Because (and this is "formerly" for me, I'm out of this work), I didn't have a rate. The price that I would quote is a mixture of what the project's scope is, how interesting it is to me personally, and how much of a pain in the ass I forecasted the client to be, or knew to be from prior experience.
For a number of my clients, I couldn't come within 50% of an actual quote until I sat down over coffee and talked over exactly what they wanted.
For a number of my clients, I couldn't come within 50% of an actual quote until I sat down over coffee and talked over exactly what they wanted.