The 2nd most vexing topic after “How do I measure social media ROI” is “How much do I pay for social media?“.

Friend and social media consultant, Chris has started a new company. His website display’s their pricing. B L Ochman has had a similar practice for years, displaying her pricing upfront. Its a pretty open and upfront policy which I think is very different from the many consultants who will answer the question with a standard “It depends”. Regardless of whether you think the pricing is too high, or its just right, its a starting point.

I know many consultants are loathe to price by the hour, since it means you have to work “that many hours” regardless of if you are efficient or not. Also pricing by the hour opens you up to competitive pricing - because clients want to compare prices between service providers. This is the vexing problem for most. If a consultant is highly efficient, they get more work done in quicker time, they expect to charge more. But since differentiation is so difficult for most consultants in social media, they have to bid “competit