When I’m giving a quote, I’m pretty vague on the copywriting aspects, but a bit more open about what I will do for their headings, titles, etc. I always emphasise the importance of getting the copy to appeal to prospects, not just Google and that that is where the true skill lies.

People may be able to fix the SEO in the same way that you would have, but they won’t find tackling the actual writing quite so easy.

Works for me (most of the time).

:Sigh:: You’re right. That happens all the time. What’s worse, folks like that don’t understand how anyone could say no to such a “reasonable request.”

How do your friends handle it when it happens to them?

LOL – you know, come to think of it, I’ve never seen “Will work for free” on your forehead either!

Hearing, “Why can’t you tell me” is so frustrating (and so rude.) Then again, you can always reply, “Why can’t you pay me?”

Along the same lines, I drill home my breadth of experience: I’ve blogged professionally for a nonprofit, written white papers, case studies, forum submissions, brochures, press releases and PPC ad copy. And I make it clear that, for webpage copy, I combine SEO best practice with my writing expertise. Similar to broad-based SEO, I try to impress upon the client that they simply don’t have the skill set, time or patience to craft the copy properly.

Great advice on swinging the conversation to one of your services. I also work in how I can give them more information on a report or a certain package would address their site, but they are often say, “why can’t you just tell me?”

Really? I am sorry, but it doesn’t say “free seo copywriting advice” on my forehead.