The $500 client who taught me to charge more

Last week, I landed a new client for a website copy project. They agreed to my rate of $500, which felt like a win. Just last month, I would have jumped at that without a second thought. But three years ago, when I started in Chicago, I was taking any job I could get for $100 or less. This new client ended up being the most demanding one I've ever had, sending over 15 rounds of revisions and calling me at all hours. I spent more time on them than on a $1200 project I did in January. It made me realize my low rate was attracting the worst kind of work. I'm raising my minimum project fee starting next month. Has anyone else found that a higher price tag actually filters out the nightmare clients?

2 comments

2 Comments

logan2362d ago

Ouch, that sounds brutal. So did you feel stuck finishing it because they already paid? Or did you push back?

johnson.faith2d ago

Yeah that's the worst spot to be in. Like you want to be professional and finish the job, but the work just isn't good. I've definitely felt that pressure to just deliver something, even if it's not my best, because money changed hands. Makes you question every little choice.