Fees
I wish there was a quick and easy
formula for this one, but there simply isn't. A good
basic guideline to start from is to find out what other
local developers are charging. If they do not have a
published list of prices it may be time for some
detective work. Have a friend call a couple looking for
quotes for a specified project.
The most important thing for those new
to working in a freelance or self employed capacity is
to realize what it is that they are pricing.
Whatever fees you change will have to
take account not just of the time you spend on the site
but on the fact that you will have overheads. These may
include, even for someone working from a computer in
their bedroom, hosting for your own site, paying for
your Internet connection, time and money spent on
marketing, the cost of software, hardware and business
materials, of any professional advice you need from
accountants or attorneys, of research, continuing
training to expand your skills and keep them up to
date, telephone and power charges and so on.
It is common for new designers to under
charge for their work, partly because they
underestimate what is involved in a project but also
because they lack the confidence to ask for more. There
are many other reasons why you might legitimately
charge less for a project than even you know it is
worth; perhaps it is one that you know will fill a gap
in your portfolio, is high profile and will therefore
result in valuable exposure or will allow you to put
into practice or learn new skills.
It is also quite natural that your
first few sites will be cheaper for the client than if
they had chosen a more experienced designer, and that
is as it should be. But you still need to charge a fee
you are comfortable with and that does not make you
feel hard done by. You need to be clear that the price
you are charging is one you have fixed on as sufficient
for you, given the circumstances, rather than one you
have been pressured into by the client. Even at this
early stage if you start to feel you are being taken
advantage of, back off and consider careful whether or
not the benefit to you of taking the project outweighs
the financial implications. If if does not, do not be
afraid to say no.
Later on you will be able to increase
your prices inline with your experience. When and by
how much? The best guide to that is how well you are
doing. If you are busy and finding it hard to get work
finished, then increase your prices - it is far better
to have two high paying projects on the go than a half
dozen poorly paying ones.