Logo Pricing For Picky Customers

[Sven]

I'm going to design a logo for a woman who is on a 'tight budget', and who seems very picky. How do I give her a fair price but also protect myself from losing time on endless revisions? How do you price a logo, which may take 20min to a few hours to create?

 

[klingsdesigns]

I charge hourly.

 

[signage]

Tell her the price you are thinking of charging her with 2 revisions. Tell her if it take more than the 2 you will be charging her a hourly rate of $??.??.

 

[John Butto]

Tight budget and picky, sounds like a good customer to me. Take a long walk to get some good ideas, go back jot the ideas down and go from there. It is called a challenge.

 

[wmshuman]

I would pass on it. Sounds like trouble just starting to brew. "Tight budget" and "picky" are two words you don't want to hear in this business. Just speaking from experience.

If you are gonna do it, I would most definitely get at least a two hour deposit and make sure to charge for each revision after the first free one so she doesn't end up wasting all your time for nothing.

 

[James Chrimes]

I used to have a binder with prices. I would have samples of designs with super basic to money is no object. Keep it to 4 or 5 versions with price ranges. Within them ranges offer only 2-3 revisions. Make sure it is stated and that you have an hourly rate for every hour after. If you dont put a cap on it they could go on forever leaving you no money to be made. Now my bottom design fees are not for logos, but rather just any layout in general. Start at 10.00 for a basic design, (say house for sale by owner. one color layout with contact info.) If you get 10.00 (AND YOU USED TO DO IT FOR FREE)for that and then do 20 more the same week, you now have an extra 200.00 in your pocket. and that is at the starting price. I will see if I can dig up my sample sheet.

 

[wmshuman]

Start at 10.00 for a basic design, (say house for sale by owner. one color layout with contact info.) If you get 10.00 (AND YOU USED TO DO IT FOR FREE)for that and then do 20 more the same week, you now have an extra 200.00 in your pocket. and that is at the starting price. I will see if I can dig up my sample sheet.

I like your idea. Might have to give that a shot.

:U Rock:

 

[Gino]

Make it a package deal.

A two hour design accepted............ $325.
A four hour design accepted............ $575.
A six hour design accepted.............. $800.

All paid in advance. Rights come with it automatically.

 

[James Chrimes]

Here are a couple of pages. I don't put the prices on them. That way if the price changes I keep the same samples. Here are thee pages.

 

[Sven]

Some good ideas here.
James, thanks for the samples. That's a good idea too. It's something I've been meaning to do but haven't had a chance to.

Take a long walk to get some good ideas, go back jot the ideas down and go from there. It is called a challenge.

John, I can't tell if your post is serious or not! Who's going to pay for my "long walk"? This is not a hobby for me, by the way.

 

[John Butto]

Very Serious...

Some good ideas here.
James, thanks for the samples. That's a good idea too. It's something I've been meaning to do but haven't had a chance to.



John, I can't tell if your post is serious or not! Who's going to pay for my "long walk"? This is not a hobby for me, by the way.

Maybe its me but I walk 3 miles every day, it is a very good way to put your thoughts together without being distracted. Never thought about someone paying me to walk, it must work, because I do not worry for money or work or picky people on a budget, and seriously, there is a lot of all three of those out there.

 

[signswi]

No less than $800 for a logo.

 

[qmr55]

Tight budget and picky? I'll give you the best advise you're gonna get for this type of customer.

Ask them nicely to take their business elsewhere. Move on to the next project.

 

[sardocs]

Ask them what their budget is and then do that much work.

 

[Jackpine]

First question to customers "Do you have a logo and a budget?" then show samples like James Chrimes's or logos / sign layouts you've done...
James nice samples.

Ask them what their budget is and then do that much work.

 

[trimitbyrich]

Oh my God, anybody telling you to pass on this customer obviously has no confidence in their own skills. I think the best advice you got here was this is a challenge. Not the end of the world. Generally "picky" customers have big mouths. So WHEN you come through for her she will brag you up and tell everybody.
The idea of 2 revisions on 3 different versions is great. It makes it challenging for you only because you have to come up with a couple more ideas. Explain that your basic copyright price is $ 269 (or whatever you feel is fair) the she can have a copy of this logo for anything shed ever need it for. Mention that if she needs more than 2 revisions it's whatever your shop rate per hour. You'd be surprised how quickly people make up their minds if they know the clock is ticking and the more it ticks it costs them money. This is totally doable. Don't throw this one away. Accept the challenge and go get a happy satisfied client.

 

[Dan Antonelli]

Your contract should specify all the deliverables, hours budgeted for the project, and implications for going over the budgeted hours (hourly rates), who owns rejected art, etc. You should employ a logo creative brief document for her to fill out, and for you to go over subsequently to make sure you are aligned on the creative direction. If she can't pick something from your portfolio she likes (this would be a question in your creative brief), you might be in trouble. We budget up to 26 hours on our contracts. Do not do this or any other job without a contract.

 

[John Butto]

I would draw a pic with a guy just in his creative briefs standing there with his portfolio and telling the astonished lady that this was told to him by Dan A a good way to sell his logos. But I am Amish and not allowed to draw on the Sabbath.

 

[Dan Antonelli]

I would draw a pic with a guy just in his creative briefs standing there with his portfolio and telling the astonished lady that this was told to him by Dan A a good way to sell his logos. But I am Amish and not allowed to draw on the Sabbath.

Damn. I can picture that too. That would have been really cool to see. Speaking of Sabbath, any way to work in an Ozzy reference, too?

 

[John Butto]

Dan, you would be an easy sell, I did not even have to draw anything.
Me and Ozzie have the same birthday, in the same year. What do you think of Lance going to the confessional with Oprah, and Mosh thinks he has problems.