Want high-quality, premium content without the premium prices? These 3 tips can bring down the cost of working with an experienced writer.
Is your organization tired of sacrificing quality for affordability when it comes to hiring content writers?
With help from experienced freelance writers, high-quality content can elevate your brand and drive results. But let's be clear: in the land of content marketing, you normally get what you pay for. So, if you want premium content written by an expert, you should prepare to shell out a little bit more.
The good news? Your organization can still benefit from premium writing services while also saving money in your marketing budget.
Let's dive in and learn how you can afford higher-priced, more experienced writers for your next project.
Tip #1: Manage the project yourself
Some freelance writers offer project coordination services, which includes managing edits, approvals and version control; and collaborating with designers, translators, printers, and distributors.
However, you can save money by limiting your writer's contract to writing ONLY, and handling the project coordination in-house.
Keep in mind, though, that coordinating changes and feedback internally can take up a significant amount of time. In some cases, it may be a worthwhile investment to have the writer manage all or some project aspects beyond writing.
Tip #2: Anticipate your writer's information needs
For an experienced freelance content writer to produce quality work, they need a clear understanding of your organization, products and/or services, and marketing issues.
So, even before the writer asks, consider creating an information package that provides details about your organization. This package should include your website URL, relevant social media channels, current (and even older) marketing materials such as case studies, and information about your competitors.
It's always better to provide more information than less, since a skilled writer can quickly sift through large amounts of data.
By being proactive, you can effectively knock off an hour or two that the writer would otherwise charge you for time spent tracking down resources.
Tip #3: Draft the first version yourself
While this tip comes with a caveat, writing a first draft yourself can save you money. However, you must be a decent writer (or have someone on staff who is).
Hire a writer to edit your first draft.
This may help bring costs down, given that reviewing may take less time on the writer's part. However, keep in mind that good writing is subjective, and what you write may not be strategic or strong enough to grasp your audience. If the writer determines that a major overhaul is necessary, you've wasted your time.
Hire a writer to review your first draft via a one-on-one content consulting session.
The writer can review your website copy, blogs, reports, email campaigns, ebooks or other documents; and offer suggestions for strengthening your messaging.
Elevate your content, not your budget
Your organization can absolutely afford to reap all the benefits of hiring an experienced writer. The key is to keep their hours as low as possible. By taking on some of the work yourself and anticipating your writer's information needs, your organization should be able to save at least a few hundred dollars.
Hiring an experienced writer for your business or organization doesn't have to be a financial burden. By implementing these cost-saving tips and strategies, you can find a talented and experienced writer who will help elevate your content without exceeding your budget.
Want to do business with a talented freelance content writer who has 20+ years of solid expertise? Book your FREE, no-strings-attached, 30-minute consultation with me today.