Writing Services – Which Are The Most Suitable For Small Businesses

When people start a new business they often have a very limited budget for their marketing and copywriting needs. However, many entrepreneurs simply do not have the right skills to produce their own website copy or marketing materials, and need to turn to an external agency for help. This article takes a look at the many different types of writing services that are available to the small business owner and identifies factors that should be taken into consideration when choosing a provider that can meet their business needs.
Traditional editorial houses
In the past, the only option available to people who were seeking some copywriting or editing help would be through a publication agency or editorial house. A large number of these companies are still around and they operate by hiring full time writers who work in office premises. People looking for writing services will call or visit the office and request a quote. Such a quote will usually be available within a day or two, and will vary according to the complexity of the work and the amount of time it will take to fulfill the order. Anyone looking for a rush writing job would need to pay high rates in order to get instant access to a writer. Traditional agencies generally provide high quality writing and they are great for people who have both time and money on their hands. On the whole, they present the most suitable option for people who are looking for very specialized work, or for big corporations who have the budget required to pay the fees associated with these providers.
Writing agency websites
With the dawn of the Internet came freelance writing agency websites. These websites are often run by a sole writer who advertises their services on the Internet. Interested parties can email the writer with their requirements for writing services or apply for a quote online, and will generally receive details of the total cost of their order within 24 hours. Additional arrangements will then be made for order fulfillment. These types of agencies tend to offer writing services at a lower price than traditional agencies because they don’t have the overhead costs that the former have. However, the websites are really only a shop front and the process of recruiting a writer can be very time consuming, especially if they are operated by a sole freelancer. In addition to this, many of these websites do not offer a clear terms of service for how the process will work and how hirers can request a refund if they are unhappy with the quality of the writing they receive. This means that people using these services do not always have peace of mind that their order will actually be fulfilled satisfactorily.
Freelancer portals
More recently, freelancer websites have appeared on the scene. These websites offer people who are looking for writing services the opportunity to advertise their project online. Interested independent freelancers can then bid on the project in an eBay type fashion, sending details of the price at which they are willing to do the work. Each freelancer has their own reputation, as provided through ratings from other hirers, so the person looking for services can have a good idea about whether they can trust the writer or not. Freelancer portals can offer more expensive or cheaper writing services than other providers depending upon who bids on the project. However, there are a lot of problems with these websites. Hirers are required to pay money into escrow prior to the project commencing. If the person commissioning the writing is not happy with the final piece of copy produced, they often have to go through a lengthily dispute process in order to get their money back. You only need to look through some of the freelancer’s feedback sections to see that this does happen a lot. In the meantime, their writing needs remain unfulfilled and people who have a limited budget may be unable to act further until their cash is released. A further problem of freelancer type websites is that the hirer needs to post a project and then wait while people bid on that project. Sorting through hundreds of bids and reading through the accompanying feedback for each provider can be a very lengthily process. This is of no use for people who have limited time on their hands and who are unsure as to how they can distinguish writing quality.
Online writing services
Online writing services are not to be confused with writing agency websites. Online writing services allow people who are looking for copywriting, editing or proofreading services an opportunity to actually order their writing online and liaise with their writer through an Internet portal. While many people claim to provide online writing services, there are actually very few of these around. The best online writing service providers offer upfront pricing and a system that allows the user to instantly place an order through inputting their details directly online. Unlike the other methods of accessing writing services, online portals are very quick and efficient and, depending upon the complexity of the order, writing will begin within less than an hour of the order being received. Many online writing services also offer full terms and conditions, money back guarantees and free revisions, thus giving the customer the peace of mind that they lack from the other freelance providers. One of the biggest advantages of these services is that they are very affordable. They are similar to the freelancer websites in that freelance writers are used to produce the writing. This means that the online writing service providers do not have the high overhead costs that traditional agencies have and they are therefore able to pass these savings on to their customers through lower prices.