to intimidate with pricing or not?

[Victor Boyko]

ok. so half the videographers/photographers dont list prices on their websites. I see some minor benefits in doing this but I like to list my prices upfront, so I know that only the people that are serious and no bs'ers will contact me.

What do you guys think on this issue?

[Bobby Burns]

I have thought about this a ton and gone back and forth. My biggest reason for keeping my prices off my site is that I feel like if people's budgets are below your lowest listed package, they won't even respond. Usually if you can get someone to contact you that has a budget slightly lower than what you work for, you can get them to commit to a little more money.

I think it really depends on how many inquiries you are getting in general. I moved recently and am in a new area, so as many inquiries as I can get is helpful to growing my business more in this area.

I do see benefits for both ways though

[Chris Harding]

Hi Victor

My website has full package details with full detailed pricing and I think it's the only way to go!! Sure, you can upsell a bride easily if she contacts you will a budget lower than your packages but then you have the problem of "I can't pay you everything right now...I'm a bit short etc etc"

I would rather have brides who can afford my packages and just for interest I haven't had to "sell" a wedding for many years now!! When a bride contacts me she has already decided to book me and knows what she wants cos it's all on the website!!

I'm a videographer not a salesperson and having clients ask me "can we book and pay" makes my life a lot easier rather than trying to get her to pay and agree to something she doesn't want or can't afford!!!

Weddings are hard enough work without having the added role of having to be a super-slick salesperson!!

Chris

[Michael Simons]

hey Victor. I don't list my prices because I don't want a bride that is getting married 3 hours away thinking I charge the same for a bride who is getting married 3 miles away

[Corey Graham]

Hi Victor. I've found that listing prices on my website is beneficial, for several reasons.

1. Clients don't have to go that extra step of contacting me to find out whether or not they can afford me. All the most important information is presented to them, very simply and understandably. My thinking is that if they have to actually pick up the phone or send an email to get the information they want, they may not do it at all. People have responded to this very positively.

2. As you've said, it weeds out people looking for something for next to nothing. I'm not interested in those clients, and the people who contact me know that they can work my prices into their budget.

3. It gives the full-disclosure, nothing-to-hide vibe. It communicates confidence in the worth of my services.

[Katie Fasel]

I actually had an email from a bride a couple of weeks ago that said "By the way, THANK YOU for having prices on your website...it makes planning SO much easier."

Our prices are on our site and are spelled out. Like Chris, we very rarely have to "sell" a wedding video...most of the time brides who contact us are pretty much ready to book.

[Jeff Harper]

There is no one size fits all answer to this question, but overall, 90% of videographers will benefit from having a clear price/package list on their website.

It depends on your market, the higher end you are the less a need for pricing to be diplayed. This is marketing 101. No prices on your website are normally an indicator of higher prices or "investments" as some like to call it. If you are lower end, like me and have no prices listed, it will hurt your web inquires.

If you work not off of web leads, but by referral only, not having a price list isn't quite so important.

However that has changed in the last few years. Many higher end firms now display prices that didn't used to.

I took prices off my website once at the recommendation of a marketing professional. As a result my web inquiries dropped off immediately to almost nothing. That's all I need to know.

An alternative approach that I've not tried, but I'm sure would work to some extent, is to give a price range or "Prices starting at" thing to at least give your customers some idea.

Bottom line, imagine you are shopping for video for yourself. Wouldn't you want to see prices? I would. No prices listed, unless money wasn't an issue, would mean I'd pass up a website and keep looking.

[Victor Boyko]

very insightful. Thanks everyone for responses. On the one hand, I probably lost a bit of business in my area. However, I am much more happier when every email that is from a Bride, means business. It certainly saves you both the time, and every email I get, pretty much ends up as a sale. Sure, I only got about 16 weddings during my first year. But I think once the reputations builds up, it will be worth listing the prices.

[Michael Simons]

Over 110 wedding this year and I don't post my prices. I don't advertise, all word of mouth.

[Jeff Harper]

Exactly, if you operate by word of mouth, price listing is of little consequence. If you operate by referral, pricing is unimportant. If you live off the web, pricing is almost required.

If you are not established and have no referral business, but live off of google, pricing is important.

The exception to this is if you have really amazinig work displayed on your site you will generate interest regardless of prices listed or not.

[Don Bloom]

I've gone both ways and found, like Jeff, that without prices my inquires dropped off the table. While most of my work is referral they still want to know the all important question. How much? So I went back to pricing. I do however have a disclaimer that there may be a travel fee depending on the location.
For example if the wedding is in downtown Chicago there is an additional fee for travel and mostly for parking. It can cost up to $50 to park so why should I take the hit?
Anyway, I guess it depends on your marketplace but most people I know show prices.
YMMV

[Jeff Harper]

Michael, you list packages, and while you don't offer specific pricing you offer a clear list of packages that look pretty much like the typical videographer, so that is not as offputting as showing nothing.

Your site would be a good example of how to not list prices and still be accesible; if you show clear-cut packages with specifics spelled out, it wouldn't matter so much, IMO.

[Michael Simons]

Originally Posted by Jeff Harper

Michael, you list packages, and while you don't offer specific pricing you offer a clear list of packages that look pretty much like the typical videographer, so that is not as offputting as showing nothing.

Your site would be a good example of how to not list prices and still be accesible; if you show clear-cut packages with specifics spelled out, it wouldn't matter so much, IMO.

and i really need to update those packages. lol The packages change all the time as I always come up with new ideas. Brides usually just email me and ask for pricing and I send it right away (after I find out where there wedding is of course). To list prices or not, I think if the bride likes your work, she is going to inquire.

[Jeff Harper]

I didn't even read your site, I just glanced and saw the packages, didn't even read them, but overall impression was you have an excellent easy to read site. I should have looked at your samples, but I'm so crazy now I didn't.

[Michael Simons]

Originally Posted by Jeff Harper

I didn't even read your site, I just glanced and saw the packages, didn't even read them, but overall impression was you have an excellent easy to read site. I should have looked at your samples, but I'm so crazy now I didn't.

Thanks Jeff! The site was made rather quickly and I've been meaning to overhaul it for years. lol. I do believe less is more though so I want it to be easy to read.