Nov 07 2011

Discounts: Should We Offer Them?

POSTED IN What's Worked For Us

On two or three occasions, we’ve been asked to offer client discounts, and I don’t believe it’s that uncommon given the variety of online resources encouraging brides to ask for them and offering tips for doing so. That being said, we do have a game plan for when these situations come up, and though we never want to hold it against our clients (after all, the wedding planning industry is encouraging them to negotiate with potential vendors), that game plan is to simply, but gracefully say “no.”

So WHY do we say no? Here are some thoughts we have:

  • Better Customers: Brides who aren’t booking us because of a discount are booking us because they like us and enjoy our style. It’s this type of bride that trusts us more, is easier to work with and gives the type of references that pay dividends down the road.
  • The Trust Factor: Simplicity breeds trust when it comes to sales. Our clear-cut packages allow brides to see that we aren’t about games. We don’t advertise sales or promise 15% off if they sign a contract immediately. And there’s nothing about our pricing that would make a bride feel taken advantage of. This approach builds trust. Trust is why clients book us. And that trust sets a precedent for how we’ll work together during and leading up to the wedding.

Do you or do you not offer discounts and why?

by Dylan

6 comments

link to this post
email a friend
December 7, 2011 - 2:58 pm

Cassi Claire - Hey guys! This website is awesome – thanks for all your tips! I love this post and have had to attempt to “gracefully say no” a lot recently as I just increased my prices. I am wondering if you could share some of the verbiage you use. It would help save me lots of headaches! :)

November 25, 2011 - 5:04 pm

Carolyn Egerszegi - I completely agree with your reasoning here for not giving discounts. I want clients to hire me for my work, not my prices. If they will only hire me because I give them a discount, then they aren’t the right client for me. Having said that, I do give small discounts to couples having their wedding at a venue I haven’t shot at before. I do this because I get a lot of referrals from venues, so any opportunity I have to expand the venues I work at is a good thing for my business. Thanks for the post – great advice!

November 9, 2011 - 12:39 am

Jasmine - So, this is a particularly significant topic for me—when you’re early in your business and lack experience or breadth in your portfolio and a bride comes a calling, it’s hard to not be willing to bend a little. But I really do agree with you 100%. Offering brides and grooms a deal just because they asked for it to me sends a distinct message: “I was overcharnging you, and am really only worth XYZ.” You’re implying that your prices were too high in the first place. There should be a reason you price the way you price. It shouldn’t be arbitrary or flexible.

Of course… sometimes you need to make sacrifices early on to get work. It’s tough. And I think back to when I started my own search for my wedding photography and remember that encouragement for negotiation. This was, of course, before I was pursuing this as a career. I absolutely feel silly for having even asked, looking back. It’s definitely a struggle to educate people on the value of photography when the blogosphere is essentially telling you to demand less as a bride. For me, the way I have ultimately worked out a plan for brides who come a calling? I ask what the limits of their budget are and in place of offering a discount, I suggest we eliminate some a la carte items from a package to end up at what they can afford, without arbitrarily just accepting a suggested price.

November 7, 2011 - 4:52 pm

lauren jolly - great advice! I’d love to hear about how you can gracefully decline without being rude. Love that you guys always talk about how to find the right kind of clients. Very good advice!!

November 7, 2011 - 4:41 pm

Abby Grace - I’ve heard the same thing from a few photogs I really respect, and I 100% agree with you. I don’t WANT a bride & groom that choose me because I’m the most effective- I want them to choose me because they love me, my work, and everything I stand for. I hate getting asked for discounts or the “can’t you do anything lower? We just need you for a few hours” bit- it makes me feel undervalued. I know they don’t mean to insult me, but that’s what it ends up being. And I know that if I lower my pricing for them, I’ll only end up resenting it.

That being said, I voluntarily offer 10% off wedding services (not albums) for active-duty military, firefighters and police officers. I have two brothers in the military and my dad is with the county police department- I feel like I owe them :) . It’s not something that causes me resentment, though- I’m just thankful for their service.

Your email is never published or shared. Required fields are marked *

*

*

There was an error submitting your comment. Please try again.

© 2011 Windsor Collective. All Rights Reserved. | ProPhoto3 Blog by NetRivet