Freelance Copywriter in Abu Dhabi – why it’s good to have one… October 29, 2009
Posted by Farrukh Naeem at www.copywriterjournalist.com in : Advertising , trackback
The state of copywriting in Abu Dhabi, UAE
Potential Client (PC): Hello… is it Mr Farrukh? Do you do copywriting?
Me: Yes, how can I help you.
PC: I have some text for my brochure. It’s all written. I have done it myself. Can you look at it?
Me: Do you need help with editing it?
PC: No… no. Just read it and maybe, make some changes. Like, make it more beautiful? You know…
Me: Ok, if you could email it to me please – I’ll have a look and let you know what I think.
PC: How much will it cost?
Me: I will let you know once I have seen what shape the writing is in.
PC: It’s just a few sentences. I have already written it.
Me: Sure, it could be just one line – but if you need professional copywriting, it will come at a cost.
PC: Can you write a few ‘catchy’ phrases as well with that – you know, as a ‘gift’? 3-4 at least?
Me: You mean a tag line? Does your brand have one?
PC: No, but my wife and I have some ideas – maybe you could add to that? Just as a friend.
Me: Sorry, I don’t work that way.
PC: But it’s only 2-3 lines. Don’t tell me you will charge hundreds of dirhmas for that.
Me: Taglines are worth a lot more. How much do you think ‘Just do it‘ is worth?
PC: Ok, ok. You just make my brochure text beautiful and catchy. My neighbour and grocery guy can give me a few catchy lines. For free.
Me: I’m sure they can. I wish your brand luck though.
PC: Thanks. Do you also do ‘copyright’? Maybe you can copyright the slogan we come up with.
Me: Um…no. I don’t copyright. You might not need to.
PC: What if it’s really good… you know… and some big brand copies it?
Me: We’ll see.
Another day in the life of a freelance copywriter in Abu Dhabi… Ahlan Wa Sahlan!
[Disclaimer for dummies: The conversation above is a 'dummy' conversation, meaning fictional. If it has any resemblance to a person or brand, alive or dead, blame your wild imagination, not me. It is also not in any way associated to the delicious copy in the picture above.]
Do you have a similar conversation to share? Comments are welcome…
Comments»
Sounds very very familiar(correction)…I don’t know what these kind of clients are up to?
Farrukh it’s the same story everywhere.Very much like the swine and pearl story.Just got one thing to add. It’s better to be playing Howard Roark than Peter Keating.!
For sure, Vallan. The Fountainhead itself was rejected 12 times by publishers including MacMillan till one editor believed in it enough to lay his job on the line for it.
Heh, that’s priceless.. It’s an art all to itself to cut such discussions short before they have a chance to sprout.
One good way I’ve found to stop this train of thought is to ask how much the client is expecting to increase sales with the new copy, and then suggest a price based on that. Then the lamp either lights up or it doesn’t…
Welcome Juho – hello Finland!
I’ve actually come to enjoy these type of client discussions. They take the seriousness out of life (and make great blog posts)… LOL.
I must say, buddy, you write a mean sales letter. Email me on my gmail – I might have some good work for a guy like you.
Anything that ends with ‘fi’ has to be fun!
farrukh
Cheers for the kudos, Farrukh!
I’ll be emailing you in a bit, would be great to connect.
I think I’ve only known one or two business contacts from UAE before..
And you know what they say… Finland=Funland.
“how much the client is expecting to increase sales with the new copy”….that was smart juho…..
It seems this guy is a fool or he thought he was being smart while trying to rip you off, slow and nice….!! Total idiot nevertheless. I would be so provoked I would end the call from the very first request for “free work” or a “gift” !! What gift! And what friend! I never even met you…LOL
Perhaps PC had not carefully read your intro. Otherwise he would have easily got what he wanted against a cup of coffee
Or may be the intro needs an update now?
cheers,
Aksam
Yeah Aksam – I feel like redoing this whole blog all over again!
Hey Heba – this is so commonplace in the freelance life that one begins to chuckle at it after a while