lower prices or more product?

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Archive 2009 · lower prices or more product?

Sergio Mottola
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p.1 #1 · lower prices or more product?

well, I've had three clients and only one booked, and I already knew them. would it be better to lower my prices by appx $250 a package, or put a DVD in all of them, or maybe just the higher two packages? any input would be great.

Jan 09, 2009 at 07:27 PM

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p.1 #2 · lower prices or more product?

Yes, you'll have to do something to encourage folks to book you until you get a track record. Do you know why you didn't get the two? Do you know who did get those bookings and how you compare to them?

Jan 09, 2009 at 07:31 PM

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p.1 #3 · lower prices or more product?

Look at what others in your area are charging (and offering) to get ideas of who you are being compared to when couples shop around.

I took a peek at your packages and while the prices arent outrageous, they are a little light on deliverables. If you are marketing effectively and arent booking with your current packages, I would add some deliverables to sweeten the deal. A DVD of images would be a good place to start.

Jan 09, 2009 at 07:40 PM

DB
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p.1 #4 · lower prices or more product?

Prices don't look too high. I really like your website- - very nice! That brown is one of my favorite colors. too bad i went with blue. The only things I can think of is to ditch the "hourly" rating and make them all "full day" or 10-hour coverage. Maybe throw in the disc. I don't offer anything with my lowest package but the disc. Then again, I haven't booked anyone yet. I'm waiting on two possible clients right now. Maybe instead of throwing in tons of stuff, make people think they are getting a lot. Do you give them a free engagement session?

I know you've asked about this before -- it could, possibly, be your age. People may be a tad nervous about it. Good luck!

Jan 09, 2009 at 07:50 PM

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p.1 #5 · lower prices or more product?

Sergio, let me first say i only recently discovered your work and i'm a big fan! Particularly your portraits and the use of wide-angle and tilt/shift - entirely fabulous!

Regarding your pricing, I'd say toss in the files. I just changed my structure this year to include that. Even though I had a low entry point, people grumbled about having to pay "extra" for the files which everyone seems to be "giving away". So my rates went up a little (but not much - that ARE slow despite what some guys want to admit) and I threw in the files on basic collections.

Your work is quite nice so I'm sure you'll be busy in time. cheers

Jan 09, 2009 at 07:53 PM

BKphotography
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p.1 #6 · lower prices or more product?

It can't be the work that you produce, cos its banging man.

Maybe its

Age (mentioned a lot I know)
Attitude (you coming off like a nice/cool guy? very important)
Confidence (something a clients need to see, protrayed correctly)
Presentation (samples AND you)

I was fortunate to work with a photographer who was an amazing business man and pick up on his skills when I though it was all about my photographs when it isn't.

Maybe this will help maybe it won't but good luck mate.

BK

Jan 09, 2009 at 08:24 PM

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p.1 #7 · lower prices or more product?

Like others have said, are your prices/product content in line with similar photogs in your area, and fit in with your marketing? I've not looked at your site but price is relative to your area more than anything else.

So in your price range who else is the bride looking at?
Are you advertising in the right places for your prices? You most likley won't book craigslist clients at $5000 a pop, for example. Most bridal are aimed at the mid-market, not low or high end.

How is your sales presentation? There's thread on here recently that has lots of good tips on it.
Where are you meeting them? I booked 50% at coffeeshops and when I moved ot my house- nothing else changed - booking rates went to 90%.

It can take a while to get the sales routine down. Analyse what you did, what went well, what didn't and make notes. I assume you have print sample or an album (or 2) to show them?

Jan 09, 2009 at 09:34 PM

Sergio Mottola
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p.1 #8 · lower prices or more product?

okay. so i added the disc to all my packages. i am also going to add a $5000 package that includes parent albums and more. this will make my other packages look more affordable/valuable. the album also can be leather or hardcover now.

now a big question: should i say "Weddings starting at $2000" or give all my prices.

Jan 09, 2009 at 10:12 PM

scott shoemake
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p.1 #9 · lower prices or more product?

now you're talking.

Jan 09, 2009 at 10:31 PM

Saad Syed
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p.1 #10 · lower prices or more product?

Sergio Mottola wrote:
now a big question: should i say "Weddings starting at $2000" or give all my prices.

This is a topic that has been discussed in length many times over and it always ends the same way - some feel listing everything upfront is better, some feel that giving less details is better.

It's really going to depend on how you want things on your site. I tried out the whole not listing anything, then tried out the "prices start at x amount thing", and then tried out giving exact details. All of them work and if your work is good (which it is) and if the clients love your stuff, they'll contact you regardless. I'm just one of those people who likes to use the internet as an information highway. I like to have as much information at my finger tips as possible and I like it to be easy accessible. I hate it when I go to the website of a certain cafe`, store, mechanic, or other service and they don't have essential pricing listed.

I find listing your prices combs out the prospectives that have a lower budget than what you require. Going to a meeting to find out a couple loves your work but has a budget $950 dollars less than what you require for a given package is a waste of time and gas. Then you have to sit there and either convince them to raise their budget, reluctantly give them a discount, or try to gracefully back out - things that could have been avoided by giving them the details they need.

I also find it far easier dealing with girls who have the right budget and interest when everything is easily available. They come to the meeting already knowing most of what they want and there's hardly ever any need to sit there and "problem solve" to make "ends meet". It just saves me a headache, honestly. Also, some people find it sly or shady when they are forced to meet you just to find out about prices and details.

