As with anything related to photography, there are many ways to accomplish your goals. Pricing is no exception.
The concept behind volume pricing is that the price is vastly lower for a print or product than it would be in a studio session, because of the volume of prints that you are selling. Sort of like the $1.00 cup of coffee that makes the donut shop owner a millionaire.
My philosophy in designing a price list is that I need to service ALL my dance parents. This includes those recreational parents, whose child is only in one dance lesson and who may only be able to afford one 5×7 print. It also includes the competitive parents who are handing over 5 figures to train their child in dance.
In order to best service this variety of parent, I find that the A’la Carte, or build your own package works best for me. I let people decide what’s best for them, and benefit myself by seeing excellent sales averages for volume photography. A very capatalistic model.
I do create packages as well, however, I don’t make them complex. Each package is based on ONE pose. I don’t combine multiple poses or add group images. Again, these can be purchased one at a time at affordable rates.
My model also allows parents to choose from multiple images. If mom likes all 5 imags that I’ve produced of her child in costume A, then she is likely to buy ALL those images. This allows her to create her own affordable package of what she wants, while increasing my sales average. I will make more money than if I had offered a complex package that dictated to her what I though she should be buying.
Finally, I don’t offer 4×6 images. Why not?
- It’s creates a third aspect ratio that I need to worry about when shooting complex poses. I don’t want to be cutting off arms and legs, so I focus on the 5×7 and 4×5 aspect ratios. From those I can create wallets, 8x10s, 16x20s and even the very closely related 11×14 size.
- It is my branding belief to leave the 4×6 print in the realm of the amateur photographer. I don’t offer it in volume or It’s what you get printed at the supermarket or drug store from your point and shoot. I believe that the 5×7 and larger offers more of a luxury branding to the images. I do however also offer 4 pre-cut wallets at a 4×5 aspect ratio, and offer adorable little frames for them to fit into at my retail location.
So … below you will find my basic pricelist as it appear in a typical dance studio. I will from time to time make some adjustments for individual studios. Those adjustments are made in working with the studio owner to better meet their needs. It’s all part of the relationship building.
If you have any questions, just post them in the FB group. And remember … there are many ways to accomplish the same goal. Everyone will have a slightly different pricing structure that works best for them.
