How to Fire a Client Nicely: Script Included

Not every client relationship is all rainbows and puppy dogs. I wish they were. For your sake. For mine. For the poor rainbows and puppy dogs. But alas. Sometimes you need to break up with a client. It happens.

I’ve been a freelance copywriter since 2002. Over twenty+ years, I can count on one hand how many client relationships I had to walk away from. And none were “dramatic” breakups.

But that doesn’t mean I didn’t dread the process.

Just like breaking up in real life is hard, breaking up with a client can be challenging, especially as you anticipate how it will go. Not to mention, there’s a lot of stress around whether you’re making the right decision. You might wonder if there are indeed plenty more “fish in the sea,” especially in the age of ChatGPT.

But staying in a bad relationship out of fear isn’t a good strategy either. Sometimes we need to break up to break through, as the saying goes.

Below, I’m going to discuss the following:

  • Signs that something’s wrong in the client-freelancer relationship
  • How to know if the relationship is fixable
  • Determining a good time to fire a client
  • How to fire a client nicely (scripts included)

If you learn better by watching, here’s my video on this topic. Otherwise, scroll down for the text.

Signs that something’s wrong in the client-freelancer relationship

Do any of these scenarios sound familiar?

  • You dread opening the client’s emails or taking their calls.
  • You always put their work last on your to-do list.
  • You find yourself constantly complaining about a particular client.
  • You. Hate. The. Work.
  • You’ve considered giving up your freelancing business and returning to the workforce.

If you said yes to even one of the above, it’s time to evaluate the client-freelancer relationship.

How to know if the relationship is fixable. Questions to ponder.

  • What bothers you most about the relationship? Is it not what you signed up for? Something else?
  • Are you feeling resentful about money because you didn’t charge enough at the outset?
  • Has scope creep crept in?
  • Is the client emailing you at night and on weekends—and you feel obligated to respond?
  • Are you constantly chasing the client down to get things done?

The items above are all potentially fixable.

For example, if a client has been emailing during off-hours and you’ve been responding, you could say something like, “I know I’ve been responsive to emails on the weekend, but I’m taking a step back and creating more space for myself and family during off-hours. So if you email after 5 pm or over the weekend, I’ll respond the next business day.”

If you’re dealing with scope creep, you could say something like this: “After I complete X, I’d like to discuss the work going forward. The parameters have changed since I originally provided a quote. We can either go back to the original parameters. Or I can provide a revised quote for the additional work, and you can decide if you’d like to continue.”

Notice how the above language is firm and clear—but at the same time, it isn’t antagonistic. And it gives the client choices.

OK, for this exercise, let’s assume you’ve reached the point of no return with the client. You want out. What then?

When to fire a client

Is there ever a right time? Nope.

And you’ll find reasons to wait. Some will be practical. For example, you’re in the middle of a project and don’t want to leave the client in the lurch. Or you can’t afford to lose this client right now. Or you might have contractual obligations. (Note: I’m not a lawyer. Everything in this blog post is educational, not legal advice. An excellent place to learn more about freelancer contracts is the Freelancers Union, which is free to join.)

Just make sure those practical reasons don’t turn into long-term excuses.

Not everyone can fire a client, especially if it’s recurring work. (This is one of many reasons why diversification is essential. Losing one doesn’t hurt as much if you have several regular clients. If you only work with one or two clients and must let go of one, you’ll take a much bigger hit.)

If it’s a one-off job, it’s a little easier.

You can complete the project and politely decline any additional work. How you decline is up to you and your comfort level. While being honest and direct is best in an ideal world, we don’t live in an ideal world. You need to do what feels right and safe to you.

Here are some options on what to say:

  • “I appreciate the project we just completed together, but this isn’t the right long-term fit for me, so I’ll need to decline further work. I wish you and your business much success.”
  • “I’m afraid my schedule has shifted, so I can’t take on additional work.”

Regular clients can be a little trickier.

Of course, freelancers tend to stay in a bad client relationship because they don’t have any prospective clients to replace the crappy client.

But the work is out there. As I like to say, content makes the business world go round. Someone needs to write it. And I’m not talking about AI.

Here are some tips for replacing a client:

  • Turn to your current clients. Ask them if they have additional work that you can take on. You can say a spot opened up in your short-term schedule. This strategy can work well for larger companies or if you collaborate with marketing firms that juggle many accounts.
  • Turn to past happy clients. Make sure you stay connected with past clients (LinkedIn is a great place for this). You should get in the habit of checking in regularly anyway, even if you’re not looking for work. Keep in mind that the folks who’ve hired you in the past—often marketing managers or content managers or people with similar titles—they move around. So they could very well end up somewhere in need of a freelancer.
  • Attend networking events. I know, I know. Networking can be a dirty word, especially for introverted writers. But it’s how I built my business. Attend local Chamber events or consider joining BNI.
  • Apply to contract gigs. Peruse LinkedIn and Indeed job boards. Consult places like Media Bistro and FlexJobs.

