I did it! No Wedding Packages!

[MrsOpie]

last night was a big step for my business. I took down my wedding packages and posted a la cart pricing. Every wedding package from now on will be custom made for each couple. I'm finally doing what I want and not listening to industry standards.

Here is my new pricing page:
http://opiefoto.com/pricing

[Mike Fulton]

last night was a big step for my business. I took down my wedding packages and posted a la cart pricing. Every wedding package from now on will be custom made for each couple. I'm finally doing what I want and not listening to industry standards.

Here is my new pricing page:
http://opiefoto.com/pricing
I don't know how "industry standard" I am, but since I went to a la cart pricing my bookings have gone up alot!

The couples buy the time and then whatever else they want!

It works great and a BIG CONGRATS for doing what you want to do in YOUR BUSINESS remember that, it is always YOUR BUSINESS so go with your heart and gut and not what someone who does not know you! Accept their knowledge blend what you can into your business but ALWAYS and I mean ALWAYS be true to yourself!

[arikajordan]

good for you...I think we should all do things the way we want.

[Dermit]

It's the way I've done it for years. I give them an absolute minimum base price and tell them what that includes (time, proofs, etc.). And then give them the a la cart prices to add on if they want. It's worked great!

[kiwinvan]

Hi Mrs Opie,

Good for you! I have been thinking about doing something like this too so I'll be interested to know how it works for you.

Your stuff is good - you'll do well, I think.

[SuzyView]

I'm glad you made that decision. Now just keep shooting, not taking crap from anyone and give them what they want within reason. Oh, that is the trick, isn't it? :)

[NGrinerPhoto]

i've never offered packages ... only a la carte. other pros have told me to switch to packages but i like this way just fine.

[dsc_1972]

You have a great website, by the way! It oozes quality and professionalism.
I think this sounds like a good move for you, you have a lot of self-belief for a start which is worth more than money. I'm sure it'll pay off. Good luck!

[Lorem]

last night was a big step for my business. I took down my wedding packages and posted a la cart pricing. Every wedding package from now on will be custom made for each couple. I'm finally doing what I want and not listening to industry standards.

Here is my new pricing page:
http://opiefoto.com/pricing


Opie...What are the advantages? Why're you're going this route? Don't you think it's much easier to get X amount of money from client rather and going through the process of who wants what.

[tim]

Nice website. What happens if people come in and say "i'll take the $995 package on your website, that's all I want, nothing else thanks"?

[Philco]

Nice website. What happens if people come in and say "i'll take the $995 package on your website, that's all I want, nothing else thanks"?

And a week later someone else calls and asks for 8 hours coverage for the same day.....

That's a tough one. But really, I've yet to ever work less than 6 hours on a wedding, so I wonder how many other people do?

[Rumjungle]

Nice website. What happens if people come in and say "i'll take the $995 package on your website, that's all I want, nothing else thanks"?

Just take the 1/2 day gig, schedule in some portrait/bridal/engagement sessions and call it a day.

[tim]

Just take the 1/2 day gig, schedule in some portrait/bridal/engagement sessions and call it a day.

But that way your income is reduced a lot. Mortgages have to be paid, some of us do this full time (not me right not, but in summer).

[Rumjungle]

I agree, but let's hope that these clients are in the minority. Otherwise, we'd have to work weddings year-round just to get by. I'm just curious if this is more appealing from a client's point of view. Mike Fulton said his bookings went up as a result. Perhaps brides feel more comfortable choosing the details of a package rather than accepting a predetermined package (even if they end up being the same or similar). Maybe it's a psychological thing?

[wizard13]

Having just gone through the whole process I wish photographers in my area would have something like this. They all have the packages with a bunch of extras.
Good for you and hopefully your business will start to boom!

[MrsOpie]

I agree, but let's hope that these clients are in the minority. Otherwise, we'd have to work weddings year-round just to get by. I'm just curious if this is more appealing from a client's point of view. Mike Fulton said his bookings went up as a result. Perhaps brides feel more comfortable choosing the details of a package rather than accepting a predetermined package (even if they end up being the same or similar). Maybe it's a psychological thing?

You hit it right on! Its more appealing from a clients point of view. Brides like to choose every detail of the wedding right down to the colors, type of flowers, wedding favors, etc etc Brides these days hate all those extras in a package.

I just figure if a couple wants a wedding album then they will order one. If they want prints they will order them. If they want more time they will pay for it. If they want another photographer they will pay for him.

