Hi friends!

Quick question (and I need some fast answers!):
Do you charge wedding coordinators for headshots? If so, do you offer a discount?

Before you answer, please bear this in mind:
I shot a wedding she coordinated in November...she asked me for my images a week later because she wanted to publish them in a Beverly Hills magazine. She's revamping her website and asked me to take her picture for her Bio section.

Ideas?

Thanks in advance!

Just a couple of photos for her to use on her website? Did you enjoy working with her and doing so in the future?

If yes to all of these, I would definitely do a comp session for her! I did newborn portraits for one particular wedding coordinator here that I just love working with. And it's an amazing referral system. I've been getting so many inquiries and bookings via her because once she says "I recommend Elizabeth Crook because she did my infant portraits" they realize that she entrusted me with her baby, therefore they can trust me.

But then there are many coordinators that I have worked with that I would charge because I don't really mind if I work with them again or not. I remain nice and friendly! But I don't give them freebies.

What's worth more to you, the money you could make off the headshots, or the potential referrals. I definitely would give her freebies and maybe take it to the next level and offer to shoot one of her consultations pj style.

Hi Jasmine -

I like to put a value on everything I do and so I think it is OK to charge for headshots. It doesn't really matter if I have worked with them before, or all the time. I charge $100 for corporate headshots, but tell the coordinators that I'll do it for half price.

I think $50 is reasonable - I show 10-20 different shots as proofs, and ask the coordinator to select 1 for Photoshop retouching. After I do my magic, I send them the full hi-rez file, and a note thanking them as well as an unlimited release. I politely ask for credit on their website, of course.

Hope this helps
Eric

Never.

I recently did a session for a local coordinator (baby session). We gave our time and talent for free... then she proceeded to by 2000$ worth of prints. Unexpected, but nice.

If she is someone that you want to create a working relationship with... then give them to her!

Hey Eric,

I understand adding value to everything you do, but don't you think it's OK to comp to create some positive vendor relations? If she comps it, that coordinator will think of her when working with wedding clients.

Shane -

IMHO - when you give one thing away, for some reason the folks in my area start to think that it is OK to give more things away. I have no problem charging. I know there are some coordinators that have my pics, and some have free headshots - It doesn't bother me a bit. I guess I see these three options:

1 - work and be paid
2 - work and not be paid
3 - not work and not be paid

I create tons of value for my brides and grooms, and the coordinators I work with know this. I offer very special deals to referrals. Any coordinator that reccomends me knows this.

I've just been burned too many times giving things away. Remember - create value!

I agree. As long as she is someone you enjoy working with and will evangelize for you, then do it for free. She can be a great network builder for you!

Good Luck.

I agree with creating value... for your clients. But by discussing with a vendor what you would like to do for them, to assist their business in growing... I think you are creating an even greater value... the value of a professional relationship that reaches a different value other than just two people working together. You are giving your time for something that is of high importance to them.

We have received SO many jobs (pre-qualified, perfect for us jobs) from the wedding coordinator that I spoke of above...

I just can't imagine that a $50 would add much value.

I so totally stand by this!

I am doing work for them. When they refer somebody to me, they are giving me biz, but not doing any work per se.

If they were to offer to trade their services, sure, I'd go for it! I'd love to have a coordinator do my next b-day party! I'd consider that a fair trade of services.

Eric

+1

A qualified wedding referral does have value in my opinion.

There are some things that you just do because it's the right thing to do. Do it for free, she'll love them, and you'll have another evangelist in your court. For the very limited amount of your time you invest the relationship will be invaluable.

Shane I looove the idea of offering to shoot a consult for her! Way to take it to the next level...

Funny timing - I just got this e-mail...

Hey Eric,

I just wanted to let you know that I posted my blog for the article topic I
choose. Check it out and let me know if I posted it the right way.

Also, by some weird coincidence, my uncle already scheduled a time for all
of us to take a family portrait at a studio. I guess it is something that
the family has been talking about for a little while. Sorry about that.

I still need to take our head shots for the website as well. Are you
available anytime in the next few weeks? Sunday works really well for us.
I want to get the website published by the end of January at the latest, so
maybe we can work something out. You said that it would be $50 a person,
right?

Thanks,

Yasmin

KaChing$

Eric

Don't charge her. Build the relationship, even if it costs you a bit of work. Consider it part of your advertising & marketing budget!

jess

and to continue -
I just got a phone call from Yasmin - yes she just called me and we set up an appointment for her (and her 5 associates) to have the shots taken Next tuesday night. They want to get them on the website ASAP.

With your method, I would have done 5 shots for free - and now I am getting $250 in my pocket and the ears of 5 coordinators for a few hours to talk up my wedding photography - go over pricing - etc...

