The Four “R”s of Pricing Photography are Relationships, Rates, Rights and Reputation. One of the most valued benefits to my ASMP membership is the relationship I have with my fellow photographers. Not just the chapter meetings or the membership list serves, but real one on one relationships with my peers. I mostly interact with photographers in other markets who do similar work for similar sized clients. The ability to bounce ideas about project proposals and price has proved extremely valuable.

When you are entering an unfamiliar market it is important that you engage fellow ASMP members and other knowledgeable professionals working in that market to introduce you to their customs. It might be a good idea to assemble a business plan for this new market. Traditionally business plans are used to raise capital or get a loan. But they are useful for this exercise as well. For instance, if you are interested in architectural photography, what are the deliverables the client is expecting? What rights do they typically license and what is the range of rates that have historically been paid? Who are your target clients and who is your competition?

When it comes to licensing your copyrights for client projects it is important to research the most common licenses for the market you are working in. There are  major differences between pricing for commercial advertising, editorial and retail uses and even within those areas each photography specialty has unique rights requirements. Another important attribute is that you probably will be working in one of the many micro economies around the United States. Each of these has it’s own pricing factors to consider, which is another reminder that one size does not fit all.

Finally, We want to think that we are all created equal. But photography is a field built around marketing mythologies, unique artistic vision and professional reputation. I don’t have to tell you that there is a big difference between Richard Avedon and Richard Kelly. Especially when it comes to price.

Create a plan, learn the market, and build confidence in your abilities and most important build relationships with your marketing targets, your clients and your fellow ASMP member photographers. There is so much more to photography than pixels on a screen or ink reflecting light on paper.

ASMP Membership has its privileges.

We deal with all kinds of potential clients and some give more information than others when it comes to projects they have in mind. We have the highly organized person who provides layouts, usage, digital specs and all sorts of very helpful information.  Then we have the person who calls and asks for your fees without giving much info at all.

Most of my experiences tend to be somewhat in between the two situations and I have noticed some interesting things based on what is provided and what I had to ask for. But what about the other photographers involved with the estimate?  What kind of questions are they asking and are they being told the same details?  Maybe, but don’t count on it.  The possibility of three photographers sending an estimate for the same project and coming up with different interpretations isn’t uncommon. We may actually be sending estimates for three different projects.

What can we do to minimize these situations and help ensure everyone in the process is getting the same specs?  Communication.  Ask about the other photographers involved and see what they may have asked about.  Be honest and say that you wish to provide an estimate based on the same information provided to others.  It’s only reasonable to ask such a question.  I’m an architectural photographer so I ask for a shot list, details about special features, usage and snapshots.  I also ask for a copy of the plans and any descriptions or presentation materials they may have about the project.  I’m also sure to check out the client’s website to see the level of work they commissioned in the past.  Learn about the client’s work and their marketing needs and direction.  The more you can gather the better off you will be, but try your best to get the same info as your competition.  We can’t assume.

Once the estimate/bid is sent be sure to follow-up and see what the situation is.  You still have room to negotiate and make adjustments if needed.  If the client likes your work they will try to make the project happen.  Being active and asking questions can only help the situation and show your professionalism.

Whether selling editioned or uneditioned prints at a gallery, store, or as an individual it is important to remember that when you set the price for your work you are only setting the price for an individual print. Mounting, matting, framing, laminating, shipping, or other expenses should be charged accordingly. This may seem like common sense, but we become so excited about selling our prints that “Sure I’ll put a mat on that for your” or “Sure I can mount that, no problem” slips out without our ever asking for additional funds or explaining the additional cost. This is bad business at best, and at worst undermines the value of your work.

So when someone asks you how much it costs to purchase your artwork, remember to quote them a price for an individual print, and to quote an additional amount for each additional request. Other businesses do it, and you should as well. Your art is a personal expression, but the sale of it is business and if you want to gain respect and turn your art into a revenue stream, it should be treated that way.

This recession has hit photographers harder than any that I’ve lived through previously and many are working for lower fees than they’d ever consider accepting before.

Past experience has taught me that quoting lower fees during a recession makes it very difficult to bring those fees back to normal when the crisis ends.  Instead, look for ways to streamline costs or scale back the project to meet client budget requirements.

Non-monetary compensation can be an avenue worth exploring providing the client has something to offer that you really need.  Make sure any trades are based on exchanging equal value – you need to receive tangible benefit, not just promises.
If you feel you have no choice but to reduce your creative fee, don’t just quote a lower price.  Instead, communicate the full value of your fee, verbally and in your estimates and invoices, then extend a courtesy discount to bring the total where it needs to be.  The discount becomes an act of generosity – the tangible expression of your understanding that we’re all in this mess together – rather than a new definition of what your work is truly worth.

When a new potential client calls on the telephone, one of the first things I do is look up the caller’s website.

What I’m looking for are two things:  their level of design sophistication and how they’re currently using photography.  These two bits of information can give valuable clues to what sort of budget he or she might have for photography.

Lack of pleasing design and imagery might be a good indicator that I am talking with someone who has likely not historically spent money for higher end professional design or art.  It might mean they’re used to working with budgets that are small or doing the work in-house.

Ideally, the client’s website makes good use of color, makes use of an attractive font, and it’s navigation is intuitive.  It will also look as if it was created specifically for them instead of being made from a template.

Most of all, I’m trying to determine to what extent they use excellent photography.  Does it look as though they’ve done a lot of it in house using a point-and-shoot with no lighting?  Does it look professional? Do they credit the photographer?

This analysis takes just seconds and can be done during the initial part of the conversation.  If it appears they haven’t worked with a photographer of your skills, you’ll know you have to spend a lot of time talking about the value you bring to the project.  Put another way, you’ll need to convince them that you’re the correct person for the job and worth the money.

