Copywriter Peter Stone shared an interesting POV on so-called "gurus" in a recent post, "What’s Wrong With Positioning Yourself As A Guru?" 

In it he discusses why he doesn’t like to do line-extensions of the copywriting work he does.

"I have an aversion to line extension and commodity pricing.

Branding myself as a guru, or what’s really at issue here, marketing
myself into the pack of existing gurus, via line extension, invites
commodity pricing for everything I do by putting me in direct
competition with others. Don’t like the price? Shop the other gurus."

I don’t think of myself as a marketing/copywriting guru, that’s way too much responsibility for my frail shoulders to bear. But from the core services I provide – direct marketing strategy and copywriting – I’ve developed several logical (to my mind anyway) line extensions of those services, including search engine optimization/copywriting … copy coaching/teaching … resume writing … even blogging.

Do I devalue my overall value by these extensions or am I monetizing similar skills for different market needs?

Perhaps I’m simply not as brave as Peter. As I said in a recent post, I hate turning down work that I’m more than capable of doing. I will admit, though, there are times I wish I could focus on one or two services and really work the hell out of them. Then I remember I have three kids to get through college and then there’s that pesky retirement thing.

Responsibilities at home make it easier to want to choose the safer alternative and keep multiple income streams full and moving. So I keep at it all because unlike others, I do make a pretty nice living as a copywriter, line extensions or no.

Where I disagree with Peter, just a little, is that by keeping strictly to a tight core of services, he protects himself from commodity pricing. Copywriting services pricing has increasingly been commoditized. Look at Elance, Guru, or any of the freelance writing boards and you’ll see numerous low-rent bids on projects that should be valued much higher. (My friend and colleague, Tom Chandler at The Copywriter Underground has done more than a few posts on this subject.)

The real key to our own success, therefore, is how well we’re able to communicate our value to our clients.

Our copywriting services represent the sum total of our experience, skill, and talent that are brought to bear not to simply deliver copy, but results. We must price, therefore, not on the words or pages we write, but on the value we deliver.

It’s one of the reasons I rarely price my copywriting services per hour. A newbie writer might take 20 hours to deliver what I can in 2. Who should charge more?

Maven’s Maxim
Unless you write copy as an amusing little hobby, revisit your fees and ask yourself are you pricing for value or for hours spent. Then revise accordingly. Need some help? Grab and read these two informative guides from Chris Marlow: Freelance Copywriter Fee & Compensation Survey™, Vol II and Freelance Copywriter Fee & Compensation Survey™, Vol I (aff)