Comments on: Is Charging More the Right Thing to Do? http://menwithpens.ca/is-charging-more-the-right-thing-to-do/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:42:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Susan Justad http://menwithpens.ca/is-charging-more-the-right-thing-to-do/#comment-47075 Susan Justad Thu, 12 May 2011 22:44:59 +0000 http://menwithpens.ca/?p=856#comment-47075 Thank you for the very honest article. It still does not help me to know what to charge...Our small new company is just starting out there. We are excited and we actually have our first client. We have not even talked about price yet and I have been sweating the entire ordeal. I know that I am dedicated and good with my work. But scare anyway. Thank you for what you wrote here. I agree with you 1000%. All I can say now is wish me luck. Thank you for the very honest article. It still does not help me to know what to charge…Our small new company is just starting out there. We are excited and we actually have our first client. We have not even talked about price yet and I have been sweating the entire ordeal. I know that I am dedicated and good with my work. But scare anyway. Thank you for what you wrote here. I agree with you 1000%. All I can say now is wish me luck.

]]> By: James http://menwithpens.ca/is-charging-more-the-right-thing-to-do/#comment-29213 James Sun, 04 Oct 2009 07:02:02 +0000 http://menwithpens.ca/?p=856#comment-29213 @ Dmitri - I think you've raised some serious doubts about how much of the article you read. You quoted back quotes from *other* people said to me - not quotes I said (or believe) myself. Also, you've obviously chosen to ignore every single place where I've chosen the low road over the arrogant one. Selective perception, much? @ Dmitri – I think you’ve raised some serious doubts about how much of the article you read. You quoted back quotes from *other* people said to me – not quotes I said (or believe) myself. Also, you’ve obviously chosen to ignore every single place where I’ve chosen the low road over the arrogant one.

Selective perception, much?

]]> By: Dimitri Zaripova http://menwithpens.ca/is-charging-more-the-right-thing-to-do/#comment-29212 Dimitri Zaripova Sun, 04 Oct 2009 06:55:57 +0000 http://menwithpens.ca/?p=856#comment-29212 "We’re the Pen Men, after all – we can almost start our own trademark." "We do rockin’ work. We’re good at our jobs. We’re conscientious, caring and friendly." "I’m a writer, for god’s sake. Yes, I’m a very good one, but let’s be realistic." "Why should we inflate the price just because the Pen Men are doing the job?" "We’re something of a small superstar." Damn. Huh, all of that in the same article ! "I’m cocky, but I’m not that much of an arrogant ass." Well, I think many readers must have found the first part of this sentence to be quite obvious (that you are cocky), but many have probably raised some serious doubts about the second one (that you are not arrogant) as well. “We’re the Pen Men, after all – we can almost start our own trademark.”

“We do rockin’ work. We’re good at our jobs. We’re conscientious, caring and friendly.”

“I’m a writer, for god’s sake. Yes, I’m a very good one, but let’s be realistic.”

“Why should we inflate the price just because the Pen Men are doing the job?”

“We’re something of a small superstar.”

Damn.
Huh, all of that in the same article !

“I’m cocky, but I’m not that much of an arrogant ass.”

Well, I think many readers must have found the first part of this sentence to be quite obvious (that you are cocky), but many have probably raised some serious doubts about the second one (that you are not arrogant) as well.

]]> By: Design Pricing « Paul is Here http://menwithpens.ca/is-charging-more-the-right-thing-to-do/#comment-28398 Design Pricing « Paul is Here Sat, 22 Aug 2009 07:33:01 +0000 http://menwithpens.ca/?p=856#comment-28398 [...] Services, by Steven Snell Nine Factors to Consider When Determining Your Price, by Collis Ta’eed Is Charging More the Right Thing to Do? on Men With Pens The Subtle Effects of Pricing on the Mentality of Clients, on [...] [...] Services, by Steven Snell Nine Factors to Consider When Determining Your Price, by Collis Ta’eed Is Charging More the Right Thing to Do? on Men With Pens The Subtle Effects of Pricing on the Mentality of Clients, on [...]

