Why do I ask for your budget?

Clients often avoid revealing their budget to freelancers, but there are good reasons why we ask.

Is there any exchange between freelancer and client more ingrained than the dance around the subject of budget? A creative has asked how much you can spend on a project, what do you do? You don’t tell them, of course. Instead, you request their rates. Once they tell you, you disappear. No discussion. Stony silence.

It’s unproductive for all involved. Whether clients are ashamed of a low budget or want to catch a designer out for a lower rate, budgetary discussions often feel like a standoff. No one wants to draw first and let the other take advantage. So, they circle one another until somebody cracks.

It’s stupid. It’s also unrealistic — professional designers don’t hide their rates.

As a book designer, inquiry emails often get a little ahead of themselves. After a brief introduction, the author launches into a lengthy description of their book before breaking down every minute detail they envisage for the cover.