Hello everyone.
I have over 4 Million Followers across all my socials and I was approached by an musician who wants 14 unique designs with full use for merch, website, tour publicity etc, for their upcoming album.
I came back to her with a price, which she quickly accepted and I feel that I’ve undersold myself… How much would you advise for the work, should I have ask for royalties? We have been discussing for a while but we are yet to sign a licensing contract but is it too late to ask for more?
The price depends entirely on factors you haven’t mentioned, such as the nature of the projects, how much time they would take you, how important they are to this person, and how much they will contribute to the album’s and tour’s financial success.
For example, here are two extremes. If it were Taylor Swift, $5 million might be a starting point. If it were a guy down the street who’s recorded his own first Spotify album and who expects to make a few hundred dollars from a few gigs at some summer community park festivals, I would charge much, much less. However, I’d still want to make sure I met my minimum hourly fee for the projects, even if it meant losing the job.
Having 4 million followers is impressive, but when it comes to client work, followers don’t automatically determine your price. What really matters is the scope of the work, the time it will take, and the rights/usage you’re granting.
If your quote was fair for those factors, there’s no need to go back and ask for more, it can get awkward once a price is accepted. That said, for future projects, especially with high-profile clients, you could consider:
Including royalti* es or a share of merchandise/sales
Structuring your pricing based on usage and commercial value, not just your personal reach
Making licensing terms explicit upfront, so both sides know exactly what’s included
Followers can enhance your bargaining power if you can show the client that your platform adds value, but they don’t automatically translate into higher fees.
Your best takeaway here might be to use this experience to refine pricing and contracts for bigger opportunities down the line.