Frequently Asked Questions
When should I show my price list during an in-person sales consultation?
Show it in the middle, after five or six sample photos and before another five or six. Humberto suggests bringing 10 or 12 samples, walking the client through the first half with a story for each, presenting the price list, then sandwiching it with the rest. It takes the concentration off pricing while staying fully transparent, because by the time she sees numbers she already wants the experience.
What should I say after I tell a photography client my prices?
Nothing. State the price, then stop talking and let it breathe. Most photographers undercut themselves in that silence by filling it with apologies, justifications or discounts. The client may ask a question or two or confirm what she's looking at, so answer and keep waiting. Treat everyone as if they can afford you. Done confidently, Humberto says you'll get fewer money objections because the conversation is about the experience, not money.
Should I give clients a printed price list at a photography consultation?
No. Humberto suggests putting your price list on an iPad so the client can't take it and leave with it. Hand it over and explain it plainly, for example the print size and price per print, or the price for the entire box, and pull out any matching samples. Kept that way, the price list sits between your images instead of going home on its own as a list of numbers.
How do I use sample photos to answer objections in a photography consult?
Give every sample a story that answers an objection you already know she has. For a family session that might be whether the kids will behave, whether the husband will participate, whether they're the dressed-up type, or whether the location will look good. Hand her the print and tell the real story behind it, like the down-to-earth family you put in tank tops. Telling her you're great with kids doesn't land, because everyone says that. Showing does.
Should I show my most expensive photography package first?
Yes. Anchor to the premium package first, because it sets the frame for everything after it. When a client then moves toward a lower option, she feels like she's saving money rather than being talked into something. Do it after she has seen the work and felt something, so the price reads as context for what she's getting, not a barrier.
Why do photography clients object to price during a consultation?
Usually because they saw the numbers before they felt anything. Humberto sees many consults spent on paper types, the number of selections and how beautiful the product will look, while the client hasn't experienced anything or been photographed yet, so she isn't invested. If the investment page comes before she connects emotionally with the images, price becomes the whole conversation. Build desire first and price becomes context.
Do I still need in-person consultations to book photography clients?
Not necessarily. Humberto says almost every one of his one-on-one mentoring clients has stopped doing in-person consults and books over the phone instead, and that they're all averaging over $2,000 a sale while saving a lot of time. He admits that isn't widely accepted. If you prefer to keep consulting in person, the sequence in this video is how to present your prices without stumbling or discounting.