Trying to figure out what to charge

[wecaweb]

So i got to thinking if i wanted to own a coffee shop i would look at what other people were charging to base my prices off of and i wandered if anyone else minded telling me what they charge and how they got to that price

im not trying to be rude or anything im just looking for some help

[the_biggest_lebowski]

The range of prices can be pretty expansive given that rates should be commensurate with the level of experience and skill. Some amateur designers charge as little as $15-$20/hr, while there are some upper-echelon professionals who earn $250-$500+/hr. Most freelancers keep it around $40-$75/hr, but again, your rates should be equivalent to the level of work you do (as well as the type of work being done).

Also, here's a good website to compare national salaries on different types of careers: www.payscale.com

Hope that helps.

[mixedupmacandpc]

Here are 2 posts from our very own:
http://www.photoshopcafe.com/cafe/viewthread.php?tid=3200#pid26424
http://www.photoshopcafe.com/cafe/viewthread.php?tid=48378#pid349138
And many from the AG Design portal:
http://www.allgraphicdesign.com/pricing.html

As far as looking at what others are charging for a price of coffee, try this:
call it a Grande and charge 6x more then anyone else. It could work!
coocoo

[rAyVoLvEz]

It honestly depends on your skill level, which we have not seen as yet, so we are not in position to advise what rate you are worthy of.

[wecaweb]

www.test.wecaweb.com

www.tiffandrichswedding.on101.co.cc

www.wamartistry.com (current work in progress)

[mixedupmacandpc]

Originally posted by rAyVoLvEz
It honestly depends on your skill level, which we have not seen as yet, so we are not in position to advise what rate you are worthy of.

I truly wish i could let go of statements like this, but alas, I can't. 1) skill level is akin to the reading of a VU meter on an analog tape deck, and 2) the tendency for arrogant designers to rate others is way off the scale these days, and they should refrain from emitting, or at least limit "that noise".

Figuring out what to charge a client has as much to do with a dozen other factors besides "perceived" skill level, some of which have been mentioned here (in this post), but most of which has been mentioned here, if u read each and every one of the articles there:
http://www.allgraphicdesign.com/pricing.html
...and there are even more esoteric factors that come into play that are hardly ever mentioned ...like the schmooze factor. If anyone wants to know more about that, just let me know, and I'll crank up the bs level. :D
coocoo

[rAyVoLvEz]

I see rates/prices this way. You get what you are worth. But if you are lousy designer stuck in a place with no designers and clients there know zeros about designs, then maybe you can charge *high prices.

There is no such "analogue meter" in measuring the skill level of a designer, there's isn't any subjectivity in this subject either. Its either you are good or you are not.

Of course rates is dependent on where u r based, but a high percentage is dependent on your skill level, your profile, and who you are.


Originally posted by mixedupmacandpc

Originally posted by rAyVoLvEz
It honestly depends on your skill level, which we have not seen as yet, so we are not in position to advise what rate you are worthy of.

I truly wish i could let go of statements like this, but alas, I can't. 1) skill level is akin to the reading of a VU meter on an analog tape deck, and 2) the tendency for arrogant designers to rate others is way off the scale these days, and they should refrain from emitting, or at least limit "that noise".

Figuring out what to charge a client has as much to do with a dozen other factors besides "perceived" skill level, some of which have been mentioned here (in this post), but most of which has been mentioned here, if u read each and every one of the articles there:
http://www.allgraphicdesign.com/pricing.html
...and there are even more esoteric factors that come into play that are hardly ever mentioned ...like the schmooze factor. If anyone wants to know more about that, just let me know, and I'll crank up the bs level. :D
coocoo

[mixedupmacandpc]

Originally posted by rAyVoLvEz

There is no such "analogue meter" in measuring the skill level of a designer, there's isn't any subjectivity in this subject either. Its either you are good or you are not.


I guess I will have to respectfully agree to disagree with u on skill levels:D

For example, from my own lifetime: back in the day when HTML first hit the streets and no one knew anything about it, the designers who did it best were the ones already versed in a paper-page layout program AND those who had structured programming skills using some sorta language-based document system, ala .p, .h1, that was using some sorta DTD from the SGML standard. On the skill-level vue meter, they were pegging it. No one else could come close. We got the big bucks from the big clients back then. That same person today (and I guess I might fall into this category) that had not grown with the change in music, could barely be pushing the needle right now. So that's how the "analogue skill-level meter" works. Of course, there is every opportunity for anyone to go "digital" and make the best use of a new skill set. This is what any designer worth their salt needs to do, or otherwise perhaps just retire (my hand is raised). So here is to all the new folk as well as to the old ones: be happy, design well, and leave the place a bit cleaner then u found it.
:cheers
coocoo