I see new freelancers charging way too little for their first project and it's a trap.

They think a low rate will get them in the door, but it just sets a bad price floor that's hard to raise. I quoted $200 for a simple logo two years ago and that client still expects that rate for everything. How do you set a fair starting price without scaring off your first few clients?

3 comments

3 Comments

amy48317d ago

What's the market rate and can you deliver it?

john_cooper17d ago

Yeah, that reminds me of my buddy who was trying to get a custom PC built last month. He got quotes all over the place, from like $1200 to over $2500 for basically the same parts list. The market rate was all over the map depending on who was doing the building. He finally found a solid guy who could deliver it in two weeks, but it took a lot of digging. @amy483, it really seems like you gotta get at least three quotes to even know what ballpark you're in.

adam_adams12d ago

Actually, that low first project rate can be a smart move if you're smart about it. You just have to be clear it's a one-time intro price. My first website was $500 for a friend, but I told him the next one starts at $1500. He got a deal, I got a case study, and he understood the price was going up. The trap is not telling them it's a special price.