LAST UPDATED AUGUST 22, 2024
“What are your rates?”
This is usually one of the first questions prospects ask me. And I get it, I do. Because there’s no point in starting a conversation if you can’t afford me, right?
I first put my prices on my website after being ghosted by a couple of prospects. I figured neither of these people would have bothered to contact me if they’d seen my prices upfront. And it could have saved us all some time.
The prices I have on my website now are ‘from £’ prices — so they’re minimum figures, with wiggle room if a project is more complex and will need more time or expertise.
“I still have questions”
Some prospects have had more questions after finding out my rates, but I’m guessing these are the questions most people are less inclined to ask. Because it’s awkward, isn’t it, talking about money?
So, I wondered, what would happen if I just took all those uncomfortable, cringe-inducing questions and answered them in a blog? Straight up. Full transparency. No skirting around the issue.
Will it deter the people who can’t afford me and convince others that what they’re getting is worth the investment?
I guess we’re about to find out.
My pricing FAQs — answered!
Starting with the two most frequently asked questions.
What are your rates and how are they calculated?
My rates are based on guidance from the ProCopywriters Network, which runs a yearly survey to determine what freelance copywriters are charging.
The average day rate for freelance copywriters in the UK is currently £440.
I’m slightly under that, with a day rate of £400.
What do you charge for your services?
I’m transparent about my service pricing and have ‘price from’ charges on my website wherever possible.
Here’s a rundown of my current charges, which you can read more about on the service pages.
Blogging packages
My blogging packages are based on one article per month for a minimum of six months.
- Write it Yourself from £200 per month
Content planning, ideas and SEO article outlines - Plan it Yourself from £400 per month
Article research, article writing and SEO - Done for You from £500 per month
Content planning, ideas, article research, article writing and SEO.
You’ll find a full breakdown of each of these packages on my Content Writing page.
I’ve also written an articles detailing my content writing process and how blogging works for your business, so you can see exactly how it works and the value you’ll be getting.
SEO website copywriting
My SEO website copywriting service is intended to help your website rank higher on Google.
It starts from £400 per landing page.
I also offer:
- SEO copy editing, from £275 per page
- Website copy reviews, from £75 per page
- SEO keyword research, from £75 per page.
For full details, head over to my SEO Copywriting page.
If you have questions about SEO copywriting, you should find the answers in my SEO copywriting FAQs.
How are your rates calculated?
I charge by the project.
The final quote for any project will take a number of factors into account including:
- Project complexity and scope
- Length/word count
- Preparation/research
- Specific/specialist skills required
- Timeframe/turnaround time.
Is there a minimum fee?
Yes, I have a minimum fee of £75.
How often do you increase your prices?
I had my first major price hike in March 2021 and it was long overdue.
Since then I’ve reviewed my prices when I’ve reviewed my offers and packages. And I review my offers and packages either when the costs involved go up or I have additional value to add.
Why are you so expensive?
Based on the results of the ProCopywriters’ Survey 2023, I’m not the most expensive copywriter you can hire, but I’m not the cheapest either.
I’m a senior copywriter with 20 years’ professional writing experience and more than 15 years’ experience in SEO copywriting and content writing, which are two of the areas I specialise in.
I command high prices because my knowledge, experience and services are high-value, results-driven and will contribute to the success of your website and/or blog.
Or, in other words, because I’m worth it! (Sorry, L’Oréal!)
Why do you talk about copy as an investment?
Most copy and content is written with the intention of generating returns for your business. This means it should make you money, rather than cost you money, and will typically pay for itself.
How do I know I’ll get good value for money?
When you work with me, you’ll get a copywriter with a wealth of knowledge, who’s trained in best practice and has also learned from first-hand experience.
To ensure my services offer you good value for money, I will:
- Only work with a limited number of clients at a time
- Give you as much advice and guidance as you need
- Provide everything your project needs (within my remit).
What if the service is not what I expected?
There’s the potential for misunderstandings in any creative partnership. I’ve tried to mitigate those and manage your expectations by creating a series of articles that explain the way I work and detail my processes.
