Do your new clients often ask for a free sample?

While this might seem like a reasonable request – a sort of creative test drive – it’s useful to break down the implications of providing samples, and consider whether samples are really good for copywriters – and their clients.

Before we continue, let’s clarify what we mean.

We’re talking about clients and employers asking copywriters to provide a custom sample, for free, as a kind of application process that might lead to paying work.

Clients and employers ask for samples for several reasons:

1. Lack of confidence. They lack the confidence to judge a copywriter on their portfolio, testimonials and other indicators (personality, professionalism, promptness etc).
2. Theft. They want free content.
3. Habit. Asking for samples is their usual approach.
4. Culture. Others ask for writing samples, so they do too.

But let’s assume that your client has a great reason for asking for a sample.

Here are six reasons why providing a sample is a bad idea that’s bad for you, and bad for them. It’s a bad salad. If it was a city in India it would be called Saladabad.

1. Free samples involve stealing your time

Imagine if every client ‘just’ wanted a few hundred words before deciding who to hire. And imagine they approach 3-5 different copywriters each time.

This is an unfair appropriation of a professional’s time, and an inefficient way to procure services. Providing a sample means working without pay.

Some would argue that you can get samples of products to ‘try before you buy’ and that copywriting should be no different. But it is different. Copywriters are generally individuals who cannot afford to give away their time and their thinking for free. Also, great copy cannot be produced without research, thinking and time.

2. Nobody else is giving free samples

Try asking your plumber to fix a bit of your toilet before you decide if you like their work. Other professionals don’t give free samples; they expect clients to evaluate them on their past experience and their professional reputation. This is precisely why Checkatrade exists. And why copywriters have portfolios. And testimonials. And websites. And blogs. And social media profiles. And ProCopywriters profiles.

3. Free samples are not representative of your work

Imagine: your client, a reseller of flux capacitors to the 3D printing industry, needs copy for a series of articles in the trade press. They ask for a sample. Ordinarily, you would begin the work by interviewing the client, then researching competitors and perusing the target publication. In short, you start with research.

But for a free sample, you attempt to cobble something together, mindful of the fact that your time is not being paid for. The client gets a half-baked lump of copy. And surprise, surprise, they think it stinks.

Even if you, the copywriter, decide to devote yourself to this task (and forget about the time and money you’re losing) you’re unlikely to have access to the stakeholders, information and other resources you need to do the job properly. Despite your best efforts, the work still stinks.

Samples are rarely representative of the job you would do if were you being paid. This makes samples a pointless exercise and a waste of time.

4. Copywriters are generally generalists

Most copywriters can sell anything. We’re generalists. We understand the science of selling, the alchemy of marketing – and we apply these principles to any business, product and industry that comes our way. This is what copywriting is.

So clients don’t need to try you out, or test your skills – because this is what you do every day.

5. Samples waste the client’s time

Clients who ask for samples may think they’re doing their due diligence, and being a sensible buyer. But as we’ve outlined above, they’re wasting their own time – and yours – by asking you to produce something for nothing. And if they’re putting multiple copywriters through this pain then their time-wasting is only multiplied – because they will have several half-baked, non-representative samples to review, and several irritated copywriters to deal with.

6. Samples fail the copywriting process

Copywriters don’t just write stuff and force the client to accept it.

Copywriters collaborate with clients.

The first draft should be the start of a conversation, not the final decision.

Clients should not look at samples and see a finished piece of copy – they should see it as the starting point.

But asking for samples suggests that the copy will be judged solely on what the copywriter throws together on the first attempt.

Dealing with clients who want free samples

The bad news is that some clients will insist on having a free sample before they choose a copywriter. And while I think that’s a bad decision, clients can stipulate anything – so long as it’s legal.

Refusing to give a free sample may cost you a client, so think carefully: are you desperate for the work? Or can you afford to let this one go?

If you can afford to lose the client, you may want to explain that samples are not representative of your work, and that your portfolio should be enough to help a client judge you.

If the client insists on having a sample, you could give them a quote for the work.

Your view on samples?

What do you think about clients who want samples?

Reasonable request or a criminal waste of time?