As you’re courting a new client to replace your existing client, you might have to work more in the short term. But once you feel confident in the new client you’ve secured, you can let the other client go.

How to fire a client nicely (scripts included)

This doesn’t need to be complicated. Remember, this is business, not a romantic relationship. It would be easy for me to say that it’s not personal, but that’s not true—human beings exist on both sides. And we humans have emotions. So there is a personal element.

It would also be easy for me to say that you don’t owe anyone an explanation for your decision. But again, this is reality—and if you’ve had a long-ish relationship with a client, you might feel obligated to offer more of a reason.

Again, you’ll need to decide what you’re comfortable sharing. But think about people who give their two-week notice at work—people rarely, if ever, provide their reason for resigning. They simply give their notice.

An approach like that will likely work best in *most* situations.

  • Be professional, direct, and straightforward.
  • Remember, this is a business relationship—you’re not the first person to step away from this client. (Or if you somehow are, you likely won’t be the last.)

You can customize the scripts below however you see fit, but short, sweet, firm, and to the point are always wise strategies. Remember, if you add something like “Please don’t hesitate to contact me with questions or concerns,” this opens you up for just that—having them question you or possibly try to talk you out of your decision.

How to fire a client nicely script: Option 1

Dear [CLIENT NAME],

I’m making some changes in my business that are affecting my bandwidth. As a result, I’ll no longer be available for projects with [COMPANY NAME] after [THIS DATE].

I appreciate the work we’ve done together and wish you and the rest of the team well.

Note: I have a couple of colleagues who might be a good fit for your upcoming projects. If you’d like an introduction, just let me know.

[YOUR NAME]

(Include the “Note” only if you have colleagues who’d be a good fit—and who you checked with first.)

How to fire a client nicely script: Option 2

Dear [CLIENT NAME],

I wanted to connect about an update on my end.

After giving it much thought, I no longer feel I’m the best fit for the work you need. So this project will be my last. I do wish you and the team well moving forward.

I’ll send my final invoice at the end of the month.

Best,

[YOUR NAME]

How to fire a client nicely script: Option 3

Hi [FIRST NAME],

Due to personal and business challenges/changes, I won’t be available for copywriting work after [THIS DATE].

Thanks in advance for your understanding.

Best,

[YOUR NAME]

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How to Charge for Copywriting Services

Buckle up, bitches! This is going to be a long-ish post about how to charge for copywriting services. If you’d prefer to watch the video, it’s below, but note that it’s long, too. Honestly, this is SUCH an important topic that I suggest doing both: Watch the video below. Then, read the blog post. (Possibly more than once.)

Disclaimers: Remember, I’m in the US, in the Northeast, just outside of Boston. I can only speak to my experience here. What you ultimately charge for your copywriting services will be influenced by the marketplace in your location, BUT THE CONCEPTS I’m discussing below will apply, regardless. (Or they should, anyway.) Remember, I’m not an accountant, a financial advisor, or a lawyer. This info is meant to be educational only.

The biggest mistake new copywriters make when deciding how to charge for copywriting services . . .

They undersell themselves.

BIG time.

I get why, too. If something takes you a couple of hours to write, you might never dream of charging $400, $500, or even more, right? Because you’re thinking in terms of TIME instead of VALUE.

Understand (and embrace) the value you’re delivering to clients.

Remember, content drives sales. Content marketing is a 400 billion-dollar industry, and for good reason. Organizations use compelling content to lure in prospective customers—through emails, videos, podcasts, blog posts, landing pages, case studies, white papers, direct mailers, ads (both digital and print), and so forth.

Great content will help a company . . .

  • Build awareness about the brand
  • Boost engagement between prospects/customers and the brand
  • Convert prospects into customers
  • Keep existing customers engaged and interested so that they continue buying

At the end of the day, it’s all about sales, though.

And awesome content motivates people to buy, buy, buy.

But here’s the thing: When you develop a piece of content to help drive sales . . . it isn’t just driving ONE sale, right? The content continues to work. It doesn’t have an expiration date or shelf life—at least, not in the typical ways that we think. (It’s not like that lonely container of yogurt that got lost in the back of your fridge.)

