Just realized my freelance pricing was way off after a brutal slow month in March

I lost three gigs to a newer designer who charged half my rate, and when I asked a former client why they picked her, they said 'your portfolio is better but your quote felt risky for a small project,' so I finally dropped my minimum from $800 to $500 and booked four jobs the next week, has anyone else had to swallow their pride on pricing to stay afloat?

3 comments

3 Comments

davis.noah26d ago

Got humbled real quick when I tried to raise my rates last year and realized most clients just couldn't justify it for smaller projects. @lilya76 you're right that some people don't get the value, but sometimes the market just sets the price whether we like it or not.

jade_jenkins26d ago

Wait, you lost three gigs over a $300 difference?

lilya7626d agoTop Commenter

I had a client once who tried to nickel and dime me over a $50 difference on a package deal. I walked away from the whole thing. Ended up working with someone else who paid me $200 more than the original offer, so it worked out better in the end. But yeah, losing gigs over $300 is wild. Some people just don't get that you're not just renting your time, you're bringing experience and gear and all that. They think they can haggle like it's a flea market or something.