How To Find And Hire A Freelance Copywriter 💰 (Resources)

Matt Astifan -

Looking to hire a sales copywriter for your website or sales funnel? Then this guide is for you!

At some point, you have to look at your sales copy and wonder if it could be better. You also need to ask yourself if it’s worth the time and money you put into writing content that sells oh-so-incredibly well. If you’ve answered “yes” to these questions too many times in the past, you probably should consider hiring a sales copywriter.

So, Let’s Start With “What Is a Copywriter”?

A copywriter's job is to create a copy (words) for promotional materials, ads, emails, websites, training, and anything in between… But for the article today we’re talking about sales copywriters.

These types of copywriters can make or break a business. Finding a good one to work on your project could be the difference between having a side-hustle and having a thriving business.

Let’s just say, in my 10+ years in digital marketing, a copywriter is the most important person you need to find to help you reach your business goals…

Luckily for you, you’ve stumbled on the ultimate resource for finding the RIGHT copywriter for your business.

In this outline I’ve included:

And if you’re feeling especially adventurous…

So let’s get started…

What Does A Sales Copywriter Do?

The goal of a sales copywriter is to help you promote your brand, product, or offer and get you the highest amount of sales for the least amount from your marketing spend.

A copywriter will gather information about you, your business, your product, offer your target market, and the needs of your future customers. With this information, they’ll be able to craft a copy that moves your clients to where you want them to be and persuade them to take the action you want them to take.

The deeper they go, the better!

And hopefully, they’ll do all this without sounding like a sleazy used car salesman (which is a skill all on its own!)

Why Should You Hire A Sales Copywriter?

Copywriters can help you identify the needs of your target market that may have not even crossed your mind. They can assist you to identify ‘hooks’ that you may not know your customer is even aware of. Most importantly, they’ll save you time so you can get on with the strategy of your business, rather than having to learn and perfect a new skill and try to do it yourself.

Copywriting is more than just scribbling a few words down, crossing your fingers, and hoping for results. You must take your product features and transform them, into emotional benefits that your clients will love and find it very difficult not to hit that buy button.

Skilled copywriters have honed their skills to take your future customer’s internal drives and fears and explain in their way how your product is the solution.

What Does It Cost To Hire A Sales Copywriter?

Copywriters may charge by the hour, by the word, or by the project. It depends on how their business is structured however, here is an approx range:

  • $2000 – $12,000 for long-form sales letters
  • $100 – $300 per minute of video for video sales letters
  • $100 – $250 per blog post (1000 – 2000 words)
  • $50 – $250 per email (200 – 500 words)

Don’t forget these numbers are just a guide. Some charge much more, and some charge less than this. It all depends on the copywriter's track record and how much you are willing to invest.

👋
Hi, it's Matt, the writer of this post. If you're looking for a sales copywriter reach out to me for a quote or to schedule a call.

For business owners working with a limited budget, hiring a sales copywriter may seem like an extraneous expense… however, it depends on the results you get. If you’re selling a $1000 product and a copywriter charges you $2,000 however, they improve your conversion rate by 50%, it would have been a pretty good investment.

…The only risk is finding the copywriter you can trust to do just that!

If you need your copy in a rush, you might get charged a little extra to bump to the front of the line. To say pricing is a little crazy when it comes to copywriters is an understatement. To avoid pricing pitfalls like this, we cover it in detail below under “How to Hire a Good Copywriter”.

Question To Ask Before You Hire A Copywriter

What do we need written?

  • What do you want your copywriter to write for you? Is it copy for your product pales page, website pages, blog, launch emails, etc.?
  • Is the relationship for the long term or is it just a one-time project only?
  • If this is something you’re not sure of, your copywriter should be able to give you direction. So just ask.

What’s our goal?

  • What results do you need the copywriter to help you come up with?
  • Is it to craft a launch email sequence to generate X amount of sales on your new product? Be specific so that both parties have the same direction to go to right from the start of the journey.

What’s our budget?

  • Have an idea of how much you are willing to invest in the project that your copywriter will be working on. This includes his fee and what tools or apps you’ll be using to make your campaign strategy more effective.
  • Be open to increasing your budget if you find a copywriter who you feel truly understands your product or marketing.

What’s our timeline?

  • When do you need your copy for the whole project to be finished?
  • Agree with these details right from the start. This will help you, the copywriter, and everyone else involved agree with a timeline to make sure everyone is on the same page from the start.
  • There will be times when things might not go to plan, but as long as there’s good communication between both parties, things will usually work out fine.

How To Find A Sales Copywriter

While it’s quite easy to learn the principles of persuasion and turn out average copy… Making that copy into a converting machine is another story.

There’s been an explosion in people claiming to be “direct response copywriters” all over the internet. Yet many don’t have the experience to charge the rates that are often associated with the profession. That’s why hiring a copywriter is not as easy as it sounds.

You could go to Google and type ‘direct response’ or ‘sales’ copywriter, and see what comes up. This of course can be hit and miss so make sure you do your research.

Another great way is asking others for recommendations. This way you have a reliable source telling you they’re a reliable person to hire. If you have people in your network who have hired sales copywriters before, simply publish a post and ask.

Here are useful Facebook Groups you can join, research, and ask for recommendations.