Sure, a time-sensitive ad will have an expiration date, but you get the idea. Great content can have a long shelf life and it can continue to work on behalf of your client long after you bill them your one-time fee.

In other words: The content you create has immense VALUE. And you need to charge accordingly.

How to charge for copywriting services: Example time!

Let’s pretend one of your clients is an acupuncture clinic—and that one of the specialties of this clinic is fertility issues.

The clinic hires you to write a series of blog posts about infertility and how acupuncture can help and/or be a complement to traditional treatment.

You and the client discuss possible angles for posts, you do keyword research, and you come up with the following titles, all of which contain a good keyword phrase:

  • How Can Acupuncture Help with Infertility? The title itself is the keyword phrase. It receives 10 searches each month and has wicked low keyword difficulty (KD). However, a phrase WITHIN that phrase (“can acupuncture help with infertility”) has 50 monthly searches and a KD of 51. So this title will work doubly hard.
  • Fertility Acupuncture: What to Expect. The phrase “fertility acupuncture what to expect” gets 30 searches a month, but ranks 23 on the keyword difficulty scale, which is very good.
  • How Long Does Acupuncture Take for Fertility? Again, the title itself is the keyword phrase with 40 monthly searches and 25 KD.
  • Questions to Ask Acupuncturist for Fertility. Ditto as above with 90 monthly searches and 23 KD.

The clinic loves the topics and signs off on them.

From there, you talk to one of the acupuncturists. You spend a little over an hour on the phone with her, but she’s able to answer all the questions you have regarding each topic, so you know the drafting of each blog post should go quickly. (You remember to record the interview so that you can have it transcribed on Rev.com. See my blog post on must-have copywriting tools!)

Now comes the drafting. You do some additional research to get current stats on fertility, pregnancy rates, etc.

You draft the blog posts and share them with the client. Each one clocks in around 750 words.

The client has some revisions. You do those.

Then, they sign off.

You’ve been really good about tracking your time, and you figure, on average, each blog post took 3 hours to do (and that’s including the keyword research, call with the client, additional research, drafting, and revising).

Let’s say you’ve been thinking about an hourly rate of $60/hour because heck—that sounds really great to you! Maybe in your old job working for an employer, your hourly rate was $30/hour. So this is DOUBLE!

$60 x 3 hours = $180 per blog

You decide to round up to $200 per blog. A nice, neat number.

And at 4 blogs, that comes to $800, which is a nice, neat payday.

Or is it?

When figuring out how to charge for copywriting services, don’t undersell yourself!

The NEXT part is critical for anyone who’s thinking, “Wait, that sounds reasonable.”

Here’s what you need to keep in mind—and here’s where I encourage a shift in your thinking.

Think beyond the tangible thing you’re creating—the blog posts. And think about the inherent value in each blog post.

Let’s say the blogs are performing REALLY well. You’ve chosen great longtail keyword phrases with low competition, as described above. You’ve done a great job writing them. You wrote social media posts for the blogs to help promote them even more.

And the acupuncture clinic’s site has seen an increase in web traffic, thanks to those blogs. And, on average, it can attribute two new bookings per month because of those blogs.

(Note: Blog posts are usually considered “top of the funnel” content, meaning they’re being used to educate people who are in the research stage, not quite the buying stage. This is usually true, but I’d argue that sometimes people are in both stages at once—they need education, but they also want—and are willing to—take action sooner rather than later. After some people read these series of blogs and poke around the clinic’s website, they reach out for an initial consultation and treatment.)

Now, let’s say the acupuncture clinic charges $125 for the first visit and $100 for each subsequent visit. And that the average fertility patient books ten visits (including the initial visit).

$125 + (9 x 100) = $1025

You could say the lifetime value of a fertility patient starts at $1025. I say “start,” because there’s a good possibility that a happy fertility patient might refer business to the clinic—or come back for treatments in other areas. So, in essence, each patient is worth even more than you might think.

You’re starting to see it, right? The disparity between what you’re thinking of charging for these blogs and what the acupuncture practice makes from having such awesome content—content that attracts people to the site and convinces them to make an appointment. (And you can apply this logic to all content marketing, not just blog posts.)

To recap the numbers . . .

  • You charged a one-time payment of $200/blog. For the series of four blogs on fertility issues, that’s a payday of $800.
  • The clinic makes, on average, $1025 per fertility patient. And over 12 months, it brings in 24 fertility patients, which are worth over $24,000.

Even if we just want to look at the initial visit per patient—24 patients per year multiplied by an initial visit fee of $125 is $3000.

