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Had a lightbulb moment about proposal pricing this week
So I've been freelancing as a graphic designer in Toronto for about 2 years now, mostly doing branding stuff for small businesses. Last Tuesday I was at the Snakes & Lattes on Bloor working on a proposal for a local bakery, and I realized I was writing this huge paragraph explaining my hourly rate and why it was worth it. I stopped and looked back at my last 6 proposals and noticed a pattern - every time I wrote a long explanation about pricing, the client either ghosted or tried to negotiate me down. But the 2 times I just said 'here's the flat fee, here's exactly what you get for it, no hourly breakdown' those people signed immediately. I think when you explain too much, it makes you sound unsure. Has anyone else noticed that being too transparent about your math actually hurts your chances?
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kevinw943mo ago
Flat fee was a game changer for me too. I do brand identity work and used to itemize everything like logo $500, business cards $200. Clients would try to haggle each line item. Switched to one number like "full brand package $1,800" and stopped breaking it down. Two clients even told me later they liked it because it felt like a real product instead of paying for my time. Your mileage may vary but for gigs under $3k it works way better.
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lucashenderson3mo ago
You ever notice how explaining the price makes people start questioning it? Just state the number and move on, confidence sells way better than justification.
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