Off season is killing me...

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Archive 2009 · Off season is killing me...

gravygraffix
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p.1 #1 · Off season is killing me...

Im not sure what is wrong, I'm not getting really any inquires anymore.
I used to get 3-4 a week now I'm lucky to get one a month.

I am #2 in Google as well as the map for my area.

I get several a day from Google alone.

I have done over 20 weddings so I'd think WOM would be getting better.

I have tried the pricing game, starting at... listing prices, not listing prices, and now i have a end of year special that I am basically whoring my self out for and I gets nothing.

I have 3 booked for next year, 4th being my gf's brother...

I am about 2 months from not being able to pay rent anymore..

or anything else....fail.

Trying like crazy to find some low rent job to help me make it thru the winter but im to old i guess for the crap min wage jobs.

I am coming to you guys and gals, my pals, to maybe give me some inspiration to figure out how to deal with slow season... I do have studio stuff, 4 strobes, paper... yada yada...

Can you take a look at my site maybe... is it bad? im open to suggestions.

Click the www in the below I dont want google indexing this...

Nov 15, 2009 at 05:52 AM

sidewazzz388
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p.1 #2 · Off season is killing me...

I've notice this is the calm before the storm...

Nov 15, 2009 at 06:00 AM

paparazzinick
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p.1 #3 · Off season is killing me...

ok so i looked at your site and well.... there are about 10^ of your work where I said WTF were you thinking but 90% where I was like wow this dude is awesome. you have some really nice work. i think what your problem is your pricing is too low.

example... last week i was shopping for a car and I was looking at the mazda 6 and VW cc. the mazda 6 is a decent car but when I seen the price tag at $20k I thought it must not be that nice so I sent with the vw cc for $35k. price tag sold me,

example 2

bride calls me and ask pricing and I say we start at $2800 to cover the day for 6 hours. She asks how much to add an album. I said price starts at $3800 for a small album. She sad sold because I was worth it. Bride 3 years ago (same quality work) said no sorry your not any good your too cheap.

SO moral is... raise your prices and people will book.

2 years ago we booked 25 weddings and that it was awesome. decided to work less last year and raise the prices. we booked 35 last year at higher prices. this year we said ok lets do less and raise the prices. we booked 35 again at higher prices.

so next year we said ok again let work less and raised prices. so far we have 22 weddings booked for 2010 and our average price from 2 years ago to today went from $2200 average to $4800 average. For some reason price means everything in our society.

Good luck buddy. raise the prices and live it up. your good enough to make more money. its all in your confidence and consistency

Nov 15, 2009 at 06:19 AM

TTLKurtis
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p.1 #4 · Off season is killing me...

Raise thine prices. Special = bad! You're going to lose your @$$ if anyone actually takes you up on those specials.

Nov 15, 2009 at 06:23 AM

gravygraffix
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p.1 #5 · Off season is killing me...

wow thank you Nick.

I have been all over with prices, and most of them end up around 1600 for 8 hours

my pricing for next year is 8 hours for 2400, which I dont think I am outta line being a suburb of Chicago... (45 min to down town).

what gets me is there are around 20 weddings a weekend around here IN season, who the hell is shooting them

I really do think I am one of the top shooters in my area... in town alone there isnt alot to choose from.

Nov 15, 2009 at 06:30 AM

ksmahgrts
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p.1 #6 · Off season is killing me...

not sure this has anything to do w/ your inquiry/booking rate, but here's my immediate reaction: i'm a little confused.

the initial reaction to the blog is wow! love the red, and the header images are strong, particularly the gown shot. as a chick, i'm drawn to your aesthetic. then i click ABOUT and that's when things start to get weird.

had i not known from the forums that you're a guy, i would be very taken aback by the fact - it doesn't help that in your bio image you're staring off screen and looking like you're straight out of american chopper. that in itself is not a bad thing (i'm married to a guy who looks a lot like you) but the feminine logo & aesthetic paired with the tough guy pic is befuddling.

then you combine that with the boring 2-line bio with a link to a random "free" website with funky link (why is it Wedding-Photographer) and you've lost me. just too many "huh" moments in a market that i'm sure is saturated with photographers. i'd be clicking on to the next guy, despite being initially drawn to your images.

clearly you're a guy with personality. time to take a good hard look at branding and really clarify the image that you're putting out there.

