Pricing Your Work Without Guessing
Stop charging by the hour like it's 1999. Learn value-based pricing, project fees, retainers, and how to raise rates without losing clients.
“Your hourly rate is the maximum someone will pay you to do one thing. Your project fee is the minimum they'd pay to get the problem solved. Guess which one scales.”
What you'll learn
Hourly pricing punishes efficiency. The faster you work, the less you earn. Switch to project or value-based pricing as soon as you have a portfolio.
Value-based pricing: what is the outcome worth to the client? If your work saves them $50k, charging $5k is a bargain. Price to the value, not the time.
Retainers provide predictable income. Package 10-20 hours/month at a discount to your project rate, with a minimum commitment of 3 months.
To raise rates: give 30 days notice, explain the value you've delivered, and offer existing clients a 'grandfather' window. Most won't leave.