Of course, you want top quality copy, immediately (if not sooner) and at minimal cost (if not free). But you’ve probably heard about the time:cost:quality trade-off:
- You can have it fast and cheap but then it might not be top quality (although if you’re using a professional copywriter, it will still do the job)
- You can have it cheap and good quality but you’ll have to allow more time
- You can have top quality, fast, but you’ll have to pay extra for the privilege
Where do YOU draw the line?
My SME clients usually want their copy fast and cheap. It’s high volume work. Quantity, not quality.
My corporate clients are willing to pay a little more and wait a little longer. It’s high order value. Quality, not quantity.
Never mind the quality, feel the width
Please note that it’s not fair to charge by the word because it takes longer to write something short than to write something long.
Charging what you’re worth
Terry Wogan was asked how he justified his Radio 2 salary. “It works out about 10p per listener,” he explained.
The more people you affect, the more you can charge. That’s why – in our skewed world – footballers and popstars get paid more than nurses. And it’s why corporate work may cost more than SME work.
