parttimephoto

<p>Steven, Michael sums it up well: weed out the bad shots and minimize duplicates.<br> If I do a one-hour shoot with a senior, I'll make around 150-250 images in maybe 15-30 'scenes' or setups. Each scene I do I'm hoping to make at least one "must-have" image from that scene, so when it comes time for the sales session (I do in-person sales - per-client sales averages for me have been vastly higher than online galleries), there is too much variety of great images for the client to say no to them. They then end up purchasing my CD of all the images, fully processed and in hi-res (which is always priced a little higher than my per-client average sale; every sale then drives the value and price up).<br> I try to show one set of must-have images per scene, and maybe two versions of each (slightly different angle, pose, or expression). With a few black and white versions of my favorites and some great outtake shots (that won't get bought by themselves, but add a lot of value to the all-images CD offering), I'll show 40-60 proofs.<br> That's just the way I work. I've met photographers who show no more than 10 images per shoot, sometimes just five, but they often only offer large wall-art or higher dollar minimum-order packages.<br> I love digital, so yes, the majority of my business is in digital image sales.<br> Best of luck Steven! Have a great weekend!</p>

<p>Joel, just to jump in:<br> 1. What's an hour of your time worth? It's almost an existential question, but it's the best way to get at what you should charge for the time you're investing in these shoots. A young single artist hustling to get dinner money may be thrilled with $10 an hour. If that time you're investing in each shoot is taking away from your writing or family time, what's that worth? Like Jerry said, look around at other photographers in the area to get an idea, but adjust according to your needs. If your time is better spent writing or with the important people in your life, then you have every right and reason to charge more than others and reduce the number of shoots you're doing. It's more about lifestyle design than business.<br> 2. Hardcore folks will say you're giving away the farm, but easygoing photogs like me will tell you an unlimited license makes life simple. If you were wanting to grow to full time, you'd maybe want to think harder on it because hitting your revenue goals and maximizing profits becomes much more important. But if you're doing this because you enjoy it, and you just want to get fair pay for your time (while weeding out the freeloaders), there's no need to get too precious with licensing.<br> 3. Google away, lots of examples of commercial licensing contracts out there. Keep it simple, keep it friendly.<br> Congratulations on stepping up to fair pay for your work Joel! Never feel bad for allowing your fellow authors to show their appreciation for the value you offer by taking fair pay in exchange for it. Shoot by shoot, that money will add up, and you can use that money to grow your artistic or business skills (books, workshops, courses), fund great life experiences for you and your family, donate it all to a local charity and bless dozens or hundreds because you were brave enough to step up and charge fairly, or whatever you see fit.<br> I'm excited for you Joel!</p>

<p>Hey Anne, congrats on working to get your work out there into the world and for sale!<br> As a senior portrait photographer, I'm not very familiar with the art print niche of photography. Let me ask: what's your business model? Who are your clients? Do you want to do your own photography projects then sell prints as art, or shoot for magazines, or some other kind of buyer? Who you want to sell to and how they like to buy are your biggest factors in whether SmugMug or another site would best serve you.<br> I use SmugMug for my portfolio (banderaoutlaw.com), but I do in-person selling so I don't sell through it; it's purely a marketing and conversion tool. I love the design, the backend, the ease, the price, the responsive design, and the attitude and personality of the company.<br> Depending on your goals, you may be better served by having a portfolio online that reinforces your local sales rather than an online ecommerce site to try to sell prints across the globe.<br> Congratulations again on taking these big steps!</p>

<p>Great topic Stephen, enjoyed reading the post and about your book!<br> You and I have very different teaching philosophies, but your guidance is absolutely sound.<br> You answer your own question, in a way: that YOU feel you got enough value from those transactions to be satisfied with the outcome.<br> Especially out here in "professional photographer forum land," there's this almost partisan-style mentality that there is an absolute right way and an absolute wrong way to do business, and if you don't agree with my style then you're a noob idiot ruining the industry. It hasn't evolved much since I started out in 1999.<br> I never wanted to become a professional photographer. I was on track in high school to become a web designer. Then I got a job working at the local newspaper, where I started taking photos. Photos led to bylines, bylines led to people complimenting my work and asking if I did family shoots and the like. I fell bass ackwards into professional photography, but looking back, it's been a huge blessing for me and my family financially, socially, and creatively. In 2016 I'm helping my 11 year old and 8 year old launch their photography business.<br> There are many, many ways to get value out of 'free' work, just like in the world of the 9-to-5 where there are many ways to derive perks and benefits beyond the paycheck.<br> I study and practice hard to be creative in life, in business, in marketing, in teaching. When you apply creativity where it doesn't traditionally "belong" (such as in how to get more value out of your low-budget projects), you innovate and impress and enjoy entirely new ways to do good business.<br> I believe you and I would agree that the onus is on the photographer to both protect their value and to ensure they're fairly compensated - the clients and buyers have their own agendas - but also that it is the photographer's right and discretion to determine for themselves what forms that compensation can take.<br> Congratulations on publishing your book Stephen, that's a really big accomplishment and a blessing to those photographers wise enough to grab a copy!</p>

