When to turn over the hi-res CD/DVD?

[ken_wright5]

For the past four years I've included a hi-res DVD with all the edited photos to my clients. They get the DVD

within a month of the wedding. Each year my print sales are less than $2,000 per year. I do no marketing outside

of handing out my card at the reception.

I'm wondering now if I should just be a better marketer of my photo/prints, or if I should hold on to the disc

for 4-6 months--or both?

Because I give a 4x6 premium print of all shots to the bride and groom, I really don't expect many orders from

them. But I suspect couples share the disc with friends and family. Thx, Ken

[mrmel]

Online posting of the event is pretty easy. It's a good way for the guest to view the photos and have an oppertunity to order a few. Normally I hand out a business card during the event with information on how to view the photos and password needed printed on the back. I use Eventpix.com which I have been happy with.

[steve_c.5]

Ken, I fall into the catagory of photographers who provide the DVD of hi-res images to their clients, and like you, I give it to them when I am done with post processing, usually within a month.

 

First, I think you're giving away too much when you provide them with a 4 x 6 print of all the images, unless you're building in a healthy margin in your pricing. Even if you used someone like AdoramaPix, which gives you standard 4 x 6 prints at .12 each (over 500 quantity), prints for a 600 image wedding would cost you $72, plus shipping. Premium prints would cost much more. And, if you're putting all these loose prints in albums, your costs are even higher.

 

If you're simply handing them boxes of loose prints, then they have to deal with keeping them in order, managing how they store them, putting them in albums, etc., and that's not something I would want to deal with if I were a bride.

 

You should look into creating proof books instead, either yourself via color laser printed spiral-bound books (I do 4 per page, double sided), or through some of the printing services like Mpix and others. Such books are a much easier method of proofing for you, and it's easier for brides to carry around a single spiral bound book than a stack of albums or boxes of loose prints. I make my own, because I can control costs better, and I can turn one around in a day, versus waiting for them to be produced and shipped to me.

 

I combine the proof book with online hosting/ordering (I use Pictage, but SmugMug is very popular). You should do the same.

 

If you're giving away all these prints, it's no wonder your print sales are so low, even when you provide the disc. As for providing the disc, my approach has been to factor in what you'd probably make in print sales if you did NOT give the disc, and average that figure into your pricing. That way, you're not losing anything.

[picturesque]

It comes down to whether you want the profit from reprints and enlargements or not. Obviously, if you don't care, then don't spend the money to host and maintain an ordering system. If you do, then make it harder for people, such as keeping the DVD until some time has passed. Over the years, I've found that people are actually pretty happy just being able to see the images on your hosting site. In fact, if you don't put deadlines on the site, people will put off ordering and then never order at all. So you figure it out, and put practices into place that get you what you want. Whether those practices help or hurt you re being able to market yourself and your product successfully will become known when you try it.

[bill_clark___minnetonka_mi]

My belief, based on reviewing other photographers actual sales, is that reprints is a small profit area for most and maybe

a loss for many. I just saw a thread on Monte Zuckers forum where a photographer stated he receives $500 to $1000

orders for reprints from each gig. I hope they are being fulfilled by another firm that handles everything. If you write

down every step involved in each reprint order, with the pricing high enough to cover your costs, I believe it would

eliminate most sales.

 

I don't give any "proofs" or "proof books", 4/6 prints to the B&G. I find they want to view the images various other

ways.

 

Why not add a certain amount to each package you sell? This would flow directly to your bottom line w/o all the costs

associated with reprints.

[tdj]

For my company, the digital "negatives" are a product that I offer to my clients. Reprint orders account for a moderate percentage of my annual revenue, so for me, it wouldn't make sense to give away the DVD. I post the images online, and offer a discount on orders placed within the first month. The bride and groom are more than happy to send out an email with the link to their family & friends. Alot of couples purchase the high rez DVD for printing/archiving. Best of luck!

[joe_rych]

For your business model, might it be possible for you to share with us how much the DVD of high res images is sold for?

[William Michael]

In 2008, biasing a W&P business toward Print Sales, or even having Prints Sales as a viable parcel of the business

(i.e. dissectible, as a stand alone net profit source) are becoming niche businesses, IMO.

 

Niche Businesses have the potential to be very profitable, but usually work only in various and specific areas

(geographic) and with certain people groups, contained within that geography: and with the appropriate business

plan, which includes sales and marketing.

 

***

 

Specifically in the case outlined in this post and from a business perspective: the figure of $2,000 in print sales is a

meaningless turnover figure.

 

I note there is very little marketing money put into these sales: but how much time? And expendables?

 

***

 

Now for ``assumption`` time, as people generally are loath to give figures, so let`s assume there is a W&P

photographer who sells the DVD and then an extra $2,000 prints over a year.

 

And the expendables for the prints, in total cost $300.

 

But then, over the year, the photographer puts more than a total of 34 hours into the liaison, catering for, preparation,

packaging and delivery of these prints . . . at 34 hours total: the PRINT sales just became a net COST, which is

equal to a bottom line LOSS . . . not profit at all. (yes IMO all you can afford is 34 hours TOTAL in the whole year)

 

If this is the case, IMO, you would be best to consider: killing the service altogether; or address it as a ``service`` and

not an extra ``sales``; or get active, and market the service; or simply boost the print prices, like by 300%, at least.

 

Also, IMO, very little ``selling`` of the prints, is done after the event.

 

WW

[bill_clark___minnetonka_mi]

I have to receive a min. of $100 per hour of my time in order to successfully/profitably run my business. If I can't receive

the $100 per hour I need to either have someone else do the work or not offer the service for my clients. And I run a lean

business, with tight control of expenses; therefore my fee per hour is actually quite low.

[William Michael]

. . . then, 17 hours, might be a more applicable number for the example I gave.

 

WW

[jo_dinning]

The amount of prints I sell post-wedding is worth my while - as well as ensuring that there are parts of the day that I

have exclusive images of, my view is that since I've taken the images and edited them, I may as well sell them as

prints to those that want them. Most orders are placed within three months of the wedding, but some prints are

ordered up to a year afterwards, and as long as the wedding is still 'selling' I leave it online - I'm paying for my

webspace anyway.

 

It's no big deal to be arranging extra prints because I still offer traditional albums with prints and

enlargements as part of my packages so I'm ordering prints anyway - two birds with one stone etc. I include a CD

presentation with most of my packages, but for those who want the high-res images, the pricing covers what I would

expect to lose from print sales. My smaller prints are priced so that I make a profit regardless, with larger prints

being relatively cheaper - so it is tempting for clients to order the more profitable prints anyway - good for them, good

for me. Most of my clients specifically ask me whether I offer prints for sale to guests - maybe the

packages/products I offer attract a certain type of client. I suppose it's horses for courses - it works for me but I can

see that this approach won't work for every business. But you won't know unless you try it.