When people look for writers at Upwork, they’re given a choice: entry level (newbies, wannabes, charlatans), intermediate, and expert. I’ve noticed that the vast majority choose intermediate writers, probably in the hope of getting “good enough” at a rate they consider “fair” or “reasonable” for hiring them.

 

All well and good IF (and it’s a big if) all you hope to get is a “fair” or “reasonable” rate of return on your investment.

 

But the savviest business people and entrepreneurs who decide to spend money to get a professional writer want a phenomenal return on their investment.

They don’t want to get only what they pay for: they want to get a lot MORE than what they pay for: they want a return on investment they can take to the bank every week for the foreseeable future.

Newbies and intermediate providers rarely know how to do that!

 

I know this, because I was a newbie copywriter at one time (about 12 years ago) after many years of being a features writer.

 

My rates were lower then because, although I knew enough not to shoot clients in the foot (not always a given with other newbies and intermediate providers), I didn’t know what it takes to deliver ROI that would surprise and delight them.

 

I was adequate. I wasn’t the greatest thing since sliced bread. So my rates reflected my level of experience and expertise.

 

Today I charge a lot more, work faster, and deliver far better quality.  My clients can’t stop picking themselves off the floor when they see what I do for their ROI.

 

I recently charged a client $900 to write a 248-word post card for him. I’m sure it scared him spit-less to wager that amount of money. But when it brought him in $25,000 in just the first two months it was out there (it’s an evergreen piece and his target audience grows every month) he came barreling back to me to write another one for him.

 

That’s the difference between a newbie, an intermediate, and an expert.

 

With an expert, you get fast turnaround. We don’t have to dither over the copy we write. We don’t get the much ballyhooed (and frequently belly-ached) Writer’s Block. We know what we need to do to get people to open their wallets.

 

With an expert, you get results that exceed your expectations (unless you’re so greedy that no amount of money will ever be enough).

 

With an expert, you get additional PROFESSIONAL help that can improve your understanding of your true value and your unique selling proposition.

 

I’ve helped clients feel better about themselves by presenting the best of who they are as providers of goods and services, and they stand taller as a result.

 

If the copy or content that you present to the world isn’t immediately riveting and welcoming, there are very few readers who will ever return to see if you got any better.  

 

So….

 

Do you want a newbie or an intermediate-level provider to present you to the world… or do you want a consummate professional to do it?

 

The answer to that question is one only you can answer. Those who answer it the smart way get a lot farther a lot faster than those who answer it the other way.

 

There are lots of prudent ways to save money. Skimping on the quality of the person you hire to present you to the world isn’t one of them.