Creating photography packages that work for you and your clients

Nailing down the perfect packages to offer your clients doesn’t have to be rocket science. As a photographer, you offer way more than just awesome photos, and creating photography packages that highlight your talent and expertise is the best way to draw in your ideal clients. Here are a few things to consider when you’re putting together packages that work for you and your clients:

Give options, but keep it limited.

Too many options can overwhelm potential clients. Like standing in the candle aisle for two hours trying to pick the perfect scent. There’s a sweet spot for photography packages. Even if you offer several packages, only showing 3-5

of your most popular or desirable packages (most basic to all-inclusive) on your site or brochures will help clients to narrow down the package that’s right for them. This also works in favor of photographers: you want the positioning of your packages to nudge customers in the right direction. When you’re creating photography packages, your most expensive package shouldn’t be something you want people to buy: people gravitate towards the middle option just out of human nature. Your highest package should make your next one down seem that much more appealing and reasonable. Once you start selling your highest package, it’s time to move that package into the coveted middle spot and create a new one for the upper tier.

In addition to posting your package starting prices, include a sentence or two about flexibility, as in, how much do extra hours of your time cost? Do you offer add-ons or completely customizable packages? Encourage clients to reach out to you if they’re unsure of which package to pick. You don’t want to lose a potential ideal client over being too rigid.

2. State what’s included.

When potential clients are comparing photographers’ packages, they want to know what’s included. I recommend stating the basics, or what you can expect clients to be looking for: (if applicable) how many hours, outfit changes, locations, edited images, and prints are included, depending on the services you are pricing out. Keep it simple–obviously your packages include so much more, but creating your packages for clients that allow them to easily compare will save them time and hassle. And they’ll remember that.

Lauren Lindley - South Lake Tahoe Photographer

Beyond the basics, you want to represent what makes you and your packages unique. For example, some photographers like to include a half hour meeting (in-person or virtual) with clients to establish expectations and get to know each other (this is not me. I do not like to do this). Others include a special gift, like an album or extra edited digital images, or a complimentary engagement session (if it’s a wedding package). Don’t know where to start? Create packages based on the entire value of everything a la carte and then decide on a percentage to take off for the bundled package. This price break will help clients find added value in your bundled packages rather than purchasing options individually or building their own.

If you’re a client and reading this, remember, nothing is actually free. That shit was built into the package and it looks like an added value. Need some help figuring out what your selling point is? This is something you take into consideration when you start working on how to attract your ideal photography client.

3. Authentically showcase YOU

Getting personal is another authentic way to sell your packages. Show your clients what matters to you, how you spend your time, and what types of clients you enjoy working with most. If you give a portion of your income to charity, share this with your clients! People are happy to pay up when they’re receiving something and they know their money is going to a good cause. To be more specific, I do not believe in client gifts: a lot of photographers send out an expensive thank you gift for booking a wedding package. I believe very strongly in effective altruism and leveraging what little money I have to do the greatest good in the community I’m in. Instead of gifting expensive items, I give out homemade granola and instead use that money to make a donation in the name of my clients to a non-profit of my choice. Since the inception of my business, I have donated 3% of every dollar I make (this works out to be 10% of my profits) to my beneficiary for the year.

Since 2018, the Lake Tahoe Boys and Girls Club has been my non-profit beneficiary and I’m happy to say that over the course of running my tiny little one person owned business I’ve been able to donate over $30k to non-profits that are directly related to my clients.