Listing Prices

[Daniel Fessak]

What are people's opinions on listing prices on their website? Good or bad idea? I am thinking of starting to put them up for people to see (business is slow, might help), but I could see the advantages and disadvantages in both.

I personally do not because I feel as though if I do that it will be the first thing people look at and won't bother looking at my samples if they think it's a bit higher than what they expect. By not listing them if they like what they see they might consider the higher price if they feel they will get a good video.

But I'm not sure and would like to know what other people do.

[Emrys Roberts]

Originally Posted by Daniel Fessak

What are people's opinions on listing prices on their website? Good or bad idea? I am thinking of starting to put them up for people to see (business is slow, might help), but I could see the advantages and disadvantages in both.

I personally do not because I feel as though if I do that it will be the first thing people look at and won't bother looking at my samples if they think it's a bit higher than what they expect. By not listing them if they like what they see they might consider the higher price if they feel they will get a good video.

But I'm not sure and would like to know what other people do.

I don't list on my site for specifically that reason. Really you want your site to peak thier interest and then send them a rate card once you have a dialogue going. At least thats how I go about it.

[Matt Bishop]

I used to list all of our prices on the site and I felt that it was more beneficial at the time. People did like seeing everything right up front. I still have all of the information listed so they can see it, but have taken the prices off as our services have gotten much more expensive. I simply say that your investment in our services begins at $xxxxx . It hasn't negatively affected anything and this way people know what ballpark we're in right up front. I get a few more inquiries about pricing than I used to but I wouldn't go back to putting everything up on the site.

Matt

[Mark Von Lanken]

Originally Posted by Daniel Fessak

What are people's opinions on listing prices on their website? Good or bad idea? I am thinking of starting to put them up for people to see (business is slow, might help), but I could see the advantages and disadvantages in both.

Hi Daniel,

I have friends, whom I highly respect that do list their prices on their website, however, we do not list our prices openly. Our prices are password protected. We want the bride to watch our clips first. Our concern is that if our prices are listed they will look at the prices and then not even watch our work.

If you are selling your product based on the low price, then you need to list your prices as a selling point.

I see the middle ground as using the "prices from $xxxx", but our starting price is $3500, so we do not list our starting price.

[Tom Sessions]

Originally Posted by Mark Von Lanken

I see the middle ground as using the "prices from $xxxx", but our starting price is $3500, so we do not list our starting price.

OK Mark...how many weddings do you book at those kind of starting prices? I'm in the 4th largest city in the country and book maybe 15 $2800 gigs a year. I'm considedred the best in Houston and we use camera cranes and steadicam systems as well as a cinematic presentaion that rivals some of the big boys, yet brides don't value the service. How do you get over that hurdle?

[Tim Gilbertson]

I list my prices on my website. Being only my second year in weddings, my prices are still low for this area. They aren't so low that I'm undercutting the business around here, and it saves me from dealing with the "Would you do it for $400?" people. Plus my website is in a blog format, so all my samples are up front and hard to get around.

T

[Travis Cossel]

Mark already said this, but I'll say it again since I agree. If you're benefit to the bride is your low price, then you might as well list your prices. If you're benefit is your work, then I wouldn't list them.

[Ethan Cooper]

Interesting discussion. I'm now reconsidering my practice of having my prices right out front. In a related story, I've also been considering doubling my prices. The two might go hand in hand.

[Noa Put]

I too have been thinking about this, in my area about 50% list their prizes and they are all in the same price range as I am, I'm also sure that the ones who don't list are much more expensive.
It's like Mark said that if they are listed people might first look at them and then not even look at the demo's, that's why I was planning to take the price list off and just mention that prizes start from...
I will get much more price inquiries but at least I know they contact me because they like what I have to offer.

[Mark Von Lanken]

Originally Posted by Tom Sessions

OK Mark...how many weddings do you book at those kind of starting prices? I'm in the 4th largest city in the country and book maybe 15 $2800 gigs a year. I'm considedred the best in Houston and we use camera cranes and steadicam systems as well as a cinematic presentaion that rivals some of the big boys, yet brides don't value the service. How do you get over that hurdle?

Hi Tom,

Good question. We do about 25-30 a year. When we started our business twleve years ago we had small children and did not want to work every weekend. We set a goal to keep our volume lower, which meant we had to figure out how to produce a product that would allow us to do a lower volume of weddings. It's not easy to produce those number in a city where the metro area is less than a million, so we do travel for some weddings.

I have a friend in Houston who starts around $4000 and does several in the $7000-8000 range and he stays very busy. In that price range it has a lot to do with how you are marketing and who you are networking with. At the same time I have several video friends in the Houston area that do not get those prices.

I do not know a lot about the Houston market, but the one thing I do know is that there is a lot of money down there...much, much more than Tulsa, so I say go for it. You have the quality in your work and your market has the population and money to support higher prices.

[Daniel Fessak]

Thanks for your answers. What people have been saying is pretty much what I have been thinking, so I guess I am on the right track.

I have not been doing weddings for that long, so what would people say is a fair price to start with? My basic package I have as $2200, which includes a montage and closing credits. Some people may think it's a bit high because there are people in the area who will do the same (very poorly) for about $1500 or so, maybe even less, but I make it clear to everyone that I am a professional editor, have high standards for my myself and do not just copy and paste what everyone else is doing. Would people say that is a good approach or that I am pricing myself kind of high?

[Matthew Craggs]

If people will pay the $2,200 and your do quality work, I'd say "go for it."

I have heard of a technique some photographers have used to find their price point. Start low (let's say $2,000 for an example), and as soon as you book an event, raise your prices by a bit - $150 for example. Then, when you book your second, raise it by another $150 until your bookings start to slow down. Then, reduce by $150.

So by that logic, your first would be $2,000... second would be $2,150... third would be $2,300... That way the market will let you know when you've gone too high.

[Miraj A. Berry]

I was half asleep this morning when I checked out this thread...

And promptly removed our prices from our site.

We're new to the business aspect of this industry and are still building our clientele and do not want to do anything to prevent us from reaching our maximum bookings. We def don't want to scare people away before they have a chance to see what we are capable of.

Thanks for the topic, Daniel!

[Carl Wilky]

Matthew thats a great technique, i like that idea.

This method can also give you a chance to tap into the higher market segment and give you a perspective of how much are people willing to spend without committing to a price list on your website.

Thanks for the info

[Blake Cavett]

In this neck of the woods, prices matter to about 97% of the people here. The video is usually the last thing budgeted for. Sad but true.

At first I didn't list my prices. The thought rationale was that if a potential bride called, I could sell them first on me... the guy shooting the wedding. Price would be the last thing to talk about.

Mrs. Cavett said that not listing prices might be scaring potential brides away because the thinking is that this guy is going to be too expensive if he's not listing his prices. (Kind of how a new Chevy will have the price on the windshield... but not so at a Ferrari dealership).

So I put the prices up. I'm practically giving them away...

Hey... I'm in Chevy-land. Right now!

I'm sure as business picks up (Good Lord willing) prices will increase.

You have to do what works best for you & your business.