Why You Should Think of Your Time as a Resource

Sometimes I see a lot of young designers having trouble requesting a client for an overage.

No doubt, it may seem awkward to ask for more money when a project goes beyond its original scope. However, that is not a sufficient reason to continue working on a project without compensation.

What makes designers reluctant to ask for overages?

Many designers have faced the following situation.

The client you're working with has requested revisions. There are lots of them. After many rounds, you're asked to do more work. You put in a lot of time and work, but you don't feel comfortable asking for more money. In fact, just thinking about it makes you feel kind of shady.

Why?

Much like many other things in the design industry, it’s all about mindset.

Designers don't always want to be in a fight. Other times, they believe that changing a price after it has been agreed upon is unethical. It's also because some designers don't respect their time. I mean, there aren't any raw elements involved in the creation of a logo, right?

Rethinking Your Relationship with Time

If you believe that devoting time to a project would not cost you anything, you need to change your mindset. Your time is a valuable resource. In fact, it is your most valuable resource. It is entirely non-renewable. You'll never get it back if you spend it on something. So what's the point of giving it away for free? When you do this, what you’re doing is undermining your value and self-worth.

Consider this: let's suppose you spend $100 on a pair of designer pants. Those jeans were made with little materials and were mass-produced in a third-world nation, yet you don't mind paying $100 for them. But what about the time and effort you put into creating a design? Designing a logo is a creative process that needs specific talents, but many of us are prepared to value it at less than the price of a pair of jeans.

So, how can you get your pricing strategy back on track? Consider this: you go to a pub and order a beer. It will set you back $7. You drink it, yet you're still thirsty when you're done. Do you think the bartender will keep refilling your drink for free until you're ready to leave? Certainly not. Would the bartender feel fishy if you handed him a bill for five glasses of beer at the end of the night if that's all you drank? 

Your time is a valuable resource. Take caution when pouring it out. We charge for my design services with two "R" (rounds of revisions). If more than that is required, I request an overage.

Being paid for the resources you spend to generate something for a customer is not unethical. Time is the most valuable resource we have, and as such, we must get rewarded for it. Understanding and believing in this concept is important if you want to get compensated fairly for your design work.