We all want to grow our incomes to some extent, but the thought of growing by leaps and bounds can be intimidating. Why not grow by $1,000 at a time? Below, five ways to make $1,000 in your photography biz. They’re simple and quick — experience success with one and you’ll be ready to try another without any pesky fears, nagging doubts, or crazy concerns. These are baby steps!
Raise your session fee by $35.
Over the course of 30 sessions, you’ll make an extra $1050. Simple!
Increase the cost of your prints by $5.
This could mean increasing all your gift print sizes by $5, or just making your 8×10′s, 5×7′s, and 4×6′s the same price.
Hold a semi-annual print sale. That’s twice a year, folks.
Build buzz about the sale on Facebook, and let peeps know that all OLD galleries — not current ones — will be reactivated for X days. Give your peeps a 20% – 40% discount and watch the sales roll in. Offer smaller savings on big ticket items like canvases and albums.
Offer the first five people to convince their friends to book a session with you a $25 Starbucks gift card.
This is a great way to activate your portrait client base. They get happy, you get 5 new sessions. Well over $1,000 there…
Create an incentive that’s $200 over your average sale right now.
Convert 5 peeps with that incentive, you’ve got your grand. For example, if you’re currently selling $800 worth of products with every shoot, add an accordion album, cards, a few digital files, or an album upgrade of some kind for clients to spend $1,000. Just make sure you’re not adding to your cost of good significantly by getting that sale. (If an album upgrade costs you $200, you haven’t made a penny.)
Bonus tip: have a good bio. It makes it easier for peeps to hire you. I just launched a free e-course about this very topic, you can sign up for it below…
Come back on Tuesday, my dear, and I’ll share five ways to make $5,000 in your business. (Oh yes. Yes, I will.)
WOW! Thankyou so much you rock ! I am sooo going to start stalking your blog TODAY
Excellent post with lots of really great easy ways to make extra cash. Looking forward to Tuesday.
awesome. i’m so doing the giftcard thing!
Those are great ideas, Kristen. I wonder how we can translate that into other creative businesses. BECOMING might just help with that, eh? (LOL! Can’t wait for Monday!!)
Love this! Shared with a photography forum I’m in
Can’t wait for the $5,000 one! Thank you!!
these ideas are all super great, but what happens if your clients to respond to them at all? i tried the print one where i posted galleries from all 2010 clients with a 20% discount for 1 month, and ONE person bought a 5×7. i raised my print prices by a little bit and people stopped buying as much. and then i had to lower my prices by $35 or more in order to just get any business. do you have any suggestions for that?
I think I’m in the same boat as Laurajane. Nobody responds to any of my special offers – Mother’s Day 1/2 price session, Valentines Day Boudoir sessions at special rates, free facebook photos for high school juniors and seniors, – nothing, nada. I’ll try the 20-40% off from previous photo shoots, but won’t be expecting anything. Have only had a couple sessions totalling around $300 for this whole year. Booked a couple of weddings, but it’s really bad this year.
I feel like you don't see all these beautiful things I'm sending you!
How about this now?
woohooo!
ohhh yeah. kicking butt and taking names.