Listing Prices on Your Website

[dawssvt]

I am going to be raising my prices significantly in the next couple weeks after talking to a few local wedding photographers, so I have a question about pricing.

I have noticed that the majority of top photographers do not have prices listed on their website. They may have where their packages start, but never go into detail about prices for each package. A few of them have all their packages listed, but without prices.

So, my question... Do you have your prices listed on your website or not? Why or why not? I would like to hear the advantages and disadvantages of each side. Here is a link to my website...

Captured Moments - Photography by Dawson - Las Cruces, NM - Wedding Photographer

If everyone could post a link to their website also, that would be great. I would like to get a feel for how everyone is presenting their packages.

Thanks!

 

[burnws6]

I don't because I do more commercial, fashion, and editorial. So my circumstances are going to vary a loooot.

I could do two commercial shoots and have one range from 200 bucks, and the other 2000. Just depends on a lot of things. Lights, location, assistants, post processing, how they're going to market or publish the photo.

As far as weddings go, I can see that being easier to keep within a price range, but I would still think they're plenty of room to change.

IMO I wouldn't put prices. Your website is where you show off your work and say a little about yourself. That's it. When a client calls you or emails you, the relationship automatically becomes personal, and you're not seeing just a webpage you're getting a quote from the owner.

I think that produces better results even to the point that some people might be pressured to not say it's too much. lol But then again, I've never had my prices, I can't really, on my website. So I can't make a comparative opinion. But in my mind, that's how I see it.

 

[Big Mike]

This is a common question...and there doesn't seem to be a clear right or wrong way to do it.

On one hand, you have to figure that some people who visit your site will look for the prices, and if they don't see any, they will just move on. I know that I do that a lot when I'm looking at web sites for something I'm looking to buy.

But on the other hand, you ideally don't want the type of clients who choose you because of price. You want them to fall in love with your images, so that they are almost willing to pay anything to hire you.

It can also come down to how you sell and how good you are at it. If you don't put your prices on your website, you are wanting prospective clients to call or E-mail you. Once you get the first contact, you can launch into your sales pitch/technique....and as many people will tell you, you probably don't want to talk about price right away. Many sales pros will actually deflect the conversation away from price, giving them time to sell the client on the product & services.

Although, I know some rather successful photographers who went from not listing their prices...to listing them (or at least a 'starting from' number) just to help weed out the bargain shoppers. Because if you don't have any price listed, you run the risk of having every person who visits your site, calling or E-mailing to ask about it....and that can be a lot of people which wastes your time & theirs, if they are not in your price bracket.

 

[bennielou]

I put it all out there. My pricing is set, and I don't bargain. I don't want to deal with "tire kickers".

I do however, know of photogs who are not established who will make deals in order to stay in business.

Best however to just name your price and not deal. It makes you more valuable in the client's eyes. Just my 2 pennies.

 

[Overread]

I think Mike makes a good point about at least showing a minimum price for your services. Whilst I fully understand the idea behind not showing prices and having them come to you for the product of your work alone (and though word of mouth as well) I think that its important to give people an idea as to just how much this wonder will cost them.
In a practical world it might take you several years to get to the point where people come to you for your images alone since that kind of marketing idealy needs you to be well known in the "right circles" so that you can attract highpaying and highly selective clients.
The rest of the human population of working photographers need to give some idea of the minium costs they are going to be charging otherwise as Mike said - many will simply move on to another website where they can ensure that they can afford at least the base cost before contacting. It's then your job to push the rest of the costs onto them in your pitch.

 

[bennielou]

Here is the real world deal.....A potential client only gives you a few seconds. They review your shots and then wonder if they can afford you. Then they go to your pricing info if you have it.

If you don't post the pricing info, and your photos are great, they will instantly think they can't afford you, no matter what your pricing is.

Secondly, they don't want to leave you all their personal info, because for all they know, you will spam them to hell and back. They just WONT fill out your form. Never in a million years.

Ok, maybe once, but they will be on to the next photog pronto.

 

[dawssvt]

I don't because I do more commercial, fashion, and editorial. So my circumstances are going to vary a loooot.

