We all get faced with extra fees and up-charges at one time or another. One of the most common extra fees that I really don’t like it the ‘convenience’ fee since I never really understand what it’s for.
When you freelance or run a small business, you may see the need to charge an extra fee or adjust your rate. This can be done tastefully and in a way that your clients can understand and respect. Here are 5 situations where you may want to charge clients extra fees.
Rush Fee
If clients ask you to put a rush on an assignment, it only makes sense that you charge a rush fee. Working under a tight deadline may be more challenging for you if you’re used to having more time to complete your work.
One week I had a client send a project request on Thursday afternoon. The deadline was early Saturday. I really didn’t want to spend part of my weekend working on the project so I finished it by around noon the next day but I charged a rush fee to better compensate me for the extra effort and having to switch my schedule around.
Meetings
Attending client meetings requires time from you so you should charge a little extra for it on top of what you already do for the client. Try to set an hourly rate with your clients or give them a flat rate price if the meeting dates and times are pretty consistent.
Charging an extra fee for meetings could encourage clients to only call meetings when it’s absolutely necessary and allow you to still get paid appropriately for your time.
Research
As a freelance writer, I naturally do some research when working on different assignments. However, be amount of research I do depends on the project. If I get an assignment that requires an excessive amount of research, I may quote higher for it to accommodate that.
Sometimes I have to cover brand new concepts, find news sources, interview others, or search for statistics and other details to back up the points covered in the
Don’t forget to adjust your rates to accommodate extra tasks like this since they’ll play a big role in the quality of the finished project and you don’t want to sell yourself short.
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Revisions
Do you charge extra for revisions? I typically include 1-2 revisions with my basic rate since I prioritize client satisfaction and know that newer clients might need this so we can get on the same page.
On the flip side, if you find that a client is taking advance of you by requiring several rounds of revisions, it’s time to add in a fee for this. Clients should provide a comprehensive list of revisions initially to avoid a lot of back and forth discussion.
Get clear instructions from the start and you can minimize the revision process altogether.
Late Invoice Payments
I’m all for charging fees for late invoice payments. Freelancers who turn work in on time deserve to get paid on time. Plus, no one wants to be stuck chasing people for payments.
You don’t need to resort to that. Instead, ask for 50% of the payment upfront and include a late fee clause in your contract. That way, clients are motivated to pay your invoice on time consistently.
Summary
Having to charge clients extra fees is necessary at times and you shouldn’t feel bad or sleazy for it. We encounter extra costs and fees for so many different products and services daily.
It’s important to make sure you’re charging enough to begin with but also taking the initiative to adjust your rate or fee if you feel it makes sense.
Your fees don’t have to be outlandish, but they can be fair and justified so the client wins with their finished project and you get paid well.