If you're wondering how to price your copywriting services, consider rewarding your clients. You should rarely opt to lower your rates, or discount them.

When I teach my copywriting students to build their businesses, most want to offer free trials, or deep discounts, to get new clients. This is a mistake. You need to earn a certain amount of money to stay in business. If you don't earn, your business is dead.

The other reason not to discount your rates is the effect that discounting has on your clients. Your clients want to know that they’re paying for the best they can afford. So when you offer discounts, you start to be viewed as a little… shop-soiled.

I’ve discussed this odd, and counter-intuitive situation with other creative professionals, and they’ve noticed it too. Even if you love a particular client, and want to do her a favour, don’t discount.

=> Give a reward, not a discount

Banks, shops and many, many other businesses reward their customers. You can reward your clients too.

Here are some nice things you can do to reward your clients.

• Give more. For example, let’s say you’ve written a six-page brochure. Excerpt some of the text, add a great new headline, and create the copy for a flyer. This shouldn’t take you more than a half hour, and your client will appreciate the effort;

• Absorb an expense. You invoice for out-of-pocket expenses, but as a reward, absorb the cost of a few long-distance phone calls;

• Get a better deal for a client. You might go the extra mile and haggle with the printer or the graphic designer, and get your client more than she expected.

• Use your imagination --- once you start thinking “reward” rather than “discount” you’ll get plenty of ideas for nice things you can do.

Author of many books, including Making the Internet Work for Your Business, copywriter and journalist Angela Booth also writes copy for businesses large and small, and consults on search engine marketing. Angela has written copy for companies in many industries, ranging from technology and real estate to the jewellery trade. Her clients include major corporations like hp (Hewlett Packard), WestPac Bank, and Acer Computer. For copywriting services and marketing advice contact Angela at angelabooth.com

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