good luck finding someone

[ndsimm]

who is telling these brides thay can get all this????

so I get a call from a bride wanting to know if I'm available for a date 2 months away

she saw my site and loves my work, but she was quoted the following:

$1,000 for 7 or 8 hours, a cd with all prints, a wedding book and prints. something like 150 4x6s, 4 8/x10s and 1 11x14 (she's not sure about the 11x14)

I told her the best I could do is a shoot and burn for about 5 hours for that price, but asked her if she saw the work of the person that gave her the quote. "yes, but I like your work better"

I'm flattered, but I'll pass...

[Cajungaltx]

If you don't ask for the sky....

I guess it's me - but I think that is a perfect situation where your sales ability and your ability to educate a client (potential) will either score you a bride, and a financial win... or not.

You have to be able to TELL them why you are different. They aren't photographers. If someone said they'd give all that to them for 1K, and you know that's crap, tell them. It's like when someone calls and asks: What's your 8x10 price? They don't know what else to ask...

I am coming from a sales & marketing background - so maybe my position is unique - but people don't spend money on what they don't value. If I want to know where your heart is - I just need to look at your bank account. You have to get them to invest in YOU... and YOUR services...

I need coffee... so forgive my off the wall response. ;-)

[kenw]

Reminds me of an old story:

A man walks into a store to buy a mower and inquires about one in particular.

The shop owner tells him that model is $595.

"What!!!?? The store down the street sells it for $395!", the man exclaims.

"Why don't you buy it down there then?", the owner asks.

"Because they're out of them."

"Well" the owner says, "when I don't have any, I sell them for $295."

[toverman]

Publications, daytime talk shows, wedding Web sites ... they are recommending that brides DEMAND everything for the lowest price possible. All those programs don't mention that so often you get what you pay for, and it's going to be a Disappointment Sandwich at the end of the day. Mix in the bottom feeders who would do all this bride demanded for $500 (not knowing that it will end up costing the photographer at least double that in time, effort and prints).

[PhotoDude79]

I had the same scenerio last week. The grooms sister contacted me cause she loves my style and wanted to know my price. They are having a Indian wedding and I've never shot a indian wedding so I gave her a little discount to sweeten the deal. My base package is 2,000, I was giving it to her for 1,800. She said let me talk to my brother....... So she calls back and asks for 12 hours, 2 photographers, DVD with images, a flushmount album with 20 - 25 pages for 1,300!!!! I was like what tha hell??? I had to walk away from that one. It was just ridiculous....

[sashi]

Originally Posted by PhotoDude79

I had the same scenerio last week. The grooms sister contacted me cause she loves my style and wanted to know my price. They are having a Indian wedding and I've never shot a indian wedding so I gave her a little discount to sweeten the deal. My base package is 2,000, I was giving it to her for 1,800. She said let me talk to my brother....... So she calls back and asks for 12 hours, 2 photographers, DVD with images, a flushmount album with 20 - 25 pages for 1,300!!!! I was like what tha hell??? I had to walk away from that one. It was just ridiculous....

This same girl called me as well...she must be making her rounds to try to get a photographer to bend to what she wants - her brother is getting married on June 26th. Our payment plan is 30 days out and she wanted to pay 1/3 after the engagement session 1/3 after the wedding and the rest when I deliver the CD...she tried really hard....I ran away from her-

I feel bad for her brother- he is going to be left with no one to shoot his wedding because his sister is a horrible negotiator!!

[PhotoDude79]

LOL... yes that is her. That's hilarious....

[Bobby C 01TA]

dam..I dont even know amatuers that would offer the above at $1k!! 4-5 hrs plus a cd sounds more resonable but you know how good you are. Just have to see if its worth it to you. In this sitution, flattery doesnt get the person everything LOL. I wouldnt even do the above woth my point and shoot!

[ggeen]

I will play mediator for a little bit. The first thing that one needs to do is determine the woman's goal. Is her goal to find a photographer for the wedding? (this is the sensible goal) Or is her goal to find a photographer for under $1K? (most likely, this is her position.)

Once the goal is in the open, the negotiations may begin. Sometimes people do not understand their goal /should/ be. You, as the professional, may need to explain that to your potential client.

[EagleGirl]

I like a comment that Robert Faust made in his wedding class at Texas School this month. He said that after he has spent 20 minutes or so getting to know a potential customer, he will ask them on a scale of 1-10, how important are your wedding pictures to you. He then tells that that he and his wife put their heart and soul into wedding photography and they don't think that they should care more about the photography than the bride does. He will tell them if it isn't that important to them, that he might not be the right fit for them. That makes a powerful statement and can help weed out the customers you DON'T want. With him, it is not just a matter of how much money they will spend (because his prices are reasonable) but can identify a customer who appreciates quality and realizes you do have to pay more than $1000 to get good coverage of their wedding.

[carrbowl]

I have people call me about a wedding photographer and since I have nothing to loose but a few minutes I try to educate them about questions to ask. I find most of them don't even know what kind of questions to ask. They don't even know that photographers do more than take the photo and either put them on a disc and/or send them to the lab to print. Once I told them what photographers do, how much time it takes, etc. they were shocked, and I could tell they were coming to the realization of why it costs so much. I know it gets frustrating educating, but I'm also learning this from the portrait side, that people are clueless (and I don't mean it rudely!!!) and the commericals about how easy it is to get a great "shot" doesn't help!!!

[paul48503]

Originally Posted by EagleGirl

I like a comment that Robert Faust made in his wedding class at Texas School this month. He said that after he has spent 20 minutes or so getting to know a potential customer, he will ask them on a scale of 1-10, how important are your wedding pictures to you. He then tells that that he and his wife put their heart and soul into wedding photography and they don't think that they should care more about the photography than the bride does. He will tell them if it isn't that important to them, that he might not be the right fit for them. That makes a powerful statement and can help weed out the customers you DON'T want. With him, it is not just a matter of how much money they will spend (because his prices are reasonable) but can identify a customer who appreciates quality and realizes you do have to pay more than $1000 to get good coverage of their wedding.

I like this comment. It definately lets them know how important photography is to you. Thanks for sharing...

[CaptainTom]

Originally Posted by EagleGirl

I like a comment that Robert Faust made in his wedding class at Texas School this month. He said that after he has spent 20 minutes or so getting to know a potential customer, he will ask them on a scale of 1-10, how important are your wedding pictures to you. He then tells that that he and his wife put their heart and soul into wedding photography and they don't think that they should care more about the photography than the bride does. He will tell them if it isn't that important to them, that he might not be the right fit for them. That makes a powerful statement and can help weed out the customers you DON'T want. With him, it is not just a matter of how much money they will spend (because his prices are reasonable) but can identify a customer who appreciates quality and realizes you do have to pay more than $1000 to get good coverage of their wedding.

Joanne
I tried to PM you but your mailbox is full.
I was in your class. Great class and good advice from Robert.