How to Easily Charge Clients for Graphic Design Explained
Creating a graphic design is not as difficult as asking for payment from your clients. Almost every designer faces this, especially if you are not a professional. It shouldn't be like asking for alms, because you are a designer and you know your job, and for putting so much into the work that the client wants, you should be easily compensated.
Why is this problem not a big deal for some designers and they get a reward without even asking for it, while others have to "knock out" the earnings they deserve. You must evaluate your work and payment cannot be requested when it is not fully completed, when the customer has comments and the work needs to be adjusted. Therefore, after completing everything, you must ask for a reward that is realistic, without offending the customer's financial responsibility. It must come naturally, without any hostility.
What Level Designer Are You?
If you are a freelance designer, you cannot ask for the remuneration set by advanced designers. You have to improve with time and do it by consistently evaluating all aspects after weighing the quality of the work and the desired amount for it. Do not rely on information posted on various design forums and social networks, as this may be a false practice. Use sources from the well-known websites, and it is best to just ask the professionals how much you can ask for the job in question.
How Much Should You Charge for Design Work?
Different design jobs may have different pay rates. Since we are talking about graphic design here, let's find out how much we can charge for it. First of all, you have to accept that there should be a certain percentage of profit from each of your jobs. There will always be a number of factors to consider. If you focus on the right things, however, it's easier to get a clear perspective and figure out what the fairest price would be.
First of all, don't be afraid to give your client an estimate with a higher profit for yourself, it can be to your advantage, because some clients may agree right away. The price must necessarily include an amount with the possibility to discuss and reduce it. It is better not to cheap out, because the customer may understand that for such a low price you did not fully do your job. 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.
A flat rate is always easier for customers to accept. However, with a flat fee, you should also set some limits. You may charge a small flat fee for a large project, only to lose out in the end. Make sure you define the services that are included in a particular project, as the client may overload you with many tasks, thinking that the price they pay includes everything they can think of.
Make your rates clear and specific. You can tell them that the basic graphic design would cost them $700, but if they want you to do the entire project, that would be an additional $300. Have such a list so that customers can easily select the services they want and pay a flat fee for each service. You can even bundle multiple services together and offer one rate for ease of use.
Request Payment in Advance
A certain percentage of your earnings should be requested from the customer as an initial deposit, which would give you a guarantee that the work done will not go to waste in case the customer refuses it. The down payment will not be refunded. You always have to protect yourself in various emergency situations. This is an even better security measure for you, in case they suddenly decide to say that the client changed their mind and want the money back. This practice is used by many different businesses including design. You can ask for as little as 50% down payment, but many rely on 25%.
What is the Best Way to Request Payment From a Client?
In order to get paid, it is not enough to just ask and that's it, you have to be flexible, competitive and look solid. You need to create your own business model, branding, which would look reliable and which would not raise any doubts for the client that he could be deceived.
First of all, you must have a work certificate after registering your activity in the country where you live and pay the appropriate taxes so that everything is as it should be. If you're just starting out, it's best to use platforms like fiverr or freelancer, which clients trust and you don't have to prove that you're honest, because in any case, the platform will return the fee to the client in case of uncertainty.
The best way to ask for payment is your honesty and constant contact with the client, getting the job done and without any evasions, which usually make clients lose their trust in you. to be fair asking for pay is not the easiest thing, you have to earn it and of course you have to do customer analysis before starting work. Because just like customers, you can also fall into the traps of dishonest customers. Therefore, try not to make mistakes and if they have already happened, learn from them.
The Final Thoughts
Remember that when it comes to pricing, there is no exact formula that’s right for everyone. The price you ask for would still depend on the circumstances. Follow other graphic designers in a similar profession and their chosen payment formula. Ask, because if you have questions, it will be more difficult to request payment from clients. Make sure that you know who you are as a graphic designer and how great your work actually is. From here, always put that value into every price that you ask for.
