16 May 2010

[design] Is A Flat-Rate Model A Better Choice For Freelance Designers?

2412.When I can score design work, say a business card or a logo or something small, the question of pricing arises.

One battle every independent (a word I prefer over freelance) designer has is between themselves and the rate they'll charge. The typical model is an hourly-rate model, and seems to be pretty pervasive in the industry.

It's hardly an unreasonable approach. You charge for the time and sweat you pour into creating a great design. Makes sense.

But at least one thing I've done for someone was charged on a flat rate. And this article at BizNik (that I stumbled on at URL http://biznik.com/articles/hourly-rates-you-could-be-making-so-much-more) actually makes a credible and thoughtful case for the independent designer shifting to a flat-rate model, and makes a through case that an hourly-driven model actually limits your creativity and earning potential (there are only so many hours in the day you can work, after all).

Moreover, pursuing a flat-rate model makes your work value-based, which is how your clients might just be actually looking at it – a value-for-money transaction.

I'm still rereading the article, digesting the intellectual content thereon. It will obviously require a slight change in how designers may look at the work they do and the jobs they complete. At least the prospect of not having to keep track of billable hours is encouraging.

Go ahead and read it yourself. Does it make sense to you? Does it successfully make the case for "value-based" pricing? Feel free to leave a comment with any thoughts along those lines.

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