Q: I just had a call from a client: he needs an ad created and it’s due to the newspaper tomorrow! As it happens, I’m free. But should I charge a rush fee? And how much do other people charge? A: It’s reasonable to charge a rush fee for such a fast turnaround. I know […]
As freelancers, we don’t have taxes withheld from our paychecks by our bosses. Which is awesome, because it means we don’t have bosses. It does mean that, in the U.S. at least, we need to be responsible and pay our income and self employment taxes on time. For many freelancers, that means paying quarterly taxes. […]
I saw this last night, and it makes me … mad? annoyed? sad? A smallish city nearby is asking professional designers to submit logo designs (along with documentation showing that they are professionals). The top five get $200 plus a lot more work with only two weeks to adapt the logo for various uses. Then […]
I spent a few hours yesterday writing a proposal for a potential new client. I did some research. I figured out pricing based on my time tracking of previous projects and the brief from the potential client. I looked at the potential client’s current materials and thought about how possibilities for a redesign. I wrote […]
Q: I thought that ‘freelance’ meant I could work when I wanted to. I get energized at night and crank out my best creative work from 10pm to 2am. My clients seem to think they can call me at any time, and who can blame them? They see that I email them at midnight! How […]
It started 12 days ago when my husband sneezed. He spent a couple of days with the sniffles and a mild sore throat. Then my son caught it: sore throat, cough, fever. No school for four days, and a whole weekend to fully recover. Then I got it. Everything. Stuffy nose, sore throat, cough, fever, […]
Ok, so I gave myself a raise. And part of the way I did that is by raising the rates I charge to my clients. For me, there are three parts to raising my rates: First, having a pricing strategy. Second, math. Third, psychology. Pricing strategy: I put a lot of thought into the rates […]
I’ll be raising my hourly rate in February, 2012, and I needed to let some of my clients know. I did not notify clients if I only bill them by project price quote, since they don’t need to know my hourly rate. And I decided to only notify clients who I have worked with recently. […]
Q: I feel really lucky to have some great clients, but one is making me crazy. She calls me at 7 in the morning and 8 at night. She emails all the time, even on weekends. I’m always working on her projects. I want to give her great service, but I also need some time […]
I was listening to a podcast for freelancers the other day, and one of the speakers said something about how they don’t network with other designers, because of, “… you know, the competition thing.” The statement made me cringe. I don’t agree that avoiding other designers helps you compete at all, and I think that […]
This is part 4 of the “what do I charge” post. Value isn’t all about low prices. Why is it important to quantify the value you offer to clients? Think about two different designers. Designer Jane has 10 years experience in food packaging design, has created several packaging lines that sell well in supermarkets, and […]
This is part 3 of the “what do I charge” post. Knowledge is power! I’ve found it very empowering to have a good idea of what other people and agencies in my area charge, and to know what other people charge across the country. There are salary surveys and freelance surveys available online, which are […]
