What is IPS all about?
IPS is the short form of “in person sales” literally meaning to meet your client and do the sale in person as opposed to sending a link to a gallery of images. It’s sounds like a super simple concept but, when you get closer there is a whole lot to learn!
There could be a couple of ways to show them the images, you could do prints and show them physical copies, or show them on your laptop or TV.
The underlying idea being that your images should be priced on a per image basis and the client should have the option to choose how many ever they like. It’s more like a gamble, you put your best foot forward and hope that the client will pick up much more than they planned for. Mostly photographers abroad have a fee ranging from 100 USD to sometimes even 500 USD for only the cost of doing the session, which they term as “session fee” the images are purchased on top of that session fee on a per image basis. So even if a client wants to buy only two images, the photographer will not be cutting corners and will have made some money for their time.
Indian Scenario
The entire idea that your client initially was keen to buy 10 images but might end up buying 20 and paying you more surely makes every creative smile. You think of course you put in that work into the session, you turned it around just the way she wanted it, why not? But let’s face it, in India as compared to countries abroad people do not value things as much, they very possibly might undercut you and end up buying only one image and all your time, effort everything you put in the session is clearly not worth your while. So, it’s important to have a base figure to start with, meaning your lowest package stating this is something for sure you have got to make with every client who comes in. If not, you decide to not take them (yes, it’s important to stand like an integral business, coming to that in a bit).
How much should you charge?
Now what would this base figure be and how would you compute it? It’s important to understand what your market has been offering currently, for your services and what your peers charge (I am not talking about photographers who charge Rs. 1000 for everything under the sun or don’t charge at all, be reasonable look up people you like, the work you appreciate and have a conversation with them). It’s also important to actually sit down and calculate how much are your expenses in doing this business. If you don’t have a tally of that or feel any money coming in is good and god’s grace, surely, I am with you but then it does not qualify as a profitable business model, more so a hobby to take care of certain expenses. So, first finalize your aim and only then sit down to doing this exercise.
To throw some numbers at you, I started off with Rs. 8000 being a fee that I would charge my clients. When I put out that number, I had a secondhand camera, no studio rent and my legal job to pay my bills. In reality that number meant nothing in terms of a business profitability aspect, but surely it gave me the comfort point that yes, I can do this. As I progressed, I moved to Rs. 12,000 and realized that my clients were investing in a lot more for the props than my services. I had a lot of clients whom I hated, numbers I did not want to answer yet had to, they would negotiate all through, it was awkward and uncomfortable. We are never used to talking so much about money, are we? Always taught to be the modest one to never demand!
It eventually came down to me analyzing this computation and asking the value in my work. It’s not an easy job and can take you through days of blankness and self-doubt but you have got to put in the work and move on. Eventually I came to a figure of Rs. 25000 but things were still not good enough. I had a huge number of clients, it was ridiculous amount of work, mind you I had a baby, my desk job and was getting close to a burn out even before I had officially shifted careers! Then I came across this model and thought it would be best to implement it. I was also expecting my second child at that point and thought I ll call it maternity leave if I don’t get any clients, but luckily there has been no looking back.
Base Pricing for IPS
So, what I did was I set my base price to Rs. 35,000 for 10 images and offered three packages with each having an option to buy more images on a per image basis. It was more like a “Package – IPS combination”. I put it in such a way that the minimum commitment from each client would be for Rs. 35000 and further if they wanted to buy more images, they bought them at Rs. 3,500 per image. I also offered prints and albums as an inclusive part of the packages.
Suddenly my workload reduced, from editing 70 photos overnight now I had to only do 30! Yes, at some level I could figure out how many photos the client would pick, but I would try to show them the best 25 and they would decide. In most cases, they would buy the mid-package. So that’s how pricing psychology works, three packages, small, medium and large with a goal to upsell. Upsell meaning, if your client wanted 10 get them to buy 20! Offer them a deal they can’t deny, at the same time don’t undercut and offer everything for free, that won’t work either (remember everyone loves to share experiences and you have got to be fair to all your clients!).
Soon I realized I had clients paying me a lot more than I would ever think of for one single session. I surely got lesser number of clients, but I get a whole lot of freedom to talk, understand their style and create something different for them and me, after all we are all in this to create something unique right?
Coming to my point of an integrated business, it’s important to do this shift gradually and stand strong on it, not do it one time and forget it the next, remember you are a brand you want people to talk about! So, hang in there and give it some time.
How to do the CHANGE?
Also, When you do a change in your pricing, obviously you have got to take into account the market scenario, clearly if you move from 8k to 35k in covid mostly it might not work, but what if you were to add an album in the 35k package? Up your skills further? Offer other things your peers are not? Really solve the problems of your client, and then see the magic!
Also this is something I have learned a while back, and at some level it sounds spiritual to me but you have two hands one to give and one to receive, if you are someone who cannot give with ease, whether it is to your vendors, staff or charity you will not be able to receive with ease either. And this simple thing of receiving with ease is the whole point of IPS, don’t stand in your way when your client loves all the images you showcased and wants to buy them all!
And if you are dealing with a whole lot of self-doubt, no no I can’t be charging so much, then remember my camera is not from outer space, we are all in this and have invested in our businesses it’s important to confidently put yourself out there and charge for your services. If you very strongly feel undervalued and not good enough to charge, it’s important to work on those aspects before you put yourself out there.
