Birthday Party Pricing

[scott1120]

Not to sound dumb, but was this an adult birthday party? I mean even if I didn't take my own pictures at my kids' parties. I don't know of anyone including my self that would pay for photos of my kids birthday party. Of course I am cheap, though.

[kachina]

Originally Posted by scott1120

Not to sound dumb, but was this an adult birthday party? I mean even if I didn't take my own pictures at my kids' parties. I don't know of anyone including my self that would pay for photos of my kids birthday party. Of course I am cheap, though.

I know folks who spend $1000 dollars on a kid's birthday party. By the time you rent space, pay for a clown to do balloons, a power ranger appearance, food, drinks, cake, and a musician - $200-$300 for a photographer is no big deal if they want to socialize instead of taking pictures themselves.

[kachina]

Originally Posted by CaptainTom

That's the business world.

You will ALWAYS find someone out there who can undercut your price.

You need to seperate yourself from the crowd by creating VALUE and establishing a RELATIONSHIP with your client.

Some probing might have revealed that they wanted only a CD of the images. You could then have priced this product to your satisfaction, and the client would not have been inclined to look elsewhere.

If you sell by price alone, you will lose money in the long run. If you establish value and relationships, determine their wants, you will have a loyal customer.

End of sales lecture for today

Yes, I offered her a CD - just not included in the shoot. It was not worth my time to shoot, post, and deliver for $70. The returns just would not be that good based on perceived party demographics.

[Wil_Bloodworth]

Rusty,

Those print prices seem a tad high to me... but that's just my opinion. I could be, and regularly am, wrong.

- Wil

[kachina]

Originally Posted by ParkImaging

Rusty,

Those print prices seem a tad high to me... but that's just my opinion. I could be, and regularly am, wrong.

- Wil

Wil,

Mine:

$1 4X6s, $5 5X7s, $15 8X10s + a signed model release

or competition's:

Proofs or prints
Print pricing from birthday party!
4x6 - $3 5x7 - $7 16x20 - $99
8x10 - $12 11x14 - $59
Set of 25 4x6 proofs $15

Or, are you just being facetious?

[Wil_Bloodworth]

Rusty,

No, I wasn't being facetious. I was simply trying to think in terms of an order that someone would place (or want to place). When I first started out, I set my print prices to extreme lows... around $1 per print. I did this to see that if, hypothetically, print prices weren't a factor, what would the customer order.

That let me determine what they really wanted from that event and what the mean count would be. Then I adjusted my prices so that most of the mean could still be reached... without killing the sale. Mostly, I believe that for my market, I'm kinda there. But, of course, there's always hindsight.

Try putting together a sale for yourself of prints you would want from an event and then figure up the total based on your print prices. Would you pay that amount? If the answer is Yes, then do you believe your customers would as well? If either answer is No, then you'll need to adjust accordingly... right?

As always... I'm just trying to think through the situation... and I'm not guaranteeing the results! ha ha.

- Wil

[kachina]

Originally Posted by ParkImaging

Rusty,

No, I wasn't being facetious. I was simply trying to think in terms of an order that someone would place (or want to place). When I first started out, I set my print prices to extreme lows... around $1 per print. I did this to see that if, hypothetically, print prices weren't a factor, what would the customer order.

That let me determine what they really wanted from that event and what the mean count would be. Then I adjusted my prices so that most of the mean could still be reached... without killing the sale. Mostly, I believe that for my market, I'm kinda there. But, of course, there's always hindsight.

Try putting together a sale for yourself of prints you would want from an event and then figure up the total based on your print prices. Would you pay that amount? If the answer is Yes, then do you believe your customers would as well? If either answer is No, then you'll need to adjust accordingly... right?

As always... I'm just trying to think through the situation... and I'm not guaranteeing the results! ha ha.

- Wil

Yes, I need to work on pricing. I'm probably overpriced for my area but I don't want to compete with Wal-Mart. I am going to do a serious customer survey prior to June. I'm collecting area competitor pricing right now. Lots to do.

[Roy]

I hope it's not the area Rusty. If it is then I need to look someplace else. It sure wasn't me that gave that low a price with images on a cd. Most people in this area don't even know I exist...hehe

[kachina]

Originally Posted by Roy

I hope it's not the area Rusty. If it is then I need to look someplace else. It sure wasn't me that gave that low a price with images on a cd. Most people in this area don't even know I exist...hehe

Our area is demographically diverse so I'm not too worried. However, I will tell you for sure this time next year.

[katiexjo]

I know this thread is about B-day parties, but it is also about pricing. How much would one charge for a corporate X-mas or New Year's holiday party? Plus 4x6 proofs or maybe a photobook coffee table album? I expect 3-5 hours of shooting, plus a 2nd shooter, and then the album or proofs?

Any thoughts on what the going rate might be?

Thanks for your help.

Katie Jo

[bigjon0107]

Originally Posted by katiexjo

I know this thread is about B-day parties, but it is also about pricing. How much would one charge for a corporate X-mas or New Year's holiday party? Plus 4x6 proofs or maybe a photobook coffee table album? I expect 3-5 hours of shooting, plus a 2nd shooter, and then the album or proofs?

Any thoughts on what the going rate might be?

Thanks for your help.

Katie Jo

Well corporations will pay much more then what your average joe will pay. But it all goes back to the companies mindset. I have watched my dads company fork over $1000 for 4-5 hrs of work, 4X6 proofs, and a CD that they can reprint from, but can not use in advertising. So i would not say that those prices are too uncommon.

That should be enough to cover the second shooter (assuming that he/she does quality work and is not just someone you pick up a min. wage) and any expenses you have, plus some in your pocket.

-Jon

[Mandy]

I personally don't want to do a party for under $600

The costs I have to consider for a shoot
- Welcome packet
- Mileage to/from event
- 100 4x6 images
- box for images
- DVD and case for the DVD (I use a nice case and not the standard jewel case)

Time to factor in (these are rough estimates of course)
- Pre Session stuff like time to make/send welcome packet, client consultation, answering other random questions (1 hr)
- Drive time to/from event (est 1 hr)
- Event (2 hrs)
- Download, rank, tag, and select final images (1 hr)
- Post processing of 100 images (3 hrs)
- Ordering, burning DVD, & packaging images for delivery (30 mins)
- Time to ship and/or delivery portraits (30 mins)

So that's around 9 hours of work when it's all said and done. For ease of math I'm going to round up to 10. That's $60/hr which sounds great, but considering the direct costs of the shoot, other fixed business expenses and taxes are taken out of it what I 'bring home' from the shoot is just okay.

All that being said I haven't had anyone take me up on my party offer, but that's perfectly fine with me. I place a certain value on my time away from my family and that is how I base my pricing. I do shoot family parties for free and I have done 2 parties for one of my close friends kids too. I just shoot and burn them and they still take me around 5 hours. Of course I'd be at the party anyways in those instances so it's only about 3 hrs extra work, no time line, and no extra frills or costs (except the DVD and cheap jewel case which are nothing).