See where I’m going? Your blogs have much more value to the customer than simply the “hours” you took to write them. Charge accordingly.

Now, I’m not suggesting your charge $24K or even $3K. But they are worth more than the time you put in.

When deciding how to charge for copywriting services, you also need to keep something else in mind . . .

When you’re freelancing, your rates need to also account for other business expenses since everything is on your shoulders:

  • Taxes, like self-employment tax
  • Health insurance
  • Retirement

Often when you worked as an employee, those things were drawn out of your paycheck automatically. Now, it’s up to you to pay for them. Along with other business expenses, like computers.

See where I’m going? The blog content you create is worth more than simply the “hours” you spent doing it.

Bottom line: Avoid an “hourly” mindset.

Don’t give hourly quotes. Give PROJECT quotes.

Hourly quotes are dangerous for a couple of reasons.

  • First of all, you shouldn’t get penalized for being fast—or getting faster over time. You’re still delivering the same value, right? If something takes you two hours or six hours, as long as the value is consistent, THAT’S what matters.
  • Second, hourly quotes are stressful. For you. For the client. Too often, with hourly quotes, we fall into psychological traps. “Well, I quoted four hours, so I’ll take four hours.” But what if you could get it done in half that time? Think of what you could do with those other two hours? Now multiply that thinking across all the quotes you give over a week, a month, a year. Not to mention that clients can easily fixate on hours and lose sight of value. You don’t want to nitpick over this.

Project quotes let everyone breathe easier because everyone knows where they stand.

Now, I know what you’re thinking, especially if you’re new to this: “Well, Copy Bitch, this is all well and good, but I still don’t know how to charge for copywriting services. As in, what the heck should my project quotes BE?”

I got you!

Internally, you will need to develop a sense of how long it takes you to produce different types of content, on average.

Some of the stuff you’ll encounter as a freelance copywriter:

  • Blog posts, of varying lengths. Usually, you want to aim for at least 750/1000 words. Google rewards longer content. But readers also want to get answers to their questions/pain points. That doesn’t mean that there can’t be value in an occasional 400-word piece—there can be, but based on my experience, longer is better.
  • White papers (guides). The term “white paper” used to have a very specific definition 20 years ago (much more clinical/technical). Now, it’s often used interchangeably with “guide.” And that’s what it is. These can vary in length from a few pages to upwards of 20 or so.
  • Social media posts. I often write “batches” of social media posts for clients that we schedule out.
  • Copy for ads—digital ads, print ads, radio spots.
  • Video scripts. Everything from explainer videos to product videos to everything in between.
  • Case studies. Typically, you’re talking to your client’s customers.
  • Email marketing. Think longer newsletters, but also those simpler emails (sometimes text-based). You do more than simply craft the email copy, though—you write subject lines, preview lines, and the body copy.
  • Messaging/branding/content strategy. You might do an overall strategy or specific messaging campaigns that include several different components.
  • Content calendars. Often for the blog, but it can (and should) run the gamut of all marketing—webinars, podcasts, social media, premium offers (like guides).
  • Website copy. Full websites to specific landing pages.
  • Print pieces, like direct mailers and brochures. Yes, there’s still a place for these items in today’s marketing landscape.

When you’re getting started, sometimes you just need to take a leap of faith, give a quote, AND LEARN FROM THE WORK.

And here’s the thing: I’m about to give some of my numbers below, but keep in mind I’ve been doing this since 2002. If you’re new, I get that you might not have the confidence to give pricier quotes. Heck, I also get that the example quote I used above ($800 for the four blog posts) sounds reasonable to you. Especially if you’re doing work like that across, say, four or five clients a month. That’s decent scratch when you’re just starting out (or if it’s side hustle).

My point: Just make sure you are always considering the VALUE you’re delivering. Don’t let someone convince you to write for pennies per word. What you’re doing is so, so much more valuable.

Another point: When you’re starting out, sometimes you need to simply start getting money in the door. So I’d absolutely support someone doing four blog posts for $800—you’ll get solid clips to put in your portfolio and hopefully a client testimonial for your site and LinkedIn.

But over time, you should revisit the quotes. It’s perfectly OK and natural—and expected—to occasionally raise your rates.

You can also work on getting faster. Maybe you’re able to get into a good rhythm with a client and you can write awesome content for a blog post in a little over an hour. (It’s possible, depending on the client.) So aiming to get faster while still delivering the value is a great way to essentially give yourself a raise without even raising your quote for the client.

Give prospective clients a scope of work.

This will include the overall project quote. But it will also outline all the work that goes into the content you’re producing, like interviews, keyword research, drafting, and revisions. It will also state the timeline and financial terms.

