About Paying Your Copywriter...

When working with new clients online, sometimes life gets very tiresome. Particularly when you are dealing with money.

Now, we do have a Fee Schedule. It details exactly how much projects cost. But just like in 'real life', on the Internet, service work is very often negotiable. So...

We are negotiable. But that does not mean our service terms are always negotiable too. However, try telling that one to the clients. As far as they are concerned, we are Gumby-like. Here's the latest:

"This is the first time I am working with you, so I would like to pay 50% of the amount and see 50% of done work (or "draft"). Then, is fine, will proceed with the rest. Please let me know if that is possible, and hope you will understand me."

Hmmm. The way our service agreement reads, we seek payment up front. Why? The answer is simple. Because we have been burned. Our business services clients internationally. Most everyone is decent and hard-working. But there are a few bad apples out there, and unfortunately, we happened to have met some of them.

Here's my response to this potential client:

Hello, NAME:

I have articulated exactly how Copywriting.Net can go to work for you, from start to finish of your writing project. This is how we work for all our clients.

We never work on a 50/50 basis as you describe, nor do any of the top copywriters I know. Why? Because 99% of our work is most often done when you are presented with the 1ST draft.

This is why Copywriting.Net is paid up front for all of our writing projects. Our work is virtually ALL up front.

Revisions should be copy adjustments. I am available to you for two additional revision periods as needed, because your own needs may change, and because the needs of the site may change as the overall site evolves. Also, your SEO team will require text integration that I will need to do.

...

Seems fair to me.

Scott
Copywriting.Net