There are some areas of business that we all like to avoid…. TAXES and PRICING. Maybe this is just me but I literally despise “Tax talks” and I don’t enjoy the pricing conversation either! However, as much as I HATE the pricing topic, I know it’s something that has to be dealt with in any small business. In the photography world, there are dozens of different pricing approaches. I’ll be the first to say that there other options out there that are very different from our approach and they WORK! …. They actually work really WELL! However, they didn’t work for us.
I struggled with pricing during my first two years in business and then I decided to really THINK about what would work for ME instead of copying everyone else’s strategy. Early on, I thought I HAD to have packages because everyone else did! Each package that other photographers used had different incentives. There was normally a low-ball package and then a crazy expensive package. Some photographers pulled people in with a really low starting price but if they wanted files, they had to add $2000 to their package price. I took ideas from a ton of other people and tried them for my own business and it was ok… but it wasn’t our sweet spot. I say this because you should know that our pricing strategy, although it has worked for over 5 years for us, may not be 100% perfect for you! I stand by our pricing because it has simplified our life and our client’s life….and it has also helped us create a lucrative business over the last 7 years!
So how did I decide on our pricing structure? Well, I asked myself these three questions:
- What would I want as a bride?
- What pricing structure would be simple and easy for my couples to understand?
- What do I need to offer in order to give my clients the BEST experience possible?
I you have never asked yourself those questions in regards to pricing, you definitely should! Write them down and work through them today!! Be VERY honest with yourself and also try to put yourself in your client’s shoes. If you were getting married right now in 2015, what would you want? Don’t write down what you would want as a photographer, write down what you would want as a 2015 bride. Think about how many decisions a bride has to make during the planning process and how many little details she has to sort through. Last but not least, take time to list out everything that you need in order to give your couples the BEST experience. Decide on what is a nonnegotiable. What aspect of your wedding experience cannot be cut out?
Think about these questions and then make sure you’re signed up for our NEWSLETTER because we’re sharing our pricing structure on Friday via email!!! 
Thanks for reading!
— Katelyn
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