Congrats – the hard part is done! A prospective client found you. They loved your art. They decided you’re the perfect fit for their wedding/engagement/family/portraits/headshot/branding photography. There’s just one more thing to cover: pricing.
Talking money with potential clients can feel awkward, especially when you’re first starting out as a professional photographer. Even though exchanging money for work is basically the most expected and natural part of a business, pricing can sometimes get tangled up with emotions. And in a truly ironic twist, the more you love what you do, the weirder it might feel to charge what you’re worth! That’s why a Photography Pricing Guide isn’t just a nice touch, but also a powerful tool for showcasing your value, providing a great client experience, and taking away some of the “ick factor” around pricing.
What is a Photography Pricing Guide?
A photography pricing guide is a digital or printed guide that walks potential clients through your packages, services, and pricing in detail. Online, it can easily be downloaded or emailed to potential clients. And if you do in-person events like wedding expos, you can always keep physical copies to share with potential clients.
For a variety of reasons, many photographers don’t offer detailed pricing information on their websites. They may simply offer a “packages starting at” range, or ask clients to inquire for pricing. That’s where a pricing guide comes into play. It’s a clear, user-friendly document (often a PDF) that helps clients understand what fits into their budget, but also helps them understand the value you provide as a photographer.
What Are the Benefits of a Pricing Guide?
- Clarity: A Pricing Guide lays the groundwork to set client expectations around what’s included in different packages, what they can expect, and what it’s like to work with you.
- Ease and Automation: Rather than having to keep writing the same responses to inquiries about your pricing — or have in-depth chats before clients even know if you’re in their budget — a pricing guide allows you to do all the work one time. Then, any time you receive an inquiry, every potential client receives the same guide with no extra effort on your end!
- Consistent Elevated Experience: Having a Pricing Guide that’s tailored to your brand and website experience instantly upgrades the client experience and lends credibility and professionalism to your business.
- Moves the Funnel Forward: More than just a list of prices, your guide should be a sales tool. By showcasing your art and value, it helps remove obstacles and leads clients toward that signed contract!
What Should A Photography Pricing Guide Include?
When it comes to putting a pricing guide together, you’ll want to include more than just a list of prices. We polled our community of photographers, and here’s what everyone wanted to see in a Photography Pricing Guide:
Intro
A place to introduce yourself, let clients get to know your personality and experience, and provide context for the kind of work you do and where.
Packages
This is the “meat and potatoes” of the guide, and may require several pages. Clearly list your packages, services, prices, and what is included in each option.
Elopements
If you offer elopements or have any offerings that require additional explanation or detail, the guide should have a separate section to cover them in more depth.
Add-Ons
Do you offer videography? Extra coverage? A second shooter? Physical products like prints or albums? Here’s the place to share details.
Galleries
Having a place to share some of your art and links to view galleries is key. Again, this is all about showcasing your value and connecting with your ideal client.
FAQ
Save everyone a step and anticipate needs by sharing answers to some of your most common questions.
Conclusion
Time to seal the deal! Reiterate your excitement and make sure there’s a clear way for someone to take the next steps and get in touch!
How to Make a Photography Pricing Guide
If you’re ready to create your pricing guide, there are a few options. You can design one yourself using tools like Adobe InDesign, Canva, or even a simple Word Doc. This is cost-effective, but also may be quite time-intensive and challenging if you don’t have graphic design experience. You can hire a professional graphic designer to create your Pricing Guide, but this will likely come with a bigger price tag.
If you’re looking for the best of both worlds, our Photography Pricing Guide Templates are the perfect way to effortlessly level up your client experience. These 10-page templates correspond with our website template designs, but you can totally use any that suits your vibe and brand! Edit for free in Canva to swap in your pricing info, colors, and layouts. We even include copywriting prompts to help make the customization process totally seamless!