As you might have read in a previous post, I’ve been a direct response marketing copywriter for a pretty long time.

It wasn’t a cool career when I got started. When I worked for a radio station, I was very cool. Even tho I was a lowly traffic continuity director (and secretary), folks were very impressed that I was in radio. They wanted to touch me, buy me drinks, and sit next to me at parties.

That all ended when I took up the copywriting game…

Them: "What’s a copywriter?"
Me: "I write advertising."
Them: "For TV?"
Me: "No, I write direct mail advertising."
Them: ?
Them: ?
Them: ?
Them: "Junkmail?"
Me: // sigh // "Yes, I write junkmail."
Them: "Ohh, I hate you."

Years later, copywriting is like the coolest thing to do for a living. People want to talk to me again at parties. And while I discourage the touching now (I’m married afterall), I don’t mind the free drinks and the happy crowds extolling me to share all that is copywriting. Heady stuff.

Where was I when this paradigm shift occurred? 
Oh yeah, I was copywriting. It wasn’t cool, but boy it sure did pay pretty well. Certainly I was doing better than than most of my friends with literary ambitions. I was actually making a good living as a writer. I thought that was pretty darn cool even if I wasn’t (cool, that is.)

Well, times have changed and everyone must think copywriting is like the coolest thing on the planet to do. My email box is bursting with offers for courses, programs, books, ebooks, what have you, that purport to reveal the secrets of copywriting and raking in the big dough. There are a few copywriting courses out there that are indeed worth every penny. But so many are about the fast buck and they’re written by FOLKS WHO WRITE LIKE THIS with lots of !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I DON’T DO THAT! (Oops, sorry. Stiuck cap key.) Me? I’m all about the work. Producing solid results for clients who trust me to make some magic happen and bring some marketing life to their products and services — and being paid well for the experience and craft I bring.

Problem is, even with all the copywriting career hype that’s out there, it’s easy for copywriters, novices and professionals, not to be paid for the genuine value and contribution they make.

Pricing our work is both an art and a science, and even after 20 some odd years, I’m still figuring it out. But there are good benchmarks and resources out there that we can use.

One of those resources is published by my colleague, Chris Marlow. Terrific copywriter, copy coach and publisher, Chris surveyed nearly 300 copywriters from across the country and got them to reveal what they actually charge for 20 common copywriting jobs!

Freelance Copywriter Fee & Compensation Survey 

What do folks charge for a postcard? In there. Full-blown direct mail package? In there. Website copy? Catalog copy? Email series? In there, in there, in there!

Are their geographical differences in the price ranges? Yes, but armed with the information you’ll find in the Freelance Copywriter Fee & Compensation Survey, you can use it to you own advantage. And while most novices generally don’t make as much as a seasoned pro, the smart copy novice doesn’t have to "give it away" either to build a portfolio.

This isn’t about gouging a client, or not giving fair value for the client’s investment in you. It is about showing respect and self-worth for what we do as copywriters. When we do well for a client, everyone makes out.

Maven’s Maxim
How cool is copywriting? Oh honey, it’s way cool. Check out Freelance Copywriter Fee & Compensation Survey and not only will you be cool, you’ll be able to charge what you’re worth. And that’s the coolest thing of all.

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