It’s been a bit longer than I would prefer between posts, but ahh, I’ve been copywriting. A lot of copywriting. Most for a client with whom I’ve been working on retainer since their copy needs are varied, frequent and very much on-the-fly.

In general, I prefer retainers. Reliable cash flow for you, no copy expense surprises for your client. When thoughtfully and accurately evaluated, it’s usually a pretty good win-win for everyone concerned.

But the majority of my clients, and probably yours, will be on a project-by-project basis. Negotiating your fees upfront, smartly and in good faith, are going to set the tone for the initial relationship. So you want to get it right. Otherwise you’re feeling unhappy and the client doesn’t understand the value of your contribution.

So what do you do? My colleague, Chris Marlow, came up with a simple, multi-step process that takes the guesswork out of the "How much do you charge?" dance.  Check out some of her best recommendations from her 5-Part Pricing Toolkit for Copywriters …

#1 - Ask the right questions upfront

Sounds like a no-brainer but you’d be surprised how many of us don’t. Client calls and we’re so thrilled any called us at all that we forget that we don’t copywrite for free. So we, that’s you and me, have to ask more than "What kind of project, What kind of time?" questions.

We have to ask about the value of the project to the client, and we can’t be shy either. Ultimately, the question is - How important are you to helping them generate $XX,XXX revenue?

Chris provides a nifty questionnaire to guide you through the process, building your confidence and your negotiating skills question by question. (To my thinking, this alone is worth the price which I’ll get to shortly.)

#2 - Figure out your hourly rate

Even if you don’t charge hourly (I don’t for copy, but I do for straight consulting), you need to figure out what your hourly rate is. Don’t forget to include the business overhead, taxes, insurance, etc.

Chris gives you a simple 4-step approach to calculating a reasonable hourly fee with benchmarks so you know where you stand in the marketplace. (Good stuff here that goes nicely with her other copywriting salary/fee guide I’ve mentioned before.)

#3 - Write a solid fee agreement

I’ve written about this before but it always bears repeating. Make a contract, spelling out terms and responsibilities that all parties review and agree to.

Chris shares her own 2-page fee agreement in a simple, straightforward, plain English template that will keep everyone honest and let your client know you’re a professional who knows their business. (Templates like these, if you could find them, easily sell for $20-$30 a piece. I know because I buy these kinds of legal templates all the time.)

If the 5-Part Pricing Toolkit for Copywriters only had these 3 parts, that would be good enough for me. But Chris added 2 more goodies, just to make sure you make more money on your next project.

#4 & 5- Downloadable MP3 and Transcript of Chris’ Pricing Toolkit Teleclass

This is like having a one-to-one conversation with Chris where she reveals her personal system for "pricing right"
on every copywriting job she accepts. If you need a little hand-holding through the process, you’re going to love this virtual teleclass.

Your cost? Just $49 and because you can download everything in a matter of moments, there’s no shipping/handling charges. Don’t like it? Chris guarantees your satisfaction and will personally (yes, personally) refund you every penny herself. Instant gratification, fully guaranteed!

I’ve been copywriting for well over 20 years and I know that most of time I undervalued by services. With old age came wisdom — but you don’t have to wait that long! Take a look at Chris Marlow’s 5-Part Pricing Toolkit for Copywriters and see how the smart copywriters work the numbers.

Maven’s Maxim
At $49 complete, I’m betting the price is less
than an hour of your copywriting time. I promise you, this is an hour’s value that you’ll get back 100-fold, and then some. Order it now and be amazed. I know I was.

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