How do prints factor into your business?

I see people around here talking about prints, I've never printed anything for business. And I can only think of one or two pictures from other photographers I've had printed for myself. While my MIL did I don't think I even received physical version of my wedding album. I know of some of my work being printed but I delivered a digital file for that.

Do your clients want physical copies?

I think it's VERY important to include the outline if your typical client.

Corporate clients differ greatly from editorial clients who differ greatly from wedding clients who differ greatly from headshot / senior photo clients etc

Most of my clients are corporate or editorial. If you tried to tell an editorial client that they have to buy prints (or slides) from you, you would get laughed out of the room.

JacobPhoto wrote in post #17617138
I think it's VERY important to include the outline if your typical client.

Corporate clients differ greatly from editorial clients who differ greatly from wedding clients who differ greatly from headshot / senior photo clients etc

Most of my clients are corporate or editorial. If you tried to tell an editorial client that they have to buy prints (or slides) from you, you would get laughed out of the room.

Same here.
Files go to Dropbox or a DVD.

I am thinking about pushing into the portrait area, so I'm interested to see what people say. I really think it is important to make quality prints and kind of plan to make it part of what I do. Likely will provide files and prints.

In the senior portrait market my clients all expect digital images, very few ever even ask about prints. Family shoots about half ask about prints, but laugh if I give them a price over $10 each, at that price its not even worth me thinking about providing them.

Weddings we provide digital images via out website, we let all of our couples know if there is one they want printed to let us know and we can help them with printing.

I'm a commercial photographer and I am paid to produce images not prints. I edit most of the images, upload to my server for them to download but a few do have qualified staff that I think do a good job with the files. More important, my paperwork is in order dictating exactly how they are licensed to use them.

I am mainly in the my images don't get printed category as most of my stuff gets used on web sites or some may be printed off as a part of a sales pack on A4 plain paper (so not really prints per se).

I do also however do a couple of jobs where I shoot for free and make money off selling the prints - these are rare and infrequent however and would not give me a viable income.

I'm a photographer, but since I was also a custom 'C' printer long ago, my business started out as a printing service. My clients are mostly Ad Agencies, Commercial Printers, Corporate, Legal, Retail, Real Estate Developers and other Photographers.
I decided to put my photography background to good use and now offer that as a service. My photo work is about 70% digital files (Product Photography, Real Estate, Events and Musicians) and 30% print (Portraits, Landscapes, Point of Sales Displays and Real Estate Developers).

My entire photo business is based on the sale of the print, usually framed.

I look at prints as a bonus. The vast, vast, vast majority of my clients are publishers or business owners who just want the right to use my photo in their magazine, ad, website, or whatever it is they are publishing. To these clients I send them a digital file and we agree on a price for a usage license.

But, a few times a year, a client comes along who actually wants to buy prints. For these clients I started an account at Fine Art America.

The way print sales work for me is:
The client views my work on my main website, then they tell me which images they would like prints of. Once they tell me what images they want, I upload those image files to my Fine Art America account. My client then will go to my FAA account and order the prints directly from there. FAA takes the client's payment, prints the image, mats and frames it (if necessary), and ships it to the client. FAA then deposits a commission directly into my PayPal account. I get to determine the commission I want for each image, and for each print size.

By doing it this way, I don't ever have to deal with mats and frames. I don't have to outlay any money for prints. I don't have to deal with QC - that's FAA's problem. All I do is upload the image and get the commission. I wish I had done it this way when I first started in the business several years ago.

For those of you producing/printing, framing and selling prints do you mark the print in any way?

Sailor Larry wrote in post #17693050
For those of you producing/printing, framing and selling prints do you mark the print in any way?

My customers want the matte signed and dated. I will also sign and date the border (hidden under the matte) when i remember to.

My commercial portraits are delivered digitally.
My consumer portraits are primarily large wall prints with digital add-ons. They bear my studio logo.

I have a couple of exhibition outlets where I show 30x40 prints and larger...and I sell what I show.

In a large way. I mainly print reproductions of my mother's art work and occasionally my own photos. I matte and place in clear bags, frame, or lately have been float mounting on foam core.