Misconceptions

1. It's easy and quick for me so I should charge cheaper
   • If you charge less when things are easier or faster for you, then you're punishing yourself for getting better. Would you pay more or less for a plumber who struggled to change a pipe and took 3 days to do it? Compared to one who completes it easily in 1 hour?
2. I am a design creation machine
   • Well, if you want to reduce yourself to that. What I believe you are is an individual with amazing talents. You're not just charging for the designs created, but also for your expertise, technical skill, ideas, stress, etc.
3. It feels bad to charge for what I enjoy doing
   • Which is wonderful, you get to make a living doing what you love and help other people, too, isn't that the goal? Or do you want a job that you hate?
4. I charge too much / I can't charge above x amount / but person y only charges x
   • Price is determined by supply & demand. You have a supply, and the client has a demand, the intersection of that creates the price. Many less technically skilled people make far more money than brilliant minds and that comes down to how economics works.
   • Why not charge higher, negotiating downward is always possible if you end up repeatedly seeing clients reject your offers. (I would advise against this though, see How to Negotiate).
5. Fiverr, Upwork, and similar sites
   • ...are not the move and here's why:
     1. The types of clients you'll be getting are people who generally don't value design, view you as a machine, and won't refer you because you are disposable.
     2. These sites charge actual dirt for terrible design, typically, which damages the entire industry. Clients think all design is just some dude across the world cranking out another generic template for $5, instead of the thousands-of-dollars, maybe millions process it can sometimes be.
     3. On Fiverr, you're just competing for price. It's hard to build relationships or even have a good design process when your client doesn't care and can easily replace you.

How to negotiate

1. You wont know unless you ask. Pitch high, pitch wide.

   • Ideally, you should try to get their budget before you state your rate, but if they keep pushing you for one, give a very wide and generally high range, keep the price of your last project on the lower end of the range.

     <aside> 💡 You charged $100 for your last project, tell the new client your rate is $100 - $250

     </aside>

   • Good design is bespoke, that is, tailored, you can't give a price before you know precisely and exactly how best to help the client so a range is the best way to go.

2. Price anchoring

   • http://changingminds.org/disciplines/marketing/pricing/price_anchoring.htm

   <aside> 💡 Now you've given a big, high range, they'll see $110 as an absolute bargain whereas you just made $10 more than you were even expecting.

   </aside>

3. Know your optimal client. Don't waste time if they're bitin'.

   • Not all clients are good clients. If you already know greasy, typical businesspeople or goofy Instagram influencers are bad clients, don't waste any time. You're too busy looking for an actual client to make something amazing with 💅.

4. Deal with any shaky feelings immediately.

   • Clients are usually trying to minimize risk. If you sense fear, try to get them to talk about it and resolve it. (i.e. they're concerned about it looking good, offer extra reviews in the package, perhaps a face to face meeting to ease the nerves).

Okay, let's be real — Extra Tips

• Contracts really do matter but you can survive without if you just never work with sketchies and clarify the deliverable, timeline, price, and review process in an email. Emails are legally binding.
• Invoices makes you look boujie to businesses and people, in general. Also scares off clients who were planning to not pay you or fumble the payment.
• Get better, not cheaper. Focusing on refining your craft will objectively pay off more and with less stress.
• Make a process. There should be a repeatable process you follow for each kind of client work. This will help you gain clients as it sounds reliable, but also reduces your stress by giving you a plan for each project.
• DON'T, I repeat, DO NOT, simp for the client, whoever they are. In this field, it's really not all that hard to end up in the celebrity space, but keep your head on tight
• Only do free work on your terms. A client suggesting to you that you do work for free is an enormous red flag, regardless of what they offer as a substitute. You should try to only do work for someone else when you're getting paid (specifically after receiving a deposit). If you do work for free, it should have been your idea from the get-go.
• What the client asks for may easily not be what they need. Take this into account. You sound like more of an expert for pointing out goofy design ideas and remember that they'll blame you if the final design is goofy, even if it was their idea.