When pricing, one of the hardest things is knowing what a graphic designer should charge a client for a product label design. While this might sound like a fast and easy process, getting the correct colors and fonts and adding flair for an eye-catching design takes time. So how much should you charge for product label design?

Companies should spend between $300 and $1200 on designs for product labels. These fees cover all aspects of the designer’s project, from prospecting to the finished product. Spending less could see the product fall short of the company’s goals. Don’t skimp on product labels or packaging.

The process that it takes to create several different choices for the company takes time and a level of research and design know-how that you will not find with a cheap designer. So read on and learn everything you need to know about how much to charge for product label design.

What You Should Charge for Designing Product Labels

The most important thing you are charging for is your creative process. Your process will encompass the entire job with the client, from the initial proposal to the finished product labeling at the end. While some professions only charge for working time, a graphic designer’s job is more involved.

Prospecting for Clients is How Designers Get Work

One of the essential parts of the job is finding clients. Spending time creating the pitches for the jobs and doing some estimation and guesswork should be included in your fee. Count the hours or keep a list of your money spent while acquiring clients.

Reasons that prospecting should be included in the final price are:

• Pre-Designs – Some clients will want a few small previews of your ideas before hiring you. If you are forced to create work for the new clients before they hire you, adding it to the job total will be in your best interest.
• Portfolio – Often, there will be a need for storage space for all your trophies from past jobs. Having an online portfolio will require paying a server fee, and additional fees could be added to the job.

Prospecting is a job that requires patience and some luck. New designers could skirt these fees by having drives containing their jobs, and older designers could have work on formats that aren’t even accepted anymore. So be sure to include your pricing for what it takes to maintain your portfolio.

Design Briefings are How the Client Gets What they Want.

The most important thing you will encounter during the process is the initial meetings with the client. After that, many boxes will be checked off the list, and the designer is off to do their function. These design briefings will be crucial to the final product and will be the place you set your price and explain it.

Some things that will be decided during the design briefings are:

• Goals – A crucial part of the process is knowing what the client wants when hiring you. The money they invest must be worth it. It doesn’t matter if they are a small business or a conglomerate making its strides in a new market. You must consider their goals and how your design work will make them happen.
• Company – Creating a product label isn’t just about the product; it must also represent the company. During the design briefs, the company must be represented, and its ethos must be encapsulated on the product label in the way they see fit.

Design briefings are just a fancy term for your meetings via e-mail and online. These briefs are work hours for a designer, and you should understand how adding these hours into your pay will impact the project.

The Finished Product Labels are Part of the Process

Unlike other jobs, there’s still work when you hand in the final designs. A back and forth between you and the client should occur to tweak the designs you created. But, after all the other briefings, the final designs should be established and not require too much work.

Conclusion

Pricing for designing product labels is a delicate process. You should take the time to write down your time on each project and use it going forward. These prices will impact the bottom line of your job.

Once you have an idea of how many hours it will take to complete the job and the price of your materials, you can approach the client with your price. You should send this pricing to the client initially and stick to your guns.