So I lost a wedding deal...my learnings

wildviper

This was one of those experiences that leaves you saying "sighhhh...do I even want to deal with brides/grooms?". To that, I do not have an answer yet.

Here goes: I got a referral through a very good friend of ours. The referral was as good as gold..for me and for the bride's family.

They live in another smaller city and I travelled to go meet them there just for an introduction...show them my albums and stuff. It was a 200 mile trip!

I emailed them a very rough quote as they were not sure what they really wanted.

I met them once again about 2 months later, but this time only a 60 mile drive. This time they were more sure of what they wanted. I prepared a final quote and sent it off.

After 2-3 months they called and said I was selected to shoot. I was ecstatic obviously. I sent over the contract and requested the retainer be paid and what not.

All of a sudden they got sticker shock! They said why is the first quote half the final quote...to which my answer was that their needs had changed substantialy...3 shooters instead of 2...2 big albums rather than 1 small economical one and they added 2 more events to be covered and few other things.

Lesson #1 - NEVER SEND A ROUGH QUOTE

What a mistake I did! But, how do you handle this? If they want just an idea of pricing...do you tell them..."No...you figure out what you want first???" That's the quandry I was in.

Then....they started wanting "a la carte" pricing. Now, I do not know about you guys, but, a pricing model such as that means that they can take off certain things and all of a sudden ask you to shoot the whole thing for $2K or something! I resisted in providing them that and told them that a package deal was much better deal. I even went so far as creating 4 different packages for them...with digital only and 2 shooters and so on.

Nope....they were bent upon getting the "a la carte" cause they wanted to know what was changing my prices! ANd how they can bring it down. I told them...tell me your budget and we can make things work. Nope. They wanted "a la carte" pricing. Obviously with travelling included in the deal...this type of pricing doesn't make sense. I did one anyways and it obvisouly came higher than a package deal.

I was then told...well, we are re-opening our search for a photographer and then finally they called and said that someone else was chosen. I asked why and they said that their budget and the lack of "a la carte" option as one. (Though I did provide them that in the end...it was already too late I guess!).

LESSON #2 - GO OVER THE QUOTE AND MAKE SURE THERE IS NO STICKER SHOCK! DON'T ASSUME THEY READ YOUR QUOTE.

LESSON #3 - SPEAK WITH THE DECISION MAKER...THE CHECK WRITER.

What would you have done differently? Do you haggle? Do you provide the a la carte pricing? Is there a minimum that you would specify? Do you do as much as I have in service before even seeing one dime?

studio1972

It's only 1 client!
I wouldn't get so stressed about it. You win some you lose some. If your current system of pricing is working for you you shouldn't change it because 1 client didn't like it.

On the other hand, if this is happening a lot, maybe you need to re-assess the way you do business from a client's perspective. Personally I hate the "tell me your budget and I'll put together a package" type of marketing, I'd much rather know what I'm paying for broken down clearly, but I'm only a sample of 1.

ssimmonsphoto

studio1972 wrote: »

I wouldn't get so stressed about it. You win some you lose some. If your current system of pricing is working for you you shouldn't change it because 1 client didn't like it.

On the other hand, if this is happening a lot, maybe you need to re-assess the way you do business from a client's perspective. Personally I hate the "tell me your budget and I'll put together a package" type of marketing, I'd much rather know what I'm paying for broken down clearly, but I'm only a sample of 1.

This.

For my market, I spent a couple days this winter looking at all of the photographers in my area and then some to see how their pricing was broken down. Last year I priced myself with three different "Service + Images Only" packages. Looking over my "competition" led me to change my 2012 structure to be only one package price. With either structure, I had all of my "extras" offered as a la carte. My clients know going in to it what my services cost. If they want more than my services (such as albums, prints, etc.) then they know the price will be higher. It helps to ensure that the clients that contact me are ones that can afford me and know what the generally gist is. I can customize beyond that, but I don't wind up with the sticker shock in the end.

You can't win them all. It is frustrating, but you live and learn.

sellis

If you book every client you meet with, you are priced too low

I wouldn't worry about it. If they didn't read everything, that's not your problem. Would you walk into a car dealership and look at a bare bones model car and then wonder why the one with all the options was more expensive? Bear in mind, this is probably the first time they've ever hired a wedding photographer. Hopefully you explained the additional charges in your conversations after they told you what they wanted.

