I Raised My Prices ... Now What?

You made the leap and raised your prices. Like, really raised them.

Can I just say, YES!!! Congratulations. When you raise your prices to a respectable rate, you'll be amazed how much respect you get not only from your peers, but clients and potential clients as well.

                       Insider tip: Add a new piece/product or two to your line when you raise your prices. It gives clients something to be excited about (and you too) and can take some of the sting out of the adjusted prices.

So now what?

First, throw away EVERY piece of anything that had your old pricing on it.

 Everything. Really. Don't just toss it. Shred it, burn it, just destroy it.

      ... Ok, you can keep one thing. Keep one copy of the price list, but write in big letters across the front of it "Retired on ____________ (the date)". Heck, you can even frame it.

Why am I telling to you to toss it all? Because you will, inevitably start to second guess yourself. You will think "Oh no, no one is going to book with me now because I raised my prices." You will think these things. I will be surprised if you don't.

Guess what? That's not true at all.

UNLESS you do some horrible thing like making it seem like a negative for your customers.

I am amazed how many times I see a photographer post something (on their Facebook wall even!!) like "We're so sorry, but we've raised our prices." or "Good news, we have new products. Bad news? Our prices are higher." Or, "We're undergoing changes, like our prices." ACK!!

Tell me this: when Macys, Nordstrom or Dillards raise prices do they post a huge note on their wall announcing it? And not only announcing it, but making it negative.

It is NOT a negative. Not for you, not for your clients. When you don't believe you're worth the prices you charge, that is when you won't be able to sell your work at that price. Why are you apologizing about what your skill, art, talent and time is worth?

When you present a negative feeling about your prices or changes, your clients and prospects will feed off of that negativity. They will gain perceptions about your business based on the way you're communicating your own belief in your personal value.

Am I saying you're damaging your ability to get clients? In a way, yes.

A basic rule in marketing and selling anything is to Point Out Benefits. :) Ok, so you have new prices. Big deal. You don't want people to get a "price" feeling from your business, you're not in the market of prices. You're in the market of memories, creativity, moments that they can't get back. You're in the business of THEM.

Of course, you still want to give your clients a heads up.

Before you send anyone anything (or post anything anywhere), ask yourself who needs to know the info, what info they need to know, is it relevant right this moment, and why they need to know it. 

Then do this:

1. Send an email out to current clients (new ones and prospects won't know any better anyways, so why tell them. It will only make them worry that maybe you do this sort of thing all the time.). Tell them that the pieces and options have been expanded, and you'd love to tell them all the cool changes when they call to book their next session. You're so excited to share this with them, so you hope they'll call soon. (Excitement, positive, and call to action - woot!!)

2. If you feel like you have to make an announcement on your page (which I don't recommend), talk about your new products/pieces ONLY. Maybe make a one-liner about loving the "exciting changes to our offerings". Glaze over it.

Facebook is the image of your business in a social setting -- don't be the "over-share".

Next, present your new prices with confidence and act like they've always just been this way.

I cannot say it enough, don't apologize for what you charge, and don't feel that you need to justify it to anyone. If someone asks about the value of a print (rude or not), state facts that make it worth it. Use your knowledge. Explain longevity, quality, papers, processes (but not in too much detail) and don't over-simplify it.

And last, CELEBRATE.

 You're about to be amazed at where your business can grow to.

Free (and easy) Marketing Avenues for your Photography Business

* Write an unbiased, factual piece about preparing for senior portraits (or any market, really) and submit it to local papers and sites

* Partner with a local charity and do a big event (so you can get free PSA's on radio and in print). Think food drives, toy drives, school supplies, etc. 

* Do press releases when you make a business change thats newsworthy

* Get involved with the Chamber. If you have a studio you can host a business night out, if not, they're just great for networking. (note: chamber memberships aren't free, but you can usually still stop in at the morning coffee meetings or business after hours for free - or make your own. Emulate!)

* Get involved with your local Advertising Federation. 

* Most chambers and ad federations love local speakers - volunteer your time and knowledge.

* Offer to photo local service orgs (police, fire, city council, hospital board).

* Ask United Way if they need any photography for their new communications and marketing pieces (each county decides their own individual art).

* Partner with the local Susan G Komen foundation for their events

* Contact the local support group for deployed families and do something special for military families


Bring with you business cards, marketing pieces, and a mini-portfolio. Ask them to come to your Facebook page for recent promotions or to respond to a poll or see the photos from the event and tag themselves. It'll drive fans your way like you wouldn't believe!

A Social Brand

There are two things about social media that a lot of people don't realize --

1. You cannot rely on it as the "way to go" in and of itself. (it needs to be a part of a strong marketing strategy)

UNLESS ...

2. You have created a strongly social brand OFFLINE.

----------------

Think about the photogs we love because of the social feel of their brand -- (J* anyone??) ... they have built a social brand.

This means their clients have been "trained" to interact with them on a higher level because that is how their brand works. If we want "conversations" in our social media, then we need to inspire them with EVERY way we interact with our public.

Teach them that their input will receive real responses, that their voices will not only be heard but listened to. Create a link between every piece of your marketing, build response from your videos to your pages, your emails to your pages, your print pieces to your pages.

Call them to action to interact, to share, to respond.  This means more than just putting your URL on a piece or linking a post to your page. Give them a REAL reason to come check it out. You need feedback on a new product or there's a new program you're launching. You NEED their input, because they're your trusted clientele and prospects, and no one knows better than they do about what they like ;)

It takes a high amount of energy to be a social brand. It can't be sporadic. It has to be consistent, authentic, informational, funny, different, inspiring. It takes the most energy to create this part of your brand, but if it's real, it will be the easiest to maintain once it's in place.