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Reasons to Raise Your Prices, a thread
I guess this is general advice if you do commission/freelance work so let's crack on with it, shall we
I guess this is general advice if you do commission/freelance work so let's crack on with it, shall we
1. Supply/Demand
If you consistently sell out of commissions every time you open slots very quickly within the first day - RAISE YOUR DAMN PRICES
If you can do 1 comm for the price of 5, it saves you so much work and frees up time to do other projects.
If you consistently sell out of commissions every time you open slots very quickly within the first day - RAISE YOUR DAMN PRICES
If you can do 1 comm for the price of 5, it saves you so much work and frees up time to do other projects.
2. But what If I get no comms?
Consider if doing art commissions is an actual liable source of income for you that's more feasible to accomplish than getting a day job to survive and build up your client base on the side. Financial security is important.
Consider if doing art commissions is an actual liable source of income for you that's more feasible to accomplish than getting a day job to survive and build up your client base on the side. Financial security is important.
My personal opinion is that $10/hr works as a basis for beginner artists, and if you're looking to go pro, $25-45/hr to start would be good. Regardless you should be charging higher than minimum wage because of the inconsistent income nature of freelance.
Think about it like saving larger chunks of money for the drought periods when you don't have any work. That said, client ghosting is also normal. Never go lower than the prices you offer. My method is to offer a range and the lowest price I give is my bar.
3. Never lower your rate
If you want to concede to a client's lower budget, change the amount of work you're offering to compensate more fairly for your time. e.g. sketches/linework/BW rather than full blown illustrations that take hours.
If you want to concede to a client's lower budget, change the amount of work you're offering to compensate more fairly for your time. e.g. sketches/linework/BW rather than full blown illustrations that take hours.
4. Improve your skill
If you still don't get work despite your fairer rates, you just have to keep improving your skill and marketing your work. Getting clients doesn't happen overnight just because you threw it into the void waiting for something to happen.
If you still don't get work despite your fairer rates, you just have to keep improving your skill and marketing your work. Getting clients doesn't happen overnight just because you threw it into the void waiting for something to happen.
5. Marketing + Presentation
Depending on the kind of clientele you're looking for, consider making a more professional/clean format that's easy for clients to understand what you offer for your services, and UPDATE THEM consistently.
Depending on the kind of clientele you're looking for, consider making a more professional/clean format that's easy for clients to understand what you offer for your services, and UPDATE THEM consistently.
If your skills have improved in half a year since you started marketing commissions but you still use the same old commission sheet how will people know if you actually improved? Also consider limiting options to prevent choice paralysis and make it easier for yourself to manage.
6. Going back to the hourly rate
This should only be used as a general guideline and doesn't necessarily apply to all quotes. I think it's good to use as an estimate, but don't forget to account for stuff like research time, client communication, resource gathering, etc.
This should only be used as a general guideline and doesn't necessarily apply to all quotes. I think it's good to use as an estimate, but don't forget to account for stuff like research time, client communication, resource gathering, etc.
Not all the hours you log have to be distinctly tied to just the part where you make art. Communication is a big part of being able to effectively deliver work to clients, so price for that shit. Art is more than just manual labour of drawing pretty stuff.
7. Health
I have RSI and I try to spend less hours drawing if I can help it. Account for the rest breaks to recuperate your mental HP as well so the money can go towards giving yourself TIME TO RELAX.
More pay = can cover the days where you're zoning out = profit
I have RSI and I try to spend less hours drawing if I can help it. Account for the rest breaks to recuperate your mental HP as well so the money can go towards giving yourself TIME TO RELAX.
More pay = can cover the days where you're zoning out = profit
I think this goes doubly for neurodivergent/MI peeps
It's infinitely harder to get to work sometimes but seriously guys, please look after yourselves and value your work more. You may take a bit longer to get things done, but I believe in you.
It's infinitely harder to get to work sometimes but seriously guys, please look after yourselves and value your work more. You may take a bit longer to get things done, but I believe in you.
8. Currency exchange/working international
Everybody who has a weaker currency than USD that would benefit greatly from using international rates please just raise your damn prices to make use of this
Consider having separate international vs local rates as well!
Everybody who has a weaker currency than USD that would benefit greatly from using international rates please just raise your damn prices to make use of this
Consider having separate international vs local rates as well!
If you market your services online and work primarily with an international audience, generally USD is the main currency being used to exchange for services so it'd be better for you to work under the same pricing.
9. Speed
Someone commented about how hourly rate can work against you if you're fast, and like, yeah it 100% can, but then that just means you should just raise your rate to reflect your ability to deliver quality work more efficiently :3c
Someone commented about how hourly rate can work against you if you're fast, and like, yeah it 100% can, but then that just means you should just raise your rate to reflect your ability to deliver quality work more efficiently :3c
The hourly prices I put up are only a very rough guideline that you're free to adjust to your own needs however you see fit.
I've been tanked for my speed before so I just raised my prices to match the output. Regardless tl;dr - raise your damn prices
I've been tanked for my speed before so I just raised my prices to match the output. Regardless tl;dr - raise your damn prices
10. Tips
If you're getting tips very often for the work you produce, it usually means that you should be charging higher for your work XD
Tips are your customers' way of saying "you deserve more money than you charged me"
If you're getting tips very often for the work you produce, it usually means that you should be charging higher for your work XD
Tips are your customers' way of saying "you deserve more money than you charged me"
