Photographers Tool Kit | Pricing & Sales

Hello Photographers!  I hope this post finds you well- feel free to bring your questions, leave comments & share your successes and failures… we all have room to grow  this post is not to serve as an answer all- but small bridge from where you are to where you need to be when it comes to your pricing and sales-  it will be filled with links to other photographers who have done a great job discussing this topic & full of tools that will serve to make your road to success a smoother one.

Understand first, that the way that i do business is really, to be honest, polar to a lot of people in our industry.  I make it a priority to give, even when it cost me greatly- and to pour into everyone who walks in my door, client or not.  this takes a lot of time & quite honestly can really be difficult when it seems like everyone around me is always energized and encouraged when they leave & i’m a mess- i don’t say that to make myself look great- don’t miss the last part- ask my sweet husband, most of the time, i’m a mess.  but, my business grows daily and i continue to meet the goals (even the astronomical ones) i’m setting (not by my own merit, but the grace of God!!)-  so, know that what i tell you will come from this place- give, and when you don’t feel like you can anymore, give more.

part of the giving is (attempting) to answer questions i get daily from other photographers, most of the time i do this by email with the intentions of blogging the questions, but i’m not so great at that… so, to the coffee shop i came today- to write without distraction- and tada!!  question number one!

this question comes from a Washington Photographer :

I was just wondering if you have any tips on boosting print sales.
Clients love the photos in their gallery, but only end up buying two prints. All of my
business is still in my hometown, so it’s hard for me to meet with clients to go over photos,
but I do make that an option for them. I’m just trying to make 2010 a more successful year,
so I was wondering what you do to get those purchases up?

Ok** warning, this might be information overload**

First of all, i think you need to know that there are a TON of people where you are-  I am going to break down your question into parts, so that  it is answered thoroughly!
I was just wondering if you have any tips on boosting print sales.

THE FIRST STEP TO GREAT PRINT SALES IS GREAT PRICING

!! i don’t mean finding another photographer who puts their pricing online and copying theirs because it looks about right !!

there is a lot to consider when setting your prices- it takes thought, honesty, goals, growth, and a calculation of all of those things to come up with what works for you-  you have no idea what the next guys investment is, so don’t base your sales on his!  check out this AWESOME pricing guide by Stacy Reeves download it, read it, re-read it, and then start calculating your prices.

YOUR PRICES ARE YOUR FOUNDATION.

once they are set with your complete understanding of why your 8×10 has to cost $40 or $140 and you can look your client in the eye without batting and add it to their invoice- your sales will increase- because  you will be confident in your communication and your clients understanding of the value of their investment will increase- see how this will work?

Clients love the photos in their gallery, but only end up buying two prints.

there are a couple of things that i would suggest for selling online-

i ran by business for 4 years online- i lived in Germany and while i had a lot of clients in Germany, the majority of my business came from my annual trips back to the US and my clients were all over America- needless to say, my online capabilities had to be top notch or it would effect my sales greatly-  it took me a while to come up with a system, but when i did- it worked pretty smoothly.

first thing:

MAKE SURE YOUR ONLINE STORE IS EASY TO NAVIGATE

SEND YOUR CLIENTS DIRECT LINKS TO THEIR GALLERY AND PRODUCTS SO THEY DON’T HAVE TO LOOK FOR THEM *because they won’t*

SHOW SAMPLE IMAGES OF YOUR PRODUCTS  -if you don’t have image samples of your products- create them!  you will see the return immediately!  people won’t buy what they can’t see

CREATE A SALES/PRODUCT GUIDE that you can email in .pdf form or have hidden on your site for them to view (here is an example of a PRODUCT GUIDE if you aren’t a designer, don’t try to become one here!  invest in someone who has the skills and will make you look GOOD!!)

