Five Steps That Determine Copywriter Rates

Copywriters do so much more than key in text on a computer, and yet many who need them are often gobsmacked by what copywriters charge for their services.  To better understand copywriter pricing, it is best to appreciate what goes into the content creation process.  Here are five steps that determine copywriter rates.

Info Harvesting

Climbing all of your existing website and printed material is the perfect place for a copywriter to get to know you.  There they can immerse themselves in information about your organization’s products or services, get a feel for how you market and position yourself, grab a bird’s-eye view of your history, and even get a feel for who your competition may be.

Good copywriters are curious by nature, so it should come as no surprise that a hardy conversation with you is also key to the info harvest process.   What are your project goals and what are essential ideas to be stressed?  Who’s going to consume what is produced?  What’s the call to action?  Since a coordinated marketing approach is commonly applied to copy, where will the content be utilized?

Sandbox Time

Before the actual writing begins, most copywriters like to do what is often referred to as a “creative brief.”  This is nothing more than a sketched out distillation of all the information garnered during the Info Harvesting stage.  This is the copywriter’s chance to ask the vital question, “Let me make sure that I heard you right.”

Now, The Writing Begins

With the raw material in place, now is where real copywriters earn their keep.  They will take all of your rough information, put into the hopper, grind it, ferment it, knead it, and carefully craft it into pure word art suitable for your needs.  This process will yield the first draft.

Your Turn

Now, it is your chance run through all of the copy and make sure that you like it, and if not, suggest changes.  In general, most copywriters will allow two or three rewrites of your draft at no additional charge.

The Final Product

Finally, after all of the work, the copy is yours.  So as you can see, copywriting is so much more than simple finger movements on a computer keyboard.  It is a real art form melded with a strong understanding and appreciation of how business works.  This also explains why most people do not have the skill set and natural talent to be a professional copywriter, so choose your writer carefully.

Ocean Crest Creative is an imaginative word artist shop that builds handcrafted copywriting and content solutions. We specialize in serving those involved in travel and tourism, as well as others who demand personal and professional attention paid to their word-related needs.