Daily rates for freelance technical/graphic designer - how to charge??

[Naiada]

My friend is a graphic & product designer & has been in full time employment since graduating 3 years ago. She?s been offered some regular freelance work & wants to know how much to charge at a daily rate.

It would be doing graphics & digital design work (rendering, using rhino etc) for successful & busy firm in London E1. She?s been employed mainly as a junior designer but is about to become a ?middleweight? ( if that?s the right term??

If any other freelancers can help that would be great, thanks.

[alex_b]

She may find the calculators on Contractor Calculator helpful for working out her rate based on advertised full time salaries. Calling a couple of recruiters would be a good way of understanding typical rates.

[johnie]

The important thing is to take on board that you will be bullied, even if your client doesn't realise they are doing it. You must set boundaries and refuse to cross them. Don't do endless reworkings, nor should you do any free preliminary sketches on spec. You will only have your own demon, who insists on criticising everything you do, making you do more work to perfect it.

Show the client your portfolio, and agree on a budget for the one piece only (not the letterhead and business cards to match the menu). State your revision policy. "I can make x revisions within budget, thereafter I shall charge my rate of x per hour". State firmly your terms of payment. 50% up from (at least), 30% on delivery of final artwork, remainder before production. IF you can do better than this, do so.

Do not release any copyright if not necessary. Do not give rights to your artworks away.

As to the bottom line, try to aim for a starting price of ?300 a day. [i would pay a really good designer double or more, and I'm in the SME market]. You don't get paid holidays, you don't work when you are looking for work or negotiating, and no one is contributing to your pension. Going any lower screws it for everyone, self-employed or otherwise.

Keep calm and professional. If you are a lovely meek soul, try to see if a friend can do the money part for you (chasing payments etc.)

If you can keep the crap money monster satisfied in the back office you can let your creative bunnies loose and enjoy what you do, and everyone (even the bill payer) will be happy.

I'm not a designer, but have been doing the same sort of stuff for 30 years.

Johnie

[KateFR]

johnie Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> The important thing is to take on board that you

> will be bullied, even if your client doesn't

> realise they are doing it. You must set boundaries

> and refuse to cross them. Don't do endless

> reworkings, nor should you do any free preliminary

> sketches on spec. You will only have your own

> demon, who insists on criticising everything you

> do, making you do more work to perfect it.

>

> Show the client your portfolio, and agree on a

> budget for the one piece only (not the letterhead

> and business cards to match the menu). State

> your revision policy. "I can make x revisions

> within budget, thereafter I shall charge my rate

> of x per hour". State firmly your terms of

> payment. 50% up from (at least), 30% on delivery

> of final artwork, remainder before production. IF

> you can do better than this, do so.

Everything is said right. Every word. I love my clients. But I also understand that they will tear me apart if they feel weak. I work in the main state now, but I always have a portfolio and resume ready - https://resumewritinglab.com/resume-design.html I usually rate work based on complexity. Focus on how much time it takes for you. Ignore if the job seems trivial. if it has a lot of little things or requires monotonous work for many hours - raise the rate. It is better to give up an unpleasant job or an unpleasant client than to heal your nerves.

[KateFR]

Everything is said right. Every word. I love my clients. But I also understand that they will tear me apart if they feel weak. I work in the main state now, but I always have a portfolio and resume ready - https://resumewritinglab.com/resume-design.html I usually rate work based on complexity. Focus on how much time it takes for you. Ignore if the job seems trivial. if it has a lot of little things or requires monotonous work for many hours - raise the rate. It is better to give up an unpleasant job or an unpleasant client than to heal your nerves.

[Naiada]

thanks for the replies so far - much appreciated.