My photography business was 5 months old. I didn't understand why clients we're bursting in through my door. I was convinced it was because my pricing was all wrong. I spent (a.k.a. wasted?) hours designing (and redesigning) packages. I was changing my price list every week. You know what I'm talking about, don't you? lol We've all been there. I've since learned that getting clients isn't about the pricing, it's about marketing & branding (really well).
Pricing advice for my younger self:
- Keep your pricing simple, modest & flexible in the beginning.
- Don't worry about making yourself look fancy with high prices. Face the facts. Nobody even knows who you are yet. Your big kahuna reputation will arrive in the future after you've published 10,000 photos. Get busy taking them and don't fuss over $$$$
- Pick one simple standard price (example: $200 for portraits / $1000 for weddings) and focus your energy on mastering marketing skills + photographing as many people as possible.
- When you have clients, be honest with them — tell them you don't have a full price list yet — ask them for input, suggestions, feedback on the products they'd like & how much they'd be willing to pay.
Digging Through the Archives
Kinda embarrassing to share these wedding price-lists from my past but I'll put myself out there....just for you. ;)
Sidebar: What on earth was I thinking offering 5 wedding packages with all that redundant detail? info overload!
Change Your Attitude & Perspective!
Add a spoonful of patience to your morning smoothie and remember that your journey as a photographer is a life-long marathon. It's not going to take you more than a year to get this rockstar price list established but it's always going to be evolving with little trims & tweaks as you get more & more feedback over the years.
If you rush & force this beautiful process, you're just going to find yourself pile of unproductive stress-doodoo & fatigue. Trust me on this one.
Stop thinking of your pricing as a stress and start thinking of it as an interesting career-long study of consumer behavior. Watch & learn, my soon-to-be very profitable friend.
:)
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You are awesome!