Pricing is one of the trickiest elements in consulting. Whenever I talk to newly minted independents and small business owners, the biggest challenge they face is understanding how much to charge for different services.

One colleague told me that the response she received when she asked another colleague for advice was, “If you can buy a trip to Paris, chances are the price is too high. If you can’t buy dinner, it’s too low.” Huh? (And, yes, I gave her some more practical guidance.)

One big reason no one wants to talk about it: It’s money. It’s awkward.

But it’s not a secret.

Kellye Crane has written a detailed guide to hourly base rates for communications professionals. It’s comprehensive, it’s detailed, and it provides very accurate ranges. The catch is that the e-book is available only to SoloPRPro Premium members.* So you have to join first. But if you’re looking for advice on setting rates, this is a very handy guide.

Disclosure: I am a beta site tester for SoloPRPro Premium. But no one has asked me to promote it. I just think it has some great resources and is a great way to tap into a community of smart colleagues. 

Photo by Francisco Antunes (Flickr).