DESIGNER:

Firstly, I do like to shout out to budding designer's who put their mind and Creativity to work, who tow the path of hardwork and loose sleep each night to better the skill set and Make this industry proud....

Dear Up and Coming designer's..... Please and please learn this trade well before you launch! It gives you a good foundation and generally helps the market.

Don't tow the path of charging 1k and copying templates online... Without putting your creativity to work! You will keep turning in circles.

People will ask how much should I charge...

This question has been asked frequently..the truth is you cannot put a price tag to creativity!

Same Logo you did for 20k, some will do for 50k and another agency will do for 150k...

But, learn to factor everything thing involved before your placing your quote... Things like:

▶Deliverables▶(Brand manual, Business cards, Types of file formats, Ads etc)

▶Resources (Time, Research and Data etc)
▶Client Involved (Startups are not same with Coca Cola, MTN or PZ.
▶The Value You are Creating (Your Creative Value, this variable)
Etc...

The above factor should give you a reasonable amount you would be comfortable with likewise you clients, this tends to increase with more bills you pay!

You definitely will charge differently when you leave your home studio, and acquire and office space with probably two staff .

Secondly Guys!..... Stop designing and putting a watermark over it... Even while you learn the skill learn the ethics.

A wicked client, could take same water marked design to another ignorant "unethical" designer to recreate for a cheaper fee.

Make Sure you state clearly the rules of engagement before kicking off a project, and get at least 50% of the payment before kicking off except on few cases, probably involving big brands who will definitely pay... But might just want you to prove yourself...Such projects are Binded by paper contracts.

Thirdly... Be very Clear on the Modus operandi, deliverables and prices involved.. Make sure this is clear and agreed on!...if possible issue an invoice via mail after advance payment and the agreed deliverables...This will definitely keep your project stress and argument free!

Lastly, Not all projects are for you! Some Clients have a way of making your design worth nothing... If you meet a client who consistently gives you a "headache" or keeps "pricing" till you have little or no gain...politely decline such projects!


The Design field seems saturated right?.... No, the base is...the more you go higher the fewer it gets!

Get Better, Work Smarter

Good Designer's are not Cheap!

cc: erad prof800

Nice piece

Modify:
It make it to front-page and I'm at the top. let me use this medium to break nairaland rule No. 6.

Contact me for kinds of graphics job and you'll be glad you did.

OP, your head is very very correct.

I'm not a designer but I've learnt some things here.

Okay

A great piece... Sometimes I get ridiculous offers from clients and I just have to let them go.
You don't expect a designer to put his time into research and create something unique for cheap or free...

Nice one.
I will like to add that a designer should be clear about his mechanism early on.
Some clients will make you do unnecessary revisions.
Just make sure you let your client know that your time is important and be professional with any of your design so as to avoid it.
Do not forget to ask questions. If you do not ask, you will do later and it would be uncool then.

One of the reasons designers get priced ridiculously is because of the many cheap ass unprofessional and stupid designers out there (who are probably plagiarising other people's designs) who offer to design for a very low price...

You'll find out that that design you are offering a client for a reasonable price, there are 30 cheap asses offering to do what you are doing for so much less.. And that's one of the reasons clients don't even value designers

nice one

I think the problem lies with so called business people and entrepreneurs who do not seem to realise that in order to be big you have to invest in your business.

Many start up companies in Nigeria do not have business plans and are always looking for the cheapest way to become big.

The issue affects not only design jobs but also advertising and other expenses.

I have had someone contact me asking to build a website that is profitable ie a website that makes money. I asked him his budget and he said "N50,000" and with a straight face.

Seriously Nigerian business people especially these online entrepreneurs should start thinking big and be more realistic in their projections.

benzics:
One of the reasons designers get priced ridiculously is because of the many cheap ass unprofessional and stupid designers out there (who are probably plagiarising other people's designs) who offer to design for a very low price...

You'll find out that that design you are offering a client for a reasonable price, there are 30 cheap asses offering to do what you are doing for so much less.. And that's one of the reasons clients don't even value designers

so true bro. I deliberately blocked some folks from my whatsapp status cuz of issues like this.
Before a blink of an eye, you'll see the replical of your work from them

My kinda thread.. Amazing content op

You can't expect learners to chase big clients. Things start small. Facebook didn't start with 1 billion friends, it started with college students.

Most designers make money from cheap works to feed themselves.

nice one OP

its the major reason that I've not started offering my services just yet until I'm certain I can offer a top notch quality job (design ) without plagiarism.

but until then, I'll keep learning...

dimelo:
nice one OP

its the major reason that I've not started offering my services just yet until I'm certain I can offer a top notch quality job (design ) without plagiarism.

but until then, I'll keep learning...

Interesting...
Keep it up

Those who make designs for individuals in Nigeria are really trying. (Companies may not be bad)

They’re terrible people and that was why I joined a freelance platform (I avoid Nigerians there though )