# CC My Website PLEASE? Also need some advice......



## SabrinaO (Feb 16, 2012)

I'm working on my new "elena" template from portfoliositez. My site isn't live yet, and all the galleries aren't filled either so everything is pretty much still *under construction*.... but please let me know what you all think of it so far? 

 my temp website

Also, I took the prices off my website because i'm debating what to charge. I really don't want to be a photographer that includes "all shots on CD for $150" because I do put a lot of work, TIME and effort into my photography and post processing. I also don't want to offer CD's anymore because pretty much most of my clients go to walmart to get their prints. :er: 
I want to do prints only so I have the control and so my efforts aren't done in vain but I just don't know how to make the transition when every other photographer in my area offers CD's with their sessions. Basically i'm just really tired of questioning my rates and going back and forth on what to charge?/CD or print? etc. I have a business to run and I really need to get a backbone and set my prices to what I need them to be to continue to run my business. Does anyone have any advice? I don't want to ask the question "what should I charge?" but I just need some guidance from a fellow photog on how to make the transition (or how YOU made the transition) when most photographers around here charge and average $100-$150 a session with CD. But here I am babbling away and I don't even know if i'm worth charging more?


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## SabrinaO (Feb 16, 2012)

anyone? Your input is appreciated!


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## bazooka (Feb 16, 2012)

$100 for a full session with full res cd? That sounds like a waste of time. Keep in mind, no matter what price you set, there is a market that will pay that price. The question is, are you willing and able to create work that is worthy of that price?  And are you willing and able to market your work at that price?


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## jonathantesoro (Feb 16, 2012)

One thing about the Beta Site is the text at the bottom, it looks more of like a credit paragraph and less of a description. 
I noticed on your Live Site it's divided from Contact Info and the Description itself, I would prefer it like that. Also instead of using text for your links 'Enter' , 'Blog', 'Facebook', maybe incorporate buttons to make it look a little noticeable.

For the Main Site (Flash) I really like it, very appealing to any Parents/Clients who would be looking into your services (I'm no where near being a parent and I just wanted to look through every page of the site!)


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## Bitter Jeweler (Feb 16, 2012)

Have you written a business plan yet? Have you figured out your CODB yet? That's what you use to set your prices.

If you haven't you are just stabbing blindly in the dark, basing your pricing off all the other facebook photographers that are also stabbing in the dark.


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## Big Mike (Feb 16, 2012)

The website looks good and seems to function well.  I don't really like that it opens up in it's own window, I'd rather it just opened like a regular web page.  Also, while it wasn't 'slow', there is still a one or two second delay between pages.  Not a deal killer, but still slightly annoying.  

As for your pricing and CD issue.  Are you doing sales meetings?  It seems that's the best way to sell prints or products.  In a nutshell, when you book a shoot, you also book the sales meeting (think of a better name than that).  You bring the clients into your studio (sales area) and show them the image...as large as possible, with a projector or large TV etc.  You play some nice music and do what you can to put them into the mood.  Then you give them the 'only' opportunity to buy prints.  Those who use this technique, often say that it brings in 2, 3 or 4 times as much in sales.


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## SabrinaO (Feb 16, 2012)

jonathantesoro said:


> One thing about the Beta Site is the text at the bottom, it looks more of like a credit paragraph and less of a description.
> I noticed on your Live Site it's divided from Contact Info and the Description itself, I would prefer it like that. Also instead of using text for your links 'Enter' , 'Blog', 'Facebook', maybe incorporate buttons to make it look a little noticeable.
> 
> For the Main Site (Flash) I really like it, very appealing to any Parents/Clients who would be looking into your services (I'm no where near being a parent and I just wanted to look through every page of the site!)



I can't change the links to buttons... it would be nice if I could though. What do you mean the text at the bottom looks like a credit paragraph?


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## Chris R (Feb 16, 2012)

"this site requires flash player 8 ..." This is problem #1 with your site. Let's be honest here... Flash sucks and has absolutely no business being used today. It does nothing but make your site slow to those with older computers and completely inaccessible to those with mobile devices.Yahoo.com email address? That screams "I'm an amateur."


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## SabrinaO (Feb 16, 2012)

Bitter Jeweler said:


> Have you written a business plan yet? Have you figured out your CODB yet? That's what you use to set your prices.
> 
> If you haven't you are just stabbing blindly in the dark, basing your pricing off all the other facebook photographers that are also stabbing in the dark.



