...hurt an industry, nor is it new. This post is a take-off on a couple of themes of late.
Cut rate competition has been around forever, in every industry. There are ebbs and flows in all business cycles and industries. There will be times of surplus and times of shortage. Times of surplus often create opportunity for 'cheap' competition.
This hits the photo industry as it hits many. Because the cost and barriers to entry are so low...and the 'ignorance' [lack of real understanding--not stupidity] of customers is so high, it is relatively easy to hang a sign, "Wedding Photography." Simply purchase any digital SLR with kit lens and basic flash. Bingo, you're in business.
But, cheap labor creates opportunity for business in a couple of ways-
-it shows there is cheap labor to be had by your own company. Need a second shooter? See someone selling $299 weddings that can make a decent image? Hire them [known as buying your competition].
-gives opportunity to differentiate yourself from the competition. The more competition, the more opportunity to stand out.
--weeds out the 'price-shopper' clientele. Do you really want to work with a couple who believes the images of their day are worth $299? I don't. Been there. Done that.
--over time, as these business fail, use this in your presentation when faced with the "$299-photog-objection." There should be a real fear that a $299 photographer might not be around any longer on the day of your prospects wedding.
Exploiting the opportunities presented by competition requires mastery of certain skill sets. If you base your product on the latest camera or lens you use [which any of your competitors can buy], or you base it on a pose or posing style [which any competitor can copy], or on a logo/layout to hide bad photography [which any competitor can copy], or last but not least, post hundreds of images and 'how to's" on a blog for all to see [removing the need for prospects to ever contact you and feeding cheap competition with all the learning tools necessary], you will see cheap labor as an obstacle and reason to loose business. They are not the problem. You are.
Customers buy you. Make certain you are unique enough and your selling skills are sharp enough to exploit "you." Pre-qualifying everyone with a blog, so only those who love your stuff will contact you will delay the mastery of your selling skills. You will be hit the hardest by those who copy your style [with your help] and present a blog with similar images for $299.
And cut rate for one area of the country may not be cut rate for others. I've read many a post on here saying people dont start for anything less than $1500-2000. Man around my area that is an insane price. Nobody would pay it. Consequently, I am forced to keep my prices low. To some of you, my prices are probably almost as bad as the $299 craigslist guy.
Sorry. I would rather book weddings for $500-900 and have work than set my prices at $1500-3000 and appease the higher end photogs in another area of the country.
elamont wrote:
And cut rate for one area of the country may not be cut rate for others. I've read many a post on here saying people dont start for anything less than $1500-2000. Man around my area that is an insane price. Nobody would pay it. Consequently, I am forced to keep my prices low. To some of you, my prices are probably almost as bad as the $299 craigslist guy.
Sorry. I would rather book weddings for $500-900 and have work than set my prices at $1500-3000 and appease the higher end photogs in another area of the country.
Do you not find it interesting that your most popular wedding package (according to your website) is also your most popular one?
If the absolute best package you have to offer is your most popular package, I'd say you are either one heck of a salesman in your low budget area, OR, your prices are so low that people realize what a deal such a package is compared to other photographers in the area, especially considering the few pictures you have on your site right now look pretty good.
This isn't a knock on you, but in either case it tells me you have a prime opportunity to do yourself a favor and raise your prices.
elamont wrote:
And cut rate for one area of the country may not be cut rate for others. I've read many a post on here saying people dont start for anything less than $1500-2000. Man around my area that is an insane price. Nobody would pay it. Consequently, I am forced to keep my prices low. To some of you, my prices are probably almost as bad as the $299 craigslist guy.
Sorry. I would rather book weddings for $500-900 and have work than set my prices at $1500-3000 and appease the higher end photogs in another area of the country.
I made a quick check at wedfog.com for Washtington state wedding photographers. There were 39 listings. Of those only one listed a starting price of $1000. Four listed a starting price of $1500. I didn't count all the $2000, $2500, $3000 and $3500 listings... but those ranges were in the majority. I found similar results looking at WPJA.com. Only one listing a starting price of $1000... two if you want to count eh $1049 guy as well. There are 52 listing on that site... easily 1/2 starting at more than $2000. What I'm telling you is I think you have a unrealistic view of what your area's prices really are.
Think about it, if you were selling the same packages at $1000 to $1800 instead of 1/2 that you could make the same money shooting with half the bookings. Or you could book the same number of weddings and make twice the money. Neither is a bad scenario.
Well, sounds like I need to re-evaluate my pricing. I've been basing it on people in my town, and what I have heard from brides. I am sure people in downtown Seattle or Tacoma charge much much more than me, but maybe even in this rural/economically depressed county the prices have gone up. I guess I havent stayed on top of it. I am admittedly not the best business person. I would much rather just take the pics and not worry about the money side of it.
elamont wrote:
I would much rather just take the pics and not worry about the money side of it.
Indeed, but such a philosophy is usually the fastest way to put yourself out of business.
There are quite a few saavy business folks here and a lot of small business resources all over the web and probably even in your own town. Never be afraid to ask for advice or for answers to your questions.
