Lochlainn Harte

The world of podcasting is booming, and behind every great show is often a dedicated team or a multi-talented individual wearing many hats. As a podcast editor and producer, I’m deeply invested in creating audio that not only sounds good but also resonates, engages, and achieves its goals. But this level of dedication brings up a critical question that many in our industry grapple with: How do we accurately price projects when our role extends far beyond a simple audio edit?

If you’re a fellow podcast professional, you know the drill. We’re not just trimming “ums” and “ahs.” We’re a blend of technician, artist, strategist, and project manager. The value we bring is immense, but conveying that in a price tag, especially to clients who may be new to the production process or have undefined budgets, can be a significant hurdle.

The Full Scope: More Than Just an Editor

When I take on a podcast project, my involvement is comprehensive. It’s a deep dive that often includes:

• Shaping the Narrative (Pacing): It’s not just about what’s said, but how it’s paced. I work to ensure each episode has a natural flow, keeps the listener hooked, and delivers its message effectively.
• Sonic Brilliance (Audio Cleanup & Restoration): This means tackling everything from background hum and distracting noises to inconsistent recording levels, aiming for that pristine, professional sound.
• Creating Atmosphere (Sound Design & Music): Selecting the right intro/outro music, adding subtle soundscapes, or creating impactful audio cues is crucial. This includes managing and utilizing licensed music and SFX libraries.
• The Final Polish (Mixing & Mastering): This is where all the elements come together. I meticulously balance voice levels, music, and effects, ensuring a consistent, rich, and broadcast-quality master.
• Collaboration is Key (Feedback & Revisions): Greatness often comes from iteration. I build in processes for client feedback and am prepared to rework episodes multiple times to ensure the final product aligns perfectly with their vision.
• Delivering the Goods (Stems, Sub-Mixes, Promo Clips): Beyond the final episode, clients often need various audio assets for different platforms or promotional activities.
• A Strategic Partner (Criticism, Ideas & Consultation): Often, clients are looking for more than just a technician. They value constructive criticism, fresh ideas for content or format, and broader consultation on their podcast’s strategy and potential.
• The Unseen Labour (Communication & Project Management): Countless phone calls, detailed emails, and timely messages are all part of ensuring a project runs smoothly and expectations are met.

The Common Conundrums: Budgetary Black Holes and Low-Ball Offers

With such an extensive list of services, pricing becomes complex. Two common scenarios present significant challenges:

1. The “No Clear Budget” Client: Potential clients who express a need for services but haven’t established a budget, making it difficult to propose a suitable scope and price.
2. The “Low Budget” Project: Clients who have a budget, but it falls significantly short of what’s required to deliver the high-quality, comprehensive service I’m proud to offer.

This leads me to want to open a discussion and gather insights from the wider podcasting industry.

Let’s Talk Pricing: Seeking Collective Wisdom

I’m turning to you – the seasoned editors, the savvy producers, the audio gurus – to share your experiences.

1. What Pricing Models Work Best for Comprehensive Production? Are you finding success with per-episode packages that bundle a range of services? Do you prefer monthly retainers for ongoing work? Perhaps you’ve mastered value-based pricing, tying your fees directly to the results and value you deliver. Or is a detailed hourly rate with a clearly defined scope of work your go-to? I’d love to hear what’s working and what isn’t for roles that encompass this much.

2. Quoting in the Dark: How Do You Approach Clients with No Stated Budget? When a client has no budget in mind, how do you kick off the pricing conversation? Do you offer standardized tiered packages to give them a starting point? Do you invest time in a thorough discovery call to understand their needs and the potential value before presenting a custom quote? How do you avoid under-quoting or overwhelming them?

3. The Low-Budget Tightrope: Maintaining Quality Without Underselling Yourself We’ve all been there. A passionate client has a great idea but a shoestring budget. How do you handle these situations?

• Do you have a system for offering a scaled-back version of your services that still meets a quality threshold you’re comfortable with?
• How do you clearly communicate what can (and cannot) be achieved within that limited budget?
• Crucially, when do you make the tough call to walk away if the budget simply doesn’t allow for a project you can be proud of and that compensates you fairly?

4. Articulating the Intangible: How Do You Price Your Expertise and Creative Input? So much of what we do – the strategic thinking, the creative problem-solving, the years of experience that inform our pacing decisions, the meticulous project management – is “unseen” work. How do you effectively quantify this and build it into your pricing structure so clients understand they’re paying for more than just hours at a computer?

Join the Conversation!

Navigating the financial side of our creative and technical endeavors is crucial for building a sustainable career and ensuring we can continue to produce work that makes an impact. I believe that by sharing our knowledge and experiences, we can all become better at valuing our skills and communicating that value to our clients.

Please share your thoughts, strategies, and even your own pricing puzzles in the comments below. What have you learned on your podcast production journey?

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