Home · Register · Join Upload & Sell

Moderated by: Fred Miranda
Username  

FM Forum Rules
Wedding Resource List
  

FM Forums | Wedding Photographer | Join Upload & Sell

1
       2       end
  

Archive 2012 · Album with every package .. no choice?

  
 
Mike Mahoney
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Album with every package .. no choice?


Anyone have albums with all their packages? .. in other words there is no option to not get an album.

If so how's that working out for you?



Feb 28, 2012 at 12:51 PM
Inku Yo
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Album with every package .. no choice?


I've considered this. Haven't pulled the trigger yet.


Feb 28, 2012 at 01:05 PM
sboerup
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Album with every package .. no choice?


This is how I've sold my weddings for years. They get an album, thats the least I offer.


Feb 28, 2012 at 01:16 PM
Mark_L
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Album with every package .. no choice?


How many people that don't offer an album in the base package have had the couple come back to you x time after the wedding for an album? I suspect it's low but I'd be interested.


Feb 28, 2012 at 01:20 PM
Inku Yo
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Album with every package .. no choice?


Mark_L wrote:
How many people that don't offer an album in the base package have had the couple come back to you x time after the wedding for an album? I suspect it's low but I'd be interested.


I'd say 50% buy an album after their wedding. And by "after their wedding" I'm talking 2 months after their wedding, not years.



Feb 28, 2012 at 01:23 PM
WNStudio
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Album with every package .. no choice?


Sign'o the times, I've always given an album(s), but since all of my new local competitors do shoot&burn, I'm also considering it. But I'll combine it probably with new pricing for all my services.


Feb 28, 2012 at 01:27 PM
HubbardJA
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Album with every package .. no choice?


WNStudio wrote:
Sign'o the times, I've always given an album(s), but since all of my new local competitors do shoot&burn, I'm also considering it. But I'll combine it probably with new pricing for all my services.


Sounds like an opportunity to offer an alternative.

My wife and I were married in 2010. For us, the disk was something we really wanted since I was into photography (but didn't have a business at the time). Since then, all three disks have basically been in a drawer. We did get an album and look at that once a week or so.

Now that I have a business (backstory can be read here) I realize that once the disk leaves our hand, print sales are DOA. I'm trying to figure out a way to educate clients that disks are kinda useless and give us the opportunity to deliver better prints and services than wal-mart or shutterfly can. It's a work in progress!

-Jayson



Feb 28, 2012 at 02:11 PM
sherijohnson
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Album with every package .. no choice?


I tried this when I first got started and people asked for coverage only packages, in order to get bookings I added a coverage only offering and for me that was a wise decision.


Feb 28, 2012 at 02:25 PM
photolove84
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Album with every package .. no choice?


Before my husband and I were married, when we were dating we worked all of our wedding together, but had 2 different companies. He offered a shoot and burn package with the option to buy an album, and I had slightly lower package, that only included a disc after the purchase of an album. He did that for a solid year. He told maybe 2? albums. Now that I'm on 3 years of making everyone buy an album to get a disc, I've only ever had 2 people get nasty about changing their minds and no longer wanting an album, but still wanting a disc. One I was able to resolve, and when she got her album she was happy again. The other one, I posted about here, but I don't think it really had much to do with the album/disc thing. Many people have forgotten they signed a contract that stated they had to buy an album to get a disc, and asked about their options, but once were told how low our albums started, bought albums and didn't complain. We have debated a lot in the past 6 months offering a package with no disc, but after seeing that floppy disc thing go around Facebook, have decided to stick to what we've been doing.


Feb 28, 2012 at 02:35 PM
monoatomic72
Offline
• •
[X]
p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Album with every package .. no choice?


This year I switched to everything print/album driven. No more shoot and here's a disc.
I've reworked most of my presentation to be geared towards discs being a cheap throwaway item every other photographer is offering to seem like they are giving you a better value than they really are.

It's been working out well for me. The couples I've met with have responded as I thought they would when I've explained some of the pitfalls of getting almost no physical items from their photographer other than a plastic disc.



Feb 28, 2012 at 02:39 PM
lilyphoto
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Album with every package .. no choice?


I've been considering this as well. We show albums at every consult, and the B&G are always wowed by them and oo and aww and comment on how they "definitely want an ablum".

Most have the intention to add one on later, but can't afford it right then and there and hardly ever actually end up buying one.



Feb 28, 2012 at 02:46 PM
Mike Mahoney
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Album with every package .. no choice?


It's a leap of faith I suppose .. a third of my current bookings are bottom package (basically a S&B) and everytime I get a subsequent inquiry for a bottom package date I feel like I could be turning away more profit, not to mention a couple who would have an awesome book to have in their home instead of a disc in a dusty drawer.


Feb 28, 2012 at 02:56 PM
WNStudio
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Album with every package .. no choice?