Note: With first-time clients, always get a down payment. I ask for 1/3 of the project quote. (Don’t do any work until you get the down payment.)

The balance should be due within 30 days of the client receiving the first draft. Note the word “first” in italics. The reason you don’t want to require payment within 30 days of the client signing off on the final copy is because you could end up waiting a long time for payment. Like, what if the client drags their feet signing off on the copy? You shouldn’t get penalized. Asking for payment within 30 days of the client receiving the first draft also motivates the client to get you feedback about revisions, which brings me to my next point . . .

In your project quote/scope of work, tell clients they must request revisions within 30 days of receiving the first draft. Again, this motivates the client to stay on track—and helps move the project along. (Project management 101, people!)

Plus, it helps YOU plan. If you’re juggling multiple projects in various stages, you can plan your time accordingly.

Here’s a rough idea of how I charge for copywriting services. Note: These are 2022 numbers.

Blog posts. I typically charge $450/blog—give or take. They usually weigh in between 1000 and 1500 words. Anything more than that (and that’s something I’d know in advance), I’d charge more. I wouldn’t charge much less, even if they’re slightly shorter, because again, the value is still there.

Some blogs take me a couple of hours to write. Some might take me four. Not usually longer than that. You can do the math. $100/hour is a healthy rate for me and my needs—and for the marketplace I work in.

Remember, you’re delivering value. Blog posts especially have LONG shelf lives.

Email marketing. I’m anywhere from $75 to $100 per email. It’s worth noting that I give multiple subject line options and preview line options. And I typically provide an option A and B for the body copy. (Not all writers do this.) So if I’m writing a series of 6 emails, yeah—that could be $600. But again, the VALUE I deliver is there.

(We could start a drinking game with this . . . every time I write the word “value,” drink!)

Websites. I have a per-page range: $150 – $250/page. This includes everything: discovery call with the client, keyword phrase research, content/design strategy (usually a collaboration with the designer), basic messaging, and drafting each optimized page using SEO best practices. (Once you see all the work laid out like that you might be thinking, “Heck. Even $250/page isn’t enough.” You’re not necessarily wrong.)

The reason I do a per-page rate is because website projects almost always go off the rails. Clients will come saying, “It’s only going to be an x-page site.” But once you dig in and provide strategy, that will likely change (and be more). But if you quoted on what they presumed the number of pages to be, you’ll be screwed. So I always give them a per page rate. I will say something like, “Based on the current site we’re talking about, which looks to be this many pages, I expect the final quote to be around X. But this number can change if we add more pages.” (And, of course, during the drafting process, I would alert the client if it’s looking like there will be a significant increase in pages.)

Case studies. Effective case studies are usually short—think 1 to 2 pages, max. But they take A LOT of work because they usually involve talking to one of your client’s clients. I often start at $500 per case study (and I suspect I’m on the lower side).

Video scripts. Again, developing a script for a short video—like 30 to 60 seconds—might not sound like a lot of work, but it is. Especially since you usually need to think in terms of copy and video and provide directions for both. I’m anywhere from $450 to $750 per script (and I suspect I might be on the lower side, to be honest).

Don’t let short copy deceive you. Sometimes it takes more effort to write a compelling short piece—like a subject line, PPC ad, or case study—than it does to write something longer.

White papers. These can be tricky. I just wrote a 12-page white paper for a nonprofit. Roughly 4500 words. I’m charging $2000 (because it’s a nonprofit). But honestly, that’s probably more like a $4500 job, which would be roughly $1/word. Which feels right.

Content editorial calendars. I usually develop these calendars every quarter for clients. For a client that posts four blogs a month, I might charge anywhere from $350 to $500 for the quarterly calendar, which includes keyword phrase research, optimized title, and a brief synopsis of the angle.

Messaging/branding/content strategy. This all depends on how deep of a dive the client wants. Are you talking to their customers and building out buyer personas first? Are you doing an audit of current messaging (on the website, for example)? Are you providing a fancy presentation or a down-and-dirty document with messaging recommendations? Even the latter requires many hours of work, so don’t undersell yourself.

The challenge with messaging projects is that some (not all) clients have a hard time wrapping their heads around pricey quotes since the “deliverable” will only be used internally. It’s an internal document rather than a customer-facing piece of content, like a blog post or website page.

