What Should I Charge: A Price-Setting Framework for Service Operators
Freelance designer who picks numbers “out of thin air” finally gets a pricing system that works
Happy Clients, Chaotic Pricing
You’re four years in. You’ve built a solid portfolio. Clients are happy. But every time someone asks your rate, you freeze.
You pull a number out of thin air. Sometimes $50/hour. Sometimes $75. Sometimes you quote a flat $2,000 project fee because you panicked.
You tell yourself you’ll research competitor rates. You’ll find the “right” formula. You’ll figure it out once you have more data.
This isn’t about lacking information. Over 70% of freelancers with 3+ years of experience still struggle with pricing—and the ones who fix it don’t do it by finding the perfect formula. They fix something you can’t see yet.
What You Think Is Wrong vs What’s Actually Wrong
What you think: You need more research. Better competitor data. The “right” pricing formula. More confidence.
What’s actually wrong: You’re waiting to feel ready. You won’t.
Here’s what’s happening: Pricing paralysis isn’t an information problem—it’s a confidence problem disguised as research.
Linnea’s a freelance graphic designer. Four years in, $36K/year. She spent three months “researching pricing.” Read twelve articles. Built a spreadsheet comparing competitor rates. Created three different pricing formulas.
She still picked numbers randomly when clients called.
The research wasn’t the problem. The waiting was. She was looking for certainty that doesn’t exist. The freelancers charging 5x what she charged weren’t 5x more confident—they just decided to charge it anyway.
You will never feel 100% confident in your pricing. The number that makes you uncomfortable is probably closer to right than the one that feels safe.
The Reframe That Changes Everything
“You will never feel 100% confident in your pricing. The freelancers charging 5x what you charge aren’t 5x more confident—they just decided to charge it anyway.”
Stop waiting for certainty. Start testing reality.
Do This Today (The Immediate Fix)
You don’t need more research. You need three conversations with your new rate.
Step 1: Write down the rate that makes you uncomfortable
Not the rate you’d feel good about. The rate that makes your stomach drop a little when you think about saying it out loud. That discomfort is information—it means you’re probably in the right zone.
For most freelancers undercharging, that number is 30-50% higher than what they currently quote.
Step 2: Add 20% to that number
Yes, really. If $75/hour makes you uncomfortable, make it $90. If $3,000 for a project feels too high, make it $3,600.
Why? Because you’re calibrated low. Your “uncomfortable” is probably market rate. Adding 20% puts you where confident freelancers already are.
Step 3: Quote that to your next three prospects
Don’t explain. Don’t apologize. Don’t offer discounts preemptively.
Practice saying it: “My rate is $90/hour” or “For this project, I’m quoting $3,600.”
Say it out loud right now. Ten times. Until it sounds like a fact, not a negotiation.
What you’re testing:
Will they say yes? (Some will—proves you can charge it)
Will they negotiate? (That’s normal—doesn’t mean you’re overpriced)
Will they walk away? (Also normal—you’re filtering for better clients)
Three quotes. That’s your market research. Not twelve articles about pricing—actual market response.
The math that matters:
If all three say yes without pushback → You’re still underpriced. Add another 20% for the next three.
If one or two say yes → You’re in the right zone. This is your new minimum.
If all three walk away → You might be 10-15% high for your market, OR you’re talking to budget clients. Adjust down slightly or improve your positioning, then test again.
Real pricing confidence comes from quoting uncomfortable numbers and discovering the world doesn’t end. You can’t research your way to that. You have to experience it.
The 7-Day Protocol (Complete Solution)
Day 1: Calculate your minimum acceptable rate
This isn’t what you want to charge. This is survival math.
Monthly expenses (business + personal): $_
Desired monthly profit: $_
Total needed per month: $_
Available billable hours per month (be realistic—20-25 hours/week maximum): $_
Minimum rate = Total needed ÷ Available hours
This is your floor. You never quote below this. Ever.
Day 2: Research three competitors (context only, not copying)
Find three freelancers in your space with similar experience. Look at their rates (if public) or their positioning.
You’re not copying their numbers. You’re calibrating reality. If they charge $120/hour and you’re at $50, that’s not because they’re better—it’s because they decided to charge it.
Day 3: Set your uncomfortable rate +20%
Take the number from Day 1. Add 50%. That’s your uncomfortable rate.
Add 20% to that. That’s your new minimum quote.
Example: Minimum acceptable rate is $60/hour. Add 50% = $90. Add 20% = $108. Round to $110/hour.
Write it down: “My rate is $_.”
Day 4: Create three pricing tiers
Budget tier: Your new rate (for small, straightforward projects)
Standard tier: New rate +30% (for most client work)
Premium tier: New rate +60% (for rush jobs, complex projects, ideal clients)
Example using $110 base:
Budget: $110/hour
Standard: $143/hour
Premium: $176/hour
Most clients will choose Standard. Some will choose Premium. Almost none will choose Budget, which proves you weren’t overpriced.
Day 5: Practice saying your rates out loud
Stand in front of a mirror. Say: “My rate is $143/hour.”
Say it twenty times until it sounds boring. Until the number feels like a fact, not a confession.
Practice the full script: “For this type of project, I typically work at $143/hour. Based on your scope, I estimate 20-25 hours, so we’re looking at $2,860-$3,575. Does that fit your budget?”
Notice: No apology. No justification. Just information.
Day 6: Update all pricing documents and proposals
Remove your old rates. Everywhere.
Update your proposals, rate sheets, email templates, and website (if you list rates).
This forces commitment. You can’t “accidentally” quote the old rate when it’s not written anywhere.
Day 7: Quote a new rate to your first prospect
Someone inquires. You send the new rate. No explanation. No discount offer.
If they push back: “I understand. My rates reflect the value I deliver and the results clients see. If budget is a concern, I can recommend someone who might be a better fit.”
Track the response. This is data.
Most freelancers discover one of two things on Day 7:
The prospect says yes without hesitation (you’re still underpriced)
The prospect negotiates but doesn’t walk away (you’re in the right zone)
Very few discover they’re truly overpriced. Usually, they just discover which clients can’t afford them, which is exactly what pricing is supposed to do.
Go Deeper: The Complete Framework
This solves the immediate problem—getting comfortable quoting real rates instead of picking numbers out of thin air.
But if you want the complete system for restructuring your offers, pricing tiers, and delivery model to capture more value from the same amount of work:
The Revenue Multiplier shows you how to double your earnings without working more. You’ll learn exactly why hourly rates cap your income, the three pricing models that scale past $100K/year, and how to package your work so clients pay for outcomes, not hours.
Want the full Clear Edge OS? 26 frameworks for $5K-$150K operators who want precision, not guesswork. Start here
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