Advice?

PiE

Y'ello.. wondering if anybody can offer some er... "monetary" advice, in regards to what I should charge a client :]

I was asked to design a credit card for a company that are just starting up. It's one of those UATP Airline Cards (I think they're used by Airline staff in Airports? Not too sure). Anyway, they just rang me to inform me that they had accepted one of my designs and (pending the go-ahead from their solicitor), they will want to know how much I'm gonna charge, and soon.

Now I haven't the foggiest notion of how much to charge. In all I did 8 different designs and a logo for them. I don't want to charge too much, as there's a good chance that they will ask me to do up some more designs and a website next month, so I don't wanna scare them off if y'know what I mean.

Anyway, yea... Credit Card designs... how much?

Ta...

Figment

Congrats on the job.
http://www.dgi.ie/business/pricing.htm should help.

Bottom of the scale is about 200 a day. Prepare yourself a contract. They should be expecting one especially if they are talking to a solicitor, and things will run smoother with one. Mail me if you need help with this.
If they expect you to sign over copyright to the design ask for much more on top of your normal working rate.
Licensing of the design is another option that they may be more in favour of as they are a start up. It means that they pay less for your work now but pay an agreed licence fee to use the design every year. (by law all art work/design work is your property unless explicitly signed over. Clients normally buy the rights to use a design for an agreed time.)

I don't want to charge too much

Don't undervalue yourself or your work. Expect to be paid a fair price for the time you put in. They will value the design and the work you put into it more if they pay a fair price.
If they pay peanuts for the design they will treat it as such.

PiE

Thanks Figgy, PM'd you

havok*

Congrats on the job, pld.

Originally posted by Figment
Don't undervalue yourself or your work. Expect to be paid a fair price for the time you put in. They will value the design and the work you put into it more if they pay a fair price.
If they pay peanuts for the design they will treat it as such.

Never a truer word spoken.

Be aware of your legal situation, familierise yourself with the fundementals of Copywrite law.

PiE

Bah, getting the poor man routine.

"Wahhh we're just a start up company paying for this from our own pockets... wahhh we can only afford around 200"

Not to forget the timeless "my son has also submitted a design"

Sigh

Figment

This is where you suggest the licensing route and explain the benefits of a well thought out and targeted professional design tailored for a specific purpose. Its not just a pretty picture. It will be legible and formatted for the printers.
Explain that what the son prepares at home will not be ready for print and will need reformatting and preparing by a printer who will charge a lot more for their time.
Ask him does the son know about resolution, printing process, colour separation, type, bleeds etc. Really push the tec language to demonstrate that what they are paying for is as much experience and knowledge as it is imagery.


At the end if they cant afford you don’t waste your time on them. I know you want it to go ahead to see your work in print but at the end of the day they are using you.

p

You could also try some 'interesting' licensing issues with them.

e.g. if they're a start up tell them they can use the design for a year at X price. After that they'll have to reconsider it.

Also, try and suss out how many of these card they're making and see if you can work out a price per card of teh design.

If they're doing big numbers then that might put it into context for them.

PiE

Originally posted by p
e.g. if they're a start up tell them they can use the design for a year at X price. After that they'll have to reconsider it.

Yep, I mentioned that idea to them, see what they say on Monday I guess. Also threw in the idea of giving me preference on any and all other upcoming design jobs they might need doing.

Sounds fair to me anyway ;]

Cheers lads.