A client wants to use an image of mine as their Christmas card .. a run of 400 cards. Never priced this kind of usage before so I'm wondering how to price?

Thanks for any suggestions,
Mike

have you calculated your costs? I have some cards printed onto a card stock paper that I box and sell 12 cards for $15. Most of my other cards are actual 4x6 photos that have been put into a 5x7 photo holder that I buy from Photographer's edge. I sell those individually for $4 ea. I had a University order 500 of the photo note cards - they did some custom printing inside and on the back - University logo and President's name. They paid for the extra costs upfront and I would have to check my records, but I know I sold them for less than $4 ea. My cost for photo, card & envelope ended up being around $1 ea.

Gerald

wiens51 wrote:
have you calculated your costs? I have some cards printed onto a card stock paper that I box and sell 12 cards for $15. Most of my other cards are actual 4x6 photos that have been put into a 5x7 photo holder that I buy from Photographer's edge. I sell those individually for $4 ea. I had a University order 500 of the photo note cards - they did some custom printing inside and on the back - University logo and President's name. They paid for the extra costs upfront and I would have to check my records, but I know I sold them for less than $4 ea. My cost for photo, card & envelope ended up being around $1 ea.

Gerald


Thanks Gerald .. I should have been more specific, they just want the file and will be getting the printing, etc done elsewhere.

So I'm just selling the file usage for one specific card print run.

I got £120 for my christmas card run of 2500 for a corporate christmas card. That was slightly above the going rate on the top stock sites, so that was what I pitched at and the offer was accepted. Just a bit of anecdotal evidence for you, I am no pricing expert.

I should add that the image I sold was one I only actually put on my website because it had snow on it and I thought it might sell as a christmas card. It wasnt the kind of shot someone would hang on their wall at any rate so I was very hapy with the price.

are you talking about selling the digital use of the image or printing the cards yourself?

oops, never mind, just read you said the digital file.

well, keep in mind they can do whatever they want with the digital file later....perhaps there is a way you can print the cards for them so you don't lose control over how it's printed.

If you still plan on releasing the digital image, I'd say no less than $100. I sell my digital images for $100 a piece, but have considered raising the price. So much depends on the client...some clients place huge orders and ask about the digital image after....I'm more inclined to offer it to them at a steep discount because I already met my desired profit margin. Other families just want the images and don't have any desire to place an order....those families will pay more, you know?

I'm SORT OF in the same boat. I do sell a ton of Christmas cards this time of year, BUT, the profit margin is pretty darn slim. There are so many of the online places doing them that it's really hard to compete with. My cost and retail on them is almost embarrassing to some extent that lately I've thought about selling the digital file to use as a Christmas card only usage, but have run into the same thought that they could print whatever they wanted once they have the file. I've even thought about not even offering cards because of this pricing situation.

I've never sold digital files so I'm really agonizing over this entire thing. I have thought about selling single digital files for somewhere around $100 - and maybe $500 or more for the complete session - geeesshhh - I don't know - I feel like I might be shooting myself in the foot doing that, so who knows.

I hope this thread continues, maybe for others inputs !

Regards - Tom

The profit margin on cards is very thin isn't it? I stopped selling them for a few years because it wasn't worth the headache and my time. This year I started up again hoping that it will improve my "customer service" side of my business. The clients that did order cards loved them and I hope it will improve my referral businesses.

What I realized is that people will do cards anyway. When I wasn't offering them, some clients were scanning in pictures into the shutterfly cards. I saw some of the final products and the images just looked terrible. I was concerned it was a poor reflection on my photography skills. So, this year, I offered them to about 1/2 my clients, bought some nice templates and about 75% of the clients who were offered the cards purchased them. Sure, the profit margin isn't grand, but it increased my contact with the customers and resulted in additional print orders.

When I wasn't offering cards, I did offer a price break on quantity 4x6s. There was a minimum order of 25 4x6 images, then quantity price discounts for the more the purchased. I suggested clients could insert the image into a photo card, such as the ones offered by Exposures. A few clients approached it this way, but it wasn't a big seller.

