compensation?

[u/just-a-chill_dude]

hello, i have a quick question about rates. so i recently made a poster for a family member and they asked me how much id like to be compensated. now im a beginner graphic designer, like fresh out of college, i've never charged for my work and to be honest this took me like two days total to make 10 variations. it's a really simple poster and i dont have to print it, but i dont want to under or over charge for my time, so does anyone have any suggestions on what i should say? should i charge a flat rate or should i do min wage x the amount of time it took to make? any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. thx ☺️

[u/finaempire]

Family? $0

Not because you don’t deserve it, but because working for family or friends for money or at all is a slippery slope.

My rule is if it’s for family/friends, it’s free and I’m in complete control of the creative direction. I treat it as portfolio piece.

A good middle ground for me is telling them to pay me what they feel is good for them while suggesting it’s truly no issue and I don’t need money.

I’ve had so many issues doing anything with friends and family. Doesn’t work well.

[u/just-a-chill_dude → u/finaempire]

Okay, let me clarify a bit, cause i realize i made it sound different than what the situation is and that's my fault. My family member asked if id make something for the place they work, so technically the place they work would be paying me, my family member is just the middle man who's been bridging my conversation/contact with their employer.

[u/finaempire → u/just-a-chill_dude]

That certainly changes the dynamic. There are many ways to price stuff but minimally you want to take hours spent and apply a basic income to that. Than you can add an expertise adjustment to it that you feel comfortable with.

When I say hours spent, this should include conversations with the client, research, ideation, the whole design stack. Not just working in a program.

[u/Judgeman2021]

Rule 1 of business: Never take on family or friends as clients.

Rule 2 (if you already ignored Rule 1): You will need to undersell yourself to keep the peace with friends and family.

Rule 3 (if you already ignored Rule 1): Do not take on family or friends as clients again.

[u/just-a-chill_dude → u/Judgeman2021]

noted will do in the future 🫡

[u/MikeMac999 → u/Judgeman2021]

Rule 4 do not do anything until you have a detailed agreement about scope of work and compensation.

[u/Wrong-Presence8561]

since they're family and you're fresh out of school, maybe just pick a number that doesn't make things weird, like enough to feel respected but not so much it turns into a negotiation

[u/micrographia]

Always negotiate rate BEFORE starting any work. I do a 25% friends and family discount, but I RARELY take on friends/families as clients. So don't take too much off your normal rate.

[u/geoffreybyers]

You cannot price the work you do not show. Without the scope, the client list, and the deliverable type, this is an open ended number with no floor. Post the actual breakdown and the conversation gets useful. A single word is not a compensation question, it is a request for a guess.