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How much should I charge as retainer fees for web/graphic design?

by sitekrafters
7 replies
Hello guys,

A restaurant owner asked me to take care of all his design needs, both print and web. He wants to set up a retainer agreement with me. Assuming he wants to pay me a monthly fee for a certain number of hours worked, how much should this monthly fee be?

To give you an idea of my rates, I charge $1200 for a website and $500 for a 30-second web commercial.

I'm planning to offer him a package with certain number of monthly hours e.g. 20 hours a month for $XX.

The restaurant seems to be doing really well.

Any ideas as to what I should charge?
#charge #design #fees #retainer #web or graphic
  • Profile picture of the author tryinhere
    you make sites for 1200 so how many hours does that take / what's the hourly rate and the commercials what's your hourly rate calc out to there ? then what's an average and you at least have a starting point in what your trading your time for now.
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  • Profile picture of the author Oziboomer
    Originally Posted by sitekrafters View Post

    Hello guys,

    A restaurant owner asked me to take care of all his design needs, both print and web. He wants to set up a retainer agreement with me. Assuming he wants to pay me a monthly fee for a certain number of hours worked, how much should this monthly fee be?

    To give you an idea of my rates, I charge $1200 for a website and $500 for a 30-second web commercial.

    I'm planning to offer him a package with certain number of monthly hours e.g. 20 hours a month for .

    The restaurant seems to be doing really well.

    Any ideas as to what I should charge?
    Did the restaurant owner approach you or did you approach him?

    Something to remember is people who get paid for "who they are" can charge more than people who get paid for "what they do" can.

    Forget charging an hourly rate or thinking in those terms because that is not going to inspire you to produce your best results.

    If you are going to offer anything...offer to provide a result.

    Negotiate and arrive at a figure that rewards you for the investment and knowledge you possess and also gives the restaurant owner reassurance they are getting value for money.

    Don't talk about hours.

    Does the restaurant tell clients the amount of time it takes to prepare their food?....no....

    ...they deliver something delicious and for that they are rewarded with repeat business and referrals.

    If you prepare something delicious each month I'm sure they will keep dining with you....

    ...but you need to decide...

    Are you a sit down establishment with silver service...

    ...or just a drive through convenience?
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    • Profile picture of the author DABK
      Why do they want you on retainer?

      Why not just contact you when they need something? And take a chance that you might not be able to accommodate them?

      They must be thinking highly of your skills... You're simplifying their life.

      A retainer is a fee you pay in addition to the costs of whatever it is you're delivering... for the right to get your services, not for the services themselves...

      You can charge little or a lot, depending on how busy you are...

      Once you accept the retainer fee, you need to deliver... in whatever time frame specified...

      The busier you are, the higher the retainer fee should be... because you might have to say no to some opportunity just to be available for these people, and the opportunity might be greater than anything these people will ever provide...

      If you're not using the word 'retainer' as a fee to insure you'd work with them but as a fee for work done... stay away from hours and think results... If your flyers convert 2 times better than those of your best competitor, should both of you charge the same just because it took you the same number of hours to come up with your flyers?
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      • Profile picture of the author sconer
        I always see things from my cynical nature. The way I read this is that the restaurant owner wants your unlimited work at a low cost and then when he has everything he needs in a couple of months he just ends it.
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        • Profile picture of the author trip3980
          Originally Posted by sconer View Post

          I always see things from my cynical nature. The way I read this is that the restaurant owner wants your unlimited work at a low cost and then when he has everything he needs in a couple of months he just ends it.
          Yeah I saw that too. I do art as well and all I can say is people will rape you for intellectual property because its not really tangible. Srugs.
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  • Profile picture of the author trip3980
    Originally Posted by sitekrafters View Post

    Hello guys,

    A restaurant owner asked me to take care of all his design needs, both print and web. He wants to set up a retainer agreement with me. Assuming he wants to pay me a monthly fee for a certain number of hours worked, how much should this monthly fee be?

    To give you an idea of my rates, I charge $1200 for a website and $500 for a 30-second web commercial.

    I'm planning to offer him a package with certain number of monthly hours e.g. 20 hours a month for .

    The restaurant seems to be doing really well.

    Any ideas as to what I should charge?
    My advice is work with percentage of sales for x duration. So lets say you do a contract that offers your services for 1 year at %5 of sales that way your success is based on their success
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  • Profile picture of the author Jason Kanigan
    Originally Posted by sitekrafters View Post

    Hello guys,

    A restaurant owner asked me to take care of all his design needs, both print and web. He wants to set up a retainer agreement with me. Assuming he wants to pay me a monthly fee for a certain number of hours worked, how much should this monthly fee be?

    To give you an idea of my rates, I charge $1200 for a website and $500 for a 30-second web commercial.

    I'm planning to offer him a package with certain number of monthly hours e.g. 20 hours a month for .

    The restaurant seems to be doing really well.

    Any ideas as to what I should charge?
    I think you'll get a ton out of this thread...

    http://www.warriorforum.com/offline-...damn-high.html

    and the "Monetizing the Problem" link in post #2 therein.
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