What to look for when hiring a Freelance Copywriter

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Today I'm sharing some tips if you think working with a pro copywriter is for you.

Let’s talk about a few things you should look for while copywriter-searching, and one surprising tip that often gets unfairly overlooked by many business owners (to their detriment) when hiring copywriters.

So let’s get started, this is going to be short, sweet, and to the point, so I recommend bookmarking this post so you can refer to it later! 🙂

Pricing

Let’s get to the topic that most business owners want to know about first.

Money

Specifically, what to expect as far as a Copywriter’s rates and the overall investment that hiring a copywriter will be.

Simply put: every copywriter is going to have different pricing, and that pricing will (almost always) vary based on the project and their personal experience level. You might feel some initial sticker shock when a copywriter sends you a quote, and you’re totally within your right to say: “Thanks so much, but that’s not in my budget right now” and move on to a different copywriter.

Copywriters won’t be offended, and you don’t need to do anything that makes you uncomfortable. But it IS important to remember that a copywriter’s job is to help your business make more sales, so more often than not a copywriter’s fee will pay for itself many times over in the revenue great copy will afford you.

Important Tip: Don’t try to haggle with a copywriter when it comes to their rates. Don’t ask for a discount. It’s rude and it’s unprofessional. A copywriter is a business owner too. If you set your prices, you wouldn’t think it was inappropriate if someone came up asking for the same product for less money, right? Copywriting is a very specific set of skills that take years to develop. It’s totally okay to renegotiate and revise project guidelines to see if it aligns better with your budget, or you can also just look for another copywriter.

Niche or Not To Niche

So, this is a hotly debated topic. Should copywriters niche down to specific industries, or should they open themselves to wider audiences?

Should you, as a business owner, only work with copywriters exclusive to your industry, or work with a copywriter that does not confine themselves to a niche?

This is up to you. You’ll find plenty of copywriters on both ends of the spectrum, and if you feel more confident hiring a copywriter who is thoroughly and exclusively involved in your industry, go for it!

However, copywriting is psychology and marketing… all of the same rules apply no matter the industry, so don’t overlook a copywriter who has not chosen a niche, they’ll very likely have no issue communicating with your audience as long as you have the data and info ABOUT that audience they’ll need.

Portfolio

Every Copywriter, no matter their experience, should have a portfolio. If you’re dealing with a copywriter who has no samples to show you (unless this is a family friend or something- in that case, that’s on you to decide), it might be best to look elsewhere. Seeing samples is also a great way to make sure you vibe with their style.

Copywriters will always strive to fit your brand voice, but we’re all different, and have our own personalities! Sometimes you might find a kindred spirit, which will make working together even more enjoyable.

As an example, most of my clients all really like a conversational and humorous tone to their brand voices, and so my specific style and personality really compliments that, and working on projects is 10X more fun for both parties involved.

Experience

Okay, don’t sleep on a copywriter who might not have a lot of experience under their belt. They may not have a lot of samples… but their motivation and energy are going to be incredible. Their rates will (in most cases) be slightly lower, and they’ll have awesome energy!

Important Tip: Make sure your copywriter asks you important questions about your audience. Also make sure you have your audience, your product or service, and the benefit your customers receive by investing in your product or service at the ready so you can answer your copywriter’s questions.

The more information your copywriter has, the better the copy will be!

Personality

Like I said earlier, copywriters are still people, and we all have our own personalities. So don’t be afraid to look for copywriters who match your vibe, not only are you more likely to have better communication with your copywriter, it’ll be WAY MORE FUN.

Seriously, for copywriters, there’s nothing like connecting with a client who just shares that energy. Don’t get me wrong, all copywriters know how to write to any audience, and we’ll fit your style as if we’ve ALWAYS BEEN that style, but keep your eye out on their websites and see if you notice things about THEM that resonate with you!

How To Actually HIRE A Copywriter

Okay, now that you know what to look for, let’s talk about HOW to look for a copywriter.

It’s not as hard as you may think, and one of the best aspects of hiring a copywriter is that they don’t have to be local. Most of my clients have been from all over the country (some even outside of the US altogether). Because copywriters only need a computer and internet connection to work, you can’t hire a copywriter from ANYWHERE!

And just like a copywriter, the only tool you need to find one is an internet connection.

Aside from just googling copywriters, check out Facebook where you’ll find… countless FB Copywriting Job Boards. You can post your needs and you’ll soon be swarmed with a TON of copywriters looking to work with you.

You can also try UpWorks, many copywriters avoid UpWorks because they take a pretty hefty fee out of our rates, so you’ll definitely find writers, just remember that you get what you pay for.

Important Tip: Don’t use Fivver. That’s all.

Copywriters are everywhere, and we love what we do

I hope this post gave you some helpful tips when it comes time to start hiring copywriters. You can find us on FB, Instagram, LinkedIn… here, right on my website (lol).

We’re here to help YOUR BUSINESS. That’s our job, and we love what we do- and if you do your research and take your time… you’ll love what we do, too! 🙂