<p>John and Jeff, thank you for your perspectives - there are many ways to do good business!<br /> You're both correct that I'm making assumptions about Julian's competitive situation: I'm presuming he is not booked solid with ideal clients while earning the pay he's worth.<br /> If he is, that's excellent - he's already employing a business model in the most effective and efficient manner for his niche in his market. Couldn't wish better for a talented photographer like Julian.<br /> If he is not booked solid, the classic question is begged: what is the most valuable use of his time?<br /> I would submit that investing a half day to a day producing an "over the top" proposal is exactly the advice I would give anyone selling in a B2B field. Like reading a good book or investing in an all-day workshop, you're trading your time for an asset that will pay returns over and over again for the rest of your career.<br /> Crafting such a proposal once creates a template Julian can use with every proceeding client to make a distinct impression (with much less time invested than the first run). What's the downside? Some potential client will say, "This guy is far more prepared and professional than anyone else we've worked with. I'm not comfortable with this level of expertise."?<br /> I learned this proposal sales strategy in the newspaper advertising industry, and it was the catalyst to my newspapers turning the tide to outsell competing papers, magazines, radio, television, and Internet competitors all vying for the same advertising budgets in the middle of an industry downturn.<br /> Listen, I am by no means suggesting this is the only method to do good business.<br /> But it's a shockingly effective one.<br /> Yes, it requires an upfront investment of time.<br /> And yes, I'm making the presumption that Julian wants to grow the B2B side of his professional photography. If this is a one-off situation, there's no point in creating a tool meant to grow your referrals, closing rates or per-client sales in a B2B setting.<br /> But if Julian wants to take his business to the next level, this is one (of many) ways he can differentiate, impress, and stand above the competition. There's a reason why high performers are the smallest percentile in their field: because they don't do what everybody else is doing.<br /> Some get the job done and some blow the roof off.<br /> Some get the job, and some get the job and a dozen referrals.<br /> Some seek clients; some have clients seeking them.<br /> For anyone interested in this kind of sales strategy, The Challenger Sale is a great (if dense) book that gives the supporting research, case studies, and step-by-step work to craft this kind of proposal-driven B2B process.</p>