Now that you know where to look, how do you choose a sales copywriter that’s a good fit?

How To Hire A Copywriter That’s A Good Fit

Here are 3 powerful and useful steps you should do to find a copywriter who does not only care about your business but also your results.

Step 1: Interview/Discovery Call

Get on a call with your potential copywriter to make sure they have strong communication skills and can diagnose your ideal customer.

The copywriter should ask you a series of questions or send you a questionnaire (Or both) to understand your ideal customer so they can craft a message specifically for them. As well as really getting to know your problems, goals, and needs with your project

This is also the time where you iron out the fine details, set timelines, and ask any questions that may pop into your head.

Step 2: Get a Quote

During the call, you’ll have a much better idea of how the copywriter can help you. So now is the time to ask the question “How much?”

As mentioned above, the answer to this depends largely on the writer's past results and whether or not you feel they truly understand your audience.

What if you’re not sure?

Step 3: Sample or Test Project (optional)

Don’t be afraid to ask to see their previous work… If you want to see the copywriter’s style, you may ask for sample works from the past.

Or, ask the writer to work on a small project to test the waters. A confident copywriter should be more than willing to provide a budget-friendly offer for a small “test” project. This way both parties benefit from establishing a good relationship right off the bat.

A smart copywriter knows once you find someone who generates results for your business, you’ll never want to let them go.

How to Get the Best Results From Your Copywriter…

All copywriters will have their process to get the best result for their clients.

However, there are a few reliable indicators that will tell you if your new hire is giving their all.  As well as a few things you can do to keep things heading in the right direction…

Answer Their Questions in as Much Depth as Possible

Copywriters ask a LOT of questions. (Well, the GOOD ones do anyway)…

All for a good reason, even if that reason is hard to see at first. Answer them to the best of your ability and you may find insights you never knew were there.

Don’t Micromanage

Chances are you know your business like the back of your hand and so that vital input at the start is SUPER important. However, you’re paying for your copywriter’s expertise… So respect it. If they come to you with some suggestions, consider them.

You’re still the decision-maker but if you want your writer to provide you the best results, trust in their process and creativity. Or, at least be willing to test it.

Introduce the Copywriter to Team Members

This usually works if the copywriter needs to get oriented on other factors of the project. For example, if a different person is assigned to the layout of a Sales Page, you might want to introduce them to the Page Designer and/or the whole Sales Funnel Team.

Don’t Be Afraid of Cost (You Get What You Pay For)

Investing your money in a GREAT copywriter will be the best decision you’ll ever make in realizing your marketing goals. Pay your copywriter well and you’ll find that getting a 5x to 10x return is a fairly likely result.

Provide Good Feedback

Understand that even expert copywriters make mistakes once in a while.

If you manage to hire yourself a good copywriter, you can be 100% certain that they will be happy, and open to receiving feedback for improvement.

What if I Just Do My Own Copywriting?

While it is a great idea for business owners to get good at copywriting – it takes a long time. If you’re a marketing professional, it might be advantageous for you. Otherwise, the cost of having the wrong copy is much greater than just hiring a professional copywriter.

Copywriters are often looked at like therapists for businesses. They can help you understand the inner workings of your message and how you communicate with your customers. There’s value here beyond the writing they produce.

Do Automated Copywriting Apps Work?

There are several AI-powered copywriting apps on the market these days. While they don’t get the results that a real human would, they do provide a decent framework to follow when writing copy.

The leading sales copywriting software are:

Funnel Scripts was created by Jim Edwards & Russell Brunson (founder of ClickFunnels) who are both very well-known copywriters. It will create great frameworks for a copywriter to follow however it requires a lot of re-writing.

CopyPro was created by Jon Benson, a well-known and highly experienced copywriter. He has preloaded email sequences for almost anything you could think of (webinars, product launches, application funnels, and much more). Frameworks like these are important if you’re considering writing copy yourself.

While it is a great idea for business owners to get good at copywriting – it takes a long time. If you’re a marketing professional, it might be advantageous for you. Otherwise, the cost of having the wrong copy is much greater than just hiring a professional copywriter.

If you have the extra time, energy, and creativity to write your copy, give these apps a try. Be aware though, that writing persuasive and converting copy can’t be learned overnight, and many will tell you… It’s a LOT harder than it looks.

Conclusion

For those looking to build a sales funnel or automate their email marketing hiring a Sales Copywriter is a great investment. It might be the BEST investment you could make when it comes to marketing your product or service.

But there’s a big caveat — finding a great copywriter at a fair rate.

  • Ask for recommendations from people in your network or online communities (such as join Facebook Groups) where great sales copywriters hang out.
  • Get on a call and see how well the writer can interpret and translate the value of your product or service.
  • Start with a small project to test their skills. For example, you can make them write (or rewrite) the opt-in page for your lead magnet (free offer) or webinar opt-in page. If the new page works better, You’ve got yourself a winner!

You can then go to the next level and hire them to write your long-form copy such as a sales page, video sales letter, email automation, and more.

Want to skip these steps and get a great team that has some of the best copywriters on the planet? Get in touch with me on LinkedIn or Instagram and I’ll introduce you to someone you can trust.

For more information, check out the following guides: