How much to charge for social media consulting?

[Jo W]

James - good for you!

This is the point where you stop being a kid who likes social media and start to become a businessman. It doesn't happen overnight, but you can help yourself (and your customers) by making the transition as smooth as possible.

Keep on the right side of the taxman by registering as self-employed (and yes, you do have to - although national insurance isn't payable until you are 16, so park that for now). See http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/selfemployed/tmas...ess.shtml.

If you are going to charge for your services, you will need a contract. 'Friendly' might be fine until something goes wrong; but start as you mean to go on, by being professional. The phrase 'never do business with friends' was coined for a reason!

An hourly rate should actually be easier to work out than a flat fee, particularly if neither party is sure how much work is involved. See what others in this field are charging and take a realistic look at how you compare.