What’s your rate? What’s your budget?

A question we get asked all the time by clients is “What’s your rate?”
and a question we ask every client is “What’s your budget?”

Above, a memeified version of John Duillo’s The Last Draw.

The reason why we ask “What’s your budget?”

We ask this because in most cases a client is surprised by the price of the work. Because we’re in a creative industry, everything we do isn’t fully tangible. Most won’t get to see behind the scenes of the exploration, working out, testing, and development. But all of that has value because it leads to a final product.

For example, a finished logo doesn’t come to mind and we bill for the time it takes to draw. Instead, we will spend time researching the industry, your competition, your current brand/product/service, sketch quick concepts, develop design directions, test how the logo might be applied, refine, and apply feedback. Inspiration itself even comes and goes as it pleases!

So really, a logo project could take any time between a few hours and a few months, depending on the specifications of the project. There are multiple items that determine the price of a project:

• A designer’s expertise/experience

• The calibre of the client

• Turnaround time

• Project specifications

• The value/demand of the designer

In other words, if your budget is higher we’re able to offer a more thorough visual identity and include a large number of materials and applications, or if your budget is limited, we can offer a more basic package with essential items.

Most designers will have a great idea of what their rate is, but when we ask you “What’s your budget?”, we’re wondering how much you’re willing to allocate to develop your brand, which is a valid and important question to ask.

Not every logo project is the same, so we can’t always offer the same price to every client. We ask what the budget is, so we can let you know exactly what we’re able to do for you.