Eric

You just have a different business method than some of us. You rely on getting what you can when you can. We shoot a bit more on speculation too - hoping that the feelings are more than worth the $250. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't. If either method worked 100% of the time, we wouldn't be having this conversation - it's just something people can choose what works for them.

You got $250. We shot headshots for a modeling agency's high school seniors - about 8 HS Seniors for nothing. Those seniors became our word of mouth at about 5 schools. How much do you figure that will bring us over the next 6 months between now & graduation? At 3 kids per rep with an average sale of $200, that's $4800. Ka-Ching, to borrow your sound FX.

We've shot for a salon owner - headshots on the free. She referred us 2 weddings last year. $5500 in business. Ka-Ching x2. That's $10,300 on a few hours of shooting.

How's the math working out for ya? lol Like I said, two ways to do the same thing. If we'd charged those 8 seniors $80 and the owner $140, we'd have gotten $780 and resales so maybe another 2k. $2780 vs. $10,300.

Just food for thought.

Here's another example:

I shot a Christmas Party for a tractor company for free. They originally wanted to hire me but backed out because they did not see the value in pj style. So, I offered to shoot it for free and put the pictures on Pictage, and sent them a showit show. Outcome, I have a $3,000 midweek gig lined up for February in Louisville, KY. Another one in April. That's several thousand dollars worth of work for one night of free work. If I would have played the hardline, they would have NEVER hired me to shoot their tradeshows. I showed them the REAL VALUE of my style of photography and now they are believers.

Matt (and everybody else)

I don't advertise. I completely rely on Word of Mouth Marketing. 100%
About 95% of that comes from coordinators and other vendors from weddings (I don't market to seniors, or others, but if something comes along I take it).

I honestly think y'all are afraid to try this. Afraid that you will LOOSE money. If you don't try it, you'll never know. Ask for a small amount - I think you will be surprised at what happens. People's value of the pics increases. They actually think my shots are better than the others who do it for free.

What have you got to loose? If someone asks you say "I usually do head shots for $$$, but since you are a coordinator, and I think we can work well together, I'll do yours for $$"

If they don't go for that, then you can always go to zero.

I guarantee, I'll get 4-5 weddings from these coordinators.

Eric

i have learned that when you charge nothing, your service tends to have very little value in the eyes of *some* people. after all, if you are doing it for free, it must not be a big deal, right?

i STILL do things at no charge - sometimes too much. BUT, when i do something for no charge, they still get an invoice for the FULL price - discounted to $0 (or the reduced rate).

this does several things...
-points out the amount that they would have had to pay
-documents your time and $$$ for TAX purposes, because it can be used as part of your advertising $$$ (PLEASE check with your accoutant for your own tax return)
-helps you keep track of how much you 'gave away'

i had started doing this last year, as i don't charge friends for my service (time), but they do pay for their prints, etc. i do give them an invoice just to let them know that i am a legitimate biz, and i need to account for my time for tax purposes.

i also did a job for the town i live in at no charge, and i invoiced everyone for that, also. the balance is $0, but they now know what it would have cost them - reinforcing the value of MY time, talent and service.


IMHO, ALL invoices should show the regular rate, and the amount that you discount is up to you.

What great repsonses and conversations! Thanks SO much!
I will do the shoot for free because I'd looove to work with her in the future...the feedback I get here is awesome!


j*

I have started my biz this year with little money, but working on the method that if I do a couple of freebies, make them happy it will pay off through referrals.

What I did was offer several friends with children to do a portrait session with no sitting fee. I said they could buy what they wanted but of course were not obligated. They were happy, bought a lot of pictures, and sent friends and family to my website to see their pictures. After only one year I have been busy with work, paid nothing in advertising and made some really great friends.

+1

This is what I'm doing now as well, Robin. Very well said.

And fwiw, I'd discount these headshots for the coordinator to a $0 balance.

Will she plan your birthday party for free?

I charge $300 for headshots cause I only want people who are serious enough to invest the money and time to make a standout image. So what I'm getting at, is you better impress her with the headshot - wether or not you choose to do it pro-bono. Cause people are going to be looking at it for a long time. If you leave a sour taste with her over the portrait of herself, you may have just shot yourself in the foot.

+1
I don't charge for this type of thing, but with an invoice to them, it would show them what they got for free! Great point about the perceved value thing Robin! So True!! When can I come take a biz class with you??!!!

I'm putting together a little wedding album for one of my wedding coordinators here in the next few weeks. I've shot so many weddings with her that I can easily afford to do it. Will it cost me some money? Yes, but I booked about 6 weddings thru her last year and already have 2 booked with in the last month. In the long run, it's worth it to me!! Oh, and I will have to send out that invoice too!