album pricing questions

[philpereira]

Hi all, had a couple of questions regarding how folks price their albums. If you're comfortable posting this information, what is the very least you charge for an album? Do any of you have different tiers of albums for couples of varying budgets, and which companies would you say are a better fit for lower tiers?

I've gotten literature and pricing things from a few album companies, but had sort of put that on the backburner since no one was asking me about albums. I like zookbinders a lot and want to get stuff through them as well as through asuka books for a lower price option, but I think even that may be too much for some folks. I figure at this point I need to have something for everyone and then as I gain more experience I can be more exclusive with what I offer.

Looking forward to any feedback.

[tim]

I offer Queensberry albums. I worked out the cost for the album I wanted to supply, added the margin I wanted to make on it, added taxes, that gave me the price. Beware your first album will take a loooong time, don't expect the first few to be profitable if you're counting your time, after that it should be fine.

[Phil V]

I never shoot a wedding without an album order, basically I work out the price of the album, prints etc, then add all my time at 2x my normal job (this is overtime -right) and if it doesn't look enough I add a bit more (mark up on prints / album etc).

I don't understand why people turn up at weddings for a fixed fee and then hope to make more money on reprints and albums. My 'turning up' fee would make me feel greedy, if that's how I sold my services. As a package it looks reasonable (to me).

[philpereira]

I guess what I'm needing to know is if there are any companies where I can get away charging, for example, $250 for a reasonably good album. With the options that I prefer now, I will probably have to charge at least $400 for a base model in order to be profitable, and even that might be lowballing it a little bit. But in the area of the country I live in, I just have the impression that budgets aren't as high as on the east coast where I'm from, so I'm trying to consider the various types of people and budgets I'll encounter.

[NGrinerPhoto]

i make it simple ... $500 for a 10x10 flush mount and $250 for a 5x5 flush mount. if you give them to many options their heads will spin.

[philpereira]

yeah, I guess I could just offer a smaller album instead of trying to get a 10x10 or bigger. So, let's say you're using zookbinders, which charges for extra options. Do you as the photographer decide whether you want a cameo cover with glove leather instead of allowing the client to decide what sort of extra features they want (which in essence you would be determining what look you want all your albums to have)?

[tim]

I like Phils idea of requiring an album purchase to cover a wedding. I know I can make a MUCH better album than anyone with a scrapbook, and of course there's the extra money making potential too. I might phase that in for next season (we're in full swing of the wedding season here right now).

[philpereira]

I think it might be a good idea to include an album in a package, people may be more likely to go that route rather than ordering an album in an a la carte package. I might consider doing that also when i revise my packages, although it definitely will add to the workload.

[tim]

You could do a "CD only" package, which quite a few people are likely to take. I don't really like selling a CD as the sole output, but I give away the CD when people order an album, as a "just in case" type of thing. It's possible to build in a 3-6 month delay before delivering the CD, to encourage family to order prints, if you want to deal with all that.

[sapearl]

I've been using Zookbinders for about 5 years now and have been very pleased, although I have not purchased a lot of their leather books. Most of my clients can't afford that type of album so I give them some of the other quality items I purchase at Albums Inc. But when I do work with Zook they are very responsive and relatively fast. Very nice people.

I don't offer a large choice unless the client makes a request for a specific modification. Then I'll be flexible with them. When using Zook I automatically give them the glove leather - I just think it's much nicer, IMHO. They get a cameo photo on the cover also with Zook as well as on my non-leather albums. Once in a while someone will specifically request NOT to have the cameo, which will get them a small credit.

Originally Posted by philpereira

yeah, I guess I could just offer a smaller album instead of trying to get a 10x10 or bigger. So, let's say you're using zookbinders, which charges for extra options. Do you as the photographer decide whether you want a cameo cover with glove leather instead of allowing the client to decide what sort of extra features they want (which in essence you would be determining what look you want all your albums to have)?

[sapearl]

YES! Building albums certainly DOES add to the workload . Ask my wife. Normally I'll gather all of my pieces and parts, and then park myself on our comfy couch in front of a favorite TV program.....

I offer 7 album packages, all explained in a tri-fold brochure that mails nicely in a standard #10 business envelope. Six of those packages are for all-day service. B&G get to keep an economy proof book which will contain 250-300 5"x5" color proofs, AND their finished 5x7 or 8x10 album (depending upon what they ordered).

That last album package is small and comparatively inexpensive - geared for a small event at a single location. Budget.

Originally Posted by philpereira

I think it might be a good idea to include an album in a package, people may be more likely to go that route rather than ordering an album in an a la carte package. I might consider doing that also when i revise my packages, although it definitely will add to the workload.

[sapearl]

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding something, but I do charge a flat rate/fixed fee for a day's service.

The client gets a specific album for a particular package price. If extended travel or overnight travel is involved, additional cost is included. My flat package price is calculated to be competitive with the other fotogs in the area, and also to give me a fair and reasonable profit after Uncle Sam takes his tax bite and my accountant depreciates all the other stuff and overhead.

I always hope for additional reprint orders - that's extra icing on the wedding cake . But my price structure does not depend upon additional purchases. The written contract obligates them only to the agreed upon ablum plan; individual extra photos are all a-la-carte. This has worked out pretty well for me in this area of the midwest. Of course with digital, I could be seeing some major changes soon.

Originally Posted by Phil V

I don't understand why people turn up at weddings for a fixed fee and then hope to make more money on reprints and albums. My 'turning up' fee would make me feel greedy, if that's how I sold my services. As a package it looks reasonable (to me).

[Phil V]

Originally Posted by sapearl

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding something, but I do charge a flat rate/fixed fee for a day's service.

The client gets a specific album for a particular package price.

I was referring top photographers that don't offer an album as part of their original package. There are plenty of them out there.

[sapearl]

Ah, now I understand Phil. We do have some in our area that are just strictly "by the hour" or a-la-carte, sort of doing the job partially on spec, as opposed to package.

When I first started doing this I tried to simply charge by the hour. For whatever reason that didn't work smoothly: assumptions on the part of the client, misunderstandings of coverage.... perhaps part of my youthful inexperience those many years ago : . So package pricing evolved for my circumstance. I have a general awareness of what my competitors charge and try to stay pretty much in the middle.

I'm at sort of a crossroads though - still shooting medium format film which the lab scans and proofs. Then I do the PS tweaks. I'll be getting a 5D rig soon and that's bound to have an effect on my pricing and shooting business model. Oddly I've only had one client so far ask for disks of the job - the expectation here is to still receive a nicely organized proof book with good lab prints. Of course, the way the public leans this expectation could change over night.

Originally Posted by Phil V

I was referring top photographers that don't offer an album as part of their original package. There are plenty of them out there.