]]> By: Design pricing formula | David Airey, graphic designer http://menwithpens.ca/is-charging-more-the-right-thing-to-do/#comment-28275 Design pricing formula | David Airey, graphic designer Mon, 17 Aug 2009 07:07:46 +0000 http://menwithpens.ca/?p=856#comment-28275 [...] Is Charging More the Right Thing to Do? on Men With Pens [...] [...] Is Charging More the Right Thing to Do? on Men With Pens [...]

]]> By: Webline http://menwithpens.ca/is-charging-more-the-right-thing-to-do/#comment-27819 Webline Mon, 20 Jul 2009 09:46:25 +0000 http://menwithpens.ca/?p=856#comment-27819 Interesting, many think charging less is better but this might not always be the case. Anyway, it's a great article. Interesting, many think charging less is better but this might not always be the case. Anyway, it’s a great article.

]]> By: DaveRH http://menwithpens.ca/is-charging-more-the-right-thing-to-do/#comment-23540 DaveRH Sun, 14 Dec 2008 19:47:32 +0000 http://menwithpens.ca/?p=856#comment-23540 I wasn't necessarily making the point to say that you rates should always be based on what the client earns from what you provide. The point was more that any type of creative work has more value than the simply just the hours invested into creating it. That's what we have intellectual property... and yes that is grossly abused by some, but the intangible does have a tangible value in many cases. <abbr><em><abbr><em>DaveRH´s last blog post...RH’s Opinion Sought By National Post</em></abbr></abbr></em> I wasn’t necessarily making the point to say that you rates should always be based on what the client earns from what you provide. The point was more that any type of creative work has more value than the simply just the hours invested into creating it. That’s what we have intellectual property… and yes that is grossly abused by some, but the intangible does have a tangible value in many cases.

DaveRH´s last blog post…RH’s Opinion Sought By National Post

]]> By: Karen Swim http://menwithpens.ca/is-charging-more-the-right-thing-to-do/#comment-23529 Karen Swim Sun, 14 Dec 2008 15:23:27 +0000 http://menwithpens.ca/?p=856#comment-23529 Dave and James, I truly enjoyed this exchange. I see creative as both art and commodity. Buyers who hire you to write copy may appreciate you as an artist but more than likely they appreciate how that art is going to impact their bottom line objectives. The artist views life through a kaleidoscopic image and finds beauty even in the mundane. Dave, I thought your points about pricing were interesting but conversely what if you do a stellar job and external factors delivered horrible results for the client. Do you not deserve to be fairly paid for a job well done? I approach every job with the intention of making my client a star. When they appear on CNN or have a best selling book or their business skyrockets to success I am wildly excited for them, but never feel sour grapes because I only charged X amount (I realize you were not expressing bitterness, I'm simply making a point). Of course there have been a few times where I've kicked myself for not negotiating royalties but that's another post! :-) <abbr><em><abbr><em>Karen Swim´s last blog post...<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/WordsForHire/~3/482753297/" rel="nofollow">The Gift of Words</a></em></abbr></abbr></em> Dave and James, I truly enjoyed this exchange. I see creative as both art and commodity. Buyers who hire you to write copy may appreciate you as an artist but more than likely they appreciate how that art is going to impact their bottom line objectives. The artist views life through a kaleidoscopic image and finds beauty even in the mundane. Dave, I thought your points about pricing were interesting but conversely what if you do a stellar job and external factors delivered horrible results for the client. Do you not deserve to be fairly paid for a job well done? I approach every job with the intention of making my client a star. When they appear on CNN or have a best selling book or their business skyrockets to success I am wildly excited for them, but never feel sour grapes because I only charged X amount (I realize you were not expressing bitterness, I’m simply making a point). Of course there have been a few times where I’ve kicked myself for not negotiating royalties but that’s another post! :-)

