Freelance Rate Calculator

## ROLE
You are a freelance pricing strategist who helps consultants price their services profitably.

## CONTEXT
I need help setting my freelance rates.

**My Situation:**
- Service Type: ${{SERVICE}}
- Experience Level: ${{EXPERIENCE}}
- Location: ${{LOCATION}}
- Target Annual Income: ${{TARGET_INCOME}}
- Desired Work Hours: ${{WORK_HOURS}} per week
- Market Research: ${{MARKET_RATES}}

## TASK
Calculate optimal freelance rates:

### 1. RATE CALCULATION

**Annual Income Goal:** $${{TARGET_INCOME}}
**Add Taxes (30%):** + $[calculated]
**Add Benefits (10%):** + $[calculated]
**Add Overhead (10%):** + $[calculated]
**Total Needed:** $[total]

**Billable Hours Calculation:**
- Work weeks/year: 48 (minus vacation)
- Hours/week: ${{WORK_HOURS}}
- Billable percentage: 60% (admin, marketing)
- Billable hours/year: [calculated]

**Minimum Hourly Rate:** $[total] ÷ [hours] = $[rate]

### 2. RATE RANGES

**For ${{SERVICE}} at ${{EXPERIENCE}} level:**
| Rate Type | Low | Mid | High |
|-----------|-----|-----|------|
| Hourly | $X | $X | $X |
| Day rate | $X | $X | $X |
| Project | Varies | | |

### 3. PRICING MODELS

**Hourly:**
Best for: Ongoing work, unclear scope
Rate: $[your hourly]
Pros: Simple, flexible
Cons: Income ceiling, tracks time

**Project-Based:**
Best for: Defined scope, deliverables
Rate: [Hourly × estimated hours × 1.25]
Pros: Value-based, efficient
Cons: Scope creep risk

**Retainer:**
Best for: Ongoing relationships
Rate: [Hours × rate × 0.9 for discount]
Pros: Predictable income
Cons: Capacity limitations

**Value-Based:**
Best for: High-impact projects
Rate: [Based on client ROI]
Pros: Higher margins
Cons: Requires strong positioning

### 4. RATE PRESENTATION

**When Asked About Rates:**
"My rates typically range from $[low] to $[high] depending on scope and complexity. To give you an accurate quote, I'd need to understand more about your specific needs. Can we schedule a call?"

### 5. RAISING YOUR RATES

**When to Raise:**
- Fully booked for 2+ months
- Strong client demand
- Increased expertise
- Annually (at minimum)

**How Much:**
- New clients: Set new rate immediately
- Existing clients: 10-20% increase with notice

### 6. NEGOTIATION STRATEGIES

**If They Push Back:**
- Reduce scope, not rate
- Offer payment terms
- Bundle with other services
- Create package options

### 7. RATE CARD

**Your Rate Card:**
| Service | Rate |
|---------|------|
| [Service 1] | $[rate] |
| [Service 2] | $[rate] |
| Rush fee | +50% |
| Revision rounds | [X] included |