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Geez- I feel bad for the quality copywriters around here :(

Discussion in 'Copywriting' started by driven, Dec 11, 2006.

  1. #1
    I'm just looking through some of these threads where rock bottom prices are being offered and I just feel so bad for some of the quality copywriters around here. How do you guys cope?
     
    driven, Dec 11, 2006 IP
  2. keatsian

    keatsian Peon

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    #2
    Low price need not be directly proportional to low quality. Anyhow rock bottom prices are a matter of concern. May be we copy writers should decide and have a fixed low/minimum rate...that would circumvent very cheap deals...What do you say?
     
    keatsian, Dec 11, 2006 IP
  3. gr8liverpoolfan

    gr8liverpoolfan Notable Member

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    #3
    I doubt whether that can ever happen :) A low rate for some will be a high rate for others .
     
    gr8liverpoolfan, Dec 11, 2006 IP
  4. cabdirazzaq

    cabdirazzaq Banned

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    #4
    Yes, it depends on the needs I suppose.
     
    cabdirazzaq, Dec 11, 2006 IP
  5. driven

    driven Well-Known Member

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    #5
    Not possible. In any market, there is always someone who will go cheaper than you. Which is why service professionals like copywriters and designers should NEVER NEVER compete on price because you will lose. It's especially tougher since there has been such a huge influx of copywriters from India or overseas on DP lately. I'm not trying to bash Indians or anyone but just trying to explain the dynamics involved.

    It's better if copywriters try to learn more about how to create their USP. Of course, in a place like DP, the lowest price always seems to win out most of the time. Too bad....
     
    driven, Dec 11, 2006 IP
  6. gr8liverpoolfan

    gr8liverpoolfan Notable Member

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    #6
    Not always mate. There are people at DP who pay well, but they are kinda difficult to find out for a newbie. With time, you'll develop an established clientele. But yeah @ DP, people do tend to go for the lowest price.
     
    gr8liverpoolfan, Dec 11, 2006 IP
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  7. EGOL

    EGOL Guest

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    #7
    :confused:
    I am glad that most people are this way. It gives others an enormous advantage.

    The wise person realizes that SEO and content publishing are highly competetive ventures. There are only ten organic positions on the first page of Google and the webpage that holds #1 has an enormous advantage - but where the person with the clever content writer - who can produce GRABBING title tags can scoop business from #1 while his webpage ranks at #3.

    Also, if you are at position #10 but your content is more highly linkable than those who are at positions above you, you will climb the SERPs and overtake them.

    The person who can do two things.... 1) Recognize the providers of truly great writing services and 2) overcome a "cheap price" mentality and become willing to pay for the powerful weapon - that person will be the winner in the end.
     
    EGOL, Dec 12, 2006 IP
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  8. Rod

    Rod Well-Known Member

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    #8
     
    Rod, Dec 12, 2006 IP
  9. jhmattern

    jhmattern Illustrious Member

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    #9
    Most quality copywriters aren't naive enough to be looking for their clients on DP; at least not the majority of them. You can find great clients here who understand the value of everything from a strong article to a professionally-written sales letter. You just have to be willing to say no to the rest, and know to look in other places. Once you have a strong client base built originally though, a lot of your work should be either repeat customers or referrals,meaning you don't have to "look" all that much anymore anyway.
     
    jhmattern, Dec 12, 2006 IP
  10. lpstong

    lpstong Notable Member

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    #10

    Kudos I agree with HMattern here. Most of the quality copywriters I have found are not here at Dp. There are a handful here.

    I also find that many buyers look for deals whether they are $1 blogs to a package deal. One would be surprised of backroom deals. Which in someways, is disheartening to say the least. I would say a 100 word article is worth more than .66 cents(if you sell it at $1, this is what you get after paypal fees.)

    Just let me say, many need to start somewhere. To build up their skills and portfolio. And they can do it here at DP.

    And yes I do blog for money. I am one of those who are starting out and need to build up my skills and portfolio. I do believe that writing articles, that one should be paid about .02 cents or more per word. Quite often one is getting paid far below .01 cent a word.
     
    lpstong, Dec 12, 2006 IP
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  11. DeniseJ

    DeniseJ Live, Laugh, Love

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    #11
    The mantra that "everyone needs to start somewhere" is what gets a lot of beginning writers into trouble in the first place, lpstong.

    Once you start accepting a bunch of generic keyword articles for pennies per word, it's extremely difficult to transition into higher paying markets. For one, the higher up's at those better paying markets are not going to be impressed with a "portfolio" of random articles. For another, when you've devoted your entire work day slaving over a keyboard, churning out articles for 1.00 a pop (or less, believe it or not) you've come to depend on that money and may not have time to fit queries for higher paying publications into your schedule.
     