Karen Swim´s last blog post…The Gift of Words

]]> By: James http://menwithpens.ca/is-charging-more-the-right-thing-to-do/#comment-23518 James Sun, 14 Dec 2008 13:14:29 +0000 http://menwithpens.ca/?p=856#comment-23518 @ DaveHR - Hehe, imagine poor Harry and Charlie over here, who are right there with you in the art camp. We all have to work together even though we have different opinions :) I absolutely 100% respect your feelings that what we do is art. I don't agree, but I understand your take on it (more than you may realize) and am also glad that there are those in the world that do believe this for each of us that doesn't. They're both good, valid opinions, just ones that don't agree. As for horror stories? I can relate. Some of the stuff that clients tell us about their experiences and how they ended up here asking for our help is truly, really shameful. Some people really have no business being in business, and that's something that gets me every time. Cheers! @ DaveHR – Hehe, imagine poor Harry and Charlie over here, who are right there with you in the art camp. We all have to work together even though we have different opinions :)

I absolutely 100% respect your feelings that what we do is art. I don’t agree, but I understand your take on it (more than you may realize) and am also glad that there are those in the world that do believe this for each of us that doesn’t. They’re both good, valid opinions, just ones that don’t agree.

As for horror stories? I can relate. Some of the stuff that clients tell us about their experiences and how they ended up here asking for our help is truly, really shameful. Some people really have no business being in business, and that’s something that gets me every time.

Cheers!

]]> By: DaveRH http://menwithpens.ca/is-charging-more-the-right-thing-to-do/#comment-23517 DaveRH Sun, 14 Dec 2008 13:05:55 +0000 http://menwithpens.ca/?p=856#comment-23517 I can't agree with you about writing / graphic design etc. being a trade. To me it's a business application of artistry, to avoid being stuck selling fries as the local Fast Eddie's. I find a brilliantly conceptualized ad / website / written copy that sways people's opinions and turns them into a customer as beautiful as any piece of art. What is art supposed to do? When done properly, it's supposed to move people on an emotional level. What do we do? We try to do the exact same thing, only we have a goal, to convince the individual viewing our art to become a client / buy a product. I think the primary thing we don't see eye to eye on is the view of creative being a commodity... and I don't' think I'll be able to dissuade you from that belief, but I'm very glad that society at large does put value on creativity because I wouldn't want to live in a world that didn't! All that being said, It's great to come across a fellow Canadian in the industry who has integrity. You would not believe some of the horror stories that we've come across.... service bills for responses to email, companies that charged many thousands for a website that was broken and never worked and then tried to get the customer to hire them to fix their broken work and the list goes on. <abbr><em><abbr><em>DaveRH´s last blog post...RH’s Opinion Sought By National Post</em></abbr></abbr></em> I can’t agree with you about writing / graphic design etc. being a trade. To me it’s a business application of artistry, to avoid being stuck selling fries as the local Fast Eddie’s. I find a brilliantly conceptualized ad / website / written copy that sways people’s opinions and turns them into a customer as beautiful as any piece of art.

What is art supposed to do? When done properly, it’s supposed to move people on an emotional level. What do we do? We try to do the exact same thing, only we have a goal, to convince the individual viewing our art to become a client / buy a product.

I think the primary thing we don’t see eye to eye on is the view of creative being a commodity… and I don’t’ think I’ll be able to dissuade you from that belief, but I’m very glad that society at large does put value on creativity because I wouldn’t want to live in a world that didn’t!

All that being said, It’s great to come across a fellow Canadian in the industry who has integrity. You would not believe some of the horror stories that we’ve come across…. service bills for responses to email, companies that charged many thousands for a website that was broken and never worked and then tried to get the customer to hire them to fix their broken work and the list goes on.

DaveRH´s last blog post…RH’s Opinion Sought By National Post

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