memoriesoftomorrow wrote in post #15391751
I increase my prices whenever I feel I need to. You can easily do the same. Some people will only wait for a financial or calendar year end before they raise them. I just raise them whenever. The main thing is feeling confident you can deliver the value for what you are charging.
I didn't start at bargain basement prices, I don't think starting at those prices helps in the long term as you will effectively have to start over when you jump them to a reasonable level. I set out at around $1.5 then increased as and when I felt the demand was there and my work was worth the increase in price. I'm sitting currently at about $4k. I could be charging more I suppose but I like how things are sitting at the moment as I have my next 3 years planned out and intend to change things up a bit as time goes on.
My booking history is as below.
Y1 (6 months only) 1 wedding
Y2 5 weddings
Y3 16 weddings
Y4 24 weddings
Y5 25 weddings (relocated business)
Y6 38 weddings
Y7 (2013) 23 booked at present will max out at 35
Y8 (2014) 3 booked at present
I started out shooting weddings (and charging) with a 20D and 5D MKI and the 16-35 F2.8 L, MKII 24-70 F2.8 L MKI and the 70-200 F2.8 IS L MK1 and a couple of 580EX II's as my main kit. I also had a 100 F2.8 Macro and a few Sigma and Tamaron lenses as backups.
I upgrade my kit when there is a business case for doing so or when I want to expand what I can do creatively (e.g. wide apertures, fish eye, tilt shift)
Hey twin Brother
We are going to cut back a bit and try to get into the higher end of our market. So i made some decisions for 2014. One was that im not going to take on weddings that dont fit into the direction we want to go. No more VWF halls.Trying to get clients that have thought out ideas that are more in line with our business name and want to get out and take a more artistic approach and look....thats usually a higher end type bride. Always up for a great idea and a bride that want to get creative.
We Really respect and have learned a bunch from many on this forum. Our goal has always been to build the business to a point where we could replace my wifes current job. She makes a nice 6 figure income...the business is at that point after this season.
So,to maintain and increase our perceived value, im training with Cliff mautner this year and ive worked and trained with some top PPA instructors this off season. Picked up some really excellent advise and technique this winter and we are going to totally change the approach and look to attract those type of clients. We are marketing very similar to Jim Coleman and Tim agree with what you said,,less work on the table,,more attention to what we have,,better profit margins to justify what we do.
I would like to cut it off at 25 each year. It really depends on what we can do with the other areas of our business, specifically the HS senior market in my area.....Its saturated with newbs and everyone is marketing to what PPA has been teaching for the past 3-4 yrs......If HS senior market continues to slide, we will bump weddings to 30,,,,so lots going on for 2013 for us
Im frustrated with facebook. Feels like a necessary evil more than it does to a marketing tool for me......Pete very interested in what your doing. Im probably not using Facebook to its fullest potential but in my area,,every photographer out there saturates Facebook with what they do....I think clients look at it with a grain of salt and its becoming more like spam v/s attracting the clients that i want to attract.
