Its rare that client wants to pay more, just take it without thinking. :-)

Take it as a good sign that the client wants to compensate you for the “extra” work... I would imagine that they’re planning on using you for more work down the road, and this is their way of keeping you happy. It might be different if YOU asked, but if they’re offering, for goodness’ sake, take it! You’ll want to consider raising your rate on the next job.

Tell your client to pay what you deserve for designing a company logo. It’s great to have a client suggest it on goodwill.

if its significant money take it, if not don’t. :)

-

www.nunocoelho.com

I wouldn’t take it, you have a contract and that it’s priceless. But if the original $250 were agreed just for the logo, then you should re-arrange the contract if the final product exceeded what was in the agreement. Don’t take it just like that, if applicable, make a new contract for the final product, so she will see that you respect your work and the contract.

Some people might even be offended if you wouldn’t take it. Especially in Oriental cultures (and it is a yoga teacher), I think it might come off as offensive if you wouldn’t accept it... Seems like an easy choice to me. And the fact they want to pay extra is a sign they are pleased & will definitely want to work with you in the future

“So I am finishing a logo and the client wants to pay more.”

In any event, take the money. A cheap job will end up as portfolio. Don’t worry, someday you will be charging fifty thousand.
There is no big or small job. Cash now! Do it fast.

Take it!

We talked about this one, right? She obviously knows that your work is worth more than the sum to which you first agreed. Has she said how much more yet? Maybe this would be the perfect opportunity to charge much more via doing as Elio (ilovecolors) suggests. Rewrite the contract taking into account the additional services you’ve rendered.
I feel your pain; that it’s embarrassing to undersell yourself so badly that the client feels hesitant accepting on the original terms. Also, why am I not looking at a picture of this wordmark and logo right now? Has your Photoshop broken down?

Hmm, depends on HOW MUCH extra she’s willing to pay. Unless she’s going to double or triple the original bid, I don’t really think it’s worth it (unless you’re really strapped for cash).

Now I’m always a fan of sucking every last penny from a client, but I think this will end up hurting you down the road. It would be better to just call it good at $250, but make it clear to her that this was more or less a freebie with a small stipend. If she gives you $50 extra, she’ll think that she paid you what you’re worth (or whatever arbitrary number she comes up with). And then she’ll expect those same rates down the road.

Probably your best bet is to walk away, unless you think it would be a really great portfolio piece.

I can’t really offer an opinion on this one, but I have a couple of practices that have served me & my company well for almost 30 years.

1. We have two prices: full price and free. Even friends can understand this one. It should go without saying that if it is a free job, we work just as hard as if we were getting full price.

2. 95 % of the time, for our work — even creative work — we have a price agreed on in advance. Sometime we make a little extra, sometimes we don’t; it averages out in the long run. For that other 5% of the time when I come back & ask for more because of some unforeseen complexities, customers almost always agree. I think this is due in part to that 95% consistency; and in part because they too see that the extra work was needed.

And a final thing: very occasionally I quote too high, yet the price is agreed to. In that case, similar to when I have to go back & ask for more, we bill less than the agreed amount. I don’t view this as a change in price so much as a mistake in assessing the complexities of a job, just like the situation where we ask for more.

FWIW

First of all.... Hi everyone! Long time lurker & first post :)

Coming from a sign design background I have created many logos and various ’marks’ to distinguish local companies and services. I’ve had customers hammer me with re-vamps on designs, and have had them love my first iterations.

Think about all of the time you have put into developing your skills as an artist FIRST. The time that you involved yourself with the customer evolving and constructing the ideas are SECOND. The actual design process is the most enjoyable part of this business but it’s still THIRD.

Take the money James. You’ve worked hard for it. Even if it seems like it was too easy.....It wasn’t. You know that. It seems as though your customer knows as well!

Redo the contract with the yoga teacher. You will most likely benefit from a happy client.

cheers Grant

Are you asking this question, or am I dead and gone to penniless idiot heaven?

Cheers!

I think this will end up hurting you down the road.

How? From what James said, the client recognized that the job was worth more than originally agreed and made the offer of more money. He didn’t browbeat her into doing it. Sounds like a great client!

It is always good to have a contract before starting a job (learned the hard way) but it’s also important to make clear the scope of the job within the contract. If the contract stipulated a wordmark and the job exceeded that description then you would also have been within your right to negotiate for additional money.

I think we’re all far too skeptical in most situations. It seems like she genuinely thinks you deserve more money and wants to give it to you as a gift. It’s not a trick.

