[Previous entry: "More People Selling on the Internet."] [Next entry: "When Copywriters Give a Guarantee."]

02/09/2006: "Can You Negotiate a Fee with a Copywriter?"

I see a number of articles on the net about negotiating fees with copywriters. One even says that we copywriters set our fees high so that we can negotiate down if necessary. Well, perhaps there are some copywriters who will negotiate and who inflate their fees so that they can. But it's not professional.

Would your doctor negotiate his fee? I don't think so!

I set my fees according to what is fair to me and the client and what is an acceptable going rate. Unfortunately, all too often, it's more fair to the client than me as he is the one who will make money off my work. But that's another story.

Here's my feelings about copywriters and negotiating. I will never come down on my fee. That's just stupid and it makes clients think if you'll come down once you'll come down again. My fee is set. That's it. I will, however, take some work off the table in exchange for a cheaper fee. I may, for example, take out the free rewrites and changes. There are lots of things a copywriter can take off the table in exchange for a cheaper fee. But the copywriter who simply offers the whole ball park for a cheaper fee is making a major mistake.

It's bad enough that many people don't have sense enough to know that it's the copywriter who makes them money. But when they try and cut your fee down, that's just a deal killer in my books.

Think about it.