Comments on: What’s a Good Copywriter Worth? How About $12 Million?

By: Tom Chandler

Tom Chandler — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 17:14:05 +0000

Matthew: Most corporate programs are backed by some kind of business case document, but it's rare I get to see them.

At one point I thought of taking the Brazen Approach and adding "Expected Project Revenue" to my Creative Brief.

I never did, but I wonder if they'd fill in the blank just because it was there...

By: Matthew Stibbe (Bad Language)

Matthew Stibbe (Bad Language) — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 08:33:59 +0000

One client sent me a brief for a project. Admittedly it was a complicated one that involved many research interviews, a report and a PR campaign. But buried deep in the brief, which doubled as the project’s specification within the client, was the extraordinary fact that they expected the campaign to generate at least $10m worth of revenue. I don’t think there’s any way i could get a royalty on this but the figure certainly helped justify a reasonable fee for the work. It is, however, the only time I have seen a client calculate or share their expected ROI on a marketing campaign.

By: Tom Chandler

Tom Chandler — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 05:50:28 +0000

Dave: Actually, I gave that copywriter the idea for the $12 million campaign.

By: Dave

Dave — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 04:35:47 +0000

Interesting that the copywriter gets credit for the $12 million in rev. In my ad agency days everyone would be claiming they delivered the key component of the package (PR, media buy, creative, even the mail room guy).

By: Ray Edwards

Ray Edwards — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 04:14:03 +0000

I promise you that Brad did not hire his copywriter simply because he was “rolling in cash”. And until Stompernet launched, the $12 mil was all speculation.

He’s paying because he understands the ROI.

It’s simple.

“Step right up, folks, to the Magic Copy Machine. Put in $1, get back $10!”

How many times would you do that?

As many times as they would let you, right?

There are not many Stompernets.

But there are plenty of clients who can, will, and should pay you enough fees to put $30,000 per month (or more) into your bank account.

For many writers, I think the thing holding them back is more mindset than anything else.

By: Michi

Michi — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 16:39:21 +0000

Wow. $30,000 a month? I could use that. Unfortunately, I don’t think the clients I have right now want to pay that much, but I’ll keep looking! :o

By: Peter Beck

Peter Beck — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 06:49:05 +0000

Hullo, all.

I’m not a professional copywriter, but I respect the heck out of what you all do, as I value the punch of good writing as much as what it can do to a company’s bottom line (I’m the medical director of a small medical group, with a lifelong love of the written word).

My 2 cents: if you’re not already doing so (and forgive my ignorance if you already are), pitch a two-tiered compensation model. A base salary or fee for the project, or your hours, or whatever, targeting what you think the market will bear without your employer blanching. But have added a percentage of revenue – such that if the project does poorly, your employer isn’t out much more than the base, but if it does well, you get a share of the awesome inrolling dough. Even 3% of $12 million is $360,000.

And personally, since the vast majority of any project’s success derives from how it’s marketed, I think that the “cut” a copywriter should get should be theoretically a lot bigger than that. (Obviously, I’m not in the copywriting business.)

Marketing *yourselves* has got to be a priority: changing the perception of copywriters for businesses from 2nd cousins of wannabe Hollywood screenwriters, to integral, indispensable, professional *specialists*. And never stop pushing the distinction: you’re an investment, not an expense.

By: Wild Bill

Wild Bill — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 04:41:43 +0000

I’ve just started my adventure into writing copy and this sure is exciting news. 30k starting will make my wife a happy women (30k a month a much happier woman.) I better start cracking the books. Thanks Tom for the inspiration.

By: Friday Night Links | Copyblogger

Friday Night Links | Copyblogger — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 03:02:37 +0000

[...] $30 Grand a Month or $12 Millionâ€”You Choose [...]

By: Tom Chandler

Tom Chandler — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 19:39:59 +0000

Anne: The fees demanded by top DR writers are well known to me.

I think a lot of newer writers view those as being out of their reach — when in fact they simply reflect the writer’s value to an organization.

One of my recurring themes on the Underground is that copywriters who want to get paid more need to bring more value to the client. The $30K a month salary was an example.

Thanks for stopping by!