SHARE PRODUCT IDEAS  THAT FIT THEIR HOME & LIFESTYLE

here are some samples of what i use:

there are a lot of shopping cart options-it is important to do your research and see what works best for you!

i did a lot of research and ended up going with PicturesPro.com i love their customizing options and Tim is great with emails and customer service!  (and they have a great forum that you can search if you don’t want to bother him)  it is a one time investment with no monthly fees & all credit cards are processed through paypal and linked back to your site.  It’s pretty seamless.  Occasionally i will have a client with a problem but it is rarely anything that i can’t walk them through.

product sample images- i have these for every product i offer my clients

here is an example of a gallery that i would suggest to my client: (this is a screen shot)

the online store that i use allows for really great customization and takes out a lot of the guess work, my client has the freedom to arrange the images as he/she chooses and in the end is left with a gallery that is exactly what he/she wants!

it’s important to know your client-  i always ask about their home, how they want to LIVE with their collection – client communication is KEY.

All of my business is still in my hometown, so it’s hard for me to meet with clients to go over photos, but I do make that an option for them.

this is the most recent change in my business- shifting from overseas and online to in person has been A BIG CHANGE.  when my phone started ringing with questions i was a little taken back (because no one called in Germany)  i would always ask for their email and try to move back to my online strategy- but i realized quickly- for me to develop the relationship and trust that i really wanted to with my clients, i needed to TALK to them- to sit with them, and to help them protect their investment.

When i sit down with my clients i make it very clear that they have a lot of options, but i don’t show them a single one until i feel like i have a good grasp on what they need.  I am not interested in selling to sell.  I’m not selling used cars, i don’t have an inventory to get rid of- so, i don’t approach it that way.  what i do have is a beautiful collection that deserves to be displayed and enjoyed for generations- and so that is where i begin.

we talk about their home, where they live the most in it, where they host guests, or hang out-

the colors, textures, layout… if they move around a lot (military families) sometimes books & albums are better choices-

every collection is determined by the client.  i have no idea what they will order when they arrive.  and i don’t have a product in mind- and try to sell from that place- i don’t want to sell myself short or limit my client in any way.

i have recently changed my online gallery options because i have a studio and the ability to host my clients there-

i now host all of my proofs through pictage and let pictage handle all of the “gift print” orders- 8×10 and smaller.  they print and ship them directly to my client- my clients can view their gallery and share with family and friends online.

they then schedule an ordering appointment with me and enjoy seeing all of their options in person (i have samples of every product for them to see and touch)  i offer a discount for them as a courtesy at their ordering session and any order that they place after that day is full price.

My product orders are always, ALWAYS significantly higher when my clients come in- it isn’t because i get all slimy and start trying to sell them everything under the sun- it’s just because they can see the difference in the quality and they want to protect their investment-  and they see first hand that i care about their investment too- and i will do everything i can to ensure their money is invested wisely.

so, i would take the option out- MEET WITH YOUR CLIENTS IN PERSON! *if the drive for them is far, you might offer them a gift print as a thank you for their travel

HAVE PRODUCT SAMPLES WITH  YOU!

LISTEN TO YOUR CLIENTS AND BE SMART WITH THE PRODUCTS YOU SHOW/OFFER!

and up your sales will go!

I’m just trying to make 2010 a more successful year, so I was wondering what you do to get those purchases up?

aren’t we all!!

REMEMBER TO SET GOALS.  even if they seam crazy-  if you know that you want to average $1500 per session but right now you are $300 – keep your head up!  right that goal down-  work hard at creating a collection that they have to have… that really captures them as they are-

i can’t stress enough how important it is to COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR CLIENTS.

if we all decide that we will put our CLIENTS first- then the way people view our industry in every town will change.  if you are cranking away and your clients don’t feel the difference in you and the next guy- there is something wrong!

get to know your clients, what they love, what they value…

when you have those things in mind, whatever you present to them as a wise investment will be received gladly.  (not always sold, but at least not met with folded arms!)

TAKE THE TIME TO WORK ON YOUR PRICING, MEET WITH & LISTEN TO YOUR CLIENTS, PRESENT PRODUCTS THAT ARE A FIT FOR THEM, AND YOU WILL INCREASE YOUR SALES!!

best of luck!!!