Learn to properly, price, present, and sell your photography with Salesographer by Spencer Boerup
What’s Included
branding. He also gives you the indesign file so you can modify and add your own branding. Files sent for both mac and pcPrice Sheet
This is probably the most helpful part of the package because it is a concrete framework that he uses every day to sell. One of the key points Spencer pushes is that you need to simplify the decision making process for your clients and his pricing sheets which double as more of a product showcase, help keep the focus on what they want vs evaluating price and an overwhelming set of options. I have struggled with how to present my products as well so this is definitely beneficial. His book and video explain how the strategy behind his price sheets work which makes them more beneficial. For instance he uses wording like standard and small to subtly suggest you should be buying the standard which is what he is trying to sell. Again the files are such you can add your own product images and price.
The eight price sheets.
- Albums
- Luxury Albums
- Canvas Collections
- Wall Portraits
- Canvas Wrap Sizes
- Gifts and Accessories
- Gifts and Accessories
- Gift Planning ( Nice touch to help encourage those photos for grandma. I will definitely add this
Black River Imaging 100 Dollar gift card.
Smart Co-Marketing. This helps make the price much more of a no-brainer. You are going to want to order some new samples to help with your new improved sales sessions.
Ebook and Video
I lump these two together because they are the same content. I kind of like this because you have learning modalities. Normally I digest training videos into notes and then study the notes. Spencer did this for you. training videos are great to turn on and listen to while you clean your office and introduce yourself and then you can read the e-book to highlight your key points of reference.
Contents / Chapter Reviews.
Chapter 1 Arriving at the Top
Spencer goes into his experience and how he got started in the business as well as how he came up with and implemented this system. He breaks down some of the flaws photographers have with their selling and why this system is better. Of course it includes the typical inspirational story of going from little sales to a jackpot session where he sold 10k in photos. Now for me to get one of those! Of course that’s an anomaly he still maps out significant sales. While it’s hard to believe enough people spend the numbers he claims, his strategies make it more believable. He is also transparent about his prices on his website so I know it’s pretty legit. (This transparency is an important step you learn how to utilize as well. )
Chapter 2 Pricing for Profit. .
In this chapter Spencer reviews the 5 pricing strategies in sales and how to implement an appropriate strategy for your own business. Most beginning photographers struggle most with this subject so it is very important to utilize this chapter. The best part is using 5 strategies so you can find one that fits you whether you are established or doing a first price list. The five strategies are:
- Opportunity Pricing
- Cost Based Pricing
- Comparative
- Contrasting
- Goal Based
An example of the strategies he explains how to start with financial needs for your business and how to break that into the price of a print. An important point is that you might only take home 50% of revenue so most photographers need to price for more than they thing in order to meet their goals. He also explains how to determine your Cost of Goods Sold and using multiples to determine Sales prices. Most people spend based on emotions and Spencer goes over strategies on how to keep the clients thinking with the emotional part of their brains.
Chapter 3 Planting the Seed
This to me is the most important part of the system because if you do not prep your clients appropriately you will not be able to sell the numbers he says you can achieve. Many clients will balk at the prices he suggests especially if the first time they think they will spend a lot is at your sales session. Even if you are not ready to be in his price range you need to be sure clients are pre-qualified and educated as to what kind of range you are in. For instance because he advertises that people spend between 800 and 2400 on Senior portraits, any client who wants to spend 200 dollars and be done isn’t even calling. The people that call knowing what they are getting into which makes it easy to sell them on the idea of spending money on quality artwork. He explains a lot of subtle ways you can implement this “warming up” to the idea of spending money at your sales session.
Chapter 4 Effective Consultations
This chapter goes over what needs to happen at a consultation and how to set it up in a way to prepare them to be sold to as well as preparing for an effective overall experience. Fore example he shows you how to go over what the client wants to ensure you gets images in the style that they will like. Do they want a grungy setting, a classy setting etc. You learn how to explain your products and help clients understand the process. He also explains strategies to making them feel committed so that they will continue the process with you. He also shows basically what his presentation sounds like if he is consulting with a client and going over his presentation of products. I like this idea of getting clients excited about what products they want before they even work with you on a session.
Chapter 5 Price Sheets
Spencer presents his pricing and gives guidance on how to prepare price sheets. This is more than saying hey you should charge 40 dollars for an 8×10. He explains psychology and strategy of presenting your pricing so that clients are receptive to them. Subtle things such as how many products are presented at a time and how to name things are all explained. I will be changing the names of my products to fit his strategy.
Chapter 6 The session
This is a very short chapter but shooting is the least important part of the system. You should be shooting the way you shoot and focus on this program for sales. He does give a few subtle strategies for getting ideas in their head for buying photos for instance saying things like “this will be the perfect cover for the album”. He gives information that you should be giving your clients at the end of the session and how to utilize social media to build excitement post session. There is also a rough outline of a time frame for maximizing excitement for sales.
Chapter 7 The Presentation
This chapter is the gold mine because this is why it works. This is where the psychology of sales is implemented to learn how to utilize excitement for buying prints. One of the keys of this chapter is how you get them to buy that day because otherwise the clients will not purchase nearly as much after they leave. The book provides a list of strategies to make it possible to get them willing and expecting to buy during the presentation and not after. A lot of these strategies will admittedly take me some practice because normally I am passive and these require firm policies such as the presentation being the only way to see their photographs. I am actually modifying my policy of getting photos on FB as quickly as possible. Instead I will wait until right after the session in order to save that first look excitement for my presentation session.
Chapter 8 Resolving questions.
There are a lot of reservations photographers and clients have with this system at times and this chapter is about how to answer questions and get clients back on track with ordering today. For instance if a client asks “can we let grandma order photos she wants online?”, Spencer recommends you guiding them to feeling like it would be just easier for her to pick what she would think she likes and you will help them as an expert get to the right decision.
Conclusion
The materials are pretty easy to review in a few hours and will obviously want to be reviewed for when you make your own implementation strategy. I think the best part of the course is that even though the concepts are great, he gives you concrete materials that work. I have studied a lot of business strategies but still get overwhelmed when creating my materials. Seeing another photographers proven sales tools makes it much easier to be confident in the ones you are using. If you are struggling with sales like I do I would recommend this program both for the framework but also the education in psychology and strategy necessary to be a better salesperson.
