Two days ago, I got a call from my friend's whose girlfriend wanted me to design a web site for her image consultant business. She asked me how much do I charge per website. I told her that depends on my client's theme and requirements.
She told me she needs 10 pages of website. I told her $300 - $500 for customised design fee (not using any design templates) and $150 per page. Without even looking at my portfolio yet, the only reply I heard is, "That is expensive! You are limiting the amount of contents I want to put." and she continues saying that she will call me up when she needs my service. Apparently, she didn't. Of course, I didn't upset over it because it doesn't worth my time doing it anyway.
I’ve read an interesting article written by Chris Pearson on how much a site/blog design should cost and his experience when dealing with the customers and project costs.
After looking through the designers' comments from the design industry, I feel that my pricing is reasonable. Like most web professionals out there, they are charging $1500 or as high as $2000 just for the basic design cost. In fact, most of my designer friends have told me I undercharge most of my clients. To me, money is important but the experiences and challenges to do that is even more important.
Why is it okay for dentists, lawyers and a number of other highly-paid professionals to charge $200-300/hour for their services, why is it okay to shell out $100-150/hour to an interior designer, but it is a sin to pay that much money to a web/graphic designer?
And what’s even more intriguing and interesting to find out is why we never question and simply accept the high prices of dentists, lawyers, psychiatrists, interior decorators, plumbers... but behave so differently when it comes to building our brand name awareness in print and online?
What do you think should happen in order to change people's mindset on design costs and values? Or do you think that nothing should change, that it is the way it should stay, that there are no reasons why designers should get paid any more than those working night shifts at 24 hour drive-thrus?
Just simply because some people just don't know the value of the work of a good web/graphics designer. Quality creative designers go through the design thinking process while the designers just work like a factory worker. Everyone knows Photoshop but that doesn't mean they can be a creative designer.
Chris quoted that everybody wants a killer design, especially after seeing one that they lust over. Problem is, nobody wants to pay for it.
True indeed.
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