How To Hire Your Next Freelancer
Hi…
A quick google search reveals that the internet has become
the wild west when looking for “quality” services.
How do you decide what wordsmith fits your business?
Swarms of writers, on all levels of expertise (from world-class to “what were you thinking” ), are charging all kinds of fees and making all kinds of “guarantees”!
This is where feeling overwhelmed sets in, confusion turns your brain into pudding and you end up with the first writer you meet.
You’ve got to know what you’re doing to get the best bang for your business buck, right?
So, here’s your…
Must-Know Checklist
When Hiring a Professional Writer
What do you want done?
Do you need a single ad written, a short piece or an entire website worth of content?
Do you need a sales funnel, starting with AdWords and traveling through landing pages, auto-responders, back ends, and sales support?
Maybe you’ve got content or ads already in place, and simply need a fresh pair of eyes to look at it, followed by helpful comments and recommendations?
2. Admit it if you’re completely clueless and have no idea what to do
Harsh, but critical to your business growth.
You’re about to fork over some serious cash to a writer, that you
hope and pray will deliver as promised…
This is not the time to fake knowing what’s going on.
You’ve got to put all your cards on the table (in plain English, be honest with yourself and your new writer friend).
This is going to be one of the most time and money-intensive relationships in your business.
Copy is the main element that will attract your ideal prospect and close them as a customer, and if you know exactly what type of writer your need then great.
However…
If you’re uncertain about what you’re looking for because, you’re maybe new to business, entering a new niche market, or new competition is crushing your offering…
Then choosing the wrong writer can be a fatal error on all fronts.
Remember, this is a process…which I’ll explain in more depth in a moment.
3. What’s your budget?
It can be an approximate amount you’re willing to spend on your project.
Entrepreneurs and business owners often learn about the cost of outside services as they go along.
It can be a shock, so you have to understand what the “value” is to your business.
At first, you may be vague, which is fine because this is a process.
Learning about expenses and figuring out budgets is part of your journey.
But, there’s a COST to everything.
The money involved and time and energy invested (balanced against the odds of a successful project) are what you need to consider.
If you “save” money doing your own writing, and the results are horrific, how much have you really saved?
However…
If you fork over piles of hard-earned cash to a professional writer (while the sweat pours down your forehead), and they produce something that creates a frenzy in your niche, and consumers are beating a path to your door…
How much did that writer “cost” you?
Side note:
One of the most powerful skills you can learn in your business, if you’re craving immense success, is learning how to write good-basic copy (this goes for advertising and content pieces).
Because…
A) You don’t have to rely on outside writers if it’s not necessary
B) You can write decent copy during emergencies (such as a 24-hour
deadline)
C) You’ll understand precisely what you need from a writer when you do
hire them (and never be in the dark about whether their copy is ”good”
or terrible)
4. If you’re still unclear about any of this, admit it again
Look, no one is born knowing how to create titillating advertising or riveting content that converts a reader into your perfect customer.
If you’re a one-man-band (like most entrepreneurs) you can wear many hats and pull this writing stuff off by yourself (not recommended but you’ll survive).
However, at some point, every entrepreneur and business owner realizes that they need to invest in getting help where it’s needed…
Especially if you’re looking to reach the upper echelons of society.
If you’ve never hired a freelancer before, use whatever resources you have to help you make a good decision.
Shop around first (never hire the first writer you realize exists). Understanding how to hire a writer for your business is a process.
There’s no magic. Sorry.
It’s trial and error to get good copy done.
Next, consider what type of writer you want to bring on board, to help you with your marketing efforts.
3 Levels of Expertise to Know
Level One: The Beginner
They have little or no track record, and only a few if any prior clients.
Believe it or not, a complete novice can be a decent bet, depending on what you need.
If they know how to research markets, and have basic writing ability then… cool.
But they are untested, and you must realize that you’re paying for “part of the education”.
If you need real expertise, then a beginner will be in over their head.
Expect to pay a couple of hundred dollars, all the way to a few thousand to hire them for a project (and you might have to manage them closely).
They also might not have the experience of meeting tough deadlines and may buckle under stress (cause you get what you pay for at the end of the day).
Level Two: The Pro
This writer has references, success (and failure) stories, and examples of their work online or on social media.
They’ve gathered experience in various markets and have the battle scars to prove it.
Because of their years in industries, they’ll have insight into what works, what doesn’t work, what is working now, what isn’t working anymore and what’s needed to make your project succeed.
You’ll bring in a pro writer JUST to provide copy, if you know exactly what needs to be done.
Or they can look over your current efforts and they may help you discover where the “real” problems are in your copy.
For a top writer, you can expect to pay from ten to thirty grand (even more) depending on the project.
This is why knowing what needs to be done… and why you need it done is CRITICAL.
If you don’t have a clear idea of how a great copywriter or content writer is going to produce a pile of new profit for you then…
You’re simply gambling.
A lot of entrepreneurs have done just that.
Some have thrived, hiring a writer to do their first campaign without really knowing what to expect…while others have failed miserably because they didn’t earn enough to justify the expense of a top writer.
When you know (or strongly suspect) that great (or even better) copy will bring more people to your business…
Then you’re in a perfect position to hire a pro writer.
However, expect to compete with other entrepreneurs looking to book them, too.
Often great copy takes a few weeks to months to complete…so secure these writers as soon as you find them.
Additional tips:
Hiring on this level means your product is good and ready to go to market. You must have ways to access your target audience, either through your own email list, affiliates, paid lists, or whatever.
Some writers ONLY provide the copy, in manuscript form, to you…
Whereas others may bring more to the table.
Level Three: The World-Class Writer
These folks are at the top of their game and command hefty fees.
Expect to pay from $50k well into six digits (including royalties) to secure these unicorns even on the first job.
The best writers will not take jobs that are not guaranteed to deliver the kind of profits that make their outrageous fees worthwhile.
World-class writers become your partner in the project, possibly earning more than you will…
And they’re well worth it.
If you must ask how to find one of these writers, then you aren’t ready to hire one yet.
Maybe further down the line when fortunes are already pouring in and you want to go further, then you may be ready to hire them…
But for now, a good writer will help you just fine.
Bonus Tips When Hiring
Tip1: Listen to what they say
They’ll have the experience and skills to analyze your copy, marketing issues, and can suggest changes to your plan.
Tip 2: Test what they write
But never change it without KNOWING from a reality-based market test if they’re right or not.
Tip 3: Forget opinions…pay for advice
Your niece with an English degree is not qualified to judge professionally written copy, nor is your spouse or you…unless you have a better track record than the writer.
I hope you found this post useful.
Have you hired someone lately?
Was it a match made in heaven? Or a complete disaster?
Love to hear your stories in the comment section…
Bye for now
P.S. If you’re not confident, or in a position to write great copy,
Then take advantage of hiring a writer to help you out.
Selling is hard…but it doesn’t have to be complicated.
Yes, you have to find your prospects (after figuring out who they really are), reach them, get them into your message, and wake them up to the point that they take action (like buying, signing up or simply following your content).
But with the right team, getting your project going and your business growing can be as easy as taking a few seconds to fill in a form…
Like the one below.
If you’re stuck, need us to look at your current content and advertising, or want something brand new…
Simply fill in the form and send it through to us…
We’re looking forward to working with you.
