Comments on: How A Clothing Consultation Can Raise The Revenue Of Your Portraits http://virtualphotographystudio.com/photographyblog/2009/12/how-a-clothing-consultation-can-raise-the-revenue-of-your-portraits/ Virutual Photography Studio, Guide To Resources, Products and Information Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:52:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Virtual Photography http://virtualphotographystudio.com/photographyblog/2009/12/how-a-clothing-consultation-can-raise-the-revenue-of-your-portraits/comment-page-1/#comment-7471 Virtual Photography Thu, 31 Dec 2009 16:02:40 +0000 http://virtualphotographystudio.com/photographyblog/?p=2514#comment-7471 Hi Suzanne Thanks for the suggestions - its on my list for 2010. For your marketing, it really depends on what your goals are. If you're a start up or are looking for heavy growth, I've seen companies spend 15 - 20 percent of their gross on marketing. Typically you should look closer to 10 percent to maintain with average growth. Again that depends on what you already have in place, and what you are expecting to do with your business for the year. It is hard when you really don't know what you'll make, but you should be projecting. So if your goal is $100,000 a year, you would have to do 10 weddings at $10,000, or 20 weddings at $5,000, or 40 weddings at $2,500. Now that you have your numbers in place, create your marketing materials with your pricing, and find that specific number of clients willing to pay you that fee. Most photographers work backwards - they pull a price out of thin air, create a package around it, and then just wait and see how many people sign up for it. If you know you need 10 weddings at $10,000, you know you need to start hanging out in higher end receptions sites, and custom designed brial shops. For 40 weddings at $2,500, maybe a bridal show at a local event center, and connecting up with a few local wedding shops. Your focus now is on actual numbers instead of the "what ifs". Hi Suzanne

Thanks for the suggestions – its on my list for 2010.

For your marketing, it really depends on what your goals are. If you’re a start up or are looking for heavy growth, I’ve seen companies spend 15 – 20 percent of their gross on marketing. Typically you should look closer to 10 percent to maintain with average growth. Again that depends on what you already have in place, and what you are expecting to do with your business for the year.

It is hard when you really don’t know what you’ll make, but you should be projecting. So if your goal is $100,000 a year, you would have to do 10 weddings at $10,000, or 20 weddings at $5,000, or 40 weddings at $2,500. Now that you have your numbers in place, create your marketing materials with your pricing, and find that specific number of clients willing to pay you that fee. Most photographers work backwards – they pull a price out of thin air, create a package around it, and then just wait and see how many people sign up for it. If you know you need 10 weddings at $10,000, you know you need to start hanging out in higher end receptions sites, and custom designed brial shops. For 40 weddings at $2,500, maybe a bridal show at a local event center, and connecting up with a few local wedding shops. Your focus now is on actual numbers instead of the “what ifs”.

]]> By: Suzanne Kish http://virtualphotographystudio.com/photographyblog/2009/12/how-a-clothing-consultation-can-raise-the-revenue-of-your-portraits/comment-page-1/#comment-7467 Suzanne Kish Thu, 31 Dec 2009 04:18:43 +0000 http://virtualphotographystudio.com/photographyblog/?p=2514#comment-7467 Hello Lori, I would like for a few of your articles to talk about pets and shooting out of doors, using natural light I love all of your articles and especially liked the one of a couple & you being photographed out doors. You were showing how to take everyday walls and banisters and using them as props. I really need something to address advertising or marketing on a shoe string. I know everything requires money but it seems that every time I get a dime that I need to spend a quarter to market myself. I believe that 5% of gross revenue is suppose to go towards marketing the company, but I have no idea how much I will make. Usually I come out with a very small profit. Taking a loan out isn't a possibility since I really haven't made any money from trying to get basic equipment. Thank you for any help that you can give. Hello Lori,

I would like for a few of your articles to talk about pets and shooting out of doors, using natural light

I love all of your articles and especially liked the one of a couple & you being photographed out doors. You were showing how to take everyday walls and banisters and using them as props.

I really need something to address advertising or marketing on a shoe string.
I know everything requires money but it seems that every time I get a dime that I need to spend a quarter to market myself. I believe that 5% of gross revenue is suppose to go towards marketing the company, but I have no idea how much I will make. Usually I come out with a very small profit. Taking a loan out isn’t a possibility since I really haven’t made any money from trying to get basic equipment.

Thank you for any help that you can give.

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