How was it offered? Since you seem like a fairly professional human being, I don’t imagine that you were complaining about your payment in front of her. I can only imagine that she herself realized the extra work that went into the project, and was offering it like a bonus. I don’t sincerely think that she would offer you this stipend as some kind of loyalty test and go to another designer if you took it.

Rework the contract and TAKE THE MONEY.

—
Nick Hladek

Ok, ok, I’m taking the money. I know asking in the first placed seemed stupid, but seriously, I never really expected a client to offer to pay more. Hell, even when I was working with multi-million government contracts and the clients just needed to dump cash to keep the budget from dropping they never offered to pay more to us, they just spent it on junk and put it in warehouses.

Hi, my 2 cents here.
I think being honest with the client and calculate how much it should have been (actual figure at full rate) and then make a price that you both agree to, though the quote would have been logo only?

If however you undersell yourself now, they will expect that sort price in the future.

Ma che dire qualcosa di photoshop?

Congratulations, James. Sounds like you made an excellent impression on your client. She’ll surely send more business her way. Your client sounds like someone with very good character.

Sharon

they just spent it on junk and put it in warehouses.

I tought our government was the only one trashing money that way, I feel relieved.

Héctor

Congrats, James, you found a good client! (i.e., the kind that won’t go looking here to have their design needs met!)

^Whoa Ricardo! I’ve never seen that site before. That’s... um.... sad?

Hi, Katherine. I found a link to it on Design Observer, a couple of days ago. Later they removed the direct link and added one to a discussion on “crowd-sourcing” design work, which is here.

Yeah, I agree: a sad but real phenomenon. There are other websites like it, too.

I say take it, because ESPECIALLY if they’re planning on using you again, this jo will dictate the expectation for future payment.

If you do it for less, they’ll expect each future job for less as well.

Personally as long as the money’s worth it I’m happy cause I do it for design, but when there’s more at stake you have to do the thing that sometimes you wouldn’t normally.

by the way, when do we get to see the logo?

It’s a two-part logo designed at the client’s request: an abstract brandmark that can be used as an element of other designs and a wordmark that secondary brands can be attached two. The plan is for this to be a high-end, yoga-centric lifestyle products company.

@Pattyfab: I was saying basically what Freeza said (if its significant money take it, if not don’t).

If the client doubled or tripled the money, great, take the money. But if she thinks paying extra means $20 and a Starbucks card, then I would turn that extra amount down. Accepting a small extra amount sends a completely wrong message to the client: you can arbitrarily decide what my work is worth, and feel generous and fair in your actions. I would want to send the message that $250 was a student rate, and was a one time only deal.

Every once in a while I’ll have a client surprise me with a “bonus” for a job well done. I’m certainly not going to turn down a “monetary compliment” from a happy client. I argued a bit with one client about it and she said “take the extra money and buy yourself something you’ve been wanting” - I bought myself a toy train I’d had my eye one for some time!

Jeff Fisher | Engineer of Creative Identity | Jeff Fisher LogoMotives

Look at it this way: You low-balled your quote, and the client realized that, so they’re offering to make up some of the difference. They know you’re a fresh-faced designer that’s up and coming. The extra money could be considered a tip for exceptional services rendered, or an investment in future services rendered. When you’re more established and have a better idea of how and what to quote, this will happen less and less, but by then you’ll be more solid in your quoting and contracting that you’ll be earning what you’re worth.

Take it and remember to give them as good or better service next time they come around. Also, don’t forget to charge them accordingly next time as well.

Thanks Ricardo. I can’t imagine the AIGA looks too fondly at that site.

“Take it and remember to give them as good or better service next time they come around.”

This is why he shouldn’t take it — it sets up a dynamic where the designer is now in debt to the generosity of the client. Unless it’s coming from your beloved grandmother, money almost always has strings attached.

Some people would be insulted if you refused.

What about contra?

Listen to me good. These words will make you wise:

“Thank you, that’s very generous of you.”

This person has thought to do something nice for you. a token of appreciation, don’t squash those good feelings. If you feel guilty about taking the money, send your client a nice “thank you” gift around the holidays. It can be both cathartic and a chance to do some really cool self promotion.

Jac
“pronounced by saying ’Jake’ without conjuring imagery of lumberjacks or mans best friend.”

“I never really expected a client to offer to pay more.”

That’s a true sign that you’re doing what you’re supposed to be doing as a designer.
Keep it up.