ShepsMom

First off, i would never travel 200 miles to meet anyone and than another 60 miles. You can easily set up Skype meeting, i hope they paid for your time and travel.

I don't do "rough" quotes, I have collections in place, they can look them over and decided what will be the best option, I never say No to A la carte either, but also explain value of collections vs. ALC (which you did). My "digital" only collections have an hourly rate which included price of DVD, everything else is add-on option, it can't be any easier then that, so I'm not sure why your clients had such a hard time picking and choosing, i have a feeling they were bargaining for a better price and just didn't know how to say it nicely.

You gave them too much time to think, 2-3 month is waaay too long, i hope you didn't hold the date and didn't lose any jobs. I let my clients know that in order to hold their date there must be signed contract and deposit in place, but they have a first right of refusal if anyone else inquires about their date, sorry, but this is first come first serve type of deal.

Let it go and move on to better, bigger clients

wildviper

I agree with most what is said here.

I think what happened here is what Marina said....they wanted a discount and didn't know how to ask nicely...especially since they came from a very good referral source and are well off. I, rightly or wrongly, can't assume that is what they want and thus kept my prices in check and reduced them only by taking away something of value. I stood my ground and I think that was not appreciated. The more I think about it...the more I realize that my 'being tough by standing my ground" was the sticking point to them later and chose someone else. I was not rude by any means...but very nicely and diplomatically let them know that we can reduce prices...by taking away stuff...its easy! :P

I have let it go...I know for a fact it is a loss for them since I was going to offer so much of value to them over and above what I had promised. I just want to learn from this negotiation and see where I went wrong...what I could have done better and where I did go right!

And no..they didn't pay for my travels or anything. And no, I didn't loose any other jobs cause of holding the date. So lucky in that sense.

NeilL

My feeling is don't appear to be open to negotiation - don't make it a target, and don't offer too many options. Also, let the potential clients come to you until you have some monetary commitment from them.

I would have a backbone structure of a basic strictly non-negotiable charge for service - your time and costs - which alone should make the job worthwhile for you. Then on top of that a small number of substantially different option-structures, eg budget, de luxe and premium. This will decide the ballpark (budget area) they are in, make that clear to themselves and to you. I would leave some of the features of the higher product levels optionally transferrable to lower, to cover the middle ground between the 3 broad levels. I wouldn't budge from that. There is plenty of choice in that model for every affordability and need. Negotiation is then not personally between them and you, but between themselves as to what level and extras (not deletions - the direction should be upwards not downwards) they want and can afford.

Until potential clients actually book you I think it is sufficient that you provide them with all your info and samples that will allow them to decide to hire you. If they book you, then you can make arrangements to meet with them etc, so long as you have enough cover built into your deposit charge and basic backbone rate to on-average insure you are not going to be losing by doing that.

People will often want to try to get you to discount or change your business model. Avoid that, and put the onus on them to choose which of your levels of product, and which extras, they need and can afford. Before giving you a deposit they should do the footwork, and foot the expense, of choosing a photographer. If you give some clients enough rope they will hang you!

Neil

barnyard

Sometimes the best sale is one you do not make.

Can you imagine the problems this client would have been had you shot their wedding????

Consider it a lesson learned.

Ed911

barnyard wrote: »

sometimes the best sale is one you do not make. Can you imagine the problems this client would have been had you shot their wedding???? Consider it a lesson learned.

+1

schlpic

barnyard wrote: »

sometimes the best sale is one you do not make.

Can you imagine the problems this client would have been had you shot their wedding????

Consider it a lesson learned.

exactly!!

Light_prod

yeah, your clearly better off without them.

The first thing I do is send of my price sheet, it includes all the packages and any extras individually priced. The only thing that isn't on the price sheet are the custom albums. No need to send quotes as they can get an idea already from the price sheet of how much things could cost in different scenarios. On the occasion where quoting is needed, state clearly on the quote what the client asked for and that the amount will change if their needs change. Also give the quote an expiry date.