Why Discounts Don't Benefit the Photographer

Discounts.

Perhaps the photographer is attempting to bring in more clientele. Perhaps they are simply slow and trying to get business to pick things back up again. There's even the possibility that a discount gift is being given in order to attempt to smooth over an issue. Whatever the case, photographers are offering discounts on their sessions. Here's why this does not benefit the photographer.

Let's pretend the photographer has a session fee of $200. (I'm not saying this is what photographers should or shouldn't charge.We're just using these numbers for example.) If a photographer discounts 30% from the session, that means the session is now only $140 and the photographer is out $60. Tie in taxes, gas, props, time, pay for assistants, time, etc and that $60 is certainly missed.

Now look at it this way. There is an alternative. If for example, there is instead a gift of two 8x10 prints instead, the photographer does not lose out as much and the client is still kept happy. Let's pretend that the value of the offered 8x10 is $30. (Again, this is not a suggestion of prices.) That client looks at their gift as a value of $60. Not only that, but it's something they can hold on to and therefore comes across as more of a gift. Heck, it can even be wrapped. The best part is that although the client sees it as a value of $60, the photographer actually pays significantly less than this. The price will vary due to labs used, mounting, finishing, presentation and shipping, but still will remain at a lower cost.

The conclusion that one comes to is that the solution for such a matter would be to offer prints instead of discounts. It benefits not only the photographer, but the client as well.

~Robin