<p >Julian, congratulations on the shoot! Sounds like a great one to work on.</p> <p >All of the images in your portfolio look great, no doubt you'll bring the value to your client.</p> <p >Consider the hours you'll invest into the project as others have mentioned, and determine for yourself three numbers:</p> <ol> <li><strong>Base</strong>, the minimum pay you'll take for the job. Estimate the hours involved as best you can, multiply that by what you feel your time should be worth (even as a portfolio-building, network-building, new-client-getting, testimonial-earning shoot).</li> <li><strong>Middlin</strong>', about what you think the job is worth (as opposed to what <em>you'll take</em> for it).</li> <li><strong>Grinnin</strong>', a number that if you put it out there and they say yes, you'll walk away grinning like a <em>Cheshire cat</em>.</li> </ol> <p >Put together a nice printed 8.5x11 proposal:</p> <p > </p> <ul> <li>A nice cover with your logo, client name, date of proposal (immediately establish professionalism)</li> <li>An introductory thank-you letter (reiterating what makes you uniquely qualified for this job).</li> <li>A list of existing high-profile clients (social proof of your value)</li> <li>Three examples of similar creatives (showing the quality of your work)</li> <li>A list of references for your contacts for those creatives and/or your clients sheet (authority, authenticity)</li> <li>Two proposals, one premium (grinnin') and one budget (middlin') [see note below]</li> <li>A contract where they can sign off on Plan A or Plan B (manage expectations, timelines)</li> <li>A page reinforcing the benefits of the work you're proposing to do (show industry expertise, tangible benefits)</li> </ul> <p >Bind this with a clear plastic cover and clear plastic back (or black back); take it to an office store if you don't have the gear in-house. Do the same as a copy for yourself (your client will keep their copy).</p> <p >Set up a meeting to go over and approve the proposal, and ensure all the decision makers will be there.</p> <p >Present your proposal page by page.</p> <p >In discussing your premium versus budget offering, make <em>Premium</em> worthwhile: how can you add value? Faster turnaround, a reshoot or refund guarantee (no risk), physical prints, wall art for their facilities (retail location or just company office), an unlimited no-hassle license (this may be a default expectation, but ensure the client understands the value), preliminary test and styling shoot (like others have suggested above), etc. (careful that your premium upgrades don't eat up all your premium profits)</p> <p >Your <em>Budget</em> offering could be less attractive: longer turnaround, no guarantees (delivered <em>as-is</em>), a one-year print and online license, no preliminary test shoot.</p> <p ><strong>This leaves the power of choice in your client's hands - <em>they can go cheap, but it'll cost'em</em>.</strong></p> <p >After explaining the two options (and you always offer two, so it's not a question of Yes or No, it's a question of "<em>Which one?</em>"), you simply ask, "Which of these two plans do you think will best serve your needs for this project?" ... and <em>stop talking</em>.</p> <p >Let them <em>squirm</em>. Let them talk it over. Let them ask questions. Be honest, but firm - <em>professional</em>. Present with confidence and your value will be obvious. And there's nothing to negotiate - either they want the best option or they want the budget option. And if the budget option is still too much, they may not be a good fit for you.</p> <p >A) This process is more laborious than just an e-mail with a price that you then negotiate down from, but it applies layers of sales psychology to get to the <em>best, clearest, simplest deal</em> that benefits both parties equally.</p> <p >and</p> <p >B) I'll bet you a dollar to a donut that <strong>not one single other photographer</strong> will go through such a professional, thoughtful, transparent process to earn their business. The impression you make will get you business - if not today, down the road, from that client or others in their network.</p> <p >So, <em>what about that Base price?</em></p> <p >That's something you can negotiate down to <em>if you want to</em>.</p> <p >If feel strong as a negotiator, you can do this during the proposal presentation. If not, if the client says no even to the budget option, you say, "I'm excited about this project, but I'm going to have to get <em>real creative</em> to come down on this price. Tell me <em>what would be a win for you</em>; what you want this process to look like."</p> <p >Let them describe to you what they really want - their own base for results from the project.</p> <p >Ask, "What are you budgeting for this project? Not your negotiable rate - <em>really, let's skip the BS</em>. Give me your honest top-end budget for this, let me take it to my [team, wife, friends in the photography industry] and let us get creative on a solution."</p> <p >Whatever that number is, write it down, reiterate you'll see what's possible, shake their hands and leave.</p> <p >Walk away friendly and confident, and whatever number they gave you, come up with a list of <strong>value-adds</strong> you want to ask from the client to make up the difference between that they'll pay in cash and what your value is for those services:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Barter</strong>: If you have a use for it (as a gift, to resell), barter for product. A thousand dollar purse may cost the client only $50.</li> <li><strong>Extensive testimonial</strong>: Ask for a video testimonial (which you can shoot) as well as a written testimonial (which you can help write)</li> <li><strong>Social shares</strong>: Ask the client to post X number of times over Y period of time to their social media profiles, mentioning and tagging you on your photos as the photographer</li> <li><strong>Referrals</strong>: Ask for in-person introductions (over coffee or lunch or dinner) to other business owners who would be a good fit for your services.</li> <li><strong>Charitable contribution</strong>: Ask for a donation of money or employee time to a local charity you're involved in.</li> <li><strong>Ratings</strong>: Ask the client to rate you on Facebook, Google, Yelp, or anywhere else you're building a local presence in.</li> <li><strong>Conference</strong>: Ask to be a +1 guest at an industry conference the client attends every year, and ask for introductions to contacts there (Why play small? Establish yourself as THE photographer in their industry and professional circles).</li> <li><strong>Multiple-shoots</strong>: Ask for a promise of X number of shoots over the next 12 months at the negotiated rate. If the client is in fashion, ask for one per season in following industry trends.</li> </ul> <p ><strong>In this scenario, you've <em>flipped the script</em>: you're now giving the client opportunities to create value-adds <em>for you</em>; they are vying to earn <em>your business</em>.</strong></p> <p >Not all of these ideas will fit every client, but you may be surprised at what could mean multiple new clients and thousands of dollars of work to you is a simple, easy, <em>obvious</em> win for the client.</p> <p >I understand the desire to standardize your pricing, but there's real value in creating a custom solution for every client - that custom solution means listening, asking questions, knowing through experience what questions to ask (and thus demonstrating your expertise and value in asking them), and creating a solution that by design responds to the clients' objections. Standardizing your prices commodifies your services; you're then just competing to offer the lowest price.</p> <p >Focus on <em>standardizing and refining your process</em> instead of your pricing, and you'll make an impression far beyond that of other photographers in your market.</p>