‘Should I be getting paid for that?’ Here’s how to know when you should be charging extra 💸
We all know how it goes: you and the client have come to a mutual understanding around what your duties and deliverables are, the contract has been signed and you are diligently doing your thing. Then, all of a sudden, additional, ad hoc jobs start being thrown at you left, right and centre that seem to be over and above the agreed-upon workload, or there are last-minute changes to your due date or project timeline.
When this happens, you really have two options: you can either suck it up, do the extra work and vow never to do business with them again. Or you can make sure that your contract states that you will require a fee for additional work done or in the event that the deadline is brought forward. Forewarned is forearmed!
Want to know when, exactly, you should be charging extra? Here are four frequently-occurring scenarios that you might not be getting paid for, but should.
1. Meetings
Meetings are the bane of many people’s existence, whether they happen via video call or in an office. While some people thrive on the bouncing back-and-forth of ideas that meetings can bring, others feel that they are usually a waste of time, and much of the agenda could be handled over email. Because meetings can be time-consuming, agree to touch base regularly at a set time with your client. If they require any more face time, you can charge them as per your hourly rate.
2. Timeline changes
Generally, when you start a new project, you will know from the outset what is required of you and by when you have to have submitted it, giving you an end date to work towards. If the client, for whatever reason, needs you to speed up the pace and brings the submission date forward, you should consider charging them a rush fee. This will compensate for the extra effort (sleepless nights and work weekends) you will need to put in to finish the job.
3. Revisions
Some clients will think that you are the bee’s knees and trust you and your work implicitly, giving the green light on most or all of your work. Others, however, might have trust issues or trauma from past experiences and require you to do a lot of revisions to be able to capture ‘their vision’. Decide upfront how many rounds of revisions you will do as part of your set fee (for most freelancers this is between one and two rounds) and charge extra, and in accordance with your hourly rate, if more are required.
4. Research
Even the most experienced and well-rounded solopreneur will have to do some research before they get to work. This is because no two projects are the same, and thorough investigation as to what the client wants, what’s current and what the competition is up to will be necessary before you can get cracking. Include this as part of your upfront fees but, in the event that further or *intensive* research is necessary, you might want to charge your hourly rate for your troubles.
