First client paid me $750 for a basic website, which felt insane.

Got a referral from a friend for a local bakery. They just needed a simple 5-page site with a menu. I quoted $300 because I was new and nervous. They came back and said their budget was $750 for a 'professional job'. I almost fell out of my chair. Took it, did the work in about 15 hours. That $50 an hour rate changed how I see my own work now. Anyone else have a client basically set your price for you?

4 comments

4 Comments

the_rose1mo ago

That $1200 story from @williams.luna makes me wonder what the client actually values most.

williams.luna1mo ago

My first quote was for a dog groomer and I asked for $200. They said they had $1200 set aside and asked if I could do more pages. I felt like I'd won the lottery and then immediately realized I was the one who had been underpaying myself the whole time.

zaranelson1mo ago

@williams.luna that's a crazy jump from your quote to their budget. It must have been a real shock to hear they had six times the money ready. A lot of us get stuck in that same trap of setting prices way too low at first. You really have to learn to see your own work as worth more. That moment of finding out must have changed how you see your own prices for good.

andrew_baker925d ago

Wait, so they had $1200 ready for a dog groomer website? That seems like a lot, maybe they just had extra cash to burn. @zaranelson is right about the shock, but is this really the norm or just a one-time lucky break?