I am frustrated and could use some help...

[ShutterSpire]

I am having a hard time finding new clients (and getting the consultation) and not sure if we are doing something wrong or not. Any suggestions or ideas will help.

We do mostly weddings. Here is a run-down of all the many things we do to get clients. I dont have ANY on the calendar for 2012 and that really worries me!!!

- Bridal Shows - We participate in the Star Telegram Bridal show and Lakeside Bridal Fair. We were not able to participate in Star Telegram this year because of Imaging in January and the fall one is 2 days after our first baby is due. That could be the biggest culprit to our slower bookings

- Advertising - We have been featured vendors on The Knot (but we are cancelling) and Wedding Wire. We also got the back cover of Bride & Groom. I subscribe to the mailing list for Get Married, too.

- Working Leads - I DO email my list a couple times a month, plus a newsletter. At the beginning of the month I send everyone that we are still available for their wedding an email containing our package information (minus the pricing). I have also started sending some gift cards in the mail and then following up with a phone call. I got a couple consultations from it, but no bookings as of yet.

- Prices - We are not openly sharing our pricing any more, so brides must contact us to get pricing info. Unfortunately, the few that have don't ever write back =( I believe our prices are really competitive, but may still even be a little low.... 8 hrs/2 photogs/engagement/disc for $2795. But we aren't getting any takers at all......

- Social Networking - I have a facebook fanpage for us with 775 likes, however the only people that interact with it are my close friends. I sneak several images from each session and wedding, tag all relevant people, and for some reason, can't get much interaction.

Sorry for such a long post... I am just frustrated and would love for anyone to let me know what it is that I might be doing to turn away business or not promoting myself enough. I feel as though I am trying TOO hard as this part is taking up most of my time.

[bryanlindsey]

Not sure why, but it comes in spurts. We were in a dry spell for a while, then all of a sudden booked 5 weddings in the last 2 weeks. Go figure.

[BenE]

8 hrs/2 photogs/engagement/disc for $2795. But we aren't getting any takers at all......

Question: Are you selling albums with prints included, or just a disk (as indicated on your post)?

I noticed on your website you offer albums, and that is why I ask.

[ShutterSpire]

Originally Posted by BenE

Question: Are you selling albums with prints included, or just a disk (as indicated on your post)?

I noticed on your website you offer albums, and that is why I ask.

Our a-la-carte package (starter) does not include an album in order for us to be a bit more affordable. Our next package does include an album credit of $1100 so the client can build an entry-level album (10x10, select covers, 20 sides) at no additional cost. Then the credits go up from there on our other packages.

[Tom]

Your pricing sounds a little confusing on here. It might be confusing to a bride.

I didn't see anything ABOUT YOU on your website. How is a bride going to connect with you when she doesn't know anything about you? Maybe you are just a big wedding photography company that many brides have been warned about where you never know WHO is going to show up to shoot your wedding.

I don't see anything indicating price on your website. If I was a bride, I would skip right over your website because I don't know if you are going to cost $500 or $50000. There is nothing (at least easily findable) to give me a clue.

[ShutterSpire]

Originally Posted by Tom

Your pricing sounds a little confusing on here. It might be confusing to a bride.

I didn't see anything ABOUT YOU on your website. How is a bride going to connect with you when she doesn't know anything about you? Maybe you are just a big wedding photography company that many brides have been warned about where you never know WHO is going to show up to shoot your wedding.

I don't see anything indicating price on your website. If I was a bride, I would skip right over your website because I don't know if you are going to cost $500 or $50000. There is nothing (at least easily findable) to give me a clue.

We are working on a new website at the moment that will have an 'About' page. Not real sure why we took it off to begin with. That is very helpful and I will make sure it is included in the redesign.

Pricing - you have found it helpful to mention pricing? We JUST took it off about 2 months ago because everyone at PPA said we shouldn't have it on there at all. They said that the brides that look for pricing info are just comparing packages and not concerned about the quality of work. If they like your quality, they will write you for your prices. I keep going back and forth on whether or not I agree with that statement. We are getting more inquiries than we did before, but the ones that did contact us when we had the prices up were pretty much ready to commit. Perhaps we will put our price (at least the starting number) back up.

[BenE]

Disclaimer: I type about the same way I talk to a photographer one on one, which is somewhat fast and direct. If anyone who reads this thinks I am being “unfriendly”, you can certainly tell me, and I will delete this post or anyone else may delete it if they wish. My only reason for even replying is to try to help, and since I photographed hundreds of weddings for over 30 year, maybe some of what I say will be relevant. End of disclaimer, and with that said……. Oh……

Disclaimer 2.. This is sort of long, but I always take deep breaths between paragraphs.


I looked at your website, and thinking as a potential parent of the bride, not a photographer, I will say that I saw about what I expected. I saw a lot of images of “things”; bits and pieces of stuff, flowers, tables, flowers, and so forth. I saw a dress hanging up, which I see in every wedding presentation, and shoes, and looking down at feet. Not that those are something that might not be included in an album, but what I didn’t see were shots such as; groom with mom and dad, groom with parents and siblings, and the same for the bride. I did see some shots of the bride being held aloft by the guys and the same for groom. I have no way of knowing your customers, so I am assuming that the ones you book like that type of shot. However, your post was about not booking, or a big decrease in bookings, and my replies are directed at that.

