Your questions answered...
How much do you charge?
Always the most pressing question! I know it's annoying, but it really depends on what you need. You'll be buying my time, but it's difficult to predict how many hours or days a project will take until I see what's involved. For a website project for example, do you need help defining your messages first? Or are you completely clear and can hit the ground running? Once we've chatted and I have all the information I need, I can give you a more accurate quote, which takes everything into account.
When can you start?
I usually have a lead time of at least 2-3 weeks for a new project, depending on what you need and how my other projects are going. However when we have our initial chat, I'll plan a briefing session, which gets the ball rolling and helps me create a quote for you as soon as possible.
What will you need from me?
Examples of any existing marketing material you have is always helpful, as well as any examples of copy you've seen or particularly like (competitor websites are a good place to start). But the biggest help is to give me as much information as possible on who you want to talk to and what you want to achieve. Understanding your audience is key, but lots of clients aren't sure, so we can talk this through as part of the project.
I have a designer too - will you collaborate?
Of course. I've spent my whole career working closely with designers and so I understand the design process really well. It's important that copy and design work hand in hand, so I'm very happy to collaborate with your designer to make sure the project goes smoothly. I can include liaison time in my quote, or charge an hourly rate later on.
My job is urgent - can you help?
It will depend on what else I've got going on! It's always worth calling me for a quick chat as I may have gaps in between other projects.
How does the copywriting process work?
Getting the ball rolling
If you get in touch with me, the first step is usually to organise a zoom call to say hello and go over your project properly. Once I've got a good grasp of what you need, I can provide a quote for you. If it's a one off project (as oppose to a longer term agreement) I usually ask for a deposit before I begin of 40% (so I know you trust me to provide the copy, and I trust you to pay me the rest when I'm done!).
Research
If you need help to craft your marketing messages, I'll need to fully understand your business first. Initial research can involve looking at your competitors, as well as talking more to you (and potentially your customers as well). This is usually the most important part of the project, as it really helps to clarify what your offer is. It's sometimes said that copywriting is 90% thinking and 10% writing. I'd agree with that!
Drafts
Once we've established what's what, I can start the writing. I'll do an initial draft, which will be sent to you for your comments, and then I'll make any necessary amendments. If I've provided a fixed quote for a project, you'll get two sets of amendments. If you need much more, I then charge an hourly rate.
And finally...
Once you're happy with everything, I'll send my final invoice for the remaining 60%. My hope is that you're delighted with the results and would be keen to work with me again (lots of my clients work with me regularly, I'm pleased to say...!).