Does anyone require a face to face meeting to discuss pricing and such?

cdifoto wrote in post #16229334
Even Lambos have prices on their window stickers these days.

I have my price on my site. But I've never been in a lambo. I've seen one driving down the road before. I'd probably want to test drive one and feel it before I bought it.

memoriesoftomorrow wrote in post #16230122
That is why I reply to any any generic enquiries that are like that with a generic response... "see the website".

One thing I would say though that I have found over year is that under a certain price bracket you get a different sort of enquiry. The moment you offer anything (even reduced hours etc) in that price bracket you open yourself to the price shopper clients.

In my book if you feel you have to "educate" your potential clients then the value of what you do isn't evident in the work you have on display. It is a harsh truth to accept but the reality.

I agree and disagree on this: Only because all we have on display is digital images. and my reasoning for this post is b/c there is so much more than digital images.
Many good photographers in the area say "wall art packages start at XXX"

What's a wall art package?

I could go to person A and spend $500 and they could use the cheapest lab to get my canvas whereas person B could use something 10x nicer and better quality. Which would I want?

Equally, there are many people who have been "burned" by photographers. They got less than what they expected, etc. Past photographer gave them a crappy shutterfly book. So if someone says "my books are $2000", what comes to mind: The crappy book and "OMG how can he charge $2000 for that!!!" when in truth it's a totally different product customer may never have ever seen or knows existed.

I think your point is valid if someone were only selling digital images. In which case a person can simply compare people online and decide who they like. The only added factor would be the difference in customer experience.

But when you throw in product, IMO it's a whole new level. There are so many different products available these days, and customers, IMO, are not too aware.

abbypanda wrote in post #16230776
I have my price on my site.

That's good. At least people know whether they can afford you. It makes your entire thread moot though.

abbypanda wrote in post #16230776
But I've never been in a lambo. I've seen one driving down the road before. I'd probably want to test drive one and feel it before I bought it.

The difference here being that you're speaking as a buyer here rather than the seller. A salesperson will gladly sell you the Lambo without requiring you to drive it first if that's what you want to do. They won't force you to come meet them so you can be sure they're the person you want to buy your Lambo from.

If someone wants to meet me, that's fine. It's encouraged for things like weddings. But it's not going to be required to get pricing.

I wanted to follow my reply with a more general one: I appreciate all the responses.

I thought much on those who commented about how the face to face meeting was like selling cars, and if that is your opinion, then what is selling prints? I'm not sure how meeting up front to consult and possibly sell the session is different then selling prints and packages after, which most are doing and swear by? Must be a lot of pressure to have to buy prints on the spot no? I dont see how it's any different.

I ask these questions b/c of my experiences. I did a senior session for a long time customer of the gym and friend. She was so happy with them and wanted more. I didnt do them for free but she didnt pay full price either. I didnt offer her any product after or anything up front aside from a small package she wanted of prints (basically I didnt try to upsell her). But she messaged me how much she liked them and how much the kid liked them. I told her about a book and she wanted to see it, and I said well, come up during class and I'll show it to you. She's a friend, I wasnt doing a hard sale. I dont care if she wants one or not. She came in and I was doing computer work and I said here is my pets book, it's an example. I am comfortable enough with her that I went back to work while she sat there. She spent prob 10 min looking at it. She loved it. She felt the pages, she even spent awhile looking at the spine. She commented on it a lot and it was only then she told me she was going to put the prints in an album she bought at the store for the kid and that she would rather have that instead. She never disclosed that to me before. Seeing her look at that album forever got me thinking that it may be worthwhile to let people see stuff up front, as it may impact their decisions to buy with me.

