For my ongoing research, I would like to know if your clients are purchasing an album. I am mostly referring to professional level albums, and not necessarily Asuka, Willowbook, etc., and especially not cheap options like Lulu or Blurb. If Asuka or the like are really your primary album option, then it counts.

Also, if an album is included in your package then they are still purchasing an album.

Thanks!!

Well, this was supposed to be a poll, and I can't seem to make it one now that it's posted. I'll try again later. Not sure what I did wrong.

what do you want the poll to say? as far as options? yes/no?

FYI our clients almost always buy an album - we offer 3 levels of albums, 2 different tracks (traditional & art album) and almost always sell one of some variety.

M

Almost every one of my clients purchases an album... I believe that I only have two clients in 2007 who are not ordering an album due to special circumstances but both ordered parent albums

Our wedding clients almost always purchase albums. All of our packages include an album credit that can be used for a matted Zookbinders album, a Zookbook from Zookbinders or an Asuka Book. Last year only one couple opted for the Asuka book as their primary album, they rest did a Zookbinders.

they are definetly "encouraged" to do so.

Matt, I went through the Poll options with five possible replies, but it didn't post. I wanted to know:

1. Always - every client gets one
2. More than half purchase an album
3. Less than half
4. Never
5. I don't offer albums.

I've only created a Poll once before and it posted fine, but this time ... not sure what I missed.

Thanks!

1. Always
(exception is when I shoot other photographers' weddings - they make their own)

Offer:

Asuka (low-cost/niche/duplicates)
Leather Craftsmen 3500
GraphiStudio (If I like them enough)

All of our clients get a Leather Craftsmen album included in their wedding coverage plan. Most go for the collage style but I do still sell the classic albums to clients.
These albums range from about 50 to 150 photos and most of our clients opt for an upgrade to the included album or add in an additional album.

The Asuka books are popular with our portrait clients.

Not sure if this is the info. you are looking for but I hope it helps!!

Brea

I'm at No. 2.

I've been selling more albums with my packages, but the a la carte system is working as well. So, some folks are just doing the shooting fee and a CD. A couple of weddings have Asukas as primary albums. With a la carte, that's an option, but I don't offer Asuka as primaries in the packages.

Oh, and I use Art Leather's Cache album as the primary.

I present my work to them in no other way than in an album...its included in every package.

I haven't sold an album yet, but I am trying.

What is the difference between a Sequoia Willowbook 12 x 12 and the same size Leather Craftsman?

I think my samples from Willowbook are outstanding, but I would like to hear why anyone thinks Leather craftsman or Graphistudio are better.

I am not seeing it in the samples I have seen

albums are not part of my package, but a pre-design is.

i am an album-girl and want to put everything in an album!
i always do a pre-design, if i want to sell something, and usually the client wants it.

we sell lots of albums. zookbinders, art leather, leather craftsmen, queensberry (no asuka for wedding albums)

guestbook albums : asuka

eSession albums will be the new Art Line through art leather (printed by whcc)

baby albums (zookbinders - zookbook)

details album is a iMount book from Art Leather

family portrait album - Art Line (when released)

Bella Mia Collection - Asuka or Art Line

Matt, thank you so much for setting up the Poll. I appreciate it!

Next time, I'll try and figure out the process before finalizing it. It's a little difficult because we cannot do a Review Post and see the Poll options.

Thank you for the responses everyone!!

Albums aren't included in my base package, however I am doing pre-design now (they don't know that) and more than half of my brides who booked Package 1 are now buying albums after the fact. So that's a great ratio

I'm offering Zookbinders and LC for both traditional and flush.

No problemo! Glad I could help.

The only bride of mine who didn't get an album is really involved in scrapbooking so we traded her album credit for print credit instead. She writes for scrapping magazines and scraps basically every day so I had confidence she'd actually do it instead of setting them in a drawer. (She did...she showed me her wedding scrapbook and its gorgeous!)

All that to say, with the exception of that bride, everyone else has an album.

Please pardon the bump, but I would like a lot more stats than we have at this point. It only takes a little click ... no need to respond, but give me a little click up top!!

And thanks!!

All of my pacakges include an album credit and I upsell them after the wedding about 50% of the time.

Here's a recent example. A couple booked a package for $3750 that included a $2500 product credit.

I designed a 62 page 10 x 10 album - $500 for the cover and $65/page comes to a total of $4530.

I offered them 15% because the album company is having a sale. (wink, wink). That brought the total down to $3850.

But the album company is also offering an upgrade to a 12x12 for only $400, so the total is back to $4250.

They had a $2500 product credit, so the balance was $1750.

So my $3750 package grossed me $5500.