    DeniseJ, Dec 12, 2006 IP
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  12. Libertate

    Libertate Guest

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    #12
    I said this before somewhere else... but the concept of "article" to me is not the $1.00 versions. There is no such thing as a 250 word article. That is a blurb, a couple of compound sentences... :mad: annoying when I read "Want 500 articles, $1.00 each, 100 words at most". Those are not articles. Maybe just my translator is failing...

    I have tried those "1.00 pop" ones. They were disjointed, and no flow. Heck, it was refreshing to read a complete sentence!

    :DOn the positive side, where could I hire in an "elance" fashion professional writers? I need two real articles written.

     
    Libertate, Dec 12, 2006 IP
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  13. jhmattern

    jhmattern Illustrious Member

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    #13
    You can hire better than elance writers pretty easily. ;) Depending on budget and niche, you can try DeniseJ, InternetAuthor, ILoveWriting, etc. All good, and all professional. :)

    Jenn
     
    jhmattern, Dec 12, 2006 IP
  14. lpstong

    lpstong Notable Member

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    #14
    I would say it vary on the writer and what they depend on. If one is a true professional, would not spend 24/7 at any webmaster forum looking for work. Unless they do it to keep an edge to their writing skills.

    I myself do not write as a sole means to my income. I do have 2 jobs as of now, not counting what I do here at DP. I would have to agree that one needs to have a set rate and not at a $1 a pop. But for me this is what I choose to do at the moment as far as rate. And what I charge does not devalue the more experienced writers profession or pay rate. One can bypass my service and seek out the more experienced writers. Like you said can if one is seeking out a writer will be referred out to a more higher paid professional. I believe one can write an excellent article(200 - 350 words) and sell it for $20 to $30 a pop.

    It would be interesting to find out where most copywriters start?


     
    lpstong, Dec 12, 2006 IP
  15. DeniseJ

    DeniseJ Live, Laugh, Love

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    #15
    That's correct, a professional writer actually does not even get the majority of their work from webmaster forums. That's not to say that all webmasters don't pay decent rates for content, but the majority of job postings on these types of forums do not interest the likes of a professional writer because we can get higher paying jobs by targeting various publications in our respective niches.

    As far as selling yourself for meager wages, that is your choice -- you have two separate jobs apart from writing, so I'm sure the few extra dollars you pick up writing content is nice. However, for those who are interested in making a career out of freelance writing, they need to working on targeting higher paying publications rather than forums for the bulk of their work.
     
    DeniseJ, Dec 12, 2006 IP
  16. MattKNC

    MattKNC Peon

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    #16
    Although my main source of business is through writing income, few of my customers can be found here at Digital Point. I cannot lower my rates below a certain amount and still make a living. I also like to think that I provide an above average product, one that warrants a higher fee.

    I am not against those who solicit for lower fees and get them. Everyone has to start somewhere even if it means working for a substandard salary.
     
    MattKNC, Dec 12, 2006 IP
  17. lpstong

    lpstong Notable Member

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    #17
    For me it is not an meager means of support. Well technically not. I charge this amount to pay for a server and a few other small items via internet. Such as domains or scripts. If I had my sights on paying for more expensive items I would chage more. But at this moment, I am buffing my skills, learning the in's and out's, and someday if I choose to become more legit in the business, I could charge more. And I wouldn't mind finding a mentoring program in such a field either. And I have nothing but the highest respect for those who are full-time professionals.

    But in the meantime I roughly do it for 3 things. And with the 3 things in mind are not to devalue the more experienced writers.
    1. To pay for my server, domains, scripts and other small ticketed items. I don't require much since I have other work. The only big ticketed item at the moment I would like to purchase is a ticket to the DomainFest 2007 in LA, California.
    2. To practice a little on my writing skills. And with the possibility of moving on to do this more of a profession.
    3. For the love of writing and seeing what other things are outside my world.

     
    lpstong, Dec 12, 2006 IP
  18. Obelia

    Obelia Notable Member

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    #18
    Yes, you need to start somewhere. But that doesn't have to be in a sweatshop.

    If you're not confident that your writing is worthy of a higher-paying market, then don't sell it at all. Having a portfolio full of badly-paid pieces that you haven't had the time to properly research and take care with won't help your career. It may even harm it, when potential clients do some research on you and come across examples of rushed work that you churned out for peanuts.
     
    Obelia, Dec 13, 2006 IP
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  19. qwestcommunications

    qwestcommunications Notable Member

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    #19
    Some of you guys are constantly saying people are selling themselves short by accepting low rates. Well, why don't you point them to where they can start earning $100 an article?
     
    qwestcommunications, Dec 13, 2006 IP
  20. DeniseJ

    DeniseJ Live, Laugh, Love

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    #20
    As a matter of fact, Quest, Jenn, myself and a few other people are launching a Six Figure Challenge next year. We've already set up a forum where writers can go to find market listings, information about increasing their rates, and tons more information regarding writing as a career. So, some of us actually ARE trying to help beginning writers or those who don't realize their full potential.
     
    DeniseJ, Dec 13, 2006 IP