Should You Write Copy for Clients or Your Own Website?
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What’s better? Writing copy for clients or for your own web-based business? |
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I’ve spent most of my four years in copywriting writing for clients. Many people have been asking why I’m moving away from client work to focus on running an information publishing business in partnership with Dr. Carolyn Dean…
Three main reasons: 1) I’d like to focus on one long-term project. 2) I’d like to write more content marketing versus long copy. 3) I need more flexibility and equity.
Is this the right route for everyone to take? No way! Here are the pros and cons, as I see of it, writing copy for clients and running your own information publishing business…
Pros of Writing for Copywriting Clients
- You Can Focus Just on the Writing: Especially at the beginning, this may be all you feel you can handle – no less master.
- Less Administrative Stuff: You need to track only a few expenses, and print out a few invoices each month.
- Quicker Cash: When money starts coming in, it starts coming fast.
Cons of Writing for Copywriting Clients
- Trading Hours for Dollars: Albeit, $70-$150 hours. Sure, most copywriters charge flat fees, but in the end it comes down to dollars for hours. I’ve yet to see a copywriter retire on their royalties.
- A Quasi-Virtual Employee: While more flexible, more rewarding and more lucrative than a J.O.B. – it still has its similarities. In the end, your client runs the show. Exceptions, sure. But not many.
- Study First, Practice Second: You need to put in a lot of studying before you see really good money. It’s a lot fewer hours than a brain surgeon but you’re not going to learn this overnight.
Pros of Writing Copy for Your Own
(Internet-Based) Business
- Equity! Anything you create will continue making you money long after it is completed.
- Real World Experience From Day One: You can learn as you go — without risking anybody else’s business.
- A Financial Trickle: While copywriting begins like a dried up river that – after many hours of study — suddenly becomes flooded with water… writing for your own business is more like watching a trickle turn into a creek… into a stream… and finally into a reliable river.
Cons of Writing Copy for Your Own
(Internet-Based) Business
- Do You Like to Juggle? You need to learn how to do a lot of stuff at the same time: administration work, generating leads, autoresponder software, shopping carts, blog platforms, product creation. If you’re not super-organized, it can get messy, quickly.
- Break out the Whip: You need to manage people. Since you probably want to focus on the thinking and writing aspects of the business, you’ll want to outscore all of the uncreative tasks.
- Less Variety: You’ll be stuck writing about one niche for the rest of your life. This is a pro, though, if you love your niche.
Those are just a few points. If you have other pros and cons for each, please leave them in the comment box below. In the end, the best route for you really depends on many personal factors. Hopefully this helps you decide. Either way, it’s a great career move.
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4 Responses to “Should You Write Copy for Clients or Your Own Website?”
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February 20th, 2009 at 6:15 pm
I 100% see where you’re coming from… After writing copy for others for the last two years, I’ve made two changes to my business…
1. I write for flat fee PLUS commission. This gives me more incentive to write kick-ass copy, gives my clients more faith that I will produce kick-ass copy, and gives me an income stream long after the initial work is done (provided my clients actually promote what I wrote).
2. I spend at least one hour per day PLUS one full day per week working on developing my own products.
And guess what? I’m loving what I do more, the income is more consistent, my clients are seeing even better results than before because I can actively test and track my theories, and (gasp, horror of horrors) I actually enjoy writing for clients more than I did before!
Ahh, the benefits of knowing how to write a good salesletter…
- Cherilyn
P.S. Oddly enough, I’ve also noticed an increase in a strange thing - my typing speed. I’ve gone from 65 to 85 WPM in a matter of days. Maybe its because I’m more excited about what I’m writing…
February 20th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
I think Cherilyn’s nailed it for me with #2.
There’s a certain confidence and “in-the-trenches” mindset that comes from creating and managing your own (online) info products business.
And some clients are probably drawn to a copywriter who’s also actively “putting their money where their words are”… possibly opens marketing consultancy opportunities too.
February 20th, 2009 at 8:10 pm
Ha, the age old dilemma for any copywriter worth his salt.
My case is different.
I was forced to choose to go the #2 route. Chief reason is geography.
So instead of worrying about how or where my next assignment comes from, I get to decide on the market,product creation and the whole enchilada.
What about the results?
I am making enough and more to support my family and the satisfaction that my copy kick butts and it is going to make money for a long time to come.
Obviously, I was thrown from the cliff and wonder of wonders I found that I had wings to fly,
–Edward Santosh
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:12 am
If you create your own content, you can repackage it in various forms (ebooks, whitepapers, teleconferences, etc), but it’s a bit more difficult if the product belongs to someone else.
Still, I do like working with other people sometimes for a reality check…to make sure that my writing stays sharp and on point.
Best,
Lara