You have just photographed a boudoir session, now what? Some photographers have package deals, some do not. Whether we like it or not this is a business and if we were just photographing people for sitting fees alone our businesses would not make it! So how do you sell? And when do you sell?
There are several different ways to do this. The first way is to not have to sell after the shoot. You can offer package deals which are pre-paid before you even start shooting, with the option to upgrade afterwards of course! This is a method a lot of photographers use to sell packages and this one seems to be the one that most people swear by.
If doing this you should create 4 packages with your goal being to sell the middle two. The base package really has nothing in it, it’s basically your sitting fee and just a taste of what it is you offer, this should be the minimum you would be willing to work for and still make it worth while to you and your client. The next package should be a little higher and include a cool product but still not the coolest! Your 3rd package is the one you really want people to want, this one has the products that do the best with your studio, for some it’s little black books, some it’s the CD of images, this is where you need to really look at your client base and look at what they are buying from you. The 4th package is your wish package, you don’t expect people to purchase this from you but you really hope they do! Just put it in there, just in case!
The marketing strategy for this package pricing set up is simple, your base price gets a potential client to look at your site, it is the enticement but still a logical package for some. For most it just doesn’t include enough, so when they look at the packages which are a little higher in price and they see what comes with the package it automatically adds value to each package. Odds are they are now going to pick one of the two middle packages because they will want to get something from this session!
Another way of selling is to have a base sitting fee and then offer packages or products after the shoot. Portrait photographers have been doing this for years! There is a smaller sitting fee that will cover your expenses and then you let them fall in love with the work you have done for them. There is a risk to this but there can also be a greater reward! This type of pricing seems to work best for photographers thatt do marathon or mini-sessions where you have several clients booked in one day. You should have someone at your studio who is dedicated to working with your clients after the shoot, showing them their photos and also showing them the products you offer. If your client doesn’t know about the products they will not buy them! This method works really well with impulse buyers, which is why it works so great with mini sessions!
It is hard to go into detail on this subject with just one blog posting but this is just meant as a good starting place to figure out what will or will not work for you! One thing to think about is having set packages on your website or on your price sheets for the clients who want a package and then offer a discounted rate for a marathon day “One Day Only” special. See what works best for you and your clients!
gré 