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My friend told me to always ask for the project budget up front, I thought it was rude
So a couple months ago, I was talking to a friend who does freelance graphic design. She told me that before she even starts talking about ideas with a new client, she always asks, 'What's your budget for this?' I thought that sounded way too direct, like you're just after their money. I figured it was better to talk about the work first and bring up price later. But then I just finished a logo project for a small cafe in my town, and I spent maybe 15 hours on sketches and ideas before we talked money. Turns out they only had $200 set aside for the whole thing. I felt totally stuck. My friend's advice was right, asking early saves everyone time and awkwardness. But part of me still feels like it can turn some people off if you lead with money. What's your take? Do you ask for the budget right away, or do you talk creative first?
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evanfox5d ago
Is it really that big of a deal to ask? You found out the hard way that not asking wastes your time. Most normal clients get that work costs money, so asking about budget is just part of the talk. It only gets weird if you make it weird.
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