Should You Be Writing For Ad Agencies And Design Firms

It’s a huge market. There are tens of thousands of ad agencies and design firms across the country. Plus thousands of close cousins like public relations firms, investor relations agencies and marketing consultancies.
Most need freelance writers and copywriters on a fairly consistent basis.
Should you go after this market?
Maybe “Yes”. Maybe “No”.
First, let’s take a look at the “Yes” camp:
– It’s a proven market. Just about every ad agency, design firm and PR agency uses outside writers. Some more frequently than others.
– Plenty of work. Agencies produce communications by the truckload: ads, brochures, websites, case studies, white papers. That’s what they do! And someone has to write all these materials.
– Lots of variety. Working with an agency, you’ll have an opportunity to write for a wide range of projects, everything from ads to posters to possibly even television commercials. (I wrote my first radio commercial for an agency.)
– They’re easy to find. Several directories are available that list ad agencies and design firms, along with the names of the people who hire freelancer writers. So you’ll have no problems identifying potential clients.
– Project management. The agency handles all the details, including most of the client contact. In most cases, you’re even supplied with a detailed project brief. So you can just focus on the writing.
– Big-name clients. Agencies offer the best opportunity to work with well-known clients . . . clients you may not otherwise be able to land on your own. (That’s how I began working with Hewlett-Packard. A great name to have on your CV!)
– Awards. Agencies are constantly entering award shows. It’s the avocation of the ad industry! So you might get a chance to be part of a winning team.
– A real education. Working for an agency can expose you to art direction, production, client management, the whole communications project spectrum. (I learned all about video production while writing a script for an agency. I was even able to attend the shoot.)
Now let’s look at the “No” camp. Why might you want to avoid working for ad agencies and design firms?
– Deadline madness. Schedules tend to be tight. Agencies seem to always be working at a frenetic pace. “Rush” is the norm.
– Cooks in the kitchen. There are more people scrutinizing your work. First the agency reviews your copy. Then the client. This can lead to conflicting or vague feedback which makes revisions difficult to do.
– Lower rates. Your copy is a cost that gets “marked up” by the agency in their invoice to the client. So copywriting fees tend to be lower.
As you can see, working with ad agencies and design firms is a mixed bag. There are definitely advantages, but also disadvantages too.
Still, I know many copywriters who thrive in this market, and love the variety, creative environments and glamor.
If you’ve never freelanced for an ad agency or design firm before, I suggest you consider it. You may love it. You may hate it. But you’ll never know for sure until you try it.