5 Tips on Getting Paid for Your Design

It is sometimes tough to bring the concept of logo designing in the minds of clients. Many had trouble understanding the concept of a "logo". Some people could at least understand the concept of a design or sketch fee, but did not comprehend the concept of separate logo fee.

Over time, I have gathered some information, which are useful in helping the logo designers get paid for the time necessary to create a logo.

Give Clients some Tangible

You may have a tough time explaining image and identity to your client, but tell your clients that you will be providing them with a camera ready art and a floppy disk with their logo. All of a sudden they can see the light.

Give them many Examples

Give them a list of other business logos along with theirs. When they see other companies that they know, it makes it much clearer in their minds what a logo really is.

Don't give ideas away

Avoid clients like "Can you show me what it looks like" unless they are willing to give you a deposit. Try to explain your clients that you have some level of education as a designer and that your education wasn't cheaper. You need to be compensated for your experience and education unless otherwise you are selling yourself short.

Time Factor

Designing is such a profession can be a hit or miss when it comes to how long it takes to be comfortable with a design. Sometimes you can visualize before you start designing, then you can bang it out in half an hour. Others you may struggle for hours before you are happy with it. Add to that the time it takes to meet and show sketches, and you have got a lot of hours invested.

Make your clients realize what goes into a design and the obvious reasons for being compensated for it. Getting their business done isn't a reason to design for free.

Explain the "recreating an existing logo" fee.

It’s a little easier to sell a logo when you explain that if they want you to use their existing design exactly as is, you’ll have to charge them to scan it in and make it “plotter ready”. In some instances, it can take just as long to do this as it does to create a new logo.

Try to stress the sheer marketing value of a good logo design from a consumer standpoint; your clients can see the benefits more clearly. As soon as you advise them of a marketing strategy, you are not just giving them advice; you are actually providing them information on how their business can grow.