Package Ideas?

[wroberts]

I've got a quick question for y'all. I'm having trouble coming up with wedding packages for potential couples. I've been just charging a flat rate for a high resolution disk with about 400 pics and my copy-write. This allowed the couple to print the pictures they want. I'm wanting to come up with a few more options. This is what I have come up with so far.

- CD of 300 pics
- 1 album 7x7 (Askua Books) 100 pics (additional pics will cost $1.00 each)
- 8 hrs of coverage (2 cameras shot photojournalism style)
- $750 + (any additional pics for album)

I'm still trying to get built up so I'm not charging alot. What are some of your ideas or things you have done? Thanks guys for you help.

[GertS]

Are you doing this as main profession or do you do this in your spare time for building up a second job?

The price seems me a to low, Song4themoon charges about $ 500 to 1000 a wedding, she says that she lives in a poor area and she can't charge more. She does it on a flat rate and handing over the CD, album is not included.
Even if you're building up, take care that you don't get a name of "very cheep", quality has it's price.

How much time do you spend on processing the pictures? See this with the work at the event itself, there is more work, preparations, travel to the event, things you have to add to your price too as these are costs you have.
Think of cost for your gear, I wouldn't start with just that listed in your signature, then insurance, health care, taxes too. Things you have to pay, even if there quite a lot doing paying taxes for this extra income.
How much experience do you have already regarding weddings, all factors which influence the price too.

I can't give you information about myself, as I don't do it professionally, mostly for friends, even I got some inquiries about doing it for others too.

Good luck

[Mark McCall]

without knowing much about your market, I would say your prices are a bit low.
But, like any other business, you have to start somewhere.

I think you've got too many hours included.
I've shot over 1,000 weddings, and never did one 8 hours, and only a handful for 7 hours.
An average for us is 5-6 hours.

I think you could easily get $999 for what you've included, with only 5-6 hours.

Here's a tried and true marketing idea pioneered by Charles Lewis.
Have a "Whopper" in your package. A package so expensive, you never expect to sell it.
This makes the packages you really want to sell seem more reasonable.
Put your packages into your price list, most expensive first, 2nd most expensive 2nd, so for and so on.

Originally Posted by GertS

Even if you're building up, take care that you don't get a name of "very cheep", quality has it's price.

No truer words were ever spoken.
Once you get the tag of cheap....it's hard to shake off. Raise your price list incrementally.
We did it every 6 months for 5 years to get where we are.

[deluco]

Wes,
I think you've left out your labor rate in this pricing. Your prices are quite low. Two photographers for eight hours? I suggest that you will be VERY busy at these rates. However you may find that you are not making enough money to make it worth it for you. Calculate what you want to make (in your pocket after expenses) per hour, multiply that by three and that's your labor rate.

Even at $25.00 per hour, times three is $75.00 per hour, times eight is $600, just for the day of the wedding, for ONE photographer....JUST labor.

Now, if you are not running this as a true business, and you only want to make $25.00 per hour, that's still $300 per eight hour day for ONE photographer. You have two photographers. That's $600.00 for labor just on the day of the wedding. And that does not include wear and tear on your auto (Mileage), depreciation on equipment, etc.

I would guess at the rates you are charging you are probably puting about $10.00 or less per hour in your pocket after expenses. How long do you want to do that and is that all your skill is worth to you?

Just food for thought.

Regarding packaging, you will sell what you show them. If they don't see any packaging that they like, you will probaby loose the job to someone who packages differently. You don't want too many packages as it may be confusing. Four or Five with one Whopper is probably more than enough. You can also add an ala-cart price for coverage and proofs only.

My weddings tend to be either full-day seven hours, or four hours, because I package that way. I find that four hours in one location gets people all the important stuff and a few (very few) candids. I will also go out for a couple of hours but normally these are booked close-in, as I don't want to give up a prime date for a two hour gig.