Workshop Pricing

Fie Clarke
Fie Clarke Posts: 4
in Type Business
Hi Everyone, 

Im in need of some advice and pointers. I have been approached by a college/university (UK). They have asked me about running a one day workshop for some students, teaching them how to turn hand lettering into a font. It's something I have never done before but would love to do.

Its one things showing a colleague and design friend how to do it, but this will be quite different 

How do I even begin to price something like this? 

I know im going to need a proper plan and structure, maybe a guide of sorts for them to take away - Very open to tips and advice!

Thanks :)
Tagged:

Best Answers

  • Kasper Pyndt
    Kasper Pyndt Posts: 37
    edited August 29 Answer ✓
    I'd define what my ideal daily rate would be when working on small commissions (i personally charge 400-500€ per day as a type designer situated in Copenhagen) and then I'd double that amount to take prep time into account. Although, to be fair, you might need more than just 1 full day to prepare, so you could perhaps charge a little more. 

Answers

  • Fie Clarke
    Fie Clarke Posts: 4
    Im still trying work out what they want, its not less making a font, more constricting letters - still some thing I can do so that's not an issue 

    With it (potentially) being the first workshop id of run I don't want to be so cheep that its no benefit but I also do want to go the other end and price out. Id had a look at the average paid for guest lecturing too. Hourly rate and multiplier could work nicely for this. If it pans out it could be a nice annual thing.

    As there local to me travel isn't too much of a thing
    Prep time could be tricky until its decided what they want but def need to factor it, and if I need to produce any materials for the students take away

    Thank you both for the advice :)
  • Dave Crossland
    Dave Crossland Posts: 1,502
    edited 5:55AM
    I have a spiel on pricing and pitching offers :)

    You could ask them four questions that will show you the full picture:
    1. what they would not be willing to pay, because it was TOO CHEAP, such that they  think it would be risky somehow, not good value, or they have to pay again to do it again with someone else, etc etc.
    2. what they would be willing to pay, thinking it was a BARGAIN and they will buy more if they can
    3. what they would be willing to pay, thinking it was so EXPENSIVE they'd be thinking twice, maybe have to not buy something else, but ultimately is affordable for 'em
    4. what they would not be willing to pay, because that is just TOO DEAR, or even feels kinda like extortion...
    Even with just one customer's answers, you can plot those £££ on a curve, and decide how much value you are offering and where you ought to be along the curve. If you ask lots of people, you can plot each question on a curve and "x marks the spot", the literal 'sweet spot' of pricing; this is the Van Westendorp Price Sensitivity Meter. Clever stuff.

    Either way, if asking all that would be too weird for a customer or not, then make them a structured offer – with at least 3 price points, Good, Better, Best, and different levels of service/value. This way they can engage in their own "price discovery" of how much value they want to get from you, and pay accordingly. 

    If you just one-shot it and say "this is the value on offer and this is the price", you might leave money on the table by offering enough value for less than they are willing to pay, or you might overshoot and end up with nothing because your single price is just too high for them and they don't want to embarrass you (or themselves) by seeking a much lower price, so they just walk.

    So by offering a menu of value/price options, they can show how much they are willing to pay. If they take a lower tier, you can try upselling them on some of the things they like in a bigger menu item, as a custom package.

    Also, having a 'top price anchor' option which is probably in the 4th 'too dear' bracket helps frame the other options as good value, and hey if they go for it, its like Thomas said, time to add even higher option next time :D

    But all that being said, a long time ago (20+ years), I did some teaching gigs at UK universities, which, in the places and time I was at, was called "sessional teaching", and the colleges just had standard rate cards that pre-determined what they paid per-hour for people "from industry" to come in and speak to a group of students. So despite all the above, you might just find out they already have a price in mind for you, and its 'take it or leave it'.

    And in that case, I'd still recommend taking it, even if it isn't that well paid, because you can always adjust down how much you prep so its more fair, make it more fun, etc – and seek to get a second round with them and build up the relationship.

    Good luck :)

Categories