I could do two commercial shoots and have one range from 200 bucks, and the other 2000. Just depends on a lot of things. Lights, location, assistants, post processing, how they're going to market or publish the photo.

As far as weddings go, I can see that being easier to keep within a price range, but I would still think they're plenty of room to change.

IMO I wouldn't put prices. Your website is where you show off your work and say a little about yourself. That's it. When a client calls you or emails you, the relationship automatically becomes personal, and you're not seeing just a webpage you're getting a quote from the owner.

I think that produces better results even to the point that some people might be pressured to not say it's too much. lol But then again, I've never had my prices, I can't really, on my website. So I can't make a comparative opinion. But in my mind, that's how I see it.

Great comment - thanks! I think I'm going to have a start price for my packages and nothing more. Then I will be able to explain my price structure when I sit down and meet with the bride and groom.

This is a common question...and there doesn't seem to be a clear right or wrong way to do it.

On one hand, you have to figure that some people who visit your site will look for the prices, and if they don't see any, they will just move on. I know that I do that a lot when I'm looking at web sites for something I'm looking to buy.

But on the other hand, you ideally don't want the type of clients who choose you because of price. You want them to fall in love with your images, so that they are almost willing to pay anything to hire you.

It can also come down to how you sell and how good you are at it. If you don't put your prices on your website, you are wanting prospective clients to call or E-mail you. Once you get the first contact, you can launch into your sales pitch/technique....and as many people will tell you, you probably don't want to talk about price right away. Many sales pros will actually deflect the conversation away from price, giving them time to sell the client on the product & services.

Although, I know some rather successful photographers who went from not listing their prices...to listing them (or at least a 'starting from' number) just to help weed out the bargain shoppers. Because if you don't have any price listed, you run the risk of having every person who visits your site, calling or E-mailing to ask about it....and that can be a lot of people which wastes your time & theirs, if they are not in your price bracket.

Yea, I'm going to list my starting prices, so they will have a ball park figure of what I charge. I actually had my first meeting today with my new pricing structure and I was trying to do the same thing in avoiding the pricing question until she looked through all of my work. That's always been my goal - for them to fall in love with my work. Thanks for your comment!

I put it all out there. My pricing is set, and I don't bargain. I don't want to deal with "tire kickers".

I do however, know of photogs who are not established who will make deals in order to stay in business.

Best however to just name your price and not deal. It makes you more valuable in the client's eyes. Just my 2 pennies.

Thanks for the comment. Have you tried not listing your prices? If so, did you get more meetings with the prices listed or not?

I think Mike makes a good point about at least showing a minimum price for your services. Whilst I fully understand the idea behind not showing prices and having them come to you for the product of your work alone (and though word of mouth as well) I think that its important to give people an idea as to just how much this wonder will cost them.
In a practical world it might take you several years to get to the point where people come to you for your images alone since that kind of marketing idealy needs you to be well known in the "right circles" so that you can attract highpaying and highly selective clients.
The rest of the human population of working photographers need to give some idea of the minium costs they are going to be charging otherwise as Mike said - many will simply move on to another website where they can ensure that they can afford at least the base cost before contacting. It's then your job to push the rest of the costs onto them in your pitch.

Thanks for your comment. This seems to be the best idea, to list my starting price. I just changed my website to include just my starting price.

Here is the real world deal.....A potential client only gives you a few seconds. They review your shots and then wonder if they can afford you. Then they go to your pricing info if you have it.

If you don't post the pricing info, and your photos are great, they will instantly think they can't afford you, no matter what your pricing is.

Secondly, they don't want to leave you all their personal info, because for all they know, you will spam them to hell and back. They just WONT fill out your form. Never in a million years.

Ok, maybe once, but they will be on to the next photog pronto.

I don't think it's a good idea to not have any price at all listed. I think you are right in saying they will just move on. Thanks for your imput!

 

[bennielou]

Yep, I've tried it both ways. I now teach seminars for PPA on WHY to list pricing. Of course this is all up to you.

