Busy but not profitable?
Stop hoping things will change. Make them change.
You already have the design skills. Now get the pricing skills to match.
Does this sound familiar...
You want to build a strong, robust business but reality is:
✅ the money conversation with clients is just awkward
✅ you’re constantly busy but profits are disappointing
✅ you suspect you’re undercharging but don’t really know
✅ you start each estimate from scratch
✅ your pricing structure is based on assumptions of the client’s pain point
✅ you avoid money conversations and hope clients won’t negotiate
✅ you feel like an imposter when discussing fees
✅ you’ve been “winging it” with pricing for years.
If you’re nodding along, this toolkit’s for you.
A practical costing system for Australian designers
The Costing, Pricing and Profit Toolkit includes everything you need to price confidently, talk money comfortably, and profit from your hard work.
No fluff. No American sales tactics. Just practical tools built by Australian designers who've been exactly where you are
Budget template
The very first step … without an expenses budget, pricing is just a guess. Understanding the money you need brings clarity to your sell price. This toolkit will help you to understand your true cost of doing business then help track whether you’re actually profitable (not just busy).
Conversation scripts
Never stumble through money talks again. The toolkit includes proven scripts for handling potentially awkward conversations. It’s language to keep sales conversations calmer, clearer and more consistent. They help reduce on-the-spot improvisation and promises you can’t keep.
Psychology of pricing
Pricing isn’t just a financial decision—it’s a communication tool that influences how clients perceive your value, trust your expertise, and decide whether to work with you. Understanding the psychology behind pricing helps you price more confidently and strategically.
Three-tier pricing system
Traditionally, designers have supplied a costing to match the deliverables. Behavioural design research has found it’s better to include options, one a higher price-point, one meeting the brief, and the lowest cost delivering a minimal viable product.
Costing and pricing calculator
Worth the download price by itself. A dynamic online tool that calculates your hourly cost rate by including admin, marketing, operating, vehicle, employment, occupation and wage costs. Including Aust-specific categories like WorkCover and Super.
Value-stack mapping tools
Every business has a value stack. Your task is to identify the elements of the stack and where you can add value or impact through design. It’s a win win. Your work delivers impact for the client and delivers more value. You get to capture some of the value through increased pricing.
Why this works
No converting US advice or guessing about local costs. This is written for Australian creatives by Australian design practitioners. It includes Australian employment laws, tax structures, and industry standards.
Knowing what to charge is only half the battle. The bigger challenge is having the confidence to charge it and the skills to discuss it.
We ran a successful design studio for over 30 years. We’ve had the awkward money conversations, made the pricing mistakes, and learned what actually works.
Whether you’re fresh out of uni or have been “winging it” for years, the toolkit meets you where you are and shows you the next step.
This isn't about becoming a ruthless businessperson.
It's about being fairly paid for the value you create.
Get the complete toolkit for $70 + GST (until Dec 10)
Ten tools to solve your costing, pricing profit challenges...
Reducing risk by identifying then budgeting for future costs
An online, dynamic pricing and costing calculator plugged in and ready to go
Sample scripts to help you take control of challenging pricing conversations
A roadmap to move your business from a traditional production model
A step-by-step approach to move from a craft to a (more profitable) strategic level
A tool to help identify the right (profitable) client from the wrong (busy) client
How to price to showcase your skillset and expertise (but still answer the brief)
Understanding why clients purchase – spoiler alert – it isn't just a financial decision
A tool to destructure base costs, contingencies, profit and where to value-add
Benchmarking – it's not about comparison. It's about industry standards.
The calculator is a worth the download price by itself.
A dynamic online tool to calculates YOUR hourly cost rate
Common questions
The toolkit is written to be relevant to creatives at many stages in their career.
It includes a maturity assessment to help identify where your knowledge sits and which tools to use first. Start with the budget template and calculator, then grow into the more sophisticated pricing strategies
Yes. The principles apply whether you do branding, web design, packaging, way finding … or any visual communication. The calculator adapts to different business models and the conversation scripts work across all client types.
The toolkit includes specific strategies for transitioning existing clients and scripts for handling price objections. Plus, losing price-sensitive clients often makes room for better ones.
Most calculators just do basic hourly rate maths. This system includes business budgeting, margin calculations, efficiency factors, and most importantly – the psychology and conversation skills to actually implement the prices you calculate. And it’s Australian-based.
Not quite ready?
We get that, but this might be of interest.
We write a weekly article about managing a design agency
Each week we share research and thoughts about the business of design. We discuss the topics we’ve covered in mentoring, just in a less specific, more generic way. It’s free, all you have to do is subscribe. The archive of articles is here.