Of course, I'd be offering albums (now I don't do shoot&burn)- I feel that there is a magic in real photography- the printed one. Competing with kind'a shoot&burn "craiglist" photographers (no offence) is pointless. But what mattered to people 10 years ago is different of what matters to them now. Earlier they sat besides fireplace watching their albums with family (I'm not saying they aren't nowadays), but now they want to post them on FB, and want immediate responce. If I don't sell them files, they'll scan it anyway. Just look at what your kids do, what's importand to them. They are your future clients. Now my concern is how to sell shoot&burn and still make a living


Feb 28, 2012 at 04:08 PM
Brian Virts
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Album with every package .. no choice?


I show two albums at every consultation, usually clients come in with "we just want the CD", and walk out making sure I know they want the $100 album credit (in my middle and upper offerings). I really would like to get away from the shoot and burn mentality that is all pervasive. One thing I'm warning clients with is that in 20 years, you may have a hard time finding a CDROM to read your files, but the album is timeless, and at your fingertips for immediate viewing...so let's do it now while it's still fresh and new.

It sucks that you have to offer a shoot&burn just because that's all people know. Albums (I feel) are the real heart of what we do, and the last mile to fulfilling what are clients should be expecting of us.



Feb 28, 2012 at 05:07 PM
Ghost
Offline
• • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Album with every package .. no choice?


Mark_L wrote:
How many people that don't offer an album in the base package have had the couple come back to you x time after the wedding for an album? I suspect it's low but I'd be interested.


My last clients did. They went for the lowest package. But ended up buying the album(s) which is great. Because it totaled to more than the next tier package which includes an album.



Feb 28, 2012 at 05:53 PM
morganb4
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Album with every package .. no choice?


Mike Mahoney wrote:
.... and everytime I get a subsequent inquiry for a bottom package date I feel like I could be turning away more profit, not to mention a couple who would have an awesome book to have in their home instead of a disc in a dusty drawer.


Pretty much my rationale for mandating a book with every package. It didn't hurt bookings when we started doing it. It increased the income and hence eliminated 'budget brides'.

Things are flagging for us at the moment but the album policy has worked in the past so it may or may not be the problem right now. Exposure has always been my problem so I am tempted to consider that first and foremost.

At any rate, I am basically supporting your rationale.



Feb 28, 2012 at 05:56 PM
BGP1
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Album with every package .. no choice?


I was just thinking about this today, actually. I think it's a good idea and I might give it a shot. Some people like doing shoot and burns because it's "less work" but in reality it's probably doing a disservice to your client and most of all your work.


Feb 28, 2012 at 06:35 PM
teebat
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Album with every package .. no choice?


Yes only with an album. We tried the only digital path and also the 100 5x7 path, but after speaking to clients who opted for not getting an album we found out that even after 2-3 years most had made very few prints and not many uploads to social media. The ones that's wanted a gazillion prints because scrap booking was in just never got around to it.

Also, prints ( from us ) and albums actually get shown to friends which of course helps with business.



Feb 28, 2012 at 06:57 PM
cordellwillis
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Album with every package .. no choice?


All of our packages include albums; no way around it because we don't discount. We simply tell them to go with our a-la-cart to add what they want if they don't want an album. Obviously going that route they might as well go with a package that has an album.

We tried the disc only way and I personally hated it. Not because of any business reasons, but because I feel my clients will appreciate and rave more with an album to show....even if it is to themselves.



Feb 28, 2012 at 10:17 PM
ShacharLee
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Album with every package .. no choice?


I think it depends on your style of photography, if you are more of a pj photographer and think your photography is all about the story than you should definitively have albums in every package but if you are more of an epic portrait stand alone images photographer than albums should not be a must and you can consider doing a big canvas print in every package for example.

Where I live shoot & burn is very rare and the standard base packages includes an album (and 2 small parents albums and a disc with at least 1000 images and videographer and an edited 45- 60min wedding film) and the problem I see with this is that this standard caused clients to care more about the products than the photography itself. because this huge package became the standard couples with a tight budget compromise on the photographer instead of the products because how can they take anything less than standard.

I got married two years ago (I wasn't a wedding photographer than), took s&b with no albums.
we had a "tight budget" for photography -the truth is my husband is really not in to getting his pictures taken and although I valued photography a lot I wasn't really swept away by any photographer I saw here so I let him persuade me into not investing too much on photography, but I didn't want to compromise on a crappy photographer so I just searched for a photographer that I loved his work and asked for a shoot and burn so I can afford him.
although I don't have even a single print from my wedding I know I made the right choice, I look at my wedding photos all the time! (front of the computer is where I spend most of my time anyway) and show them off on fb to all my friends.
I'm a more of an epic portrait stand alone images kind of client so for me it was more about the photographs than the story in an album but even if I didn't, one could always go and print an album latter but will never be able to go back and take a different photographer...

for me I prefer clients that value my photography more than products. if I have a couple that can't afford a full package but really wants me as their photographer I'd be happy to do a s&b for them instead of shooting for a couple who chose me just because my package fitted their budget.

Lee (yas a woman name Lee )



Feb 29, 2012 at 01:27 AM
1
       2       end




FM Forums | Wedding Photographer | Join Upload & Sell

1
       2       end
    
 

You are not logged in. Login or Register

Username       Or Reset password



This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.