what else?
-i want an obvious direct link to a portfolio, not to have to weed through "categories" like you suggest in your "announcements". there are way too many images in your blog posts. use the blog as a chance share your best from a single wedding. it should entice potential clients into wanting to see more of your portfolio. if you're showing me everything, i don't have a reason to get in touch with you to inquire about more.
-that portfolio (if not built into the site) should take me to a site with consistent name usage. if you're going to use shannon price photo, use it. i have no idea what or who better visions photo is and i'm not interested enough to figure it out.
-i dont understand your "links" tab. just listing a bunch of photographers you like doesn't in anyway appeal to or connect with brides. you also have "links" and "blogroll" (which is populated with the generic wordpress stuff. yikes!)
-have someone review or write your copy. lines like "Im am going to take a few moments on why it pays to hire a pro. I imagine I am a lil biased of course… but in the following post I will inform you realistically of why not to count on uncle Bob." are really off-putting. sounds like a middle schooler wrote it.

phew. hope that helps!

Nov 15, 2009 at 06:36 AM

gravygraffix
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p.1 #7 · Off season is killing me...

thank you thats the feed back I want... no BS

I dont know what the hell blog roll is i will try to dump the garbage... i left it there as it was a template from tofurious...

better visions is my old site as I have just started to work on that branding thing...I cant ditch it yet as im anchored so good in google.... my new one was up to #6 first page but its hopping around and takes a while to settle in.

my About:... really ... lemme know if ya dump him lol jk.... OK I will get my roomate to get a new pic of me, I just hate pics of me... and thats the only one i even remotely like. And the bio link... was to my old site, and was under the impression that anchor text was good for seo. that was the whole reason for going wordpress and trying to get better placement for surrounding towns. and thats not working... i fail at this stuff.

Nov 15, 2009 at 06:49 AM

ksmahgrts
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p.1 #8 · Off season is killing me...

don't change the pic - use it to your advantage. "getting hitched at a biker bar? i'm your man!"

i'm kidding - and not. the pic is a good one (justify it right so you're looking into the frame) and use it to start a dialogue with your clients.

...and yea. i'm not exactly known for my subtlety - but i hope it helps!

(ps. my blog sucks.)

Nov 15, 2009 at 06:57 AM

TTLKurtis
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p.1 #9 · Off season is killing me...

You don't necessarily need a pic of you. But yeah, I thought the same about your bio pic. Looks like a trucker, which doesn't read "wedding photographer" for brides I imagine. I'd wear a suit or something professional instead of Dickey's.

Nov 15, 2009 at 06:59 AM

ksmahgrts
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p.1 #10 · Off season is killing me...

TTLKurtis wrote:
You don't necessarily need a pic of you. But yeah, I thought the same about your bio pic. Looks like a trucker, which doesn't read "wedding photographer" for brides I imagine. I'd wear a suit or something professional instead of Dickey's.

no way. i'd absolutely hire a guy that looks like that. just be you. the issue is not the pic, but conveying a consistent brand. connect the dots for your clients. you're going to come off as a big phoney if you're not a suit kind of guy.

Nov 15, 2009 at 07:02 AM

gravygraffix
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p.1 #11 · Off season is killing me...

yeah Im not a suit guy, I thought it might play off well with that pic... big dood that can take arty pics... what ever... Ill try some new shots see what I get.

I hate talking about myself and never know what to write in there.

Im working on my pricing right now. so it might change....

my site looked gurlie

? damm it.

Nov 15, 2009 at 07:07 AM

TTLKurtis
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p.1 #12 · Off season is killing me...

Being yourself is fine, but I doubt he actually shoots weddings in his Dickey's. Maybe I'm wrong. I am not trying to be offensive here, I'm just giving my honest reaction (and if one of us is thinking it, then at least SOME of your clients are thinking the same thing). YMMV.

The poor grammar someone else mentioned is a bigger turn-off for me, personally.

gravygraffix wrote:my site looked gurlie

? damm it.

lulz

Nov 15, 2009 at 07:07 AM

Ric L.
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p.1 #13 · Off season is killing me...

You know... I might be the noob here but you guys crack me up with your, "Raise prices and they will come!" mantra.

You're only worth what the bride is willing to pay you on any given day. It's a buyer's market right now. You raise prices to get rid of the tire kickers and only if you have inquires already coming in. You don't take the same service that isn't selling, increase the price by 50% and expect it to magically sell just because it costs more. What a ridiculous business plan.

Sure there's a sweet spot but sometimes business just slumps - that's all there is to it. Just look around you.

Nov 15, 2009 at 07:18 AM

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p.1 #14 · Off season is killing me...

you're prices are definitely low for your work quality. also...I think this is one of those shots that you
may like, but people may just think is a total screw up.