Something else to think about: Are you part of a team—like a marketing department—and your job is more focused on language rather than an overall strategy? That could affect your quote. No matter how you slice it, quotes for messaging projects can get big, fast. You need to know what the client expects to be delivered. A down-and-dirty messaging doc for a small business might be in the $1000 range (or even less). A more comprehensive branding/messaging audit where you’re part of a team for a big company? You might charge $3000, even $5000, or more.

Print pieces, like direct mailers and brochures. Again, this can vary widely, depending on the size. A direct mailer that’s an oversized postcard might be $500. But if it’s a long direct mail sales letter, it can be much more than that. (That sort of direct-mail copywriting is a true specialty. It’s not something I do.) Brochures and catalogs—this also depends on the size. A simple tri-fold brochure might be $750 to $1000. The more pages you add, the more work that’s involved, so the bigger your quote.

Closing thoughts on how to charge for copywriting services . . .

The most important thing you should take away from this article is this: Quote on the VALUE you’re delivering, not the hours it takes you to do a project.

Challenge yourself to get faster, while still delivering value. If you get faster with your writing—without losing quality—you’re going to give yourself an automatic “raise” without even having to get your clients to pay more.

Revisit your rates every year or so. Over time, you need to increase rates. For example, if you’ve been consistently charging $100 per website page, maybe you up it to $125 per page.

Be flexible and forgiving. When you’re starting out, you might opt to quote a little low until you build your confidence and to just get some money in the door. There’s a big difference between quoting a little low and letting someone take advantage of you. Avoid the latter. And forgive yourself when you get a quote wrong. Learn from it.

Wishing you much luck in your journey!

Want more great copywriting tips? Check out my YouTube channel.

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How Do Copywriters Get Paid? (How to Pay Yourself When You’re Self-Employed)

A bunch of years ago, a good friend of mine was thinking of making the leap into Copywriting Land. He’d been a journalism major in college, and he loved to write. (He was, and still is, an excellent writer.). After college, he detoured and worked for various small businesses in the retail and printing industries. When he saw I was making a living as a freelance copywriter, the writing spark inside him reignited. When he began to seriously contemplate making the shift to freelance copywriting, we met for lunch, and he came equipped with a bunch of questions.

And his first one? “How do you pay yourself?”

It was such a beautiful, vulnerable question. He’d worked for a paycheck all his life. And even though he’d been studying copywriting and content marketing in recent months and doing little side projects here and there, the whole concept of paying himself felt foreign to him. Like, HEY. How do I get them dollars I just earned into my bank account? Legally?

This brings me to today’s post (or video, if you prefer to view rather than read).

How do copywriters get paid? How to pay yourself when you’re self-employed?

My goal here is this: SIMPLIFICATION. You can find plenty of articles, books, and tutorials on how to create profit and loss statements and/or how to use QuickBooks (or its equivalent) and all the various official definitions regarding small business bookkeeping. That’s NOT what this post is about. I want to simply show you how to think about money and your freelance copywriting business AT A HIGH LEVEL. And how I pay myself month to month.

In terms of your freelance copywriting business, think of three buckets when it comes to money.

  1. Revenue bucket. That’s the money coming in from paying clients.
  2. Expenses bucket. That’s the money going out to pay for your legit business expenses, like Internet and health insurance.
  3. Taxes bucket. That’s the money you pay to Uncle Sam and your state government.

For the purpose of this post, I’m going to assume you’re making a profit. As in, your revenue exceeds your monthly business expenses. Again, this isn’t a how-to article on bookkeeping or business terms.

And I realize if you’re just starting out, your business expenses might exceed your revenue, at least for a short while until you gain some traction. That’s OK. It’s expected. And even understandable. And the IRS has a whole way of determining whether your “business” is really a business or a hobby, based on how much you bring in year-to-year. But that’s a subject for another article by someone who holds the title of “accountant.”

Speaking of accountants, consider these two important recommendations:

  • Work with an accountant. Have them prepare your taxes and quarterly estimates. I recommend doing this from the start, even if you’re not making a lot of scratch. A good accountant will help guide you and make sure your T’s are crossed. It’s an expense, but not as expensive as you might think. I spent under $600 on mine last year. (Your mileage might vary depending on a bunch of factors, but I’m a big believer in being transparent with numbers whenever possible.) And that expense is EXACTLY that: a business expense that you can deduct the following year.
  • Work with a financial advisor. Specifically for retirement planning. (But they can help with your entire financial landscape.) Don’t put off contributing to your retirement. As a self-employed copywriter, IT’S ALL ON YOU TO WATCH OUT FOR YOURSELF. It’s OK to start small. Make it $25/month, if you can swing it. Then up that amount by 10 or 20 bucks every month or quarter. You won’t notice such incremental increases, but they will add up quickly. I have a standing directive with my financial advisor to keep upping my contribution every quarter until I tell him to stop.

