Pricing questions: selling a file - need advice!!!

[tougemon]

Currently a client has approached me to supply him with a print-quality file of his selection from the photos that I took for him at his wedding for the production of thank-you cards.

I've decide that I'll sell it to him with the following conditions:

1) NON-EXCLUSIVE rights. Photo must not be altered, cropped, manipulated in any way, whether in printed or electronic format.

2) I retain the copyright, and hence my company name and copyright must appear on each photo printed.

3) The photo is used solely for non-commercial purposes.

4) is there anything I've missed????

Also, HOW MUCH should I sell for??? or should I offer a design and print option instead?. Looks like there is no cheap option here for our friend! lol

thanks heaps!!!

cheers,


Lucas

[Banbert]

I am a newbie (only 3 weddings done with the friend I have setup business with but about 30 more booked for this year and next) so take what I say with that in mind, but I think anyone that doesnt do some thankyou cards as part of their standard package is missing an obvious marketing trick.

We include 25 thankyou cards as part of our standard package, if couples want extra cards then these are £1 each. Even if couples order a lot more cards we dont make much of a profit on them at all because we sub the printing out and we provide envelopes and delivery FOC as part of the cost BUT we dont do it for the profit, we do it because I think its a great way of marketting yourself.

On the back of each thankyou card is our website address and a small message directing people to our website to view more photos from the wedding. Couples send these cards out to guests who attended the wedding or friends and family who couldnt make it but still sent a wedding gift so instantly we have our contact details in everyone of their homes, added to which many people will stand them up somewhere in their lounge or pin them to a notice board for a while so they are also exposed to anyone who visits them whilst the cards displayed.

I will post an example of the last one we did when I am home this evening.

[th3r0m]

Honestly, I would offer a design and print option because it is probably the only way you are going to get money from your client in regards to this file. With the constrictions and restrictions that you have placed upon the use of the digital file plus what I am assuming will be a substantial cost, I think that if your client has a print of the photo, it is more likely that they will scan it and use the scan to make the cards.

[tim]

Wow, what a dictator. You gona ask for his first born too? Once you give someone a digital file they'll do whatever they like, no matter what they sign.

[mizuno]

4) is there anything I've missed????

No, I think your conditions are very comprehensive.

Prohibitively compehensive. I doubt anyone will agree to purchase a file with those rules attached.

[tougemon]

ok, given the responses, what is the best thing to do? I can't lose money out of this, and as a new business, I can ill afford expensive giveaways...

I really can't do more without charging for something...:S

What are some suggestions given the direction of the responses?

I'm prepared to listen.

cheers,


Lucas

[mizuno]

ok, given the responses, what is the best thing to do? I can't lose money out of this, and as a new business, I can ill afford expensive giveaways...

How is allowing someone the rights to edit/crop/print a file they purchased off you an expensive giveaway? You're selling the file, not giving it away. Allowing the purchaser the flexibility to actually do something with the file simply makes the purchase more appealing.

Your conditions are so prohibitive that your clients might as well just purchase a standard print from you as that is the only end result they will get with a file, according to your conditions.

Another thing, there is no way in the world you would be able to police your conditions in any event.

Sell the file for a fair and reasonable price and include full personal usage rights to the purchaser.

[tim]

If the order a print they can scan it and do what they like...

If you don't usually sell digital files I'd have the thank you cards made for them - I do cards all the time. I had a customer who had ordered the high res CD, which is delivered at the same time as the album - way too late for thank you cards. I processed the files for them and emailed them, no charge. Why? Good will. Good service. They'll recommend me. That's more valuable than a few lousy dollars when you're a new business.

[tougemon]

I think I'll take the "make the cards option", I can do that as good will, but still recover some costs for my troubles monetarily as well as "advertising" to over 200 guests and families (big YAY!)

Too right about the scanning, that really sucks big time - it's like pirating...only of a more socially "acceptable" type... because people don't seem to see that they're ripping us photogs off in all their zeal to show others how good they look lol

anyway - what else should I take in consderation here? I'm here to learn! :D

cheers,


Lucas

[tim]

anyway - what else should I take in consideration here? I'm here to learn! :D

Money. Cover your costs at the very least. We're not charities!

[Banbert]

Before we decided to outsource our card printing we looked at making them up ourselves from card blanks and printed photos but tbh it was a no brainer, it took too long and didnt look as good as what we could buy elsewhere printed for us, we probably make a little less money on it but the time we save is more valuable I reckon, plus they look the biz.

[jcpoulin]

A couple points:
Word of mouth is your best advertising, make it difficult and you perhaps alter your relationship.
2) Remember what this is for...these are wedding thank you's...not much re-sale value here!!!! If this were a beautiful sunset of another picture for other purposes, than that is different.
3) If you allow them to print them with your name on them as mandatory, and they use an inferior printer, than you just set yourself up for some negative advertising. Let them print as they want but encourage to print from you or some you recommend.
4)

[Banbert]

This is what we give 25 of as part of our standard package and sell for £1 each for extras, very cost effective advertising imo and having 25 included in our standard package seems to appeal to B&G's. Cards we have printed by photobox and add our sticker, very nice quality printing on nice thick card.

Were still very much newbs at this game (4th wedding this coming Friday) but I think success to a large extent depends on successful marketing of yourself so we dont wanna miss a trick and I reckon thankyou cards is a great one.

p.s. I prefered the mainly B&W version of this shot we presented to the B&G with just the squares coloured but they liked the full colour so thats what they got.

http://www.boundlessphotos.co.uk/wip/thankyoucard1.jpg

http://www.boundlessphotos.co.uk/wip/thankyoucard2.jpg

[tougemon]

Great advice guy!

I love this forum!! I learn so much from you trailblazers who have gone before me!

Banbert! love the idea and the design! Good on you mate for sharing!!

Tim, do you know anywhere in Melbourne who does cards like Banberts if I supply the photo?

thanks HEAPS!

Cheers,


Lucas

[tim]

Tim, do you know anywhere in Melbourne who does cards like Banberts if I supply the photo?

Nope, only lab I know in Aus is Nulab in Sydney, but don't let that stop you using them, they're meant to be good.