"Do you have any deals..."

[Steve5D]

Also... offer payment plans? :sillysmi:

I actually offer that.

My clients should "plan" to make a payment...

 

[amolitor]

Did you just close the deal and buy the last company in America with a fat juicy pension plan? Do you want to celebrate?

Consider our Cigars, Limos, and Strippers photo package! Party like a rock star all night long, and take home a huge full color photo book with ALL the action if you know what I mean! Today ONLY, $85,000, down from our regular $95,000!

BYOB?!

Booze?
Blonde?
Blow-up doll?

Banker. Or, for the deluxe package, Bank.

 

[kathyt]

We cannot all be lawyers, billing people in desperate need from $175 to $300 an hour for services. It must be sweet to be able to bill clients $95 for dictating a letter, or $250 for sending some papers to the courthouse via courier service.

Don't start this sh*t again. It is not about how much he is charging per hour, but the knowledge that it takes to charge that much per hour! Same goes for photography.

 

[cgipson1]

We cannot all be lawyers, billing people in desperate need from $175 to $300 an hour for services. It must be sweet to be able to bill clients $95 for dictating a letter, or $250 for sending some papers to the courthouse via courier service.

Don't start this sh*t again. It is not about how much he is charging per hour, but the knowledge that it takes to charge that much per hour! Same goes for photography.

Yeaaaaa... Kathy! Go, Girl!

 

[imagemaker46]

Without going off the rails here. I've been reading through the "I wouldn't work for $50 or a $100, it's not worth it to me". How many that are making this easy statement, don't rely on picking up the $50 or $100 quick shoots? I know of a few on here that are shooting sole income photography, but it sure is easier to turn down a $100 job when you're guaranteed that full time job pay cheque.

I used to be one of those, "I wouldn't take my camera out of the bag for less than $250"

 

[e.rose]

Without going off the rails here. I've been reading through the "I wouldn't work for $50 or a $100, it's not worth it to me". How many that are making this easy statement, don't rely on picking up the $50 or $100 quick shoots? I know of a few on here that are shooting sole income photography, but it sure is easier to turn down a $100 job when you're guaranteed that full time job pay cheque.

I used to be one of those, "I wouldn't take my camera out of the bag for less than $250"

I know people who rely on photographer for full-time income and they wouldn't get out of bed for less than $350. Including nothing but the shoot.

And I'm not full time at my job. I'm guaranteed 15 hours and have to hustle to pick up more, but I still don't pick up my camera for less than $250. I just turned down a potential client actually because they wanted it all for $100.

Maybe you would say I don't count cause I have a part time job, but that sh*t sure as hell ain't paying our bills right now.

But the fact of the matter is, I'm going after a certain type of clientele and I'm trying to brand my business in a particular way, and if I get someone who thinks I charge too much, that means they're not my ideal client type.

Am I gonna be rolling in business and shooting Full-Time by next week? No, but with each person I *do* shoot, that's a referral in their social group... people who are also most likely my ideal client. I'm willing to wait for the build up of right clientele vs. chasing down every Joe, Dick and Mary that wants to give me $15 for my troubles.

 

[pixmedic]

I guess im just not that picky. I did a portrait for $75. Granted, it was ONE 8x10 print, but still. Pretty cheap.

 

[Overread]

But the fact of the matter is, I'm going after a certain type of clientele and I'm trying to brand my business in a particular way, and if I get someone who thinks I charge too much, that means they're not my ideal client type.

This is a very key point and I think its also important to realise that, sure anyone can pick up a quick buck here or there and work for minimum with their skill set of choice. The difference is the thread isn't talking about those optional lines of work its talking about the planned MAIN stream of income. For that any pro has to set a line in the sand, and a firm line. They've got to know their business and their costs inside and out so that they can end negotiations early if the client is clearly not able to afford their services (or is clearly unable to be swayed to afford them). Sure along the way they will accept some lowball offers, but they'll be randoms - the short 30 min session at $100 that fits in a dead time slot between two others and such. Sure its not their ideal, but they've a slot and they know that the $100 will at least cover their costs and earn a bit - the rest of the time they'll pitch their business and direction at their target market - $250 - 350 - 500 - 1000 whatever it is.

Now of course you might set your line at $250, but sell at $300 and then "do a deal" down to $250 - if you make the sale at the $300 great you've done well - if you can't you can do a deal and you sell for your aimed amount - your happy and the client is happy because they got more than they thought they would.

 

[jwbryson1]

I'm feeling oddly out of place around here lately. Perhaps I should bail...

 

[Overread]

I'm feeling oddly out of place around here lately. Perhaps I should bail...

It's safe to hide in the galleries - no one goes down there. Just - just don't get too close to the Dark Side gallery - that one has a mind of its own. I've seen members go in there and never come out again! Or maybe I'm thinking of the macro gallery - its one or the other.....

 

[e.rose]

I'm feeling oddly out of place around here lately.

..........why? :scratch:

 

[cgipson1]

I'm feeling oddly out of place around here lately. Perhaps I should bail...

Jeff,

Just ignore the flotsam! Does it really matter to you what some people think? Maybe they are jealous! lol!

 

[kathyt]

I'm feeling oddly out of place around here lately. Perhaps I should bail...

Nah, I think it should be the opposite. If someone has to be blatantly disrespectful of your occupation over and over again, obviously there is some sort of jealousy or some rare allergy to higher education. Who knows. Maybe my occupation will be the next on the chopping block. Stick around Jdubs.

 

[e.rose]

Nah, I think it should be the opposite. If someone has to be blatantly disrespectful of your occupation over and over again, obviously there is some sort of jealousy or some rare allergy to higher education. Who knows. Maybe my occupation will be the next on the chopping block. Stick around Jdubs.

Seriously... What the hell did I miss? Obviously something, haha. Who is making fun of whose occupation?????

 

[jowensphoto]

I believe jdub may in fact be a lawyer...

To touch on a few things and the one thing I think really bothers me most about the whole situation (and what I may do to be proactive).

Derrel mentioned travel times in a metro area; I live in the western suburbs, so much so you can't call it the DC suburbs. Ok, ok... I live in a little ass town no one has ever heard of. So the driving out here isn't bad - I have a few places I like to shoot locally and can get to them all within 15 minutes in "bad" traffic. BUT it's a double edged sword because people just don't have the money that people out closer to the city do. Whether that's because taxes here are higher (imagine that!), cost of commute, childcare - whatever - it's typically a lower income area, as compared to areas farther east.

It's interesting; I booked a session last week with a girl from Fairfax. Told her the price and got, "Awesome! Do I need to pay a retainer or anything like that?" WOW, dream client, right (she also got married recently so perhaps she remembers how all that works). The lady yesterday who is from my area (ugh, I hope I don't get googled as that would just be awkward) said, "Woah, I can't spend that much. What can you do for under $100?" Yes, I just reread the message and saw the "under" part.

So perhaps it's just sticker shock or lack of industry knowledge or the expectation of getting a huge discount because she's known me for so long. I don't know.

I do know that I suck at marketing. Like really, really suck. My latest effort with the boudoir specialty package has generated a pretty pleasing response; hoping things pick up for me soon. It's frustrating as HELL to know (and I hope this doesn't sound too egotistical) that I'm better than the Craigslist/FB based photographers in my area and still get so little business. SO I'm going to figure out how to spread the word in the area where I have my day job and my SO is from - I believe someone was talking about this on here awhile ago, living far away from where his/her target market is.

Anyone know how much an ad in the Post is? LOL, I probably don't even want to know.