Should You Engage With Price-Shoppers?
Should You Engage With Price-Shoppers?
You have all gotten this email...
Hi everyone! 👋
You have all gotten this email:
"Hi there! We were on your [Website/Instagram]. Can you send us your price sheet?"
Do you engage?
Simply saying "No, photographers, stay away from these clients" is a too easy.
Let's explore each scenario and you decide:
1. Completely ignore them.
If you're sitting pretty for the year financially, then it's easy to send these emails to the trash bin. These clients clearly value price over everything else including your work, so it's usually sanity gained than loss by choosing to ignore them.
2. Send them a template/automated email with vague pricing.
If the thought of ghosting or ignoring a potential client flat out tears you apart, then perhaps an automated email will suffice. This is a template (nickname The Shit Test) is a way to swat away the flies. It's not cold or standoffish.
The email expresses the following:
Some gratitude that they contacted you,
States that you might not be who they're looking for, and
Throws out a starting price that is 25%-40% higher than your typical price.
Why 25%-40% higher? Well, if money is all they care about, then the added money bonus is enough to make you stay Zen-like throughout the project.
3. Engage and Send Your Welcome Email (pricing sheet attached).
At this point, you're on your own.
I would've stopped at the automated email.
But maybe this month hasn't been looking so hot. We need the work. Let's at least hear this client out.
Whenever this client rings your bell, you send out the full welcome package. It's all-system's-go! They are treated like every other client. You set up a time to speak, and email over your price sheet.
Here's your problem:
You have cleared your schedule, given up your precious time to a stranger and handed out your price sheet.
You are a People-Pleaser.
Have some self-respect.
Another thing!
You've handed out your pricing sheet to a complete stranger. Now what they can do is take your pricing and negotiate with another photographer.
"Well, I spoke with [Your Name] and they quoted me at $2,000. Can you beat their price?"
You're out the game before it even started.
And Another thing!
In most "price-shopper" scenarios, you are usually one out of 5 to 10 other photographers, who got the same exact Copy+Paste email. You're jumping for joy and bending over backwards thinking you're so special.
What goes up must come down.
So, do you engage with Price-Shoppers?
I hope not.
Cheers,
Jordan P. Anderson
Ask yourself this:
🤢 Feel gross trying to market yourself?
💸 Looking to raise your photography prices?
🤳 Instagram your new full-time job?
😨 Referrals dried up?
🗝️ Gain Access to My Coaching! 🔒
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