Think of your design as an airplane. If a client asks for a discount, you don't fly the plane faster, for half the money—you just take away the champagne, vip lounge and the legroom.
Full Price 💵💵💵Full price is the Private Jet. They own the tail number, the engines, and the pilot. They can repaint it, resell it, and fly it globally forever. You walk away with the cash.
But they want a discount. Cool. Here’s how to manage it without selling your soul.
-10%? Ownership → Unlimited, ExclusiveYou keep the jet, they get a permanent seat. They use it forever, but you keep the IP and the right to show it in your portfolio.
-15%? Unlimited Exclusive → Limited ExclusiveIt’s a Lease. They’re the only ones allowed on board for 2 years. After that? The rights bounce back to you unless they renew.
-20%? Exclusive → Non-Exclusive.It’s like a commercial flight. They’re flying, but if they look out of the window and see a competitor with the same style.
-25%? Global → Local only.They aren't flying to Tokyo; they’re staying in the country. One logo, one country, single usage. If their business goes global, they’ll upgrade the ticket. Simple as that.
Then there’s the liability -30%.Flying a big brand with 400 passengers requires way more insurance and precision than flying a 2-seater Cessna. If a logo for small business fails they’ll handle the risk.
-35% Thorough Process → Tight TimelineShorter hours mean fewer explorations.Less time to find the one, more chance it’s the obvious one.
-40% Full System → One LogoForget about context adaptations. Write that down — a single logo, all touch points.
–45% Three Revisions → OneFeedback rounds takes time so if they keep pushing, we cut the labor, that means fewer revisions.
Hope that makes sense ✈️
If you want to see how I word this in my own contracts, I’m sending the template out in my next newsletter.