How much do I charge for a product (good and / or service)?

Very we are getting questions about the amounts to be charged for the service.
This crossroads are those who started now, those who have new demands, that is, much has doubts, for this, some look up to available tables, others for examples of the area, but when you do not have reference to the service to be new?
A question to be answered with other questions:
How much do you believe that the customer is willing to pay?
Why he would pay the charge?
How much is charged for similar services?
The most important is actually know what their costs and expenses, as compensation should follow the basic principles that:
It must be able to perform the service for which he was hired;
Should cover the cost of the contractor shall be enforceable; ie is to be paid by the contractor,
It must be within the market average because values ​​far above and below, devalue the executor.
The question that remains is that if you charge cheaper just to catch the customer, will it cover your expenses?
There are many questions to be answered, but all in all the most important is that whoever runs the service should keep in mind your expenses, because the customer knows very well the values ​​of the market, how much is willing to pay, it is up to the performer to be aware on its costs and expenses because of it is no use putting surreal values, too far below or above the market value because the market has its own dynamics, the law of supply and demand for scarce value greater things, and so on .
The amount to be charged for the service performer must follow a small script in his pricing.
1. It is within that gives the market average;
2. It has to cover the expenses and costs of materials used directly or indirectly;
3. Has cover any expenses and future costs, like time to arrange other services;
4. Replacement, purchase or rental of equipment;
5. Expenses updates
6. Other.
Each case is unique, so tables of others are just tools to evaluate and mark out, each case is different, for this service performer must know well the market in which it is located, what are your costs and expenses.
The biggest mistake is to believe that you have not spent,
Even if you live in own home or with parents or favor, all have costs and expenses, the software that is used, the courses must do to recycle, the visit to the customer, delivery of ready material, food , the electrical energy used, are just some examples. Each has its own reality.
The steps to be followed
The first step is to quantify the costs and expenses involved, the hours spent on the work, etc. Once this is done you can now start to have a basis for the hours worked.
Once quantified the time, it is possible based on the values ​​practiced in the market to establish a value to be charged for the work to be performed. One thing should be clear that the costs of each one is unique, and so it is not convenient to compare to other professionals.
The client aims to minimize his costs, so always going to appeal the lower cost benefit, it is the professional suit customer needs your needs, if you can run the service, great because if you work in customer conditions, not will cover their costs and it will be a catastrophe. The same is true when you charge far more than the market value for the customer actually be able to do it, this is a suicidal practice, because it finds and loses the client and future client.
Despite being an obvious thing to practice business ethics has only to bring better conditions and better values ​​at all, you can not want everyone to have ethics, but at least most can seek to improve the market as a whole, because everyone wins , There are customers of bad character as professionals, if we want a more valuable market must be aware of our values ​​be fair with us.
As quantifies costs and expenses

There are no magic formulas, for it has many different shapes, with paper and pencil, puts up all that is spent (costs and expenses) sum up and divided by the amount of time you want to devote to the product to be made, there more detailed formulas, spreadsheets, etc., it is up to each to find one that best fits your reality if you need to have a spreadsheet that can be arranged according to the needs of each one, or even more if you need ideas about cost can guide.

Translated from Portuguese by Google translator, if you have any error please send the correction to the author.