Writer Rant for June 2019

 

It never ceases to amaze me. Every time I visit Upwork (or any other online freelance website) to look for work, I see project listings like this one:

 

Hello,

I’m looking for a professional writer to write for me a 30,000 word book.  The title will be given when hired.  If you are a professional writer, please let me know.  

Thanks

Budget: $250

 

Let’s break this down.

 

The term “professional” means individuals who do what they do to make a living.

 

So, this employer is looking for a professional writer to write a 30,000 word book for $250.

 

Does that make sense even in a third world country?

 

In sharp contrast, let’s look at something that happened just yesterday in a little under two hours (including communications time with the employer, review of the source materials, and dancing with the elements (facts and emotion of the piece) long enough to bring it all together in the same way a fine conductor takes a roomful of musicians and creates magic.

 

Yesterday I wrote a post card (bi-fold 5 x 7) with 248 words on it for $900. That’s what a professional copywriter gets for professional-grade sales writing services.

 

This is  a new client with a new company, so he struggled making me his choice. (My new clients always do. I just remain patient and explain and educate until they figure it out. My new clients become regular clients after the first thing I do for them, but the work they have is sporadic, which is why I keep looking for additional keepers as clients.)

 

I explained that since a single conversion from the post card would net him $2500, it would be insane for me to offer him my services for anything less. (In fact, it’s pretty insane that I didn’t demand the price of a single conversion for the post card, since he’s sending out 1000 of them to the PERFECT target audience and I anticipate he’ll get calls in abundance when the post card goes out–and that’s my goal: to get him calls; he’s completely responsible for converting them into clients!)

 

He said, “Let me think about it. I set my budget for this at $500.”

 

So, then I said I’d do it for $500 if I could get 10% of the conversion fees until he reaches the $900, at which time he reconsidered and said, “No, I’ll give you the full $900 (less Upwork’s percentage).

 

He funded the project, I wrote the post card, and he’s over the moon. He says we’ll be doing additional business soon!  (This is even before he sends out the post card. He knows a winner when he reads it!)

 

He responded within five minutes of reading it, “This is great!”

 

Then he said, “That was fast!”

 

I responded back, “Ha! Only from your end!  As soon as I knew the project was within my grasp, I started cogitating on how to hit a home run. My  mind has been working on it in the background since yesterday afternoon!”

 

So, by the time I sat down to create the piece, my ducks were in a row, waiting to paddle in. It still took me just over an hour to make damn sure the piece couldn’t be any better, but from the time I sat down to the time I sent it was just over an hour. (Dancing with drafts until I get THE ONE that I feel is SUFFICIENTLY presentable to stand for my best efforts is what takes additional time.)

 

The man is convinced I’m going to bring him in lots of potential clients (he’s a tax lien attorney) so he’s completely on board now.

 

This is why it drives me crazy to visit Upwork for projects. I found this man on Upwork but it took me weeks of slogging through project descriptions like the one above with pathetically anemic budgets to find him!

 

Fortunately, it didn’t take him long to come around (just a few messages and supporting documents) and rely on the logic of hiring a professional writer, even though he could have settled for someone less adept and paid less.

 

But had he done so, how many times would his phone ring?

 

The old adage is true: You get what you pay for!

 

Read my testimonials page.  My clients, without fail, get what they pay for.

 

Although no copywriter can guarantee conversion rates, we can’t stay in business when our success rates are routinely lackluster…and we can’t earn a stable of regular clients who wouldn’t go anywhere else for their writing needs.

 

I sleep well at night knowing I’m doing my best work for my clients.