Here's the album: http://seanazul.net/slideshows/SulemaStevenAlbum/

Oh - I threw in an 8x10.

Sean

AsukaBooks here. Love 'em, and the clients do too!

I find it most fascinating that almost 10% of respondents don't even offer albums, while another 5% never sell them! Should I presume that these are shoot & burn wedding photographers? It makes me curious as to what products are being offered to their clients, if any.

have you voted?

why don't you offer albums?

Sean, I like your explanation --- how'd you resize the 12x12 to an 8x10?

I voted NEVER because I haven't done an album yet... but am planning on including a pre-design with some album credit so that it takes a little pressure off the entire album price and makes sure there will be an album in-hand when all is said and done. Deciding on an album co. is another to-do item that I need to nail down.

The free advertising appeals to me

After Robin's presentation at OSPW I've jumped on the album bandwagon. My wedding pictures are 4x6's in a shoebox in the basement storage room. We've been married 9 years. Isn't that sad? I'm going to contact my photog and see about buying the hi-res files and doing one myself (family friend & he's no longer in the biz) --- that'll be great practice and I'll finally have something to show for my hectic day so long ago LOL.

+1 hehe - I love the wink wink too.
My company is always having a 'sale'

Wow! It amazes me how much the percentages changed with 13 new votes. A pretty significant change, too.

I still wish someone would respond who is either not selling albums (because you don't offer them), or never gets an album sale. Why is this? How are you handling your packaging? What do your clients receive from you?

I voted less than half but that is not really accurate. I've done 26 weddings and only 2 albums. I'm changing a BUNCH of things in my business that I think will completely change the number of albums I sell. I used to give all the digital negatives and all the 4x6 prints with all my packages. That is going to change because I think that is probably the number one reason why I was not selling albums. I have not decided yet if I want to give an album/print credit or simply make the albums add-ons.

I totally agree, Matt. I used to give the images also, and sold 2 albums in two years of doing so. Not sure if it was exclusively from giving my gold mine away, or not presenting the albums as a compelling option.

I've completley changed the way I do business now.

I think two things are really going to help my album business.

1. Not including 4x6 prints and the digital negatives
2. Upgrading to better quality albums that will "WOW" the clients.

Change is good...I can't wait until all the pieces are in place!

I did a survey of customers, and I found out some amazing info.

As far as what they expect in their package:

Online Gallery 81.58%
Engagement Session 42.11%
All Day Coverage 68.42%
Rehearsal Coverage 18.42%
Digital Negatives 89.47%
Wall Print(s) (11x14 or larger) 26.32%
Gift Print(s) (8x10 and smaller) 26.32%
Wedding Album 84.21%
Parent Album(s) 39.47%
DVD Slideshow 36.84%

This was a very small sample, but it represented actual clients. More people expect an album than an online gallery!

We used to offer it separately, but now it's included. We've simplified our lineup to make it easy to say yes. (All from DJ's WPPI presentation - thanks David!)

Shan

Wow, Shannon! That is very interesting information, and extremely valuable. Thank you so much for sharing that with us!!

Will you tell me how many customers were included in the survey?

Hi - It wasn't an 8x10 album, It was just an 8x10 print that they wanted for their living room.

Sean

It was a small response. We emailed the link to 1200 brides, offered a coupon for filling it out, and received around 50 responses.

I don't even know if it's statistically relevant with such a small sampling, but at least it's something!

Shan

Changing what you offer isn't changing your business - it's changing the customers you are targetting.

There are a lot of people who don't want albums (or at least don't think they are worth the money).

And everyone should get their originals. There's no excuse for them not to today. If you are actually adding value and artistry to what you sell, they'll buy it regardless.

That being said, I think the best way to show value in a wedding package is to emphasize albums.

In fact, I was just about to post that I'm officially relaunching the DWPA forum - specifically aimed at discussing album design and marketing. The forum is up and ready to go. You can get to it from the front page of fotoVerite.com. Just register for fotoVerite (it's free and easy) and you'll be able to access it from the Community menu selection. (You'll need to register for the forum too - we don't have the databases talking to each other yet - but it's also free and easy.)

http://www.fotoverite.com

While I tend to disagree that everyone should get the originals (there are successful shooters not offering them), I was fascinated by the results of Shannon's customer survey. While his area of the country might not be indicative of, let's say, a large east coast urban market, it is certainly worth considering. I actually was under the (false) impression that including the files was more in demand out west.

It would be very telling to have similar survey data from various locations.



+1 This is precisely what I am now doing in my new packages. I want the album to be the final product for every couple who books me. But I'm still struggling with the option of including those digital files.

why do you think that everyone should get the files?

90% of the clients will go for album.
I have clients came wanting no album, but after they seen the albums, they order the album package.