Unique Opportunity...A Little Help Here...

[ronhoppner]

I have a unique opportunity to sell 12 of my images to a hotel for display
in the guest rooms. Each room will have 2-3 of my images. It is a 215
room, National Park hotel. I have worked for the concession company for a number of seasons and have an excellent working relationship with the
management of this company. Naturally, I don't want to jeopardize this deal by over-pricing and I certainly do not want to sell myself short.

The problem is that I am not going to be responsible for any of the
printing, matting, framing, ect. They are looking to compensate me only for the use of the images and that is where my involvement ends. How should I approach the cost issue. I have never sold any of my work before and while I have an idea of what I would sell for if I was doing the leg work, the lack of my involvement in the finishing process has thrown me for a loop. The images will be printed at roughly 20x24. Any help would be great.

 

[EBphotography]

That indeed is a unique opportunity, and one not to be messed up! I'm terrible terrible terrible with pricing, but I think since they are putting them in so many rooms and having such creative license with them as far as framing, etc., you want to include their freedom in the price. If I were to give a price it would be 25 a shot, but I'm no expert.

 

[markc]

Talk to other photographers in the area. In my mind, $25 would be peanuts for the right to put an image in every room, but I don't have a good suggestion what it should be.

 

[mysteryscribe]

The price of anything is what it can be sold for not what we think it is worth. If you are providing the prints $25x3x215 = over 16 grand... less cost of course. Not sure i got the numbers right but that sounds like a pretty good hit to me.

 

[neea]

Wow. When you actually do the math $25.00 will make you quite a bit.
Initially I would've thought that $25 was not enough. However, they are putting them in EVERYROOM (from what I understand).
Are they going to give you credit on them at all? Like your signature or some kinda copyright.
If so then I'd say that's AWESOME advertising (advertising that PAYS YOU).

This is a great opportunity. I would've never thought of a hotel as a potential client.. but I guess anyone can be.

Good luck

 

[markc]

I was taking it to mean $25 each print for the right to reprint ($25 x 12), not for each copy made. I don't know what the common way to contract this is. If it's per copy made, then yeah, $25 would be a really healthy amount.

Personally I think that the advertising value is almost worthless. How often do you look at who made a photograph, look them up, and then buy one of their photographs? It's the same for other people too; they don't. I think you should get your value out of actual money payment. All too often people take less because of the perceived exposure value.

I think it's really cool and would love to have my images in a hotel, but having my images in a restaurant, a book cover, and being in the paper has netting me 0 references.

 

[mysteryscribe]

My brother who was a big big shot with the telephone company's sales divison for years used to advise me on advertising. He pushed the yellow pages of course but he also gave me the inside on all the telephone company's research data.

The primo advertising is.... be there when the customers is ready to buy... Yellow pages.... wedding chapel referal list....Those two come to mind.

Sell a product that people find a novelty....something that they might buy as they walked by like at a festival or rack by a cash register.

For any other adverstisement to work it has to be a really good sale of an item they can use now or later. Not a wedding package. Running a newspaper adv for a wedding special is almost useless unless it is in a bridal page that is only published once a year kind of thing.

All advertising other than point of sale ie yellow pages pick it up kind of thing is based on repitition. They have to see your sign for a while before it sinks into their mind. Bearing that in mind you should consider a restaurant display as more ego than anything. Although my son in law gets about two portrait jobs a year from samples in a child's clothing store. Just no telling I guess.

Direct mail is the least effective form of advertising. less than 1% inquires even less actually sales. Spam would be even worse but it cost almost nothing so it is probably cost effective.


Advice he gave me... define your customer and advertise to him or her. You will get a few from outside your base but aim at your base.

Now this is not my advise but my brothers take it for what it is worth. Im sure others have a different take on it.

 

[bryanwhite]

I spent a couple years working in a hotel where the theme, being an airport hotel, was airplanes and flying. People loved the prints we had in the hall, and we were barraged with questions as to whether they were available. One thing I would do, if your photos aren't too generic like so many in-room photos and paintings in hotels, is see about having the hotel sell them in the gift shop. I don't think it would be a huge money maker, but it should get you something.

 

[mysteryscribe]

the above post sounds like a good idea,,,, sure couldn't hoit.

 

[ZyxKor]

You'll get the lessor of what you are willing to ask or they are willing to give. That's kinda the way negotiations work. Simplest advice - figure out how much you would like to make and add 20% - 30% or so to it. $25 per image per reproduction seems like about right so ask for maybe $30 to $35. See what they say. That way you have a goal price of $25 and may be able to get more.

The Pros on here may be able to offer better guidance as per the per image price but the negotiation part will hold true.