Pricing standards

[Jay_F@adobeforums.com]

Hello fellow designers!

I need a little help and I hope I'm not too off topic.

I have a 'heads up' that a long term client of mine may look elsewhere due to the price of my service. Is there anywhere I can look up 'typical' or 'standard' prices for layout of a 40 page tabloid size color newsletter?

I know there's a lot of variables and in the end I need to make my own business decision based on my needs and time spent but it would be helpful to know if there's a place I could find such information.

Thanks... Jay

[terrapindesign@carolina.rr.com]

<http://www.gag.org>

This is the Graphic Artists Guild, and they publish an annual Pricing and Ethical Guidelines. It may be of some use.

I'd be surprised if there is a "typical" or "standard" on this... pricing for design services varies from region to region, so a lot of it depends on where you are.

A better approach than cutting your price is to convince your client that you bring a lot of extras to the table (experience, files that don't bomb at the printer and cost a bundle to fix, etc.).

On the seedier side of the street, if you charge by the hour, cut your hourly rate and work slower.

[Jay_F@adobeforums.com]

Thanks Eric,

I'll take a look at the gag.org site/book and see if I can learn anything from them.

Of course it does no good to work for free (I'm not!) and I wouldn't venture onto that seedier side of street either. I have an hourly rate but I work by the job and not by the hour.

I would hate to lose a steady client by being undercut by someone who's going to figure out later that they can't make money at the new lower price. That's business though.

I'll approach it as an expert who fills their needs and understands their specific issues. If that doesn't work I'll educate my next client better.

I appreciate your response.

[Richard_Sohanchyk@adobeforums.com]

Use the book as a guide only. But it's an excellent start. I replace my book every 4-5 years or so to track changes. Great for contracts too.

Here's a recent article on setting rates I found at creativepro.com: Setting Prices <http://www.creativepro.com/story/feature/24506.html>