You’ll find all of these on my blog or by following the links below:
11 Good reasons to hire me as your copywriter >>
11 Reasons why I’m not the right copywriter for you >>
Everything you need to know about my content-writing process >>
If you have more questions, you’re more than welcome to ask.
Why do you need 50% or 100% upfront?
For projects under £1,000, I’ll require full payment upfront. For projects over £1,000, I’ll require a 50% non-refundable deposit with the remaining 50% to be paid at the end of the project.
It’s standard practice to pay a percentage upfront when you’re working with a freelancer — especially if it’s for the first time. There are several reasons for this, but the main ones are that it:
- Shows you’re committed to the project
- Keeps you invested and engaged
- Means we both take a share of the risk
- Keeps my cashflow… flowing!
And if you think about this, it makes sense. You wouldn’t expect a supplier to deliver a product without paying for it first, so why would you expect credit from a service provider you just started working with?
When will the remaining balance be due?
If you’ve paid a 50% deposit, the remaining balance will be due 7 days from the date of your final invoice.
Do you offer payment plans?
Yes. I can split your fixed quote into three installments, with an upfront deposit and two smaller payments to be paid at specified intervals.
The minimum commitment for a payment plan is £1,500.
If you’re interested, let me know before I quote for the work and I’ll make sure it’s included on your quotation form.
Is it true you’re charging for consultations now?
Yes. If you need specific help with generating ideas or finding a solution to a problem you’re having, this will be a chargeable consultation.
This won’t just be an informal chat. It will be a call I’ll prepare for in advance so I can present you with the ideas, options or solutions that will help you to move forward.
Before your consultation, I’ll ask for some information so I can do the necessary research and get myself up to speed. This means that when we talk, I’ll have answers and ideas ready to share with you.
A one-hour consultation starts at £100. The actual figure will depend on the amount of preparation required.
And you’re charging for proposals too?
Yes. If you need a full written proposal, I’m happy to provide one — but I don’t work for free.
A proposal will take time to prepare. And it will contain valuable ideas, which you’ll then have at your disposal, whether you choose to work with me or not.
This is why I reserve the right to charge for it.
Why don’t you offer free samples?
Working for free, when I have clients who are willing to pay me, doesn’t make any sense.
If you need to see samples of my work, there are plenty. You can read them on my blog, in my portfolio, or by asking me.
If the project is a good fit, I’ll be happy to do a paid sample. This will be charged at my normal rate with 100% paid upfront.
Why don’t you offer discounts?
Each project is carefully costed in a fair way that covers the time, expertise and value that goes into it.
Discounting devalues all that and changes the conversation. Instead of talking about how my work will add value to your business, we turn to talking about how much it’s costing your business.
If your primary concern is cost and not value, we’re probably not going to be a good fit.
How do you quote projects?
The quote you receive will define the scope of the project and give you a fixed price upfront. This will show you exactly how much you’ll need to pay, so you can plan your budget.
The price will include all work specified in the quote. And each project has two rounds of complimentary revisions, so you can make any necessary changes.
Providing the brief and project scope don’t change and the project is completed in line with my terms and conditions, the amount you’re quoted will be the only price you pay.
Your quote will be valid for one month from the date it’s provided.
Is there a chance the fixed price could increase?
There are some things your fixed price won’t cover:
- Additional work not covered by the quote
- Changes to your original brief
- Revisions after the final draft
- Any out-of-pocket expenses that aren’t covered in the quote.
If your fixed price is likely to increase, I’ll let you know beforehand and before I do the work.
What if the project changes?
I understand that projects can evolve and there may be further work or changes to the original brief.
Anything that changes the scope of the project will likely incur additional charges.
If I need to make any pricing adjustments, I’ll let you know in advance and ask you to approve those before proceeding.
What payment methods do you accept?
I like to keep things simple, so I only accept bank transfers to my business account.
Do you still have questions?
I’ve tried to answer most of the common and awkward questions here, but if there’s anything missing and you still need an answer, you contact me directly. Simply send your question using my contact form and I’ll get back to you with an answer as soon as I can.
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