Review of: The 2005 Freelance Copywriter Fee & Compensation Survey

Review by: Nick Usborne

This is a question every freelance copywriter asks him or herself, time and again, year after year, decade after decade:

"How much should I charge for this freelance copywriting job?"

This tough question is often accompanied by a group of related questions:

How should I structure my estimate...by the hour, by the job? What do other copywriters charge? What is the norm for this industry or company? What is the right figure for a copywriter of my experience?

We agonize over these questions because we know that if we quote too much for a job, we probably won't get it. But if we quote too little, we'll be leaving money on the table and will probably do damage to our reputation at the same time.

Yes, sometimes it's agony.

Which is why it is wonderful that Chris Marlow has put together this comprehensive report on what freelance copywriters charge for their work.

What you'll learn from this report

NOTE: Volume 2 of the Freelance Copywriter Fee & Compensation Survey is now available, and includes an additional 40 pricing benchmarks for comon copywriting jobs. Find out more about this new survey here...

The 2005 Freelance Copywriter Fee & Compensation Survey is based on a questionnaire that was completed by 289 copywriters.

They answered 62 different questions which paint a very interesting and comprehensive picture of what freelance copywriters charge, how they set their fees, plus a ton of other information.

Perhaps the most important and useful information is the rates these copywriters charge for 20 different kinds of jobs.

You'll learn what your peers are charging for:

- print ads
- direct mail letters
- lift notes
- catalogs
- web pages
- newsletters
- emails

And for 13 other types of writing jobs.

You'll also learn what their hour rates are. And how much they make each year. And how they put together their estimates.

Do YOU need this information?

If you are a freelance copywriter, you need this report. It's as basic a need as your computer or phone line.

With the information in these pages you will be able to set your fees with confidence. No more guessing. No more agonizing.

Here are some examples of what you'll learn...

Hopefully Chris will forgive me if I quote a few figures from her report (all in US dollars).

First, some of the hard figures about earnings and fees.

- 39% of respondents earn between $50,000 and $100,000 a year. (13% earn over $150,000).

- the median fee for writing a lead generation sales letter is between $1,001 and $2,000

- the median fee for writing a web site home page is between $301 and $400.

My own comment on this last figure:

Hey, charge more!!! It's no wonder online copywriters don't get the respect we deserve. If you have the skills and experience to write a good home page, you should be charging a LOT more than that!

Some other figures that might interest you

The report, and the bonus report that comes with it, include all the hard-core figures you need. But they also include some other figures, which you might find very interesting and useful.

Here are some examples:

- The #1 source of new jobs for freelance copywriters is referrals.

- 81% of respondents work from a home office.

- 41% ask for some kind of up-front payment before starting a job.

Plus you'll get to find out, in full detail, how much some of the industry's leading freelance copywriters charge for their work.

Find out how much Denny Hatch, Bob Bly, Steve Slaunwhite and others charge for a variety of different kinds of jobs.

Do you need this report?

Once again, yes.

As I said before, now that these figures are available, it makes no sense at all to write another estimate without first finding out what you could and should be charging.

Why leave money on the table by estimating a figure that is too low?

Why risk losing the job by submitting an estimate that is way too high?

Find out more about Chris Marlow's 2005 Freelance Copywriter Fee & Compensation Survey

Or...

Volume 2 of the Freelance Copywriter Fee & Compensation Survey here... (Recommended)