Figuring out how much to charge for packages is actually quite simple.

You are going to think I am crazy here, but hear me out.

Make it up.

Make up the price based on whatever you feel like charging the client.

"What! Woah! That’s crazy and unethical." - Said every struggling freelancer.

But hear me out.

Pricing has no rules.

Just because you submit a proposal to a client, doesn't mean they have to accept it.

You are not stealing from them if you charge a higher rate than another client.

You choose your rates, and the client has the choice on if they want to accept it.

But how do you make up this number?

Not exactly, I do have some rhyme or reason. Here are just a few of the criteria that I use to determine my pricing.

Criteria to base your pricing on

1) Do I like this client?

Does this prospect seem like a good person and someone I will enjoy working with?

If they seem like a jerk, or like they are going to be a pain in the ass, then either don't submit a proposal or submit one with what I call 'asswhole pricing'.

Asswhole pricing is just what it sounds like. If this client seems like an asswhole then they are going to pay a premium.

Remember, there is nothing unethical about this, the client chooses if they want to accept the proposal and if they do, you want to be certain to be compensated for the headache they cause you.

2) How much do I expect this client to be willing to pay?

Based off my initial conversations with the client I can typically get a rough idea of how much the client is willing to pay. The number I end up submitting is largely based off what I expect them to be willing to pay for the project.

Believe it or not, if a client has a high budget in mind for their project and you come in with a low number this will actually lower your chances of winning the project. When your budget comes in lower than the clients expectations it often makes them second guess the quality of your work.

3) Do they sound picky?

Some clients can be great people and enjoyable to work with, but I always try to look out for the nitpicky type during the initial conversations. If I get the feeling that there is going to be a lot of rounds of revisions with this client then I will charge accordingly.

4) Is the project going to be a good portfolio piece?

This is actually a situation where sometimes I charge less. Occasionally a client comes across (typically an arts or entertainment client), and I can tell they don’t have a huge budget but the assets that they have to work with are incredible.

If I know that this project could turn out to be an incredible portfolio piece, then I may charge less so that the client can afford the project and we can work together.

5) How much value am I providing to the client?

This is the single most important criteria to determining pricing. In Alan Weiss's book 'Million Dollar Consulting' he refers to this as value based pricing.

As a freelance web designer, I know that for many of my clients their website is extremely important to them and their business. Thus, there is a ton of value that I am providing by putting together a professional and functional site for them.

When I know the project I am doing is going to largely impact that clients bottom line, then I set my rates accordingly.

6) How busy am I?

If I am swamped with projects, then I am going to start putting out proposals for higher dollar amounts. I simply have to in order to justify working on the project.

When my schedule gets busy, my rates go up, when things slow down a bit, I may be willing to take on some slightly lower budget projects.

See, the number isn't pulled completely out of thin air, but there is really no formula.

Instead I evaluate the situation on a series of loosely defined criteria and then make a number based off of these areas.