Should you charge the 'annoying' design clients more? - Creative Confessions™
- Robin Son
- Nov 20
- 3 min read
Sometimes a Creative Confession™ lands in my inbox and I instantly understand the fear, the frustration and the moment of panic. And sometimes a confession stops me in my tracks for the opposite reason.
This was one of the rare times where I disagreed with the creative confession™ and it opened a much bigger conversation about boundaries, pricing, burnout, and the myths creatives cling to.
The Confession
“When I have client calls, I price the project based on how annoying I think the client is going to be during the process.”
Want to listen to this episode instead of reading? ↓
Originally aired: 18 April 2025
Why This Confession Hits a Nerve
No one likes to talk about how to price your work as a designer. This confession seems to tap into something I see a lot in the design world which is designers pricing emotionally instead of professionally. It’s usually a symptom of shaky boundaries, unclear processes or a fear of being taken advantage of or doing the wrong thing. But adjusting your rates based on someone’s vibe is where things get messy.
Pricing isn’t personal, it’s structural
Your rates shouldn’t rise and fall based on:
the client’s tone
how many questions they ask
whether they’re nervous
whether they over-explained
whether they messaged you with a paragraph instead of a bullet list
Your pricing should be based on:
deliverables
timelines
expertise required
creative output
project size
revisions included
responsibilities
your base minimum
Most “Annoying” Clients Aren’t Actually Annoying
This was a big part of the episode. What we interpret as “annoying” is often:
a client asking questions because they genuinely don’t know
a client feeling nervous because design is a big investment
a client trying to understand your workflow because they can’t find that info online
a client trying to make sure they’re doing things right
a client who wants to be involved but doesn’t understand the boundaries
It so often comes from lack of clarity rather than a lack of respect. And thats up to us to fix.
We’re told to manifest a “dream client”. A client who pays instantly, doesn't ask too many questions, doesn't ask for lots of small back and forth changes etc...
But clients are humans. We're not born knowing how things work, we're messy, emotional, imperfect, and figuring things out as we go. Just like everyone else.
When we cling to the dream client fantasy, every normal behaviour starts looking like a red flag.
How I Actually Price Projects Now
In the episode, I break down my personal approach. I have a non-negotiable base rate and pricing is always based on scope and deliverables. I ask questions to understand the client’s availability and involvement. I never change my process, but I do adapt communication styles of clients to make it as easy for them as possible to be involved.
If someone truly feels like a bad fit, I decline the project instead of adjusting the price
Pricing your work as a designer is hard and it looks different for everyone (that's literally what makes it difficult lmao).
If you want the full breakdown of this confession plus my opinion, listen to the Archived episode of Brand Your Brain at the top of this post
Got a Creative Confession™ of your own?
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