How Much Should I Charge for freelance Graphic Design Work

How Much Should I Charge for freelance Graphic Design Work

You should ask 10 Important Questions to Yourself

Before coming up with a final price, there are quite a few questions that you need to ask yourself first. These questions would allow you to come up with the most reasonable price possible for each service that you render.

1.   What services are covered with the project?

2.  What are my overhead expenses?

3.  How much money do I want to make in the end?

4.  What is everybody else charging?

5.  How badly do they need my services?

6.  Am I an expert in the nature of the project they’re asking me to do?

7.  How extensive is my experience?

8.  Will I charge hourly, or will I charge a flat rate?

9.  How much is the client’s budget?

10. What is my business strategy?

Once you have answered these questions, it would be a whole lot easier to figure out whether the price you are asking is reasonable and fair both to you and the client. Remember that you want to charge a reasonable rate while still staying competitive.

Important suggestion: Make a profit

Don’t be afraid to give your client a price where you will actually make some profit. This advice is something that beginners should never forget. A lot of beginners think that it’s just about gaining experience for now. They give their clients such a low price because they feel that they do not have enough experience to demand for something that would actually give them a little extra.

Make sure the price you ask for does not just cover the costs. And definitely, you should never think about giving your clients a price where you lose out, either. Give them a price that would give you a reasonable profit to cover the effort, the sweat, and the mental energy that you drained as you worked on that project.

Explain in detail: If you charge an hourly rate, make sure the client understands every aspect of the work

It always boils down to a question between charging a flat rate and charging an hourly rate. A lot of designers charge an hourly rate because this means that every minute that they are working is paid. However, clients are often wary of this system because they feel that they might be billed higher than necessary.

This is why it is extremely important to make sure that every client you work with has a clear picture painted in their mind the moment you tell them that you charge by the hour. Have a clear timeline of every step of the process. Show them the deadlines and potential problems that could cause a few delays. And whenever a problem comes up, be open to the client about it. This way, they know that every hour that they pay for really is worth it.

If you charge a flat rate, always set boundaries

A flat rate is always easier for clients to accept. However, you should also set a few boundaries when you charge a flat rate. You may be charging a low flat rate for a project so huge that you end up on the losing end. Make sure you define the services included with a specific project because the client might end up loading you up with a bunch of tasks, thinking that the rate they paid for includes everything on their mind.

Make your rates clear and specific. You could tell them that basic graphic design would cost them $700, but if they want you to handle the entire project, there would be an additional $300 for that. Have a list like this so that clients can easily choose the services they want and pay the flat rate for each service. You can even package a few services together and come up with a single rate for that to make it easier.

Ask for a token or advance payment

Some ask for 50%, while some ask for 25%. This depends on your costs and if you have enough money to cover for them while the project is underway. This does not only ensure that you have a working fund to support the initial phases of the project, this also ensures that the clients stick around the moment the project starts. This has happened over and over again, with graphic designers working so hard on projects where the clients suddenly disappear. They end up losing a lot of time and money that was not even covered by the client.

You could also tell the clients that this deposit is non-refundable. This is an even better security measure for you, in case they suddenly decide to say that they’ve changed their mind and they want their money back.

Always Be flexible

Just because you already have a set price list does not mean that you cannot negotiate any longer. You also have to be flexible, otherwise, clients could turn away and get somebody else no matter how badly they want you to be on their team.

You could throw in an extra service in case they opted for a really high package and are asking for a discount, or you could convince them to get a few extra services with the promise of 10% discount.

Be competitive

What does everybody else charge for their services? Always base your price on this. No matter how great you think you are, your potential clients will always have a few other options up their sleeves. This means that the moment they decide that you’re just not worth it, it will be easy for them to invest that budget onto someone else.

If you do end up charging them a little higher than what everyone else is asking for, always be ready to justify this. You may have more experience over the competition, or the tools that you use may be more advanced than what they have. You may also be able to deliver the results they need within a smaller timeframe.

Don’t be afraid to lose clients

Some graphic designers end up saying yes to an unreasonable offer just because they want the client to stick with them. If you believe that it’s a budget that you cannot work with, don’t be afraid to say no. Remember that for you to be able to deliver top results, you also need the necessary resources to make it work.

If a client is trying to pull your price down to an unreasonable amount, just say no and walk away. If that’s how badly they need your services, then they would understand that they also have to pay the right price for it.

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