I hope this helps. YMMV.

Jan 09, 2009 at 10:37 PM

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p.1 #11 · lower prices or more product?

Ya lower the session price a little and throw in some extras, only do the disk if you think you are going to make enough money off them because then they won't buy any prints you know.
It might just be a short string of bad luck your photography is top notch and that is not easy to achieve even after years of shooting and your like what 18! Have no fear Serg whatever happens I am sure you will have a very successful career.
Take my advice with a grain of salt though, I am still trying to figure out my own prices and how to secure clients same as you!
Good luck
Doug

Jan 09, 2009 at 10:41 PM

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p.1 #12 · lower prices or more product?

here's another thought entirely...

i'm curious to know what you're doing in terms of marketing and networking serg. you're looking at it as "saw 3. booked 1." and i'm going "why the heck has he only had 3 client meetings?!"

you're ridiculously talented - and yes age i almost certainly a factor - but maybe it's more a matter of getting your work out to the masses...

Jan 09, 2009 at 10:43 PM

hardlyboring
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p.1 #13 · lower prices or more product?

BTW
On your website when you go to the rates once you click on it and it displays say wedding rates if you go back and rollover the rates again nothing comes up you have to click on one of the other options and then go back to the rates again. Just a heads up, i am not sure if this is just my computer but I was confused their for a second.
Doug
Great site and blog to bad I am stuck in crappy Ohio, I'd love to get together and shoot sometime.

Jan 09, 2009 at 10:47 PM

Micky Bill
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p.1 #14 · lower prices or more product?

"Weddings starting at $2000" Sounds cheesy (unless you add a couple exclamation points and some fireworks)

Not being a wedding photographer I see this as something a discount carpet store would say "Carpet your whole house for $2000!"

You want clients who want to hire you for you, not hire you for your price, although obviously price plays into the equation. In any business there are people who want your services but cannot afford them., it is up to you to pre-qualify them either by phone or email to see if they can afford you. Finding out at a face to face meeting makes it harder and is a waste of everybody's time. I will sometimes offer 'more' or 'extra' rather than lowering my fees. Try to keep your fees up as high as you can.

Jan 09, 2009 at 10:51 PM

The Grays
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p.1 #15 · lower prices or more product?

I would not lower your prices, but rather raise them. starting at $2,000 is just not enough for what you do. I also would not pay too much attention to what everyone else in your area is doing, since you should not want to do business like everyone else.

We doubled our prices last year and shot 10 more weddings than the year before. It is not a pricing thing, but something else.

Look at what the best in the world are doing and start doing that!

-Zach

Jan 10, 2009 at 12:10 AM

Tony Hoffer
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p.1 #16 · lower prices or more product?

The Grays wrote:
I would not lower your prices, but rather raise them. starting at $2,000 is just not enough for what you do. I also would not pay too much attention to what everyone else in your area is doing, since you should not want to do business like everyone else.

We doubled our prices last year and shot 10 more weddings than the year before. It is not a pricing thing, but something else.

Look at what the best in the world are doing and start doing that!

-Zach

I agree that his work is worth a bunch, it's the most original stuff here by far.... but I think you're good where you are for now Serg... noone would hire a $6000 photographer with only a few weddings under his belt. Keep building, stay patient... by the time you're done with school, you'll have enough of a base to make a living and you'll be at the age where everyone and their mother will start getting married. Just stay patient kid.... it will come... guaranteed.

Jan 10, 2009 at 12:22 AM

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p.1 #17 · lower prices or more product?

1 for 3 is not bad. especially in this market. a few years ago when we were at $800, $1200 and $1600 for our packages we booked 9 out of 10 people. We realized this was awesome but sucked because if we booked at a 95% rate then we needed to charge more. Then now we are at $3000, $4500, $6500, $10,000 and we booked 7 out of 10 for $3000 and 5.88 out of 10 for the other packages and 10 out of 10 for $10,000 (we had 4 people call and ask about it and all 4 booked when we met). SO we are happy where our numbers are.

so if i were you I would ask yourself, are you happy with how much you make? Are you worth what you make? if so then keep your prices where they are and maybe offer something that does not cost you anything or very little at all.

Jan 10, 2009 at 01:05 AM

BKphotography
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p.1 #18 · lower prices or more product?

10k weddings?
You giving aways cars with this package?

Jan 10, 2009 at 01:15 AM

diggitydawg510
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p.1 #19 · lower prices or more product?

Serge, stand by your work. don't fold!!!

keep 2nd shooting until you book more.

Jan 10, 2009 at 01:38 AM

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p.1 #20 · lower prices or more product?

BKphotography wrote:
It can't be the work that you produce, cos its banging man.
BK

This very well could be it....Sergio, you have such a cool, modern, fresh, young (you get the point) style that you will never appeal to the masses. You will always appeal to a lot of photographers out there, but they are not the ones paying the bills. So what do you do....hmmm.....we'll I would raise your pricing. I know it sounds odd, but you have such a unique look, that you will never be able to compete with the "normal" traditional photographers and most (not all) of them are charging exactly what you are. So break away from that...your have with your work and style, so why not with your pricing. See what Sean and Sarah are doing and see how you can relate that to your biz. But you need to be charging a premium for your work....you need to separate yourself from all the others.

Good luck Sergio and stick to what you do, attract the clients who are willing to pay for it and in the end everyone will be happy.

Cheers.

Jan 10, 2009 at 02:16 AM

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