 

[FinerWorks]

bennielou, I couldn't have worded it better myself. All I kept thinking as I read everyone's replies was how quickly people hop from one photography website to the next. In my experience, their are 3 general types of clients.

The first: Money is no object (client is loaded and only wants the best)
The second: Strictly by referral (you did their cousin's wedding or something)
The third: Bargain Hunters (as cheap as they can find)

So really, it's more common for your website to be visited by the first or third type. Unfortunately, the first type of client probably has the top professional photographers in her area in mind. The ones who EVERYONE talks about or has used for the past 30 plus years. So the likelihood of them surfing the web for a photographer is not as high as one would hope.

The third type of client will primarily use search engines to find local photographers, and because they ARE price shopping, "insert bennielou comment here"

So everyone is right. Unfortunately, not everyone's clients or situations are the same, so it's really something you have to analyze closely before making a decision.

 

[Chris Cummins]

Mercedes Benz doesn't publish their prices, why should I?

Price is something that needs to be shared with a lot of context for the client to properly value your work. Your website is not going to provide enough context.

A $1,500 photographer who has been shooting for 2 years is more costly than a $2,000 photographer that has been shooting for 15 years. But a prospective client will regard your service as a commodity and try to compare apples and oranges most of the time if you publish your prices on your website.

I had to learn that the hard way.

 

[LarissaPhotography]

Our prices are now high middle to lower upper end for our area. We have no problems publishing rates on our website. We still get plenty of business. That being said, I'm not sure what kind of response we'd get if we fully moved into upper end pricing.

 

[dawssvt]

Yep, I've tried it both ways. I now teach seminars for PPA on WHY to list pricing. Of course this is all up to you.

So, do you teach that all of your prices should be listed on your site? Or just where they start? Can you expand on what you've learned.

Mercedes Benz doesn't publish their prices, why should I?

Price is something that needs to be shared with a lot of context for the client to properly value your work. Your website is not going to provide enough context.

A $1,500 photographer who has been shooting for 2 years is more costly than a $2,000 photographer that has been shooting for 15 years. But a prospective client will regard your service as a commodity and try to compare apples and oranges most of the time if you publish your prices on your website.

I had to learn that the hard way.

Can you expand more on this?

 

[Chris Cummins]

Can you expand more on this?

Sure. When you post your prices and an interested client finds those price after perusing a few of your galleries, they bookmark the pricing page, print it out, or write down a few notes about what they see.

They are not pairing that price with your unique selling propositions. What are unique selling propositions? What makes you unique from the 10,000 other "photographers" out there?

They are not recording that you are a really kind, patient, thoughtful guy who is very interested in them and their story, that you handle pressure situations really well or that you have a college degree in photography, they don't know about your really wonderfully designed albums or see and feel the cool inkjet transfers on silk you do, etc. etc.

By publishing your prices the client will just see costs and fees without attaching a complete and accurate value to your work, experience and service. There is no significant context.

I experienced a nice jump in my bottom line when I chose to present prices after a carefully thought out and practiced sales strategy that builds personal rapport between the photographer and client through one-on-one communication and learning their unique priorities.

 

[ScottGifford]

bennielou, I couldn't have worded it better myself. All I kept thinking as I read everyone's replies was how quickly people hop from one photography website to the next. In my experience, their are 3 general types of clients.

The first: Money is no object (client is loaded and only wants the best)
The second: Strictly by referral (you did their cousin's wedding or something)
The third: Bargain Hunters (as cheap as they can find)

So really, it's more common for your website to be visited by the first or third type. Unfortunately, the first type of client probably has the top professional photographers in her area in mind. The ones who EVERYONE talks about or has used for the past 30 plus years. So the likelihood of them surfing the web for a photographer is not as high as one would hope.

The third type of client will primarily use search engines to find local photographers, and because they ARE price shopping, "insert bennielou comment here"

So everyone is right. Unfortunately, not everyone's clients or situations are the same, so it's really something you have to analyze closely before making a decision.

I really believe you said it well with the 3 types of shoppers.
Scott Gifford Photography

 

[JLEphoto]

Nice site by the way... I say keep the prices on there... Then there will be no perceived surprises later.