demo wants.

      Price does not always reflect quality. Price sometimes does.

      In the late 1990's Mercedes Benz dropped off of the lists of highest quality cars because they had lots of issues (electronically). The Lexus LS400 which was cheaper than it's MB counterpart topped a lot of those lists. The even cheaper Buick Park Avenue did as well.

      Yeah, by all testing measures, a $ 35K Buick was actually higher quality than a $ 70K Mercedes.

      Another really mundane anecdote about price not always reflecting quality:

      Wal Mart sells milk under the Great Value label. It is the cheapest on the shelf that they have. They also have a regional premium right next to it. You know who supplies the Great Value brand? The same regional premium. It's the same milk, 2 different packages, lol. Same quality, 2 different prices.

      Like my sister (CPA) always says when I ask a quick question about taxes, IT DEPENDS.

      When buying an article you step into the shoes of a consumer. Shop around.

      When selling an article, you are the supplier, so you have to position and angle and sell for the highest you can.
      Signature
      At Manifest Income our mission is to Help You Build A Business That Matches Your Passion.

      We offer: Free Business Plans, Web Design, Online Marketing Training, Mentorship, & Support!
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5658848].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author celente
    I have paid alot more than just 50 dollars for an article before. Way more than that.

    Laugh if you will. However, a very good high quality article that is 800 - 1000 words is powerful if you know how to market it, and syndicate it, and put it in front of the right crowd.

    Just paying 50 bucks for an article and blasting it to all those directories is gunna get you lame results. Learn how to syndicate your articles first. Article directory spamming is a thing of the past in my book.
    Signature
    Create a $5000 USD a month Business. 1-on-1 Coaching. By 6 figure marketer! - CLICK HERE
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5656992].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author stephenwaldo
    As a writer I think I can help shed some light on this. My answer is that having a big reputation as a writer certainly does matter, but not quite in the same way as it does with speakers, and you can do very well for yourself - as in get paid $250 per article - without making a huge name for yourself.

    With writing, at least in my experience, the buyer is really where the price discrepancy lies, not the writer. For example, if I market myself to your average Warrior surfing the Warrior-for-Hire section (which I do), I'll be lucky to get paid too much more than $35 or $50 an article. That is simply the highest price that most potential customers in this forum have come to expect, and so that is what they're willing to pay.

    However, if I take myself and put myself in front of a small business or organization and offer my professional ghostwriting services (which I have and do), then I will get paid more simply because the client/buyer expects to pay more.

    So I guess the important thing for writers, at least with the state of the Internet economy now, is separating yourself from the competition...

    Can you do that by making a name for yourself? Absolutely. Can you also accomplish the same thing by simply marketing yourself to different clientele? You sure can.
    Signature
    Need an awesome ghostwriter to fill in for you?

    Check out StephenWaldo.com
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5657004].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author David Christopher
      Thanks; I was wondering about the difference in perceived value between Warrior buyers and 'Other' buyers...
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5758439].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author revstan
    I think there are alot of articles that you can buy for 50$ that contain the same information as a 250$ article. A lot of those exspensive articles are just exspensive due to their name, their reputation. Especially in the IM-niche, the authors often go for the pay instead of the fulfillment the author gets when helping people.

    Simple Stan
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5657036].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author fin
      Originally Posted by revstan View Post

      I think there are alot of articles that you can buy for 50$ that contain the same information as a 250$ article.

      Simple Stan
      More than likely. Maybe it's the way they are written.
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5657101].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Randall Magwood
    I think you should create your own content instead of paying $50-$250 per article. How many articles are you outsourcing to be written for you? Do you think you could write 5 well-written articles per day?
    Signature
    ==>> Free book reveals make money with affiliate marketing
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5658881].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Ravikanth
      Originally Posted by drmani View Post

      G
      Ones that consistently generate a higher ROI from them than what
      they pay the writer to create.
      Thank you for the reply. How do you differentiate a high ROI website and what do these clients do to find writers for their projects?

      Originally Posted by celente View Post

      I have paid alot more than just 50 dollars for an article before. Way more than that.

      Laugh if you will. However, a very good high quality article that is 800 - 1000 words is powerful if you know how to market it, and syndicate it, and put it in front of the right crowd.

      Just paying 50 bucks for an article and blasting it to all those directories is gunna get you lame results. Learn how to syndicate your articles first. Article directory spamming is a thing of the past in my book.
      What kind of markets were you working on when you were looking for such quality?

      Originally Posted by stephenwaldo View Post


      However, if I take myself and put myself in front of a small business or organization and offer my professional ghostwriting services (which I have and do), then I will get paid more simply because the client/buyer expects to pay more.
      can.
      How does one find such clients? rather where do such clients go to find writers?
      Signature

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5662470].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author theory expert
    Banned
    Again that maybe true, but, the person who markets better gets the credibility. Do you think Suzie Orman is the best financial planner in the world? Is Dr. Phil the best psychologist? Nope, but, they are the obvious choices because they are in the public eye. People trust them when they don't know who else to turn to.

    P.S. The escalade tahoe comparison is not a valid comparison. The escalade is bigger and looks better, so, it deservedly should be priced what it is. Now if you said excursion ford vs escalade, where the only difference is a couple inches length, and, a caddilac sign I would have understood.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5664067].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author debra
      Originally Posted by NY1 View Post

      Excursion was a V10 that had no direct competitor, only in price range. Plus it was a Ford vehicle. Caddy/GM/GMC are the same company. Ford is not. You don't understand an apples to apples comparison, do ya?

      You need to learn about vehicles my friend. The very first Escalade ('99 I think) that launched literally was a rebadged Tahoe/Yukon. In the GM platform, they are considered "sibling" cars. Sibling cars are also referred to as "virtual twins."

      The current Escalade is still considered a sibling to the Tahoe/Yukon. They even have the same dimensions. Look it up. The extended Escalade is a sibling to the Suburban/extended Yukon.

      They are built in the same factory, on the same platform, using quite a bit of the same stuff. Exterior panels differ slightly as do head and tail lamps and Cadillac emblem/stitching on the interior. If you step into the high end Tahoe, it is the same as being in an Escalade minus the stitching on the interior. And the emblem on the wheel.

      It's about the most valid comparison that one can make in the automobile world.

      Let me guess, you have no clue that the Firebird/Camaro of the 80's were essentially the same car.

      Or the Escort/Protege/Tracer.

      Or the Caprice Classic/Pontiac Parisienne.

      Or the Deville/Olds 98/Buick Park Avenue.

      Or the Explorer/Navajo.

      Or the Explorer/Mountaineer.

      Or the S-10 Blazer/GMC Jimmy.

      Or the Lexus ES300/Toyota Camry.

      Or the Inifiniti I30/Nissan Maxima.

      Lolz, I could go on and on.

      Since you can't even seem to grasp a Macintosh versus Red Delicious comparison and bring up an apples to oranges one... I will leave the Suze Orman and Dr. Phil thing alone.

      Ahh, I'll do it anyway.

      Whether I buy the article from the LPN at $ 75 or the article from the writer at $ 250... I AM the one that markets it. That side of the equation stays constant.
      You forget to mention:

      Vega/Porsche (that is if your comparing engines) Yes, folks, the porsche had the same engine as the Vega. The difference between the two was the total of the repair bill.

      The price of the article depends on what the market will bear....period. It also depends on what I what the reader to take from the article.

      If I want to approach the reader with commercial intent intended, then I would hire a writer. If I want the reader to learn something interesting then I would hire an expert in the field (aka. LPN in your stated case)
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[5664475].message }}

Trending Topics