The only thing I wonder about card sales if if they will help or hurt me in the end. Obviously, I am offering cards again hoping they will help. But, I am curious about people who haven't placed their print order yet...will the size of their order be affected because the initial urge to have the pictures in hand has been satisfied? Some clients were squeezed in at the very end of the season, and we were rushed to get the cards ready in time. They are working on their print order side now, after they have their cards. Time will tell. I think next year, I may encourage card orders to be placed at the same time as their print order...maybe with some sort of incentive. Not sure.

barefootbeach wrote:
The profit margin on cards is very thin isn't it? I stopped selling them for a few years because it wasn't worth the headache and my time. This year I started up again hoping that it will improve my "customer service" side of my business. The clients that did order cards loved them and I hope it will improve my referral businesses.

What I realized is that people will do cards anyway. When I wasn't offering them, some clients were scanning in pictures into the shutterfly cards. I saw some of the final products and the images just looked terrible. I was concerned it was a poor reflection on my photography skills. So, this year, I offered them to about 1/2 my clients, bought some nice templates and about 75% of the clients who were offered the cards purchased them. Sure, the profit margin isn't grand, but it increased my contact with the customers and resulted in additional print orders.

When I wasn't offering cards, I did offer a price break on quantity 4x6s. There was a minimum order of 25 4x6 images, then quantity price discounts for the more the purchased. I suggested clients could insert the image into a photo card, such as the ones offered by Exposures. A few clients approached it this way, but it wasn't a big seller.

The only thing I wonder about card sales if if they will help or hurt me in the end. Obviously, I am offering cards again hoping they will help. But, I am curious about people who haven't placed their print order yet...will the size of their order be affected because the initial urge to have the pictures in hand has been satisfied? Some clients were squeezed in at the very end of the season, and we were rushed to get the cards ready in time. They are working on their print order side now, after they have their cards. Time will tell. I think next year, I may encourage card orders to be placed at the same time as their print order...maybe with some sort of incentive. Not sure.

You make some very good points. I guess what really got me wondering about this entire situation is an e-mail I got from an out of state customer that ordered 100 cards and more or less complained about the price she had to pay. She told me she could have basically gotten the same ones from one of the online places for 1/5th the cost. She said that mine were way to expensive for what she got. Honestly, that was the first complaint I've ever received. I sent out well over 2500 cards this season, so I probably shouldn't let the one complaint bother me, but it does. I did tell her that the image itself was one she wouldn't have had using the online service, but it sort of fell on deaf ears. I guess it's just another sign of the times. I have mine printed at Miller's Professional and order their standard slim line 4x8 with envelopes. I've thought about offering the folded way more expensive type, but I'm sure my customer base would go into cardiac at the prices I'd have to have for those. I'm glad the season for ordering and selling them is almost over and I'll have another year to work out the dilemma.
Regards - Tom

I just read your reply, and I felt the same way about the slim 4x8 versions. That's such a popular size at Walmart, CVS, etc, that I was afraid it wasn't unique enough to charge my prices. Most of my clients went for 5x7 flat styles with a few with the folded styles mixed in. The foldeds were pricey, but the quality was high. The flat 5x7s were a more reasonable $2.50 a card.

Although places like shutterfly sell nice 5x7 flat ones as well, my templates were unique and I think that helped move these this season. I am going to have a friend design a few more templates for me this summer, as I think that will be the focus of next season's marketing efforts. I don't think I'll offer 4x8s next year.

barefootbeach wrote:
I just read your reply, and I felt the same way about the slim 4x8 versions. That's such a popular size at Walmart, CVS, etc, that I was afraid it wasn't unique enough to charge my prices. Most of my clients went for 5x7 flat styles with a few with the folded styles mixed in. The foldeds were pricey, but the quality was high. The flat 5x7s were a more reasonable $2.50 a card.

Although places like shutterfly sell nice 5x7 flat ones as well, my templates were unique and I think that helped move these this season. I am going to have a friend design a few more templates for me this summer, as I think that will be the focus of next season's marketing efforts. I don't think I'll offer 4x8s next year.


More great information - I'm glad it's over for this year and I'll have another year to figure something out -- and like you, I don't plan on offering the 4x8's next year - unless I go with something a little more unique and upscale like you mention - then I'll just offer quantity offers on set size prints or something along that line.

Thanks for the thoughts and ideas.

Ya, I've included the option for them to print their own cards with the image as a value-added service. Most family portrait clients that do this spent over $1k on their package, so to me it's not worth nickel/diming them for $110 or something insignificant when the referrals are far worth it.

Most of them even like putting my name on the cards as well, so it helps!