From Undervalued to Tripled Prices: My Journey as a Brand Designer

Hey there, fellow designers and creative entrepreneurs! Are you tired of putting in all the effort, booking clients left and right, but still not seeing it reflected in your bank account? 

I know I have been there. It’s tough not to feel down on yourself when you’re constantly wondering how other designers do it!

It can be overwhelming when you don't have the time or budget to hire help. And let's not even talk about raising prices. It can be scary to even think about it, especially when you feel like your clients already think you're too expensive. But fear not, my friends! I have some good news. 

Before I dive into the details of my journey and the actionable tips, I want to share something exciting with you. 

I've created a masterclass video where I go into even more detail about my experience and provide you with even more valuable tips that you can implement right away.

If you're serious about taking your design business to the next level and want to learn from my experience, I highly encourage you to watch the full masterclass video. You won't regret it!

So, how did I ditch corporate life, tripled my prices, and became a successful entrepreneur?

After leaving my corporate job, I dove headfirst into my own design business. And let me tell you, it was no walk in the park, especially with the curveballs that Covid threw my way. 

But I kept pushing through the struggles and obstacles, and by the end of 2022, I was able to double and even triple my prices. Now, my clients see me as a brand expert and trust my advice. 

So, how did I do it? Let me share some tips and strategies that helped me triple my prices and take my business to the next level.

Let’s get into it!

Tip #1 - The importance of rebranding

When I realized that my brand didn't have cohesiveness or look professional, I knew I needed to make some changes. So, I started by researching other successful agencies in my industry to see what they were doing differently.

After taking a step back, I realized that I needed to rebrand because my brand did not look elevated enough or even like a “high-end” brand design agency.

What did I do to rebrand?

• Refreshing my visual identity

I updated my fonts, logo, color palette, textures, and more, and applied these changes across all platforms. 

• Paid for the nice mockups

At first, I was hesitant to spend money on mockups and design elements. But then, I realized that cutting corners wasn't going to cut it.

If I wanted to look professional, I needed to pay for the more elevated mockups.

Tip #2 - I learned to say no and “niche” down

This doesn't necessarily mean picking one industry, but rather focusing on one area that you're passionate about. For me, it was brand design. Specializing in brand design allowed me to say no to smaller projects and become known as an expert in my field. 

I then decided I only wanted to take on a brand design project because that is what I was most passionate about and quite frankly I had A LOT of experience in it. 

The KEY was to no longer be seen as a graphic designer but rather be known as a brand design expert!

Tip #3 - I worked on clarifying my offers and adding value

My packages & offers

After deciding to focus on brand packages, the next step was to set my packages and offers. This allowed me to have a set of standard offerings as a base for all of my clients, while still customizing each package depending on the specific deliverables needed.

Start by researching your market and seeing what other designers are doing and how they're pricing their packages. This will help you understand what you can offer to your clients and find a way to make it your own that reflects what you believe in for your business.

Me, I researched other agencies, studied the market, and took courses to come up with a reasonable price for my base package of $5,000.

I explain to potential clients that all of my packages are custom, but every project starts with the standard essentials brand package. From there, we can build on it if they want to add a website, package designs, or anything else.

But by starting with a solid foundation in the essentials brand package, I can ensure that each client receives the essential elements needed for a successful brand design. Through experience and repetition, I was able to perfect my design process and speed up my workflow and maintain consistency in the presentation of my designs to clients.

Adding Value

Adding value is another important step that you should not overlook. I realized that I was providing so much added value to my clients but wasn't explaining the value or even charging for it. 

For instance, I was doing brand strategy for my clients without telling them or charging them for it. So, I started adding this to my packages and explaining why it was an important step before starting the design process. 

Tip #4 - I needed a “high-end” client process

I knew that if I wanted to target a high-end market, I had to give my clients a high-end experience. My old process of just booking the client, getting 50% upfront, sending a couple of PDFs back and forth via email, and then requesting the last payment just wasn't going to cut it anymore.

When clients are paying premium prices, they expect more. That's why I started doing consultation calls with potential clients before taking on any projects. This way, I could get face-to-face with them and learn more about their business, while also explaining my process and answering any questions they may have.

Another thing I improved was my proposal. I used to send a well-designed proposal, but it wasn’t in-depth enough. So, started laying everything out for my clients - where my cost come from timelines, late fees, what’s included and not included in my process, and more.

Ready to take your design business to the next level? Watch my free masterclass now!

I’ve shared a lot with you today about how I tripled my prices as a designer by improving various aspects of my business. But remember, these are just a few tips and strategies that I’ve learned along the way.

If you're serious about growing your design business and want to learn more about how to triple your prices, then I encourage you to watch my free full masterclass video. In the masterclass, I go even deeper into these topics and share more insights, personal stories, and lessons I learned.

Have you ever felt undervalued in your work or business? What steps have you taken to increase your value and prices? Let me know and don't forget to share this post with others who might find it helpful.