Pricing creative work is hard. If you design a logo for a mom-and-pop shop, it might be worth $500. If you design the same logo for Nike, it's worth $50,000. Why? Because the value is in the usage, not the hours.
Most designers make the mistake of sending an invoice that just says "Logo Design - 10 Hours." This caps your earning potential. You need to separate your Labor from your IP (Intellectual Property).
Line Item 1: The Creative Fee
This pays for your time and talent. It covers:
- Research & Moodboarding
- Sketching & Concepts
- Vectorization & Revisions
- Client Meetings & Presentations
This ensures that even if the client decides not to use the logo, you still got paid for the work you did. Your time has value regardless of the outcome.
Line Item 2: The Usage License
This is where the profit is. You are selling them the right to use the artwork. Be specific in your invoice description:
By separating this, you give yourself negotiating power:
The Negotiation: If a client says "$5,000 is too much," you don't lower your hourly rate. You say, "Okay, we can lower the price to $3,000, but the license will be restricted to 'North America Only' for '2 Years'." You reduce the value of the license, not your worth as a designer.
Line Item 3: File Delivery & Asset Package
Don't forget to charge for the deliverables. Creating a brand guide, exporting assets in 20 different formats (JPG, PNG, SVG, EPS, AI), and organizing files takes time. Add a line item for "Final Asset Package Preparation."
Use our Graphic Design Invoice Template which is pre-formatted with these sections to help you look like a high-end agency and command higher fees.