No business plan.. I really went into this ass backwards. This is the hardest thing i've ever done.. I thought it would be easy to do when I first started off, but this harder than any full time job i've ever had in the past. I know what my codb is but i still want to be competitive with other photographers in the area. But as Bazooka said no matter what I price there will always be a market for it. Its just that ive been providing CD's at cheap rates for a year now so I don't know how my regulars are going to take it...


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## SabrinaO (Feb 16, 2012)

Big Mike said:


> The website looks good and seems to function well.  I don't really like that it opens up in it's own window, I'd rather it just opened like a regular web page.  Also, while it wasn't 'slow', there is still a one or two second delay between pages.  Not a deal killer, but still slightly annoying.
> 
> As for your pricing and CD issue.  Are you doing sales meetings?  It seems that's the best way to sell prints or products.  In a nutshell, when you book a shoot, you also book the sales meeting (think of a better name than that).  *You bring the clients into your studio (sales area) and show them the image...as large as possible, with a projector or large TV etc.  You play some nice music and do what you can to put them into the mood.  Then you give them the 'only' opportunity to buy prints.  Those who use this technique, often say that it brings in 2, 3 or 4 times as much in sales.*



Great tips! Thank you! I don't have a projector or a large TV for my studio. I usually proof through my website. I think if i just limit the time for them to choose (maybe 2-3 days max) that will bring in more sales? 
I love your idea of in person proofing though... something to really think about.


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## Bitter Jeweler (Feb 16, 2012)

Well, you will have to figure out your goal rates, and change in increments. You may lose some customers, but hopefully you will be gaining some. I've been upping my prices in 10% increments every 6 months. I've lost my biggest customer, but the numbers are showing I am doing better than ever. That's how it works. 

Either up them slowly and even out the possible loss, or do it all at once, take the hit and move forward.

As far as pricing to remain competitive...with whom are you comparing? That's important.

I am still increasing my prices, and I am way more expensive than the 3 other trade shops in THE SAME BUILDING. Yet, I am complaining about how busy I am, and they are complaining about how slow they are.
Why should I price competitively with them?


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## SabrinaO (Feb 16, 2012)

Chris R said:


> "this site requires flash player 8 ..." This is problem #1 with your site. Let's be honest here... Flash sucks and has absolutely no business being used today. It does nothing but make your site slow to those with older computers and completely inaccessible to those with mobile devices.Yahoo.com email address? That screams "I'm an amateur."



Many (i'd say about a huge percent) pro photographers have flash sites and they are doing just fine. Probably because they have a blogsite as well and I do too so I think that makes up for it.  I agree with you about the yahoo email addy,  i've been working on it through my domain host and portfoliositez.


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## SabrinaO (Feb 16, 2012)

Bitter Jeweler said:


> Well, you will have to figure out your goal rates, and change in increments. You may lose some customers, but hopefully you will be gaining some. I've been upping my prices in 10% increments every 6 months. I've lost my biggest customer, but the numbers are showing I am doing better than ever. That's how it works.
> 
> Either up them slowly and even out the possible loss, or do it all at once, take the hit and move forward.
> 
> ...




Thanks for your insight.. much appreciated. Everything you said is really hitting home. I need to stop second guessing myself and price and work according to my needs and not everyone elses.


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## jonathantesoro (Feb 16, 2012)

SabrinaO said:


> jonathantesoro said:
> 
> 
> > One thing about the Beta Site is the text at the bottom, it looks more of like a credit paragraph and less of a description.
> ...



To me it looks like a big paragraph I wouldn't want to read, I got as far as your address and didn't want to continue. 

Why is it you cannot change the link into buttons(images, sorry if I wasn't clear)?


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## SabrinaO (Feb 16, 2012)

jonathantesoro said:


> SabrinaO said:
> 
> 
> > jonathantesoro said:
> ...



Well im working off a template and not really working with html. So although my site is customizable theres only so much I can do. I can change the text of the "enter" "blog" etc but I can't add it as a button.


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## Tee (Feb 17, 2012)

Sabrina- if you look at my locale you'll notice we're homies. There's boatloads of cash ready to be spent by yoga moms and busy execs who give their wives and mistresses weekly allowances. Are you tapping into that market?  It appears you're sticking to the Facebook market. I think others will agree with me that you have really progressed in the last year.  Even by your statement that you're finding this to be harder than you imagined, you're selling yourself short.  You obviously want this. 

I disagree that all the photographers are doing CD's in this area. Maybe in the lower end demographics.  All it takes is one "in" from a bored housewife who plays tennis at the yacht club and you're solid gold.


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