If you are looking to become a freelance copywriter, the pay range can vary a lot, based on your own ability to market yourself. It has been said that the most important skill that a copywriter can develop is the ability to market his/her services, not the copywriting skill itself (that is second place). Read on to find out how much money copywriters can make.
In the beginning…
As a newbie copywriter, you will most-likely take on any job that you can get your hands on. A 350 word web home page may fetch you somewhere between $200-$500, while a long form sales letter could bring in $1500. At first, the projects will be few and far between, but as you gain success for your clients, you will get more repeat business. This is the way to claw your way up the ladder.
Once you’re in the game
Once you become a more well-known copywriter, you will be able to hand-pick your projects, working in certain niches where you are very familiar with the business and the customer. When you can pick a certain niche to specialize in, you won’t have to reinvent the wheel each time you write a new piece of copy. An established, well-respected copywriter will generate millions of dollars in sales for his/her clients and will be able to easily generate a six-figure salary.
Establishing your copywriting business
Now we move on to elite status. There is a handful of copywriters out there that fall into the seven figure category. There are probably less than 100 of these people in the world. These copywriters are not necessarily better than the middle tier copywriters at writing, but they are masters at marketing their services. They become the biggest fan of their own work and they promote it as such.
The other key to this level of success is that these copywriters also take a percentage of the sales created by their sales letter. This is not something for the beginning copywriter to attempt, because you essentially become part business partner with the owner and it take a special relationship.
In Conclusion
Copywriting is not a glamorous profession, but it can be very exciting. Where else can you create one letter and have it mailed millions of times, helping to influence the buying habits of the public and growing businesses all over the world. You need to have the guts to believe in the service that you provide and even if your are just starting out, it’s important to charge a fee that you think you are worth.