When You Should “Write For Free” … And When You Shouldn’t

Wooden stamps spelling out Free Writing

Picture it …

An email lands in your inbox …

“I’m interested in your copywriting services. Contact me ASAP.”

You email the person back and set up a time to chat on the phone. When you finally do talk, the conversation seems to go well … until this one simple question comes up:

“Could you write something on spec for us? We want to see if you’re a good fit for our business.”

What do you do?

It’s not an uncommon question. Freelancers are often asked to write on spec. Today, I will answer that question and as well as examine other issues related to the pros and cons of “writing for free.”

What message do you send when you don’t agree to write for free?

What message do you send when you do agree to write for free?

The benefits of writing for free …

Okay, so we’ve looked at the downside of writing for free, so why do writers sometimes do it? Here are six reasons …

  1. It allows you to show a client you are a good fit — And that you’re easy to work with. Okay, this might not be a huge benefit given that doing paid work has a similar effect.
  2. It allows you to avoid talking about price — For many freelance writers, figuring out what to charge for a project is filled with second-guessing and doubt. Working for free eliminates or delays that responsibility. I’m being “tongue-in-cheek,” because of course this isn’t a benefit. If you’re having a problem figuring out what to charge for your services, check out this article by Ilise Benun called, The Formula for Properly Pricing Your Freelance Copywriting Fees.
  3. It’s an opportunity to hone your skills — Practicing your copywriting skills is a great way to fine-tune them. That said, you may not receive knowledgeable feedback from someone asking you for free copy. If you could benefit from more feedback, read Christine Butler’s article, How to Solicit Useful Feedback on Your Writing and Why.
  4. Build a portfolio — If you’re just starting out and you don’t yet have writing samples to display on your website, working for free is a way to build up your portfolio. Sid Smith shares tips on How to Build a Web Copywriting Portfolio Fast.
  5. It’s a strategy that can open up new writing opportunities with a current client — AWAIer Elizabeth Blessing writes about how she wrote a few “freebie” test articles for a client she’d written an online sales promotion for. The client liked what she’d written, leading her to earn an additional $50,000+ in fees writing editorial articles for them. Follow Elizabeth’s example by looking for areas you could improve your client’s offline and online marketing. For example, if you finished re-writing their website, offer to write a blog post for them on spec. It could lead to an ongoing revenue stream.
  6. You might get paying work out of it — While it’s always a gamble, the upside is that they may decide to not only pay you for what you’ve written, but it may grow into a long mutually beneficial relationship with ongoing work.

Now that you know the pros and cons of writing on spec, here are five steps to take if someone approaches you about writing for free …

The next time someone asks you to write copy for free, go through the above five steps and you’ll discover whether it’s a great opportunity you would gain from or one with little benefit to you. Either way, always value your services and your time, and your prospects and clients will treat you accordingly.

What questions do you have about writing on spec? Or what experiences have you had with Spec Assignments? Share in the comments below.

Writing on spec is just one of many ways you can use to land more freelance writing jobs. Learn more about this and 25 other ways to boost your writing business.

Your No-Stress Method for Getting Clients

Your No-Stress Method for Getting Clients: 26 Field-Tested Strategies for Introverts, Extroverts, and Everyone In-Between

Today’s busiest copywriters show you 26 market-tested strategies for getting freelance writing clients — whether you’re an introvert, extrovert, or in between. With AWAI, it’s easy to attract freelance clients who need you now. Choose your favorite way(s) today … Learn More »


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Published: November 17, 2017

4 Responses to “When You Should “Write For Free”… And When You Shouldn’t”

  1. Good job with this topic, John! Working without any guarantee of being paid for my time has never appealed to me. The way I see it... potential clients can look at my samples and determine if I'm a good fit for their project. They don't get to "try me out" for free. However, if you're just getting started as a copywriter, and you don't have many samples, taking a job on spec is a good way to get the samples you need to land higher-paying work. Just don't keep working for free!

    Guest (Deanna)

  2. Questions: "Search online to see if you can find out any insights into how they do business." Can you be more specific about how this is accomplished? And also, how do I find out what size company they are and what their marketing budget is?
    Your article was insightful and brought up views I had not considered. Thanks!

    Tina

  3. Wood your enumerated pros and cons on the topic-"writing for free" is well versed and l commend you. What is worth mentioning is we might be writing for free without knowing it or paying attention to it, unless we have a contract, such as retainer whereby we are getting paid regardless. Otherwise, when you agree to write for a client, it will involve submitting samples and etcetera, so until everything is finalized and the client "hire or accept" your proposal, it would be deemed writing for free in my opinion.

    Guest (clement)


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