How Should I Set Boundaries For Flat-Fee Clients?

Original article posted at Business of Home by Sean Low.

Dear Sean,

While the debate between charging a flat fee or billing hourly plus charging markup has been a well-worn subject for many years, with both having pros and cons, can you advise me on any language, thresholds, or boundary-setting measures if one does take on a client with a flat-fee arrangement? Through an initial call that lasted an hour and a half (far too long) and an initial follow-up project meeting, also an hour and a half (again, far too long), I can already tell that this client is a demanding, unstoppable time-stealer. I can also see that an hourly arrangement would be nothing shy of continual combat. We are in the service business, to be sure—so how best to capture profits and margins, and also control a client with boundary issues?

- Money Talks

Dear Money Talks,

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution to boundary issues—after all, your proverbial time-stealer is another designer’s dream. The issue at hand is not whether or not you adjust your methodology to suit your potential client, but rather whether you go the other way and become even more outrageous in your own authenticity.