THV02 THE SPD PRICING PLAYBOOK

Stop Guessing. Start Pricing With Confidence.

The definitive pricing guide for surface pattern designers who are tired of leaving money on the table.

"I have no idea if I'm charging too much or too little. I just pick a number and hope for the best."
Sound familiar?
You finish a collection you're genuinely proud of. The patterns are strong. The colorways work. You know this is good work.
And then a potential client asks the question you've been dreading:

"What do you charge?"
Your stomach drops. You scramble through old emails trying to remember what you charged last time. You peek at what other designers seem to be charging, but their situations are completely different. You run some quick math in your head, but the numbers feel made up.

You type a price. Delete it. Type a different one. Delete that too.

Finally, you send something. And then you spend the next three days wondering if you just undervalued months of work, or if you scared them off entirely.
This is not a business strategy. This is anxiety disguised as pricing.

THE HIDDEN COST OF PRICING CONFUSION
Here's what happens when you don't have a real pricing strategy:

You undercharge out of fear and then resent the project halfway through because the math doesn't work

You overcharge out of insecurity (trying to seem "professional") and watch opportunities disappear

You accept terrible terms because you don't understand what you're actually signing away

You quote inconsistently so similar projects have wildly different prices, which confuses clients and makes you look unprofessional

You avoid raising rates because you have no framework to justify higher prices, even to yourself

The worst part? Every time you underprice your work, you're not just hurting yourself. You're telling the market that surface pattern design isn't worth paying for. You're making it harder for every designer who comes after you.

THE PRICING ADVICE THAT'S ACTUALLY HURTING YOU

You've probably heard all the usual advice:

"Just charge what you're worth!"

Great. What does that even mean? Your worth as a human being is infinite. Your worth as a designer depends on a hundred variables that no one bothers to explain.

"Research what others are charging!"

Except no one actually shares their rates. And when they do, you don't know if they're quoting for exclusive rights or non-exclusive, for a mass-market brand or a luxury boutique, for a 3-year license or perpetual buyout. The number means nothing without context.

"Just ask for more!"

Sure. And when the client pushes back? When they ask you to justify your price? You're right back to guessing, except now you have to defend a number you pulled out of thin air.

The truth is, most pricing advice for surface pattern designers is either vague ("know your value!"), outdated (based on markets that have completely changed), or designed for designers at a completely different stage than you.

What you need is a framework, not a pep talk.

What if pricing decisions felt as straightforward as choosing your color palette?

Imagine opening a pricing request and knowing, without the spiral of doubt, exactly how to respond.

Imagine understanding the difference between what Target pays versus what a premium boutique pays, and being able to position yourself accordingly.

Imagine having a formula that accounts for your experience level, the usage rights, the market tier, and the specific category, so your prices are grounded in reality instead of wishful thinking.

Imagine being able to say, "My rate for this project is $X," and meaning it. No apologies. No discounting yourself before they even ask.

That's what a real pricing strategy does. It removes the guesswork so you can focus on what you actually love: designing.

THE SURFACE PATTERN DESIGN PRICING PLAYBOOK

60+ pages of pricing strategy built for this industry

Real market rates. Real formulas. Real negotiation tactics. No motivational fluff or generic freelance advice with surface pattern design slapped on the cover.

WHAT YOU'LL WALK AWAY WITH

A Clear Pricing Formula

No more pulling numbers from thin air. You'll have a repeatable calculation that accounts for your costs, your experience, and the specific project parameters.

Real Market Rate Data

What do mass-market brands actually pay versus mid-market versus premium? You'll know the ranges so you can price appropriately for each opportunity.

Usage Rights Clarity

Understand the real difference between buyouts, exclusive licenses, non-exclusive licenses, and royalty deals, and how each one changes what you should charge.

Negotiation Confidence

Know exactly how to respond when a client says you're too expensive. Learn the adjustments you can make without devaluing your work.

Category-Specific Guidance

Pricing for quilting cotton is different from wallpaper is different from greeting cards. You'll understand the nuances of each market.

A Pricing Mindset Reset

Identify the fears and habits that are keeping you stuck, and replace them with a professional approach to valuing your work.

INSIDE THE PLAYBOOK

+ Market-rate pricing by category (fashion, home, stationery)

+ Mass, mid-market, premium, and luxury tier breakdowns

+ Pricing by experience level (1-year, 3-year, 5+ year)

+ The complete pricing formula with step-by-step calculations

+ Usage rights multipliers explained

+ Licensing vs. buyout vs. royalty comparisons

+ Project pricing vs. collection pricing frameworks

+ Negotiation scripts for common objections

+ Rate sheet templates by experience level

+ Fillable worksheets (Minimum Rate, Project Pricing, Collection Pricing)

+ Pricing Mindset Self-Audit

+ Year-End Revenue Check worksheet

Instant download. Yours to keep.

ABOUT TELVA CHASE

Nearly 50 years of color expertise, from studying with the Bay Area Figurative Movement to working as a Color Me Beautiful consultant, to serving as makeup colorist for HBO and Showtime, to teaching color theory at prestigious English art schools.

I run Telva's Toolbox, teaching surface pattern designers the business skills design school doesn't cover. My approach: 70% business strategy, 30% design principles. No motivational fluff. No unrealistic income promises. Just the information you actually need to build a sustainable creative business.