Category Archives: Sales Many times, I get new photographers struggling with the same problem. Pricing. So, I thought I’d share with you something I wrote in response to a frustrated photog who was being hounded by the budget bride: “Hey Dustin, I’ve heard a lot of great things about your ability to run a profitable photography business (several,... August 27, 2010 - 3:35 pm
Well said Dustin. August 27, 2010 - 4:04 pm
Exactly, Dina! I think there’s such a blurry difference between hobbyist and professional that the public tends to get confused. Just because I own a wrench doesn’t make me a certified plumber. The fact that I can grill a mean steak doesn’t mean I have culinary accreditations. Pushing a button on a camera or knowing a few tweaks in Photoshop makes one no less a professional photographer than turning the keys in a car makes you certified to drive that vehicle. If you’re a professional, charge professional rates… because it’s your profession. :) Thanks for sharing, Dina!! August 28, 2010 - 11:08 am
Nice one! Sometimes I think we forget to value ourselves. August 28, 2010 - 11:13 am
Right, Heather! Just because you’re a natural at taking photos doesn’t mean you should do it for cheap ;) August 30, 2010 - 3:13 pm
Great way to handle it Dustin. I hope she hears you and can stick to it. I am always trying to beat that tidbit into fellow photographers. I can’t begin to tell you the number of photographers that say to me, “Yeah but my business isnt like yours, I don’t live in a big city, so my clients won’t pay the same amount as your clients.” And to that I always respond, a camera costs what a camera costs. If most photographers would realize that most all of the hard costs of business are the same regardless if you live in a rural market or a metropolitan area. Cameras, lenses, prints, albums, computers, software, and most all the tools of the trade cost the same regardless of your address. The only reduced costs of a rural studio are lower overhead in the form of rent or mortgage and lower insurance costs. And in the commercial world, usage is usage. In fact, many large national companies can be found in rural markets because of the need for cheap labor and cheap land. However these clients are advertising nationally, so rural photographers need to consider that usage. If they have a multi-thousand square ft facility on 10 acres of land, and dozens of employees, think about the revenue that company is generating to turn a profit. So remember, a camera costs what a camera costs. August 30, 2010 - 3:13 pm
Great way to handle it Dustin. I hope she hears you and can stick to it. I am always trying to beat that tidbit into fellow photographers. I can’t begin to tell you the number of photographers that say to me, “Yeah but my business isnt like yours, I don’t live in a big city, so my clients won’t pay the same amount as your clients.” And to that I always respond, a camera costs what a camera costs. If most photographers would realize that most all of the hard costs of business are the same regardless if you live in a rural market or a metropolitan area. Cameras, lenses, prints, albums, computers, software, and most all the tools of the trade cost the same regardless of your address. The only reduced costs of a rural studio are lower overhead in the form of rent or mortgage and lower insurance costs. And in the commercial world, usage is usage. In fact, many large national companies can be found in rural markets because of the need for cheap labor and cheap land. However these clients are advertising nationally, so rural photographers need to consider that usage. If they have a multi-thousand square ft facility on 10 acres of land, and dozens of employees, think about the revenue that company is generating to turn a profit. So remember, a camera costs what a camera costs. August 30, 2010 - 3:50 pm
I love that! “A Camera Costs what a Camera Costs!” Thanks for the insight, Lenn!! August 27, 2010 - 11:34 pm
[...] Am I worth it? » MpactPhoto : Professional Photography Studio Marketing Resource and Forum by Dustin Meyer Am I worth it? » MpactPhoto : Professional Photography Studio Marketing Resource and Forum by Dusti…. [...] I wanted to share with everyone a new product that Collages.net is offering, their photo standouts! Check them out! Collagesnet Standouts from Dustin Meyer on Vimeo. http://collages.net. Professional Wedding and Portrait photographer Dustin Meyer gives a shoutout to Collages.net’s new product, Wall Standouts. Cheers! by dustinmeyer no comments  You love taking photographs. You love making your clients laugh as you snap their portrait. You also feel your heart burst when your clients cry over your images. So why can’t you get them to buy anything? In the beginning, I was just as frustrated as many of you. I would sit up on the... by dustinmeyer 2 comments June 29, 2010 - 8:15 am
Great information! Thank you for sharing Dustin. July 7, 2010 - 11:01 am
[...] forget that there is a wealth of industry information on selling more in your studio. Check out MpactPhoto, an online resource with information on sales, techniques, social media, and more for professional [...] |
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