As a parent of the groom I would want to see exactly what I said I didn’t see. I would like, as the parent of the groom, or bride, to see a shot of me and my wife/husband, all dressed up. Then us with our children and the groom. Also include one with the bride with us, at least me and wife and bride and groom. I would like to see those either full length or ¾ , and nothing artsy, such as us surrounded by out of focus “stuff”, or us looking from behind something that I have no idea what it is.

If I were a mother of the bride, I would like to see some full length shots of the bride, and her and the girls, in somewhat traditional poses so I can see what the dress actually looks like on the bride. I want to see those because that darned dress was expensive, and will be worn only once. I do not care how it looks hanging on a hangar, I want more that just that. Even if you photographed a bridal portrait, it didn’t (probably) have the church surroundings, and maybe not the actual bouquet.

Now then, you may do those shots, but they were not on your website, so if I came across your website, I would go to the next one, and strangely enough I would probably see the same type of images.

I guess my point is that I look at many wedding images, and they all start to look alike; the couple looking through something or from behind something or something out of focus or lots of lens flare.. lets not forget lots of flare.

As a parent I would like to see some family groupings, after all we hardly ever get m all dresses up.
(I used to sell at least an 11x14 or a 16x20 of this type of shot, and it was not included in the wedding package).

If you re not including a good number of family shots, you might consider that, because the wedding is about people and relationships. I am sure couples like a sprinkling of artsy stuff,, Dutch tilts, and all that, but everyone else is doing it, so it is not really that impressive to some people.

One other item, which I am a firm believer in. I would never sell only a disc. In fact I would be hard pressed to sell a disc at all, unless the package was one of the very high priced ones, which included a complete album and at least one parent’s album. I have seen photographs made from discs (from weddings), and I can tell you that unless they are printed by a good lab, they look terrible. Some are off color, pale or dark,, most of the time on 4x6 icky glossy paper, and in a chepo Mart album. And that represents the photographers “BEST” quality work?

Ok.. No “unfriendliness” intended. Just passing on some ideas, and thoughts.

I typed this offline, and noticed your additional post about prices on your website.

.......everyone at PPA said we shouldn't have it on there at all.

Who is everyone? No matter really, but I believe a range of prices is not a bad idea; such as "our wedding packages begin at $xxxxxx and go up to $xxxxx. That way, if you are too high for a bride on a budget they can just go on. After all what is the point if consulting with a bride who has an $800 budget, and your starting price is $2,000?

A website is really not intended to sell a wedding package, it is to get the potential customer exited about you and your work.

[lscottpht]

I won't comment about all the other stuff, although, I would not put the posed shots of the wedding party or family pictures on my website unless they are unusual shots. As far as pricing, I was in the "don't put pricing on your website" family. But, after talking to a bunch of brides on Wedding Wire, most of them completely passed over sites that did not have any type of pricing on them. So, I put my starting price on my website. I've received a ton of bookings since doing that. I think you should have a range or starting price on there. Just my 2 cents.

[Phisch]

+1 to Leslie.

I asked one couple why they picked me and they told me it was because I was willing to give them my prices without having to meet. So being up front is important for me. I am awkward about selling myself (bad, I know) so I bank on the images on my site to do the selling for me.

Now, granted, I don't have too many bookings compared to most here and I don't actively look for couples (no advertising besides the dreaded Craig's List, no bridal shows, etc.).

[suerenee]

I'm in the same boat right now. I was laid off from my day job in March and I'm struggling to get my calendar booked.

Here's what I'm doing:

1. Create shoots. I might not have a shoot in a week but I put out a call on Facebook for some couples to model for me. I had 2 sessions from that. I was able to practice some with my OCF and some different posing. I'm also planning some styled shoots that will really give my portfolio a boost so I do stand out online.

2. NETWORK! The hardest part of this biz is making relationships with non-photogs. I attend a networking event once a month for other wedding vendors in my area. Referrals from them will bring more biz than any ad would do.

3. Blog, facebook and talk....I am a walking billboard for myself.

Biz is slow for everyone right now. There are tons of CL Uncle Bobs who will do a wedding for $500 ...so we just have to ride the tide and wait it all out. Hope it picks up soon for us all!

[revjvegas]

I think we might have paid $500 for the photog at our wedding 10 years ago.

And I would tell anyone getting married today ... pay more; you will eventually regret it if you went cheep and got below-par images.


My .02, if you had some pricing info on your site before and it was bringing you in more sales than not having pricing info.....well, I think I'd go back to what was working.

[hdctx]

Ben's comments have some validity. Try to blend shots that convey your style with tender people shots. I especially like his 16x20 portrait for the parents. I saw a comment on another pro site yesterday saying almost all their new business was coming from their Facebook page and ads, with little from their website or other ads. You mentioned that you couldn't make the major bridal shows this year. Commissioned sales people aren't that hard to come by. Spend more of your time networking and marketing, and hire second shooters. You can do everything and have an income, or you can learn to delegate and build a sustaining business. Good luck.