When to raise prices?

Sorry for the dbl post ... POTN just lagged the crap out!

bcap wrote in post #4107026
Honestly, I'll probably get a kick in the butt for this, but, I feel that people fret too much about pricing and how they look compared to everyone else. I know, I fall into the trap sometimes too!

But you need to realize that you aren't marketing to the other local photographers, so who cares about them? You are marketing to the brides! Appeal to them!

If they're looking for the best deal, you don't want them anyway. You want a bride and groom who like you for who you are and what you do, not for the fact that your package is cheaper than someone else's and not because you include 2 8x10s and someone else doesn't.

Write down what you feel your work is worth and charge that. Plain and simple. Market yourself accordingly. Give people a sense of who you are and what you can do for them.

Just my $0.02, but, I'm a noob so what do I know anyway.

Agree with you Bryan.

Brides have flat out told me what they want. Every single paying customer has requested a custom wedding package. Maybe they aren't seeing what they want. In my area the High Res CD is supreme. It seems to be valued higher then a print credit, product credit, canvas prints, wedding albums. They first request the CD and then they consider prints and an album. It seems like with prints and an album they want to decide later. Most brides want to pay for my time and talent and then after the wedding purchase prints and albums. I have no problem with this at all. I just want to make enough money shooting the wedding that I don't care if they purchase anything else from me. I'll be switching everything over to al la carte pricing and offering a basic shooting fee. The problem is where to set that basic fee. I've said to myself, "its not worth shooting a wedding if I'm not making at least $1,000 and I'm not there for at least 4 hours."

MrsOpie, how about something like:

Package 1 - $1400
- E-Shoot
- 4 hours
- Disc
- Online Gallery

Package 2 - $2000
- E-Shoot
- 6 hours
- Disc
- Online Gallery

Package 3 - $3500
- E-Shoot
- 8 hours
- Disc
- Album
- Online gallery

And if they want prints, they order prints!

which is why I have a day rate... which I just call my basic package.

but seriously, you are in quite a unique market in SLC. I'm interested to see how it turns out for you, and what works and what doesn't.

See I'd really like to just have ONE package ... full coverage (up to 12 hours) and a disc, everything else being extra.

Personally I wish I was able to just shoot for the WHOLE DAY for every wedding. Sure, it'd be more $$ now for the client, but, in the future, that money is insignificant. Having a FULL documentation of the day is irreplaceable.

At least to me, when I shoot a wedding, I consider the whole day "gone". Once I'm done the wedding, I'm so excited to go home and look at pics, I'll spend the res of the day looking @ the photos anyway. So, why not just spend the rest of the day shooting and maximizing the experience?

Has anyone tried this approach?

bcap wrote in post #4107135
See I'd really like to just have ONE package ... full coverage (up to 12 hours) and a disc, everything else being extra.

Personally I wish I was able to just shoot for the WHOLE DAY for every wedding. Sure, it'd be more $$ now, but, in the future, that money is insignificant. Having a FULL documentation of the day is irreplaceable.

Has anyone tried this approach?

yeah, me.



but two packages. One is all day covereage. The other is all day coverage plus an album and e shoot. Basically a fancy way to add items.

But again, here is the "personal" side of me coming in overtop of the "business" side ... I want an e-shoot with EVERY client. It really means a lot to me that I am able to connect with them, see how they interact, etc, etc and get them on camera in a stress-free environment. It'd make the wedding day SO much easier and so much more relaxed if there is already a connection and an understanding.

To me, I don't want "a client", I want friends. I want to really get a relationship developed with my bride and grooms so I can get the most out of their photos. Maybe it's just because I'm over-eager to get into it.

I was considering the idea of just 1 package. Maybe I'll wait till '09 when I have a reputation in the area.

I'm a little late to chime in on the Edmonton issue, but as usual, Lloyd summed it up pretty well.

The economy is booming here and a lot of that has to do with oil and the trickle down effect. There are jobs aplenty, but that doesn't necessarily mean that people are overly wealthy though. Many of us are still plowing away towards retirement...just trying to pay the mortgage.

