[JerBear]

Yep, with gas going for just under $5 a gallon a month or so ago and the other expenses creeping up, I just had to. If I am going to survive, I need to make enough to be happy with what I do.

Now, that being said, let's get real here. If you are selling a luxury item, than you better have a wider selection so that the client can determine just how much they can afford / want to spend.

With the weddings, I offer segments of coverage and post production. Without getting detailed, I offer just coverage of the wedding and how much time without an album. If they want to build on that, offer basic to very detailed albums and price accordingly.

Just like our old building blocks, you start out with one, then build on it.

Commercial is another matter. Although I do see a slow down, this is not so much a luxury item. The client needs this in order to market, so while I did raise prices on this as well, I comp more now to "help them" with these times.
I do not mean give away, just if I am doing a shoot and it is going to go into overtime a little, I will probably either comp it or just charge actual costs (if there are some).

Now that is the income side---YOU should be very aware of your expense side as well!

I found myself automatically renewing all of my subscriptions, web accounts, etc. and just spending like always. One example was my "GoToMyPc" account, yeah handy but I only used it approx 10 times last year, so out it goes and I save around $200. Well, I took a look and got rid of maybe 40% of that after reviewing what, if anything they contributed to my success.

As for Shows, I don't thinks they really help all that much in the long run. I paid my chunk years ago, then after a few, decided that after the hassle of putting together a display setup, dragging it in and out, the time and all, it just was not worth the price. Well, the organizer offered me a half price deal so that I would continue to come. This helped him sell other spots and me with a price reduction. That worked for awhile, but a few years ago, once the internet really started to take off, the shows are not what they used to be in turnout. He now offers free space if I would just come now, sooooo......, well I will think on that.

Just like the phone books Yellow Pages, I have not paid for any of that in over 10 years, yet I am still listed with an ad. You see, if a business were to see only the actual paid ads, they would probably not spend the money themselves (no one else is advertising in this book).

Goes back to the days when miners used to "salt their mines with gold" and then sell the mine to some other patsy.

Well I have run off at the mouth again, but hope you get something out of it.

Good shooting

JM