People wanting you to give them a "deal" on your work

[BenE]

Originally Posted by areinholz

Im sure this has been posted on here before, but lately I've had people who are friends wanting free or reduced photography. This is my job, it's how I help support my family. I don't ask them to do me a favor when it comes to their job. How do you respond without coming across rude?

I never come back with a flippant answer, because that is a sure way to come across as "unfriendly", and perhaps a smart a$$.

When I am asked by a personal friend for any photography, (which is not often) I give them my usual price list and then I might say something like:

I am happy you want me to photograph you, and because we are friends, I want to give you __________. Usually that is a free session or a free print, with their order.

I also believe in being proactive, if I decide to do this. I beat them to it, and make any offer before they ask.

[brad]

Ok, first... friends can get you deals on things they do... I've had friends who are able to manage employee discounts at stores .. to getting trade show discounts when I ask because of my friendship with the owners .. all the way up to a friend who gave me free chiropractic treatments... even did an x-ray for the cost of film once when my son broke his arm... so those discounts exist out there, but they only exist where your friends own the business or have a lot of pull in it (like a manager of a store).

That said.. I have three different levels of friends and family discounts.

For my actual family.. I eat the cost or they pay for the cost of prints. This is the family that lives in my house, my parents, my sister, and three girls (now women) who are very, very special to me. I even shot two of their weddings as a gift to them.

For my friends and family (this is the official F&F discount), I do not charge a session fee and I give them 20% the regular price for anything I print. Digital images are sold at my lowest individual price, no matter how many they order.

For my haunt family, it is a flat 15% off everything, including the session. This discount is open to all volunteers from the haunted house.

I offer these because I'm a nice person, not because I'm expecting some quid pro quo. The only restriction I tell anyone is that they *must* tell everyone they paid full price when they refer me.... and my friends and family definitely refer me... especially after I've given them these kinds of deals.