Marketing & Pricing

[AjP]

I got this on Graphi Blog, not mine articles but I think there are some good idea and hope it will be helpful to some of you
***********************************************
Marketing 101 by Chris Humphrey


From One Photographer to Another

The “season” is almost upon us! So before we all get knee-deep in flashes and flash cards, plug-ins and pixels, it’s time to take a quick look at how our marketing is set up for the rest of the year. Unlike most traditional businesses, it’s time to start selling for this fall and next year. As brides start their search for photographer, the best question you can ask yourself is, “What am I doing to attract those brides now?” You may have that fancy new camera and the cool reflector but if the brides don’t know where to look, how are they going to find this great business of yours? Whether you like it or not, marketing your business is a 27/7 job. We have to GET the business in order to stay in business. Now I hear what you’re thinking, “OK, that’s great, Chris, nice motivational talk, so what can I DO to get this business”? Good question! Let’s talk about a couple of big ones today. The first is your website, that magical portal to your work and your business image. Now that may sound a bit flowery but it is absolutely true. We are visual people, so our work MUST project our passion for outstanding images. Brides are getting pretty savvy these days. They can tell who looks good and who doesn’t by their website. Do not mess around with this one! Since we all like to look to the “heavy-hitters” for advice and inspiration, go ahead and pick one our five-figure-a-wedding colleagues and check out their site. I won’t pick on anyone because you know who you are. If your website is looking a little “retro” these days (and not in a good way), take a look at some of the companies who specialize in high-end websites made for photographers. Two come to mind initially, Big Folio.com and BluDomain.com. I’m sure they won’t mind the plug

And the second thing to consider is how to get that new site onto the screens of your clientele. Here, you have many options. There are tons of wedding search-marketing services out there. Do a little research on them first. Do they focus nationally or locally? Try this, type in “wedding photographers” in your favorite search engine. Who comes up? Why? And here’s a quick tip, make sure your website is on everything—business cards, letterhead, email signatures, thank-you cards. If a potential client can see it, make sure they know what to see.

I realize this information may seem obvious. For many of you, it is, but marketing doesn’t have to be obscure to be effective. Sometimes it’s the little things we overlook that can make all the difference. And while you’re thinking about marketing, go pick up Guerrilla Marketing at you local library or online bookstore. It really puts you in the mood for marketing. Because the only thing better than lying up half the night with awesome ideas for your business is the peace of mind you get know they’re going to make you money!

Have a great season, everyone!

Chris Humphrey Photographer
************************************************** *******
Pricing 101


One of the most common question that I come accross is "How much should I charge for your products?" This is a GREAT question, but has the potential for a TON of different answers. The most I have seen someone charge for a GraphiStudio Book, is $7,000 for a 9.5x13. The least I have seen is charging cost. Typically photographers mark up GraphiStudio Books by 200%.

So, how much is right for you? Well, this is going to depend a lot on your current price bracket. If you are charging $1500 for your package, you are going to have a hard time charging another $1500 for a book. The photographers that have the most success with GraphiStudio, are the ones that include a book in their packages. You can either tell them "this is the book that you get" or give them a credit towards a GraphiStudio Book, either method works very well. When you have something as expensive as a GraphiStudio Book, it is VERY difficult to "add-on" above and beyond what they have already spent. Plus, add-on's typically take a MUCH longer time to get their images (and their money) in your hands. If it is included in their package, then they have already paid for it, and want to get it in their hands as quickly as possible.

So, for the photographer that charges $1500 (or $3000, or $5,000 or whatever), should redo thier packages to include a book (or a credit towards one), by increasing their prices by the amount that they want to make off of the book, so the new package would start off at $3000. This adds value to your package, and will help boost your business a TON. A lot of people get sticker shock, when they see a $1500 (or much more) price on a book of their images. However, when it is added into the package, they see it as "Look at ALL of this stuff that we get for X price..." It is a totally different mindset.

The way that I would LOVE to see everyone set thier packages up would be as follows:

Bottom Package: 9.5x13 40 page book for around $XXX
Middle Package: 9.5x13 60 page book for around $XXXX
Top Package: 9.5x13 80 Page book or 12x16 60 page book for around $XXXX

Add 10 Pages= $XXX-$XXX
Increase in Size = $XXX-$XXX
Parent Books: $XXX Each and buy 3 get 1 free! (I will discuss this tactic more in my marketing segment later... $XXX will get you 10 parent albums... a GREAT way to get cheap studio samples for your vendors.)
Guest Books: $XXX for 4

Granted, that above, I said that everyone should add books into their packages (which I STRONGLY belive in), but the dollar amounts are there as reference to how you should increase your total package price.

As always, these packages, and all of the information is simply a suggestion that is based on what I have seen work, and what doesn't work. I cover 13 states and a TON of photographers, so I think I have a pretty good grasp on pricing. Also, I have included a link, that pulls information from the census bureau that has the average amount of dollars spent of various aspects of weddings in each zip code. I hope that everyone finds this blog, and the link helpful. Feel free to leave comments, and discuss! Hope you enjoy!
CM

[igcollection]

THis is wonderful information! thanks for posting!!!

[mcphotography]

i agree...great info...thanks for posting!