Creating A Rate Sheet

Want to learn how to communicate your rates like a pro? In this post, we’ll discuss industry-standard rates for textile and surface pattern designers, as well as how you can begin using a rate sheet to communicate with clients.

As a freelance textile designer, it often makes sense to charge by the project or pattern. But there are other times when it makes sense to charge by the hour. A few examples of these times include repeats, colorways, updates to existing patterns, and color separations.

A key benefit of charging by the hour is that you will be paid for all the hours that you work. If you come across a difficult client or a tricky repeat, for example, there can be endless revisions or updates. When you charge by the project, these updates are basically done for free.  Sure, you can put caps on revisions and updates, but this requires you to “police” your clients a bit. Kind of an awkward situation, especially for new designers.

As a freelancer working in a service or consulting capacity, you’re not really selling a product such as a book or a finished pattern. Clients may feel your prices are negotiable, making the experience frustrating for you. That’s why it’s important to spend time developing a pricing structure you feel comfortable with – one you can stand behind even when a client questions your rates.

After all, this is your business. It’s important to set prices based on your own comfort level, and not what your friends charge or what your clients recommend. Here are my tips to get you started…

Setting your rates

In my experience, freelance hourly rates for textile designers range from $35-$80 an hour. I have seen some designers charge less and other designers charge more, but this range is what clients are accustomed to paying in general. Here’s how the range breaks out:

  • Assistant Textile Designers: $35-$45 an hour. Duties include: repeats, colorways, trend research, simple print development, updates to existing prints
  • Jr. Textile Designers: $45-$60 an hour. Duties include: original artwork development, trend forecasting, colorways, updates to existing prints, repeats
  • Sr. Textile Designers: $60-$80 an hour. Duties include: trend forecasting and presentation, print collection development, color palette development, management and supervision of junior-level designers

Of course, there’s more to consider than just experience level and job duties. I suggest you think about these factors when deciding on an hourly rate that works for you:

  • Cost of living. If you live in a large city, such as London, New York, or Los Angeles, your rates should be higher than those who live in smaller cities or towns.
  • Speed. If you work very slowly then consider charging a rate that is slightly lower. As you gain experience, your speed will increase and so should your rate!
  • Hours. If you prefer to work only a few hours a week, then consider charging a higher rate. Those clients who truly want to work with you will be happy to pay your exclusive rate.

Creating your rate sheet

Talking about rates and pricing can be an uncomfortable experience for both the designer and the potential client. I find clients usually need time to process pricing information and verify that they have room in their budget for the process.

After several slightly awkward phone conversations with potential clients, I developed a rate sheet to better communicate my rates and the services that I offer. I discuss a project with a client first, and then let them know I’ll be sending my rate sheet to them. At that point, they can decide how they’d like to move forward.

Sometimes, while emailing a client, I have a feeling that my pricing might be out of their budget. When this happens, I normally send over my rate sheet beforehand to save both myself and the client time.

Creating a professional rate sheet makes your prices appear less negotiable. It also saves you time and is a wonderful way for your new client to learn more about your background.

Your rate sheet should be consistent with your branding and include:

  1. A short biography
  2. A list of your specialties
  3. Your rates
  4. Client testimonials
  5. Links to your portfolio
  6. LinkedIn page, blog, and website

I created an editable rate sheet template that you can DOWNLOAD HERE.

Thinking about your rates in advance helps you confidently communicate your rates when speaking to clients. Creating a professional rate sheet helps you avoid awkward conversations, frustrating negotiation, and confusion on the part of your clients.

Looking for more guidance on setting your rates? We highly recommend The Graphic Artists Guild Handbook of Pricing & Ethical Guidelines (affiliate link).

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At Pattern Observer we strive to help you grow your textile design business through our informative articles, interviews, tutorials, workshops and our private design community, The Textile Design Lab.

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