But back to our topic: How do copywriters get paid? How to pay yourself when you’re self-employed?

As you work for clients, you will invoice them. (I’m going to write a blog post about how to create a copywriting invoice.) So the money—the revenue—comes in. Either via check or electronic payment.

You’ll deposit this into your BUSINESS BANKING ACCOUNT. My business and personal banking accounts are with the same bank for ease. And I use the bank’s online banking portal for even more ease.

You’ll pay your monthly expenses from your business banking account. ALL of my recurring expenses are automatically debited from my business banking account, from my health insurance to my cell phone to my IT maintenance. This makes end-of-year bookkeeping a breeze because it’s ALL done electronically and there’s a paper trail. I also have a business credit card for those one-off purchases I occasionally need to make, like a new computer or a new office chair.

Be mindful about taxes. In the beginning, you might not be making enough (again, consult an accountant!), but as you grow your business (because you’re going to GROW, right?), you will need to pay taxes. You’ll make quarterly estimates (and I recommend doing so . . . you’re supposed to do it, for one thing, but beyond that, it’s a much easier pill to swallow to spread the payments out over four payments rather than one big check in April).

You might have heard the adage: Think in terms of thirds. A third of the money you make will go to taxes, a third will go to expenses, and a third you get to keep (in your business account and/personal account; obviously, you need to keep a chunk of money in your business account, but you pay yourself from that dough as well). That’s a rough rule, but from a high level, not a bad way to think about it. As a freelance copywriter working from home, you’ll have fewer expenses than other small business owners, so you might not necessarily be putting a third toward expenses. (Again, your mileage might vary.)

OK, a reminder about my disclaimer: I’m not an accountant. I’m not a lawyer. And I never did successfully shimmy up the ropes in gym class. Oy!

I’m simply sharing my ways. Every month, I go into my business banking account and pay myself by transferring money to my personal bank account. I have a small range, but it’s usually the same amount month-to-month. From my personal account, I pay non-business expenses, like my personal credit card bill, which covers things like Panera (LOTS OF PANERA) and groceries or dinners out with Mister Word Nerd. You get the idea. Business is business. Personal is personal. But yes, I pay myself each month.

You could set up recurring payments through the online banking portal. You could also pay yourself every week or every other week. I choose to do it monthly. But you do you!

And I know the big question you’re asking is HOW MUCH should you pay yourself month-to-month? That very much depends on a variety of factors, like your personal expenses, how much you want to make, and how much you’re making in reality. See point #3 in this helpful article from Intuit QuickBooks.

Need more help on how to pay yourself when you’re self-employed?

More resources to check out:

Got other questions about running a freelance copywriting business?

Be sure to browse my Ask the Copy Bitch blog and my Ask the Copy Bitch YouTube channel.

Customer Service Tips: Do You Treat Different Customers Differently?

Seth Godin brought up this thought-provoking question in a blog post. My answer? Yes, I treat different customers differently. I treat all customers with respect and in a professional manner. But the customers who take responsibility for their marketing and who are willing to be a partner with me in the process — those are the ones who get top priority.

By the way, those customers are not always the ones who spend the most money with me either. When it comes to working with people, I’m like a blood hound. I NEED to see the customer succeed — it’s more than just a want. In order for that to happen, though, the customer needs to be a part of the process, at least for the type of work I do. This is why those customers get top priority.

How ’bout you? Do you treat different customers differently?

Competitor Research: Don’t Dismiss the Nobody

I got an interesting note from a client the other day:

I just got an email from Awesome Propsect that they went with another vendor. I’ve asked for feedback but suspect I won’t get much but if I do I’ll send to you.  I do know that the other two vendors I had never heard of before so it wasn’t a major competitor they went with.

Here’s the thing to keep in mind: Just because you’ve never heard of the person or company you’re losing business to doesn’t mean the person or company isn’t a major competitor. Heck, there was a time when most people had never heard of Google (yes, really). Anybody you lose business to is someone to watch, to consider, and to see what they’re doing right.

Don’t dismiss. Pay attention. That’s one of the most important things you can do when it comes to competitor research and buyer personas.

Customer Retention Strategies: Are You Welcoming Customers or Scaring Them Away?

Yesterday, I went to my “remote” office, a local coffee shop (part of a chain) that offers free Wi-Fi. I go quite a bit, usually at 2:00 in the afternoon and stay for three hours (the place closes at 6:00). I always buy something (e.g., coffee, at the very least), and I make sure I’m not monopolizing tables (I’m often the only one there). Sometimes, I’ll buy a Caesar salad on my way home if I don’t feel like cooking (hahaha — me cooking; that’s a joke). That was my plan yesterday. “Was” being the operative word.

