• Try “portfolio”, “ink”, “branding” or a code like “PRS 101”.

CBE 201Creative Business and Entrepreneurship

Pricing Creative Services

Build a pricing method you can explain: costs and minimums, time-based and project pricing, usage, rush fees, deposits and how sales tax fits on a quote.

In developmentDraft content

About this course

Underpricing is the most common reason creative businesses fail, and guessing is the most common way to price. This course builds a method: work out what your business costs to run, set a minimum effective rate, choose between hourly, day-rate, project and value-informed pricing, add usage and licensing considerations, and set policies for rush work, revisions, deposits and cancellations. It also covers presenting a price confidently and, for Canadian freelancers, how GST/HST registration affects quotes. Proposal writing is covered in its own course, Creative Proposal Writing.

Who it’s for: Freelance designers, illustrators and other creative service providers who quote for client work. Freelancing Fundamentals is recommended first.

You will be able to

  • Calculate your annual business costs and a minimum effective hourly rate
  • Price a project using at least two methods and reconcile the results
  • Explain how usage, exclusivity and duration can affect a creative fee
  • Write pricing policies for deposits, revisions, rush work and cancellation
  • Present a quote with confidence and handle a budget objection

Prerequisites

Studio project

A documented pricing method with a minimum effective rate, two reconciled project estimates, written pricing policies and a sample quote.

To complete this course

  • Complete every required lesson.
  • Have the assignment “Pricing method and sheet” accepted by an instructor.
  • Records of completion are issued only for courses whose content has passed instructor review.

Part of

Syllabus

Working titles: they may change as the course is written.

  1. Module 1: Your numbers

    Price from your real costs, not from fear.

    1. 1.1The cost of doing businessExercise · 45 min
    2. 1.2Billable hours are fewer than you thinkReading · 20 min
    3. 1.3Your minimum effective rateExercise · 25 min

  2. Module 2: Pricing methods

    Hourly, day rate, project and value-informed.

    1. 2.1Time-based pricingReading · 20 min
    2. 2.2Project pricingExercise · 35 min
    3. 2.3Value-informed pricingReading · 25 min

  3. Module 3: Usage, rights and terms

    What the client may do with the work affects the fee.

    1. 3.1Usage and feesReading · 30 min
    2. 3.2Pricing policiesExercise · 30 min
    3. 3.3Sales tax on quotes in CanadaReading · 20 min

  4. Module 4: Presenting the price

    Confidence comes from a method.

    1. 4.1Options, not ultimatumsReading · 20 min
    2. 4.2Handling budget objectionsExercise · 25 min
    3. 4.3Reviewing your pricesReading · 15 min

Educational information about Canadian and international practice, not legal, tax or financial advice. Tax, consumer and business rules differ by country and province. For decisions about your situation, consult a qualified accountant, lawyer or other professional.

Sources

Author: Ricketts University curriculum team (draft for founder review) · Not yet reviewed

Related courses

  1. CBE 101

    Freelancing Fundamentals

    Set up a freelance creative practice: business basics, records, taxes and GST/HST in Canada, simple agreements, invoicing and a sustainable workload.Creative Business and Entrepreneurship    Foundation14 lessons · ~10 hPlanned
  2. CBE 105

    Finding Graphic Design Clients

    Decide who you design for, where those clients look for designers, and how to become easy to find and easy to hire.Creative Business and Entrepreneurship    Foundation9 lessons · ~8 hPlanned
  3. CBE 110

    Finding Creative Opportunities

    Find and apply for calls for art, juried shows, grants, residencies, markets and commissions, and track every application in one place.Creative Business and Entrepreneurship    Foundation10 lessons · ~8 hPlanned
Back to the full catalogue