Ok Guys! Heres it! One of the most under the carpet areas, but one that funds most of our car EMIs. Advertising Freelance. Post Jobs and debates. Get work and buy another Car!
If you're even thinking about branching out into the freelance side of the advertising industry, you've undoubtedly wondered what you should charge. This is one of the most difficult tasks a freelancer can face.
There's no cookie-cutter method to magically set your rates. One copywriter may charge $350 for a direct mail piece and another may charge into the thousands. However, there are several factors you canconsider to help you build a strong rate schedule that won't scare off any potential clients.
Hourly, Per Project or Both?
Your first step in setting your fees is how you're going to charge clients. Will you only work on an hourly rate, charge one price for the whole project no matter how long it takes you or will you offer both?
Many freelancers offer both.
This gives your client the flexibility of choosing which type of rate they prefer. Most will choose a per project fee because they know exactly how much they're going to get charged up front and don't feel like they're going to get surprised when that two hour estimate you gave them for the hourly rate turns into a six hour project fee.
Whether you're a freelance copywriter or a freelance graphic designer, you need a contract in place to protect yourself and to let your clients know exactly what they're getting from you.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: 1-2 hours for initial creation. A few minutes after you begin using your template regularly.
Here's How:
1. You can create any sort of document that appears as an invoice. Many word processing programs contain a document wizard and several invoice templates. Open up one of these templates or create a new one.
2. Your contract needs to be as specific as possible. In the upper right hand corner of the document you can type the words SERVICE TERMS, CONTRACT or any other variation in a bold, 12 or 14 point font size (larger than the rest of your contract type).
