Ranking Rates
Everybody struggles with setting freelance voice over rates, but sometimes I think I'm the only guy writing about it. Me and Paul Strikwerda.
See:Â CourVO's Blog:Â Setting Rates, October, 2011
See: CourVO's Blog: 20+ VoicOver Rate Sheets and Resources July, 2011
See: CourVO's Blog:Â VO Rates Rants, Feb. 2011
See: CourVO's Blog: Setting VO Rates, June 2010
See Paul's Blog:Â Why You're Leaving Money on the Table
See Paul's Blog:Â AudioBook Fees, What to Bid?
From time to time VOICES.com's VoxDaily touches on this: http://blogs.voices.com/voxdaily/2010/04/a_discussion_about_rates.html is an example. And Edge Studio publishes a highly-regarded rate card.
Doing a search for "rates" on VoiceOverXtra also returns quite a few good resources.
I also administer two LinkedIn groups on this subject, one is private, one is public.
This issue is inevitably tied to honest appraisals of self-worth, time and equipment invested, and market variables. No matter what others tell you...unyielding, fixed, hard-and-fast one-size-fits-all rates are a rarity.
Ask friends in the biz. Research the topic.
The last thing you want to do is underprice your value, nor do you want to over-bid yourself out of a job.
One immutable law comes clear, though. The more you think of yourself and your product, the higher esteem you will gain in the eyes of your client. 'Works like a charm.
One more thing: be willing and able to say "no". "YES" can seem desperate sometimes when you know better.
A couple of recent articles on setting freelance (not necessarily VO rates):
Setting Freelance Rates:Â Hourly or Per-Project?
CourVO
