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That Time We Weren’t Booking

And How We Fixed It

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So many photographers think that it’s just them. It’s easy to think that way when you see people posting engagements left and right. I remember that feeling. A few years ago I was in the exact same place. The inquiries were coming in but the bookings weren’t. I remember thinking to myself “It would be better if the inquiries weren’t even coming in because then I would know that what I was doing was wrong!”.

My thought was, if people just aren’t finding my site, I could do an SEO overhaul or I could do some really strategic blog posts… but that wasn’t the issue. The issue wasn’t that I wasn’t getting inquiries… I was getting a TON of inquiries… over 30 a week actually. It was just crazy!! However, it tends to sting a little more when you get an inquiry and then never hear anything back after you send your pricing information.

My first reaction was that I needed to….

lower my prices.

That’s the thing EVERYONE thinks of first. It’s our default decision that we think is going to fix everything FAST! The reality is, that thought is just based in fear. It’s also irresponsible. Now I can say that because I lived through this!! I once was the photographer who hadn’t booked a wedding in 4 months and I was freaking out constantly!! I thought that lowering my prices would be the best way to get more clients but the reality was, I had raised my prices several months back but never did a SINGLE THING to enhance my client’s experience!

My challenge to you…. any of you who aren’t booking… is to avoid immediately jumping to the “I need to lower prices” option. Instead, take a DEEP look at your business…. every. single. part. What’s missing? What isn’t showcasing your value? Where is the disconnect happening? Where does the problem lie? For me, the problem was on PAGE 2 of my pricing guide.

I send my pricing information in a beautiful pricing PDF. Once I hit $3200 I realized that my pricing needed to be more professional than just pasting numbers into an email! So, I created a pricing guide that feels like an online magazine!! The problem was that the very first spread that my potential couples read was about my “PHILOSOPHY” and my “PROCESS”. All of a sudden it hit me like a ton of bricks! I had raised my prices MONTHS ago and yet my pricing guide was super impersonal on every level! It was professional but it didn’t provide a connection between the couple and us on any level!! The very first thing they were reading was so formal and life-less! So, I fixed it!

Now the second page of my pricing guide looks like THIS:

Pricing Kit_7793

I added a spread that is completely dedicated to showing potential clients that I care about having a personal connection with them! This was a MICRO CHANGE that produced a MACRO RESULT! That tiny little change led to responses from those inquiries! It wasn’t instant but gradually, we started having more and more feedback because people felt like they connected with us!!

After this experience, I realized that my entire pricing guide was actually a MICRO CHANGE that produced a MACRO RESULT. When you’re offering a service that is worth thousands of dollars, the way you present the pricing information MATTERS! I needed my pricing guide to look like it was worth just a much as my prices!! I also realized that there are very few photographers out there who have professional pricing guides and so I decided to not only allow photographers to have access to my wording and my pricing info, but I made my entire template available as well!!!

This is the the season when prices are raised and templates are created!! If you know that your pricing delivery doesn’t match the value of your work, lets get that fixed before wedding season picks up and you’re too busy to make it happen!!! If you’re struggling with this, lets CHANGE YOUR PRICING GUIDE TODAY!!! The KJ Pricing Kit comes with my very own pricing template and information but it also includes my “What You’re Worth” Ebook that can help you decide where you stand with your prices!

I hope everyone is enjoying this down time (if it’s your off season)…. but don’t just enjoy it, make the most of it! Make life a little easier and get rid of the hard part of creating a pricing guide! Templates are magical things!!

If you’re interested, CLICK HERE to learn more!

Pricing Kit_7792

 

Ps. Below are some examples of what other photographers have done with their very own pricing kits!!!!! It feels good to mark that task off the list!!

“I was really struggling to know how to price my wedding packages, and also how to deliver that information to my clients in a way that highlighted my worth and was easy to understand. Late one night, I sat in front of my computer, frustrated at my countless attempts to make it happen on my own. I finally decided to invest in Katelyn’s Pricing Guide, and the moment I opened the guide, I was flooded with relief and encouragement. I now have a pricing structure AND guide that I am confident in and proud of. The guide also gave me hope to push through my “dry spell” and stick up for what I’m worth. I love everything Katelyn comes out with, and the Pricing Guide was no exception!” – MEGHAN HARRISON Meghan Harrison

“I really feel like it elevates the value of my business! I love that the pricing guide provides you with solid information and bones to build your own personal investment guide experience for your client. I just adore how aesthetically pleasing it is! It’s a wonderful extension of your brand and a great way to set the tone with potential clients right from the start.” -BRIANNA WILBURBrianna Wilbur2

“I purchased Katelyn’s pricing guide template last year. I needed a more professional package to send to our brides when I was asking them to pay a premium for our services. I used to simply list pricing out and it was so impersonal and NOT pretty. NOW! Thanks to Katelyn, I have a gorgeous pricing guide to not only share our packages and prices but a way to share a little about Ben and I and our heart for our business. I love the layout, I love that it’s centered around the experience we give rather than the numbers. Our potential brides who nearly every time turn into #tarnobrides LOVE it. It’s impressive, it’s simple and you need it.”-BRITNEY TARNO

Britney Tarno

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE YOUR OWN PRICING KIT!

That time I WASN'T Booking and What I did to FIX it! By Katelyn James Photography

Check out all of our Ask Anything Posts, HERE!

Be sure to visit The Store, HERE!

For more educational content, visit The KJ Education Site, HERE!

For the secret behind every great business, see the Micro Changes, Macro Results blog post, HERE!

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Thanks for reading!

— Katelyn

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