While the most clients are honest and reliable there are some people who would like to get better result for less money. Often they like your work and its quality but they want to pay less because of greed, awkward wish to cut down expenses or just lack of money to pay fair.  If you don’t want to be a volunteer and make design work free of charge, set some principle and never forget about them. It’s bad when there is no understanding in the beginning.These phrases should alert you.  If you could, win the battle for your interest or refuse the project at all. Save time and health which will bring you more money.

1. Let’s make it 20% cheaper and I pay you a bonus next time.
Let’s imagine you sell oranges. How this trick would work then? Common, I am going back tomorrow with my money and pay additional 20% for your oranges. If client don’t understand how the price is built explain it in details including your pay per hour, font and stock photo expenses etc.

2. My designer makes it for less money but he is busy right now.
In reality there is no any designer as a rule. So propose to this client wait until his designer will be free.

3. Let’s make this design project cheaper and I provide you a lot of high paid work soon.
If you don’t sign an exclusive contract for all design work of that company, the fairer proposal would be full price first and discount later. It could be that client just proves your flexibility to become more blatant, so offer 10% discount but only for the 100% prepayment or make it faster but more expensive.

4. I got offers from N designers besides you, their prices are much lower.
So why do you not give this project to them? If the client understands fully the whole workload and he is just greedy, propose to him psychological discount in 3-5% to let him make a decision in your favor.

5. I’ve got a perfect plan to make a high profitable project and I pay you when I get profit.
I.e., I’ve got a plan how to sell all of your oranges, so give me some pounds for free and I tell you how to sell other.

6. Our budget is much lower than your price.
Make an offer simplify design to make it cheaper. If the client really doesn’t have enough money, he will be glad to accept your offer.

7. I represent the X Company and it should be honor for you to work for us.
I.e., sell me your oranges for the half price and you could say to your customers that X company bought your oranges.

8. I’ll pay you 20% and after project starts you will get the rest as ads on our website.
I.e., sell me oranges for 20% and I come to you with 10 other customers who will buy all your oranges.

9. This project is nonprofit but you will get a lot of commercial projects from me afterwards.
If you already have a lot of works why do you have to believe to sweet promises? And after all, client’s problems (low budget, nonprofit project, purchase of expensive auto at the same time with design project) should not worry you. Your duty is to make your work with high quality; client’s duty is to pay fair for it.

10. We make a competition and winner takes it all, you want to work for your portfolio, won’t you?
Propose to sign a paper which states that your hold all rights to this work and organizer could use it only with your permission or if you will be the winner.

11. I saw it differently so I can’t pay you all the money.
Do have a detailed brief for every customer. Other ways it will be a constant headache for you.