What to Charge for Your First Clients
Lesson 24 from: Launch a Successful Photography BusinessPhilip Ebiner, Will Carnahan
What to Charge for Your First Clients
Lesson 24 from: Launch a Successful Photography BusinessPhilip Ebiner, Will Carnahan
Lesson Info
24. What to Charge for Your First Clients
Lessons
Chapter 1: Introduction to Starting a Photography Business
1Welcome
02:26 2Why Do You Want to Start a Photography Business
04:40 3What Kind of Photography Business Do You Want to Start
05:38 4Important Personal Note from Instructor Will
02:25 5Case Study Starting a Photography Business
07:43 6Quiz - Chapter 1
Chapter 2: Basics of Starting a Photography Business
Introduction to Basics of Starting a Photography Business
00:52 8Choose Your Business Name
05:29 9Choose Your Business Structure
06:12 10Register Your Business Name
01:47 11Get Your Federal Tax ID
01:39 12Get Your Business License
01:16 13Get Your Business Bank Account
02:16 14Register Your Online Accounts
02:17 15Branding Your Business
02:18 16Set Your Prices
12:56 17The Photography Gear You Need to Start a Business
03:42 18Case Study - Business Basics
24:42 19Case Study - Equipment
10:05 20Quiz - Chapter 2
Chapter 3: Get Your First Paying Clients
21Intro to Getting Your First Paying Clients
00:44 22You Need to Prove Yourself
01:30 23The Best Place to Find Your First Clients
02:36 24What to Charge for Your First Clients
02:44 25On Set - Partnering with Other Creatives
01:57 26On Set - Getting Work in a Competitive Environment
02:38 27Use Your First Shoot Wisely
01:20 28Case Study - Getting Your First Clients
07:55 29Quiz - Chapter 3
Chapter 4: Create Your Photography Business Website
30Introduction to Create Your Photography Business Website
01:05 31Why You Need a Website and Platform Options
04:30 32What Needs to Be On Your Website
07:32 33Design the Perfect Portfolio
03:17 34Case Study - Looking at Photography Websites
12:56 35Quiz - Chapter 4
Chapter 5: Expanding Your Online Presence
36Introduction to Expanding Your Online Presence
00:55 37Use Instagram to Grow Your Business
02:29 38Use Facebook to Grow Your Business
01:21 39Get Listed on Google
03:53 40Get Listed on Yelp
03:20 41Get Listed on Review Sites
04:06 42Using Craigslist to Get Work
03:01 43Case Study - Expanding Your Online Presence
13:16 44Quiz - Chapter 5
Chapter 6: The Photography Business Workflow
45Introduction to the Photography Business Workflow
00:54 46Step 1 - Meeting Your Client
03:32 47Step 2 - Booking Your Client
05:53 48Step 3 - The Shoot
02:28 49Step 4 - Editing Your Photos
06:34 50Step 5 - Delivering Your Photos
01:05 51Case Study - Business Workflow
15:54 52On Set - the Shoot
02:50 53On Set - Backdrop Placement
01:13 54On Set - Paper Backdrop Rolls
02:01 55On Set - The Back Light
00:46 56On Set - Interacting with Clients
04:58 57Quiz - Chapter 6
Chapter 7:Scaling Your Business with Better Infrastructure
58Intro to Business Infrastructure and Continued Growth
00:46 59Productivity Tools to Make Your More Efficient
06:21 60Get Business Insurance
03:55 61Accounting Tools & Tips
04:20 62Business Tax Tips
03:38 63Scaling Your Prices Up
02:56 64Use Conventions and Meet Ups to Grow Your Business
04:01 65Case Study - Business Growth
11:04 66Quiz - Chapter 7
Chapter 8: Selling Your Prints
67Intro to the Selling Prints Section
00:56 68Why Should You Sell Your Prints
02:18 69Choose a Printer
02:59 70How to Price Your Prints
05:33 71Selling Your Prints Online
08:06 72Selling Your Prints in Person
02:38 73Wrapping up This Section
01:26 74Quiz - Chapter 8
Chapter 9: Conclusion
75Tips for Personal and Creative Well Being
04:38 76Conclusion
01:45Final Quiz
77Final Quiz
Lesson Info
What to Charge for Your First Clients
so getting content is important and there's sort of this fine line that you're going to have to walk between shooting for free, shooting for a small pay and then shooting for discounts. Um it's a it's a fine line that you sort of have to feel out with your friends and family. What I started doing was I started shooting for free at a very young age and I was able to work my way up but it takes time again. This goes back to the whole patience and hard work over a year long thing. You're not going to get someone to pay you 500 to $1000 right away. You need to work your way up to that. So you have to decide how you're going to do that a lot of times. I will shoot for family and you know secondary family around that for free, always for sure my next really close friend group group, I will always shoot for free um or just be like, you know this is how much I would normally charge whatever you can afford is fine, which is like a really good way to show your friends and family that you are wor...
th something but you're okay with shooting it for free. But you know if they can throw you some cash that's also helpful. Um when you start to meet people that you don't know is really where you want to start really charging people for sure, you can start to charge family and friends too if you like but when you start to meet people that are 123 friendships away, that's when you should really start charging. And if you get into the habit of not charging, charging way too deep of a discount or charging. Yeah, nothing. Um, that word of mouth will spread and you don't want that to happen because you'll start to get into a whole of not being paid to do what your job is. Uh, and a lot of people sort of perceive photography is sort of sometimes not a job if you're not fully invested into it. And so they'll try and sneak you out of not paying. And that's kind of a bummer because it is a full time job. It is a skill. You have spent money on classes, on education, on equipment to get to this point. So you're worth it. You're worth it. And it's worth you charging money because you have invested your time energy and your own money into it. And that's what they're paying for. So just keep that in mind that sometimes people may view photography as maybe not so much something they want to pay for because you know, their uncle or their kid or someone who's a hobbyist could be doing it, but they're investing in you and you should feel comfortable charging people for that investment. But again, it's a little bit of a fine line that you sort of have to work out yourself as you continue to go on and you'll learn as you go, Trust me, you will pick this up very quickly. Just start low next person. Charge a little more next person charged more or every year. Change your prices and stuff like that and we'll get more into that in the case study.
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