To answer Tim's question. So, what if someone just wants the minimum $995 package? its not any different then a couple that wants the smallest package you offer. By the time people add on additional services and products it truly becomes the package that THEY want and not the package that I want. I had to say to myself.. what is the minimum amount of money I want to make to shoot a wedding? That amount happened to be $995 for a minimum of 4 hours.

Out of the 5 paid weddings I've booked so far non of them have said, "I want package C" they all have requested a custom package because what they saw on every photographers website has not been what they wanted.

If they don't see what they want they will move on.

[rhys]

Well, I got stick for saying $75 per hour for weddings. Really and truly it's just like any other photo job - you do your best and make sure nothing is left to chance. I'm happier with an hourly rate. I agree a minimum is an excellent idea. I'm happy selling a CV/DVD and my pricing reflects this - it's cheaper to buy a CD/DVD than to have prints. It makes my life a shed load easier and by selling the service instead of selling prints I couldn't care less if they print everything to 20x16 and sell the prints on a street corner.

[tim]

To answer Tim's question. So, what if someone just wants the minimum $995 package? its not any different then a couple that wants the smallest package you offer. By the time people add on additional services and products it truly becomes the package that THEY want and not the package that I want. I had to say to myself.. what is the minimum amount of money I want to make to shoot a wedding? That amount happened to be $995 for a minimum of 4 hours.

My smallest package is $2500 (US$2000 or so), so pretty much double what yours is in both price and items in the package. I just don't want to do short coverage, but probably not many people would get the minimum anyway.

I'd say 75% of the couples who book me customise their package, I encourage everyone to get exactly what they want in their package.

[Mike Fulton]

My smallest package is $2500 (US$2000 or so), so pretty much double what yours is in both price and items in the package. I just don't want to do short coverage, but probably not many people would get the minimum anyway.

I'd say 75% of the couples who book me customise their package, I encourage everyone to get exactly what they want in their package.
While we start around $3500 for just a few hours and $6000 for 8 hours (time only) we have found what was stated above. We blend every package to our clients, while this requires us to do more pre-education on our products, more products on hand so they can touch and feel the items as well as get a better understanding of what they are buying they always are more happy this way and honestly we have sold more products which WE want to sell also instead of the same ol' boring stuff which is required by the packages.

For us it is simply the best way to go! Sell your time of the day, everything else is whatever the client wants!

[notapro]

That's awesome Opie! Sounds like you also really want to be able to provide what brides want and it's not just a marketing tactic, so bonus points for sincerity!

[Lorem]

While we start around $3500 for just a few hours and $6000 for 8 hours (time only) we have found what was stated above. We blend every package to our clients, while this requires us to do more pre-education on our products, more products on hand so they can touch and feel the items as well as get a better understanding of what they are buying they always are more happy this way and honestly we have sold more products which WE want to sell also instead of the same ol' boring stuff which is required by the packages.

For us it is simply the best way to go! Sell your time of the day, everything else is whatever the client wants!


MY lowest rate package is $30,000!









just messin /w u :)

[rhys]

My lowest package is 3 cans of tuna :p

[Rumjungle]

Well Opie, you've motivated me and I'm going to give this a shot. All but 1 of my weddings this year were customized to some degree so it seems to be a logical step.

[Padreous]

A tip fr A la carte pricing is to ensure that your base strarting price is the bare minimum you can handle. Basically dont go lower than youre willing to make on any given day. The notion of having a query coming for your services after booking a mimal package is a real one, however this will happen no matter what kind of structure you have.
In the end jsut dotn sell too cheaply in an attempt to hook them in.
Also, you wil come across MANY cleints who are confused and will generally try to play with your wording to get the most of your service at the least possible price (been tehre) so be VERY careful how you word your site and your documents
A client might promise this or that and XYZ prints and blah blah kinda album, but after the fact (or even before it)

[tim]

Ian Wilkinson, a fantastic Australia based photographer, does A La Carte pricing. From memory he charges around $750 for his time, and tells people there's a minimum spend of $2000 afterwards on whatever they want to buy. Most of his sales are LOT higher than that though, and he's well worth it too.

[david888lee]

wow your work is absolutely stunning! great job

[kato1]

Why be a sheep and follow the flock?
Good on you.Lets us know how things turn out with it. No doubt others will follow suit if you are successful.