Friday, August 21, 2009

The Dreaded Question... How Much Do You Charge?

Hourly Rate: 
$40 for general design. (This includes newspaper ads, magazine ads, typesetting, etc.)
$20 for revisions to existing ads.
Flat Fees: 

$250 - Business Identity and Collateral. (Logo Design, Business Card & Letterhead)
*This list and my capabilities are subject to change and addition as I acquire new skillsets. Discounts may be given for repeat business.

    
I really feel like a designer has the freedom to work within a customer's budget 99.9% of the time. I also feel like after checking around the Sandpoint area and seeing other business' prices for hourly work, that after $40/hr. you are paying for their name, and not the quality of the work being done.  Less than that and it seems the work suffers and a designer is tempted to inflate the billing to make a little extra.  The average around Sandpoint seems to be $75/hr.
    
I work from home, and am in the habit of setting up business meetings at local coffee shops should I need to meet a new customer or someone interested in hiring me for a project. In most cases I buy the coffee!  Also, I communicate well through email until a project reaches the point that a hard copy proof and face to face meeting (and some coffee!) is needed.
    
I am flexible as far as price goes. My quotes are by no means the say-all end-all.  I am willing to bid a full project and stick to the price if I am given full disclosure on which to base my prices.
   
In short . . .  I am a local professionally trained designer that's just trying to make some money and pay some bills!  I advertise on free venues such as SandpointOnline and Craigslist, and use Blogger instead of a conventional website to keep costs down for myself and my customers.

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