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Edited on Nov 15, 2009 at 07:23 AM · View previous versions

Nov 15, 2009 at 07:23 AM

TTLKurtis
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p.1 #15 · Off season is killing me...

I don't know how things are in Afghanistan, but we Americans like to get rid of as much money as we can.

Nov 15, 2009 at 07:23 AM

gravygraffix
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p.1 #16 · Off season is killing me...

Good stuff guys keep it coming.... we can make this a"business makeover" show...save me from being homeless again lol...

In your opinions.... where does a Bride shop/ start looking first? Do you guys hit up the dress shops?

Nov 15, 2009 at 07:25 AM

gravygraffix
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p.1 #17 · Off season is killing me...

ok that pic will be stricken from the record....I do like it and made a great album background image.... but maybe its not the right time and place for it.

Nov 15, 2009 at 07:27 AM

Mitchel107
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p.1 #18 · Off season is killing me...

That picture that jprez shows needs a logo smack in the bottom 1/3rd and show me the money!

But I think it needs to be tilted to the left like two degrees but I could just be drunk...

Nov 15, 2009 at 07:41 AM

gravygraffix
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p.1 #19 · Off season is killing me...

it was shot with beergoggle filter on...

Nov 15, 2009 at 07:44 AM

camerapapi
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p.1 #20 · Off season is killing me...

In the first place, I do not shoot weddings any more. I used to during the film era when the norm was using medium format cameras. Digital has changed that.
Today, unfortunately, many photographers without the proper training have embraced wedding photography because digital makes it easy to take photographs. It does not mean they produce quality work, as we all know, but they are influencing the market.
Many couples will look for quality but many others will look for a bargain.
Raising the price can work but it has to be backed by good, organized quality work. I do not know how you conduct business but I would say "specials" is not the way to go. Good albums with the best of your work, a professional studio in all respects and a little office to show your work and close the deals is all you need. The rest is hard work through local advertisement and showing your best during interviews. Your satisfied customers will be those to recommend others to see you for their photographic needs.
These are tough times but still people are getting married and there is a good market out there. Reach that good market for your share.
Good luck!

William Rodriguez
Miami, Florida.

Nov 15, 2009 at 08:51 AM

Tad Killian
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p.1 #21 · Off season is killing me...

Nov 15, 2009 at 09:20 AM

Tony Hoffer
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p.1 #22 · Off season is killing me...

gravygraffix wrote:
Im not sure what is wrong, I'm not getting really any inquires anymore.
I used to get 3-4 a week now I'm lucky to get one a month.

To me, this part is really the biggest issue. If you're based on referrals, then when you're not shooting, no one new is seeing your work. So, if it's your off-season, it makes sense. I get WAY less inquiries in the off-season and lots of my inquiries come within 2 or 3 weeks of the wedding that they're referred by.

Nov 15, 2009 at 02:27 PM

gravygraffix
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p.1 #23 · Off season is killing me...

Tony, the ones I were getting were blind emails all spawned from google...

I think it quit when I put up a starting price, and cant say that is the exact reason, maybe I just weeded out all the <$800.00 brides.

I even did the free Gallery wrap for the most comments by dec 6th.... was going great, emailed some that said they'd hire me if i was close, offering to travel.

Nov 15, 2009 at 02:44 PM

Ric L.
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p.1 #24 · Off season is killing me...

TTLKurtis wrote:
I don't know how things are in Afghanistan, but we Americans like to get rid of as much money as we can.

Given the current U.S. economic situation... that's kind of obvious.

Nov 15, 2009 at 03:11 PM

Brian Mullins
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p.1 #25 · Off season is killing me...

Gravy.. there is a very simple mantra that may help you here. It's something I use to constantly check my business "identity" and make sure everything I do passes the "sniff" test.

Come up one one sentence that identifies your business. It needs to be simple, accurate and most importantly, something you really feel. What grits is saying above is very, very true... if your busines appears schizophrenic it WILL affect bookings and fail to attract your clients. However, something as simple as a frilly logo combined with a biker guy photo will be enough to throw people for a loop.

For example - I see you talking about changing pricing but, as you said, it's not helping. That should tell you pricing is not an immediate factor in your area. What is then? I can't answer that for you obviously but come up with your sentence then test everything you do in your business against it. Where you advertise, the venues you work in, the logo, album design, etc... it all needs to fit your business model and you WILL attract like minded brides who want to hire you.

I hope this helps even though it is just a general commentary.

Nov 15, 2009 at 03:25 PM


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