Couple that with a recent pet event I did: I was invited to have a booth at a local pet event. I did pictures there but I also brought some framed prints (figured might as well advertise too): framed metallic prints, I have a beautiful (IMO) hand torn edge print of my rottweiler that I had done, I also had a book and some other styrene mounts of different pets I've done. I set it all up on a table with easels too. I had people even who didnt bring pets to the event and just happened to be at the store that day shopping come over. Some stared forever. Almost everyone picked up the book and flipped through it. Some came by 2 or 3 times to look at the stuff. I also had a slide show/ website on the computer. No one looked at that aside from a few people who I had to show pictures of my horses to b/c they specifically asked if I did horses and I didnt have any framed. Suffice to say people were interested in the products not my website.

I am not saying this to act like I am that great b/c i know I am still very new. But quite simply it made a huge impression on me how struck people were by the products. I did not expect it. I felt like a lot of people werent aware such products were available to them. In this day and age, when I hear photographer the first think that comes to mind is digital and low cost mediocre work, and I think its what comes to mind of most. Couple that with the ads on FB and everywhere for various labs like walgreens and shutterfly online, and when you think prints what comes to most peoples minds: shutterfly? But there is so much more. I would like to be able to show it to people b/c I believe it might influence their decision to buy with me over someone else.

I have the impression here some think it's the quality of image that matters and I agree completely, but IMO there's more to it including product and experience, and I believe all equally influence peoples decision to buy. I feel like just showing my website is only 1/3 of what I can offer. At the gym (to show the alternative) my experience as an instructor matters a lot, my qualifications. But it's not the only thing. If people come in and its dirty, or if I have won a lot of competitions myself but I am not good at helping people reach their own goals, or if the other students are mean (bad experience) that could easily turn someone away even if I am the most qualified person around.

Lastly, I get inquiries through my site. It has a base price there but people still ask the price for this or that. My response initially is "can you tell me a little about what you are looking for?" (who, what, where when) I also ask every person "what are you looking for in terms of your finished images: Wall art for your home? digitals? A combination of both? "

Teh answer to every question is the same : "I dont know, I dont know, I dont know" "Whats the price"

How can I respond with a price if they just told me they dont know what they want? What will the price mean? If they dont know what they want will it mean anything if I send a list of products? I'm of the opinion it would be overwhelming to send a complete price list if they dont have any clue what they are looking for.

My husb learned (and I agree) that many times when people call a biz they ask the price b/c they dont know what else to ask. When people call the gym they always say "whats the price" and I simply ask what they want and go from there. At that point 90% come in for an apt and dont ask again about the price on the phone. They asked b/c they didnt know what else to say.

I'm at the point where I need to do something to meet with people I feel qualified other than just say: "here's the price, bye"... especially after they have already told me "I dont know what I'm looking for". Not to mention "starting price" is on my site, so if they read they have some idea.

cdifoto wrote in post #16230802
That's good. At least people know whether they can afford you. It makes your entire thread moot though.

The difference here being that you're speaking as a buyer here rather than the seller. A salesperson will gladly sell you the Lambo without requiring you to drive it first if that's what you want to do. They won't force you to come meet them so you can be sure they're the person you want to buy your Lambo from.

If someone wants to meet me, that's fine. It's encouraged for things like weddings. But it's not going to be required to get pricing.

I shouldnt have implied "required" bc certainly if someone just wants to buy I wouldnt need ot require it.

About the price, yes a starting price is on the site yet I still get price inquiries. Not sure if the people dont read or what. Then of course if you see my post it's always "what are you looking for" "Oh I dont know.. what's the price".

ZachOly wrote in post #16230046
Exactly. I think a lot of people in this thread think they're photography is special and what try offer is unique, but the reality of the situation is that we're all just another photog in a saturated market. Potential clients are emailing 10+ photogs for price and availability.

Clients know how much this stuff is and photogs need to stop thinking they have the magical formula package.

While I may not be the greatest photographer in the world, country or even my region, my work is still unique to me. My clients tend to email 2-3 people max and meet with 1-2 people. The more assembly line photography definitely happens, but I think it happens more at the lower end, rather than the higher-middle end that I shoot (or higher end that I don't shoot).

When you have people firing off an email to 10 people, they are looking for the best price. When you have a couple that narrows down their selection to a couple and then contact them, they are probably looking for the best fit.