Remember, if you focus the conversation of price, the price will likely go down.  Instead, focus the conversation on value, what you can offer that everyone else cannot, the price will likely go up.

Good luck!

Much has been made of social media and it’s importance in terms of building your market and creating greater visibility for yourself and your business. While I agree social media has become essential to a well-rounded marketing a program, I find the emphasis many have placed on this topic a little extreme.

While giving lectures I often hear people say they have been told to spend one hour a day on social media. That is an extraordinary amount of time to devote to what should become a consistent but casual interaction in which relationships are developed over the course of time. If you spend a couple of hours a week reaching out, creating new connections, and letting people know what you are doing via Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, you should find your network slowly growing and the benefits to yourself and your business growing as well.

Leave the five or seven hour a week to those who want to become online  “experts” in this field. Get out, create images, have lunch with an old client, find new ways to partner with an expanded network of creatives in your city.  Develop your marketing plan and relax when it comes to social media; grow your social network in a manner that you are comfortable with and your “friends” and “contacts” will be comfortable as well.

The truth is your prospects really don’t care about your great photographs, your excellent service, or how long you have been in business.

They want your photography to make them look good. They want to  experience your excellent service. They want to see what exciting images you can create for them now.

Everything you do is marketing. Every element that involves the client has a marketing aspect to it: when you answer the phone, when you show your images, and when you deliver the final product. Let others talk  about your great service. Your photography assignments need to revolve around a great customer experience that makes each one feel like the center of their universe. hero.

When advertising your work, make sure it shows your audience what you can do for them. Design your Web site with clients’ needs in mind, not your own greatness.

Only a select few can get away with playing the role of the aloof, narcissistic or eccentric photographer.  There are too many choices in the market place. This might be hard to swallow for some photographers. If you are going to make a living in an over-supplied industry, you must be able to deliver more than a pretty picture.  Working with you must be an experience that focuses on them.

Once you define your ideal client, you will have better focus finding and working with them

The most essential step in creating an effective marketing plan is to first decide who you want to work with. If you don’t have a specific answer to that question, you won’t know where to begin to look for them.

Almost every photographer who calls me for photography marketing help has the same basic issue: “I want more work. How do I get it?” I wish there was a simple solution to offer them; but like any goal worth going after, it first takes some understanding of what the end goal actually looks like.

One of the first things I do is first ask them: “What kind of client do you want to work with? What kind of work brings out the best in you?” or the corollary “What kind of work does NOT inspire you on any level?

Many times I get “I don’t really care. I just want work!” While I totally sympathize with that generalized need (in this economy especially!), any viable photography marketing plan MUST begin with narrowing down what might be the best client/market niche for YOU to pursue.

The narrowing down process I go through with my clients is, of course, far more individualized and in-depth, but here are a few key questions that will go a long way in helping you choose strategies and tactics to reach YOUR ideal prospects. They’re simple questions, not easily answered, but ones which are critical to your success.

When you’ve found the answers to these questions you have the beginnings of a road map that can help you eliminate or avoid marketing activities that will not give you as high a return on your investment of time and money.

•What kind of clients could most benefit from what I bring to the table?
•What do I do that an advanced amateur photographer could not do as well–or at all?
•What market segments will NOT appreciate my level of professionalism?
•If it’s an uneducated market segment, am I willing to do “”whatever it takes” to help those potential clients understand the real value I add to their business?
•What kinds of assignments/projects do I always love doing?

You’ve probably heard the advice “it’s important to first know where you want to go before picking up a map.” Knowing that destination will determine which marketing map you actually use. Many marketing resources discuss this concept in depth, but I prefer the succinct wisdom of Lily Tomlin: “I’ve always wanted to be somebody, but I see now I should have been more specific.”

Focusing on differentiation is a great way to improve your marketing efforts.   Make a list of 10 really good reasons why someone should hire you instead of someone else.  Your images don’t count – producing good images is a given these days – this is all about added value.

While you’re making and prioritizing your list, do some research!  Come up with creative ways to find out what your prospects and clients care about most when hiring a photographer. Incorporate what you learn into this exercise.

Once you have your prioritized list of differentiators, make sure your marketing materials clearly communicate them.  Make a cheat sheet to keep by the phone to remind you what your key selling points are so you don’t forget to bring them up when talking with clients or prospects.  Obviously, you can’t be too heavy-handed here but keeping your value points by your side will make it easier to spot appropriate moments to mention them.

One big area where I see this is in their websites. Too many photographers do some form of DIY with their sites and it always, always shows. If you think you are the exception whose site looks and works great, you are not. Sorry to be harsh, but there it is. I see it every day. You are not a designer, and most certainly not a web designer, so stop fooling yourself.

The worst part about this is what it says about respecting other creative professionals. How can you tell your targets that what you do is of great value and that they can’t do it themselves when you are behaving towards other creative professionals (web  design pros) exactly like those who say to you “I shouldn’t have to pay so much for this– I can use a camera and this isn’t that hard”? You can’t. It’s rank hypocrisy.

I hear photographers complain about not owning their sites after they pay for them—this is the same as your targets complaining about not getting the copyright to the images for almost no money. Or photographers saying they shouldn’t have to pay more for design changes or hosting.

If you treat other creative professionals as valued partners, you will not only help their bottom lines, but your own. They are and/or know your targets! They can bring you business. And, in your marketing, you will also elevate your brand perception to everyone because you will be getting better design.

So please, stop being cheap and hypocritical. Instead, be open, treat others as you would like to be treated, and open your wallet in situations like this. A small investment in respect and money will pay for itself in no time.