You’ve pitched a new client hard. Great specs, fast timeline, quality certifications, the whole story. They’re interested but not sold.
Then they ask: “Can you do a line test?”
Translation: “We need to see this work before we commit.”
Most producers say: “Sure. That’ll be $X.”
I stopped charging for line tests years ago.
Here’s the logic:
A line test is your audition. It’s the moment you prove everything you just said is real. And if you’re charging for it, you’re basically saying: “I’m not confident enough in this to prove it free.”
Your client hears: “You’re not sure this will work.”
So we do it free. Why? Because I know the line test runs smooth. I know the colours match. I know the quality is there. I know my team executes. If I didn’t know that, I’d have bigger problems than a line test fee.
The real math is that a line test costs us $1,500-4,000 depending on complexity and product. If we win a $100K client for the next 2 years, that line test was the cheapest marketing we ever did. If we lose them over $1,500? That client wasn’t going to trust us anyway.
The confidence play: Doing the line test free says: “We’re not scared. We’re not uncertain. This is going to work, and you’re going to see it.”
Your competitors are nickel-and-diming. You’re building trust. Don’t be cheap. Don’t be scared. Trust your process, your product, and your team.