Email Marketing provides businesses with a direct channel to connect, inform and nurture relationships with their target audience. Creating compelling newsletters requires a particular skillset - and time to do it - and is often overlooked as a marketing channel.
With return on investment calculated by the Direct Marketing Association as being 42:1, it’s a vital communication channel that not all businesses make the most out of. When time is tight for business owners, this is where freelance copywriters can come in - offering services to craft engaging and persuasive content while business owners focus on what they do best.
My pricing for creating email newsletters usually starts at £150, but there are factors that influence pricing – either up or down. In the interest of being totally transparent about my pricing, I’ve run through some of the factors below!
Factors that influence the pricing of email marketing
Number of Sections:
The number of sections within a newsletter has a direct impact on the cost of using a copywriter. The more sections involved, the more time and effort required to create cohesive content. Each section typically includes a headline, subheadings, body text and a call-to-action. An extensive newsletter with multiple sections will generally require a higher investment due to the increased workload.
Bear in mind though, that people are skim-readers these days. My recommendation is to keep email newsletters relatively short. An incredibly important part of the newsletter are the headlines and subheads. These are what will pique the readers’ interest and make them read on, so time definitely needs to be spent on these!
Research Requirements:
The extent of research needed for the newsletter content also affects the pricing. If the copywriter needs to conduct in-depth research to gather data, statistics or industry insights, it'll require additional time and effort.
Research-intensive newsletters that demand thorough fact-checking, data analysis or interviews with subject matter experts may result in higher costs.
If the business owner has these facts and figures at their fingertips and these are provided to the copywriter, this will, of course, help to keep costs down.
Scheduling Responsibility:
Generally, the copywriter’s responsibility is writing, but some do offer email newsletter creation and scheduling too. Most copywriters will charge extra for managing the entire process, including coordinating with email marketing platforms, scheduling delivery and ensuring proper formatting. They charge more because it’s all about the time taken to do this.
This additional responsibility adds value to the service for the business owner and is likely to contribute to an increased cost. Time to test also needs to be factored in here.
Link Expectations:
If the newsletter requires extensive linking to external sources, websites or landing pages, it can influence pricing. Copywriters may charge extra for link creation and verification to ensure a smooth user experience for readers. Linking requires careful attention to detail and may involve additional time spent on formatting and testing the links.
Once again, if the business owner is able to provide verified links, this can help to keep costs down.
Graphics and Imagery Sourcing:
The inclusion of graphics and imagery within newsletters obviously enhances visual appeal and effectiveness. If the copywriter is responsible for sourcing or creating relevant visuals, it's something that will impact the overall cost. This factor considers the time required for image selection, editing or creation, ensuring they align with the newsletter's content and design etc.
Royalty-free images are available, such as from Unsplash, but once again, it’s the time taken to locate and source the images and build them into the newsletter. If the business owner has their own high-quality images that can be used, all the better!
Read my blog on What images can I use for free?
In summary, engaging a freelance copywriter for newsletter creation comes with associated costs, influenced by various factors. The number of sections, research requirements, scheduling responsibility, link expectations and imagery sourcing are key factors that influence pricing.
When you engage a copywriter, you’re not only covering the cost of their skill and experience for the writing, but also potentially you’re covering the cost of time for additional services if you need them – but these should all be discussed up front so you’re both fully in the picture!
Read my blog on top tips for email marketing.
If you’d like to know more about pricing for different channels, please visit my pricing page. I’ve also written a few posts on other pricing breakdowns, such as:
Like to know more? I'm happy to have a 30 minute, free, no-obligation chat about your website or copywriting needs. We can look at your site and I'll happily give you some pointers where you can make quick and effective changes that will enhance your users' experience.
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