In the last few years, I believe that Edmonton was number one or two, certainly in Canada, maybe in North America, in terms of rising house prices. That's great for people who want to sell and move away but it's making it hard for those who want to settle here. An average house here costs close to $400,000 (that's $409,503.20 USD)

The strong local economy does inspire people to spend money though...and that is part of it. It may be that us Edmonton Photographers will have to lower our prices if/when the bottom drops out on us.

MrsOpie wrote in post #4107100
Brides have flat out told me what they want. Every single paying customer has requested a custom wedding package. Maybe they aren't seeing what they want. In my area the High Res CD is supreme. It seems to be valued higher then a print credit, product credit, canvas prints, wedding albums. They first request the CD and then they consider prints and an album. It seems like with prints and an album they want to decide later. Most brides want to pay for my time and talent and then after the wedding purchase prints and albums. I have no problem with this at all. I just want to make enough money shooting the wedding that I don't care if they purchase anything else from me. I'll be switching everything over to al la carte pricing and offering a basic shooting fee. The problem is where to set that basic fee. I've said to myself, "its not worth shooting a wedding if I'm not making at least $1,000 and I'm not there for at least 4 hours."

To be honest I got some inquiries like this before. They email me and just want me to do their ceremony and reception. No getting ready whatever. Just 3 to 4 hours of my time. And I will reply them and said it doesnt matter you want me for 1 hour or 10 hours. You are still paying the same (in a nice manner). Some will never reply and some will actually reply and still booked me. I believe the point is they really like your work or not. Sometimes clients just trying to get a better deal without even thinking what they really want. And of course I cannot capture every single bride 's heart. And I looked at your work and they look great! As for me there is no base line for shooting fee. Have faith in yourself and if you believe you worth $1000, than charge them $1000... etc.

You could include an E-session "free" with every package. You include the cost of this in the price for the wedding and they see it as an added value, plus you get the advantage of building a relationship with them.

Every new business has it's growing pains the first few years... I 've been shooting weddings for about a year and figured it would take me about 3 or 4 years to get somewhat established. Am I correct?

bcap wrote in post #4107165
But again, here is the "personal" side of me coming in overtop of the "business" side ... I want an e-shoot with EVERY client. It really means a lot to me that I am able to connect with them, see how they interact, etc, etc and get them on camera in a stress-free environment. It'd make the wedding day SO much easier and so much more relaxed if there is already a connection and an understanding.

To me, I don't want "a client", I want friends. I want to really get a relationship developed with my bride and grooms so I can get the most out of their photos. Maybe it's just because I'm over-eager to get into it.

I made e-shoot extra because 90% of e-shoots come in late Sept early oct, when I'm already going nuts trying to process all the weddings. It gives me two months of absolute mayhem and stress.

After shooting for a while, I've found that if you are good at relaxing couples, then the dynamics are great on the wedding day whether you've shot them before or not. heck, many couples I've never even MET before the wedding day, and it has ended up I've gotten along with them the best. I've since realized that an e-shoot isn't very critical to working well together on the wedding day, nor is it critical to feel like family to them and their relatives.

Jimbo24 wrote in post #4107245
Every new business has it's growing pains the first few years... I 've been shooting weddings for about a year and figured it would take me about 3 or 4 years to get somewhat established. Am I correct?

IMO, you can get right up there in less then 2 years. The learning curve is quick and it only takes a handful of weddings to have the experience under your belt. If you have the mind set that it will take 3 to 4 years then it will take that long for you because thats what you keep telling yourself. If you say, "I want to charge the same as photographer #2 within 2 years" then you will.

Jimbo24 wrote in post #4107245
Every new business has it's growing pains the first few years... I 've been shooting weddings for about a year and figured it would take me about 3 or 4 years to get somewhat established. Am I correct?

MrsOpie wrote in post #4107317
IMO, you can get right up there in less then 2 years. The learning curve is quick and it only takes a handful of weddings to have the experience under your belt. If you have the mind set that it will take 3 to 4 years then it will take that long for you because thats what you keep telling yourself. If you say, "I want to charge the same as photographer #2 within 2 years" then you will.

I agree with MrsOpie, you are where you want to be in any given amount of time.

I have only been shooting weddings (as a 2nd shooter) for 5-6 months now. I already have my goals set to book 25 weddings for 2008 and have my lowest package set at $8,000 in 2009.

It's all mindset and determination.