You don't want to be competing in price. You want to be competing on skill, personality and compatibility.

abbypanda wrote in post #16230796
Equally, there are many people who have been "burned" by photographers. They got less than what they expected, etc. Past photographer gave them a crappy shutterfly book. So if someone says "my books are $2000", what comes to mind: The crappy book and "OMG how can he charge $2000 for that!!!" when in truth it's a totally different product customer may never have ever seen or knows existed.

If you're charging $2000 for a book and you're not showcasing that prominently on your website, that's your own fault.

Thomas Campbell wrote in post #16230886
While I may not be the greatest photographer in the world, country or even my region, my work is still unique to me. My clients tend to email 2-3 people max and meet with 1-2 people. The more assembly line photography definitely happens, but I think it happens more at the lower end, rather than the higher-middle end that I shoot (or higher end that I don't shoot).

Exactly. It's unique to you. Most brides can't tell the difference between Photog A and Photog B.

Selling prints would be like the person coming in to look at the new Chevy truck and you showing them the leather seats, power seats, dual zone A/C, steering wheel controls, larger V-8 engine, towing package, plow package, etc. they are all add on features normally not included in the base price... But, when the person goes to the dealership initially, they normally know what the starting point is for that model truck. If that starting point is too high, then they would opt to visit another dealership who sells smaller or a different brand of trucks at a lower price point, and without as many ameneties bundled in. Why should someone waste their time going to a place when they should be able to know up front if the place they are going to even fits their needs?

I think it's more like someone coming in and looking at a base model F150 and the salesperson trying to sell them a fully loaded F350 with an ATV that they didn't even want in the first place.

ZachOly wrote in post #16230962
If you're charging $2000 for a book and you're not showcasing that prominently on your website, that's your own fault.

I'm not at this time, Just used it as an example. But I do not feel you can fully convey that online regardless.

Not to mention most people dont fully read a website they skim it and do not pay attention.

mikeinctown wrote in post #16230994
Selling prints would be like the person coming in to look at the new Chevy truck and you showing them the leather seats, power seats, dual zone A/C, steering wheel controls, larger V-8 engine, towing package, plow package, etc. they are all add on features normally not included in the base price... But, when the person goes to the dealership initially, they normally know what the starting point is for that model truck. If that starting point is too high, then they would opt to visit another dealership who sells smaller or a different brand of trucks at a lower price point, and without as many ameneties bundled in. Why should someone waste their time going to a place when they should be able to know up front if the place they are going to even fits their needs?

Some do, some dont. I have not bought many cars. I keep them all a long time. I do not knwo what I want in a car. I have been looking onlien for a few years. When i want to drive anohter one I go see all the options. You sound like you know what you want in a car.

Soem people know they want this particular canvas for their house, others have no clue what the options are.

ZachOly wrote in post #16231016
I think it's more like someone coming in and looking at a base model F150 and the salesperson trying to sell them a fully loaded F350 with an ATV that they didn't even want in the first place.

Some know they didnt want it, others may not have known what was available.

Before I was "in" to photography I went to a local camera store, and due to my lack of knowledge teh sales guy "upsold" me to a canon 50 d at the time (years ago).

When I found out I could have felt a little jipped, but the truth is thank God he did because I loved it. I'm not mad at all.

Selling isnt the devil all the time you know.

abbypanda wrote in post #16231040
Soem people know they want this particular canvas for their house, others have no clue what the options are.

Tough to sell a canvas when you're giving away the disc of images (not applicable to everyone, however)

Some of you truly seem to be dead set that no one wants certain things, or that they all know what they want or that they all want the "base model" and anything beyond that is wrong on the sellers part. Is the higher end truck better? Perhaps so. Is there a small chance that if someone is upsold they actually LIKE the better model?

As I outlined my experience showing products, many simply did not know such options were available.

I am not advocating a hard sell b/c I dont do them, but I also refuse to approach things as if people only want the base model and know all the options either.