Offer your writer a weekly rate. A project here, a project there... boy, those hourly fees add up fast! If you know there’s a crunch coming up and you have a trusted writer in mind, contract job out "by week." Ask writer if she’s willing to devote 40 hours a week to researching and writing marketing materials for your company. Define her expected responsibilities ahead of time, agree on a set fee for five consecutive days of work, and make sure she’s easily accessible by phone and email. Most freelancers are willing to accept a much lower rate of pay if they know they're guaranteed a steady gig. Get it in writing, and bam, you’ve hired your first temp and saved a ton of money in process!

Hire someone to “clean up” your written materials. Don’t have money to spend on a full-scale ad campaign? Do work yourself, but have a seasoned writer critique it for you. Ask copywriter what his proofreading rates are, and then send a few drafts his way for a quick revamp. You won't believe how much better your ads can look when you spend just a few dollars on an expert proofreader.

Ask copywriter if she’ll give you a reduced rate for just one written draft. Lots of writers factor multiple draft revisions into their fees. But what if they knew going in that they only had to write one draft? The price would likely be considerably lower because of significantly less time spent on work. When it comes to copy, do you like to “have it your way,” same as your Burger King? Then a single-draft copywriter might be way to go. You’ll save a ton of money on copy revisions, and you can use what writer creates and "make it your own."

Get a written estimation of time it will take to complete a project. What’s your biggest fear about copywriting jobs that are charged by hour? That writer will spend hours longer than you expected on it, and as a result, charge you an arm and a leg. Eliminate that fear by asking for an estimated project time up-front. The more clarification, better. Don’t just say, “I need 4 pages of website copy written” and expect her to know how long it will take. Instead, map out work plan. Will she be responsible for research? Project outlines? Phone interviews? Multiple draft revisions? Knowing process will help her figure out a fair price for work. In end, you’ll both feel more comfortable settling on a price.

If there ever was a doubt in your mind about hiring a freelance copywriter, hopefully this article will allay your fears! Contracting work out to a specialist is one of best things you can do for your business and for your sanity. Negotiating with another sole proprietor is actually quite easy, and affords you greatest control over project terms and spending. More often than not, other entrepreneurs are looking for same things you are: intelligent, honest people willing to collaborate talent. So, what are you waiting for? Hire a writer who can help you grow your business!

Copyright 2005 Dina Giolitto. All rights reserved.

How Working with an Editor Helps Your Business Maybe you think that copyediting and proofreading are luxury items in your publications budget. Or that nobody will notice if a few mistakes slip through in your Web site copy. But truthfully, copyediting is a necessity and not a luxury, because people will notice mistakes in your copy. Here are more ways in which a professional copyeditor can benefit your business, in addition to making suggestions about text additions, deletions, and clarifications: - An editor writes “zingier” headlines – so potential customers will be drawn into your Web site by zinginess - An editor breaks up dense paragraphs – so potential customers will actually read your copy because it is easy to read - An editor introduces correct punctuation and good grammar – so potential customers will be convinced that your product or service is high quality, since copy that advertises it is high quality - An editor has ideas about when to italicize or boldface words or phrases – so potential customers will be interested in reading text Web site text is different from magazine articles and book chapters. The pages are smaller, paragraphs are shorter, graphics or photographs often accompany text. Web site “visitors” are assumed to have a shorter attention span than book or magazine readers. This means that a reader spends just a few minutes reading text at your Web site. It makes sense that you will want to present your company or services in as professional a light as possible. How to Hire a Copyeditor Copyeditors can be found through professional organizations such as Bay Area Editors’ Forum, Bookbuilders West, consulting and marketing organizations, directories of editorial professionals, ads in newspapers and magazines, and by looking up copyeditors on search engines. Employing a good copyeditor to shape up your Web site text will ensure that your message is conveyed beautifully – and that’s not just editorial spin!