The last few times I’ve gone to my remote office, I felt I was intruding on — even bothering — the workers. Yesterday was no exception. In fact, it was worse. I ordered a hot coffee and bagel, but there was no hot coffee (I mentioned it was a coffee shop, right?). The girl said she’d have to brew it and that it would take a few minutes. I told her I didn’t mind. Slightly exasperated, she grabbed one of her underlings and asked him to make the coffee. His confused expression suggested to me that he hadn’t done this particular task too often (and the fact I found coffee grounds floating in my beverage confirmed my suspicions). So I went off with my bagel and waited for the coffee to brew.

After five minutes or so, I went up to the counter to see if it was ready. But the girl who’d taken my order and the guy who’d made the coffee were nowhere to be found. Another girl was there, and I explained that I’d already paid, blah, blah, blah. She gave me my coffee. I went to put in some half-and-half, and the metal jug that’s usually on the condiment counter was missing (during my last three visits, the jug has been empty). I looked for one of the employees, but they were all out back, so I used milk instead. This particular condiment counter has two holes for trash — or for people like me who need to drain some of the coffee to make room for cream — but yesterday, the napkin dispensers covered them up. You wouldn’t know these holes for trash were even there. It was as if these three things — no coffee, no cream, no place for trash — were subtle hints, ones that rang through loud and clear: I was not wanted. (I mentioned it was four hours before closing, right?)

As the afternoon wore on, it became clear to me that a state inspection was looming, given one girl’s excessive scrubbing of the baseboards (ah, I remember my days in food service when I was in high school and I was charged with this task). There were at least four workers in the store, cleaning and counting and sorting. I don’t begrudge them this — I know inspections can be stressful. However, I felt like an intruder the whole time. And what’s more is that I’ve felt this way during my last few visits.

They cleaned around me and my table — I offered several times to get up and move so they could clean my particular area, but they said no. Still, a woman can tell when she’s not wanted. So around five, I started cleaning up my stuff, debating the whole time whether I should order the Caesar salad I had planned on buying three hours ago. I decided against it — it felt like I’d be bothering them.

Let’s think about this: this shop lost a sale — a sale that was “a given” — all because of the way I felt in the store. Yes, it was my perception of the situation. But my perception was my reality.

So ask yourself these questions:

  • Are you making your clients/customers feel welcome? How do you know? What are you specifically doing to address this?
  • Does your body language betray you (e.g. do your shoulders sag or does your back arch when you’re asked to do something)?
  • Are you impatient with people on the phone?
  • Do you sigh when talking to customers or sound breathless and in “hurry up” mode?
  • Do you say “thank you” in a genuine tone?
  • Do you make eye contact?
  • Do you anticipate your customers’ needs?
  • Do you go beyond the basics that your job requires?
  • Hell, are you even covering the basics?

Don’t take this for granted. How many sales are you losing (or winning) based simply on the way you treat people?

As for me, well let’s just say this: I’m glad Starbucks is now instituting free Wi-Fi in its stores.

A Business Lesson from “Lost”

It’s the morning after the series finale of Lost, and many people are moaning and groaning about the ending. However, just as many are claiming satisfaction with it. (I recall a similar thing happening with the series finale of The Sopranos.)

So what’s the business take away here? Simple: there will always be people who don’t like how you do something. No matter how many drafts you write or product enhancements you create or new service offerings you provide, you will always have people out there who say it’s not enough or they would have done it differently or that they just don’t “like” it (even if they can’t tell you why).

Guess what? That’s okay. Focus on the ones who do like it.

Actually, cancel that. Focus on creating something — a business model, a customer service strategy, a book, a screenplay, a new fashion line — that you’re proud of. You’ll always have to deal with critics. But the only critic that really matters in the end is yourself.

I’ve heard Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, the chief writers of Lost, talk enough over the last few weeks to get a sense that they’re really proud of what they created, including the final episode. They know — and expect — that people will disagree with what they did. But they’re okay with that, because they feel they’re being true to their characters and to what they’ve created over the last six years.

Note: I’m not saying you should ignore constructive feedback. But at some point, you’ll need to release whatever it is you’re working on to the world at large. That’s why it’s important to release something you believe in. As Saint Godin says, your tribe will evolve from the passion you have for your product, book, painting — whatever it is.

Build something great. Your true tribe of fans will follow.