Hey there, fellow designers! I want to share with you an incredible success story that happened in my recent high-level mastermind group, and I believe it will inspire and encourage you in your own design business journey. I’ll be discussing the journey of a seasoned designer in my mastermind group who was able to secure a remarkable 5-figure design fee for her project. This story serves as a testament to the importance of setting the right design fees and sticking to your process. It’s a reminder that success is attainable, and it may be closer than you think. Let’s dive into the details!

Sticking to Your Process

The seasoned designer I mentioned is an experienced professional with over 17 years in the industry. Despite her extensive experience, she sought guidance in approaching a significant opportunity for a new build project. We worked together to reinforce the significance of sticking to her established process, emphasizing that deviating from it to land a project often leads to unfavorable outcomes. This is a crucial lesson for all designers – compromising on your process to secure a project can lead to challenges down the road.

Setting Expectations

Another crucial aspect we covered was setting expectations with the client. By utilizing pre-meeting documents, she was able to clearly communicate the parameters of her work and set the tone for the project. This ensured that the client understood the designer’s approach, leading to a smoother project journey. It’s essential to communicate your working style and project parameters effectively to avoid misunderstandings and unnecessary challenges later on.

Reevaluating Design Fees

When she initially proposed a $35,000 design fee, it seemed like a significant jump from her previous fees. Together, we delved into the project’s scope, the required staffing, and the project duration, leading to a reevaluation of the proposed design fee. The resulting $96,000 design fee she presented to the client truly reflected the project’s scale and her expertise. This experience highlights the value of accurately assessing the requirements of a project and setting design fees accordingly.

Charging What You’re Worth

Securing the significantly increased design fee brought her immense satisfaction and validated her worth as a designer. It’s crucial for all designers to consider not just the catchphrase of “charging what you’re worth” but also to understand and communicate the reasoning behind their fees. Charging what you’re worth goes beyond financial compensation – it fosters confidence, validates your expertise, and ensures a fair exchange for the value you provide.

The success story of the seasoned designer in my mastermind group serves as a powerful reminder of the possibilities within our reach as designers. By sticking to a proven process, effectively communicating expectations, reevaluating design fees, and charging what we’re worth, we can transform our businesses and achieve significant milestones. Join me in embracing the notion that charging what we’re worth is not merely about the numbers – it’s about respecting our craft, valuing our expertise, and confidently steering our businesses toward greater success. Remember, the potential to achieve awe-inspiring results is within your grasp. Your next big breakthrough could be right around the corner! Tune into the full episode on iTunes here or on my website and keep up with my other blog posts.