Currently, I am a one-man shop with the extensive resources to provide the services of an advertising agency. My network includes utilizing the talents of award-winning art directors and graphic designers who have won prestigious awards such as One Show, Cannes, BMA, Kelly Awards, ADDYS, Communication Arts and ShowSouth.

And if there is one thing I’ve learned during my experience in the agency world, you can’t have unbelievable creative without strategy.  That being said, on projects that demand 3rd party strategy sessions, I collaborate with some highly-qualified, stellar account directors who want to get eerily familiar with your business and understand what your goals are so the right questions are always asked.

 

Copy with the right angle

I understand the importance of cutting through the clutter…visually and verbally. As an advertising and marketing professional, I know what it takes to craft a message that engages the audience and motivates them to take action.

Copy that is scrubbed, deodorized and polished

Have you ever heard the saying that you’re never noticed for the things you do right, but always remembered for the things you do wrong? Same goes for the art of copy.
The last thing you want is a produced piece loaded with errors. I’m a stickler for this.

As much as I pride myself on trying to “nail” the copy on a first run, no writing project is ever achieved in the first draft and you must expect that your copy may require slight revisions. Writing copy is a collaborative process and open communication between us is key.

Concepts and copy that are reliable and on-time

I firmly believe in the importance of respecting commitments and keeping deadlines. As your partner, I make every effort to accommodate your deadline requests. Leave your project with me and enjoy the peace of mind in knowing you’ll receive a quality piece of work in return.

Let’s meet. Let’s chat. If you’re within a two-hour drive from Birmingham, Alabama, I’ll come out to your office. Otherwise, I find Apple’s iChat to be incredibly useful…not to mention so much fun!

Let’s discuss your needs, goals and timeframes. I’ll ask you lots of questions related to your marketing objectives, your prospects, your customers and your competition. Afterwards, I will draw up a proposal detailing what we discussed and include an estimate for the work.

When you’re ready to partner with someone who knows what it takes to execute a quality product, believes in the importance of respecting commitments and keeping deadlines, and provides professional copywriting services that can make even the dullest page sing, give me a call and I’ll break out the microphone.

If you decide you'd like to work with me, I will e-mail you a 90˚ Engel Contract, which confirms our arrangement.

 

Though I run my business out of Chicago, IL and Birmingham, AL, this World Wide Web thingy allows me to work productively and efficiently as your freelance Creative Director/Copywriter - no matter what corner of the world you are in. 

However, if your business requires me to be onsite, we can work something out.

 

I’m less expensive than an agency and creative recruiter, but more expensive than free.

No two projects are ever alike. That being said, I typically determine my freelance senior copywriter fees on a per-project basis. I have an hourly rate and a daily rate, which has a three-day minimum requirement. Oh sure, I know you want the numbers now, but you’ll just have to give me a call. For open-ended projects, I bill every other Friday.

I will say this. My rates are very reasonable, competitive and they include conference calls and/or meetings, research, concept development, copywriting, creative direction and copy revisions.

If your project requires some of my additional services such as art direction, Web design or account management, additional fees will be assessed.

Ask me for a quote.

 

Sometimes, due to reasons beyond my control, projects are put in holding patterns. These holding patterns include reasons such as:

• Out sick
• Out of town
• E-mail down
• Waiting for the cable guy
• iPhone couldn’t find reception

This being the case, I require an initial deposit of 50% of the project estimate, which is deducted from the total estimated hours. After receiving the initial deposit to get started, I invoice every other Friday throughout the duration of the project.

Ahh, the million dollar question. To me, copywriting is a lot like acting. An actor must research, study and mimic the behavior of his/her subject in order to get into the mind and become the character he/she is playing. This technique is really not a whole lot different when it comes to copywriting.

I do my homework. I want to understand what makes your product or service different and better from the competition. I want to know why I should go to you over them. Before putting lead to paper (or fingers to keyboard), I spend ample time getting up to speed on your business, industry, audience and products. I’m a quick study. But, more importantly, regardless of the business you’re in, the same basic marketing principles apply. It’s just a matter of adapting them to your particular situation.

 

From time to time, I’m juggling several projects with all sorts of deadlines. How quickly I can deliver your project really depends on how busy I am at that moment.

 

I’m about creating successful advertising and marketing materials - not draining your budget. I typically overestimate a project to avoid going over budget. Often, what you see on the final invoice is slightly less than the original estimate. But, once in a while, a project begins to take on a life of its own. If your project begins to experience this monstrous metamorphosis in direction or scale, we’ll need to talk.

 

I can be reached between 9:00am and 5:30pm CST Monday-Friday.
marc@90degreeengel.com
773-304-8935

 

Yes, and I will be happy to provide excellent executive level references upon your request.