Archive for April, 2009

How much should I charge for design? It is one of the common questions asked by designers, and it is also one of the most difficult to answer.

There are so many factors involved in this issue, that no one answer will be able to cover all the bases. So I have come up with some resources available online that might help you determine how much to charge your client. But, of course, these are only guidelines and resources to help. In reality,  designers will need to research carefully and develop a pricing structure most suited to their own business.

1) Design Talkboard: ‘How much to charge for Graphic Design’

in reality, freelance designers will need to research carefully and develop a pricing structure most suited to their own business.

2) About: Graphic Design – Hourly Rate vs. Flat Rate

A common decision to be made when starting a graphic design project is whether to charge a flat or an hourly rate. Each method has pros and cons, as well as ways to work towards a fair deal for both you and your client.

3) Sitepoint.com: ‘Pricing Web Work’

You’ve used every trick in the book to get visitors to your site, encourage enquiries from prospects, and land that sale… but it’s no good if you sell your services for next to nothing. If you’re a freelance Web designer, or you own a Web design shop, your business survival may rest on the development of an appropriate pricing model. Here’s how.

4) Creative Pro: ‘Setting Rates for Your Small Design Firm’

When you’re a freelancer, setting rates is relatively simple; you fill in a few cost numbers, find a comfortable profit margin (if you can), and divide the cost of business by the number of hours you want or need to work. As a result, most freelancers have a single rate card.

5) Advertising About: ‘Freelance Rates’

There’s no cookie-cutter method to magically set your rates. One copywriter may charge $350 for a direct mail piece and another may charge into the thousands. However, there are several factors you can consider to help you build a strong rate schedule that won’t scare off any potential clients.

6) All Freelance Work: ‘Small Design Business Pricing’

Now that you have all the information related to the project, it’s time to start the estimation process. It takes time and discipline to calculate the figures accurately. The most effective way to prepare an accurate estimate is to map out the entire project and all of its components in a Flow Chart.

7) Graphic Design.com ‘Advice on Pricing’

Many people price from the hip and really haven’t gotten a handle of what it’s actually costing them. Read my lips:

You will never know how much to charge for your work, until you know how much it costs you to do the work!

Freelancing, like any other business, should have standard accounting practices applied. This helps you establish how much it costs you — leading to how much you should charge. It’s simple math.

8.) Creative Public: Graphic and Web Design Pricing

Determining how much to charge for your services is often one of the biggest challenges for a new freelancer. If you charge too much you won’t get hired and if you charge too little you’ll starve. Take the time to read this article and you will figure out what you need to charge to thrive.

9) All Freelance.com – : Pricing Amongst Other Freelancer’s

When running a business, there will be many factors you will have to consider on a daily basis. One such concern which needs to be addressed from time to time relates to pricing and positioning amongst others. Since there are often a great deal of competitors on the consumer market in a variety of business fields, it is important to ensure that your prices and offerings are fair when compared with others yet still fair enough to yourself as a business owner. There are a few factors you should consider when contemplating pricing and positioning amongst others.

10) Vandelay Design – 12 Realities of Pricing Design Services

Unfortunately, there’s no right or wrong way to price your services. Every designer needs to develop his or her own method for pricing, and even then, you probably won’t be able to follow the same formula on every project. Because each job will be different, it’s difficult to develop a method that will work well every time.