proofs

[Photos By Katie]

I had a client place a $400 order and when she got home she asked me how much for a set of all her proofs from the session. What do you guys sell a set of proofs for? Each client will vary on how many proofs they will have so I am not sure how to do this. I was thinking about putting a border around them then my logo and charging half of what a print would cost? Is this too much for proofs. Eg. my 4x6's are $15 each and there were 33 images offered. So I thought $247.50 for the set of proofs..... Is this too much$? I actually offered her the set for $165 and she said it was way too much money. HELP!. I would like to offer this to all of my clients as I know they would like a brag book of the whole session. Any thoughts or insight on this would be greatly appreciated.

I know it is great advertising, would you give it to them for free? But then what purpose would they have to order anything else? See, I am arguing with myself...... lol!

I was thinking of doing it in a spiral bound book. Would love to do them in an album but like I said each client will have a different amount of proofs.

Thank you
Kathleen

[Ray Marrero]

when you say proofs... do you mean paper of files?

Either way, keep the price high to discourage people from that. Once they have the proofs, they will find a way to print on their own.

[tim]

Proofs for a wedding or a portrait? For a wedding I charge $1/proof, watermarked. For portraits nothing goes to paper unless they've paid full price. Once customers have proofs they'll never order a real print.

[Photos By Katie]

It is for portraits and it would be paper proofs. Would you maybe offer them for half price after a minumum purchase? Still with logo and border? Like if they order $500 then they can order a set of proofs for $265?
I guess if you don't offer proofs they are more apt to purchase more images. I know alot of people don't want to see their photos go to waste so they'll buy more of them.

Thanks guys.
Kathleen

[Michael_Lambert]

I just typically offer a DVD slide show with the image #'s so they can browse through them and order what they wish.

Offering a printed proof they just scan them, enlarge them and reprint them looking like crap..

[sevillafox]

I would offer her the ability to buy a proof book. Prolabexpress (http://www.prolabexpress.com) offers some nice spiral bound proof books with hard covers that you can customize. I always put the studio in of the back cover. You can also mix and match how you want the pictures on the inside. But, that's about all I'd offer if I were you for the reasons Tim stated.

[tim]

If you give people any opportunity to see an image outside of your office they will copy it. People will blow up a 3" proof to a 12" print. Watermarks won't matter. The only thing that might matter is having proof written 20 times all over it in small words, you can get scripts that do that.

I would offer a proof book after they reach a certain sales target... maybe $1000, even then they'd be watermarked.

I went to a seminar not long ago, one professional portrait photographer spends 1-2 hours with families, his staff spend a few hours in post, and he a $2000 average sale. That's average. Some people buy nothing. Some spend $10K.

[Photos By Katie]

thansk for all your input. I will definatly not sell proof books unless like Tim said proof if written20 times all over it. (thanks Tim, like that idea) and after a certain price point is reached.

Yeah I need to have more options and work on my sales tactics.

Kathleen

[Tixeon]

I'm sure glad that I retired. When I did High School Senior portraits on film (before digital) I always offered a set of proofs (previews) in a folio for a price after a minimum order. I did quite well & did not have to worry about copying.

Then along comes digital & everything changed - business wise.

Now don't get me wrong, I love digital and all that goes with it except the paranoid part about copying.

I hope everything works out well and none of you need therapy too soon.;)

[tim]

Now don't get me wrong, I love digital and all that goes with it except the paranoid part about copying.

It's not paranoid, it what really happens. I've had customers print photos from my blog, not at home, but via a commercial lab! People crop off watermarks, remove them in photoshop, and generally do anything they can to avoid paying for things. Wedding customers I don't mind as they pay up front, but for portrait customers where your money's made through prints it's like taking food out of your mouth.

[Tixeon]

It's not paranoid, it what really happens. I've had customers print photos from my blog, not at home, but via a commercial lab! People crop off watermarks, remove them in photoshop, and generally do anything they can to avoid paying for things. Wedding customers I don't mind as they pay up front, but for portrait customers where your money's made through prints it's like taking food out of your mouth.

I didn't say that it isn't happening. With the cheap & excellent scanners that can be had today it's very easy for anyone to make good copies - not great ones, but good enough as far as they are concerned.

Some people may not call it paranoid, but reading numerous threads here on POTN I get the feeling a lot of people are losing a lot of sleep over the copying issue.

Yes, you & I may not be paranoid, but they are out to get us!!!:twisted: ;)