Donating Services for Charity

[metric_photography]

Hi-- There is a silent auction coming up and the person running the event which hosts the auction asked for any products or services to donate. She also indicated that it would be a great advertising opportunity for companies who are donating. I am considering offering my photographic services. I usually give the disk of images to the client so I was thinking I could do a portrait session with a disk included. Here are my ideas so far-- Let me know what you think...

Idea 1: 30 min outdoor portrait session for 1-3 ppl disk of 20-30 editted images

Idea 2: print credit of $150 (or some other price) when a 1 hour portrait session is booked.

Idea 3: 30-60 min outdoor portrait session for max of 4 ppl and print credit or disk included.

[autofocus]

Originally Posted by metric_photography

Hi-- There is a silent auction coming up and the person running the event which hosts the auction asked for any products or services to donate. She also indicated that it would be a great advertising opportunity for companies who are donating. I am considering offering my photographic services. I usually give the disk of images to the client so I was thinking I could do a portrait session with a disk included. Here are my ideas so far-- Let me know what you think...

Idea 1: 30 min outdoor portrait session for 1-3 ppl disk of 20-30 editted images

Idea 2: print credit of $150 (or some other price) when a 1 hour portrait session is booked.

Idea 3: 30-60 min outdoor portrait session for max of 4 ppl and print credit or disk included.

We (my wife and I) do these on a regular basis..probably 4 or 5 a year. The same organizations tend to come back year over year. We do a photo session, usually kids, or a small family with no real limits as far as the time and head count (as long as it's reasonable) We also give one free 11x14 as part of the offer.(our lab cost around 8 bucks) Never has it only been the one freebie that the customer takes. And without exception the customers order more reprints and enlargements from us. Many of these customers have come back in subsequent years for photo sessions, and it's a good way to expand your customer base. I'd suggest to keep it simple, and not rack your brain over the "right" offer.

[metric_photography]

Thanks for your reply, autofocus. Should I have a time frame at least? For example- a 1 hour photo session. How do you show your clients your images to purchase?

[autofocus]

Originally Posted by metric_photography

Thanks for your reply, autofocus. Should I have a time frame at least? For example- a 1 hour photo session. How do you show your clients your images to purchase?

We don't ever set a time limit, especially when we're doing small kids, or groups of kids. Our sessions often run around 2 hours, or so, and we try to keep it relaxed. Usually, it takes the first 15 minutes or so to have everyone laughing and being relaxed..true for adults too. We make hard copy 4x6 water marked proofs for the families to look at...they can take them home for a week or so, but we ask for a deposit of $125 first which can be applied to their order (or refunded if not wanting to order anything, but that's never happened) By getting the deposit it creates a mindset to use it to purchase enlargements, and it always works for us. So, mentally, you might say they are prepared to buy. Hope this helps for you

[metric_photography]

Originally Posted by autofocus

We make hard copy 4x6 water marked proofs for the families to look at...they can take them home for a week or so, but we ask for a deposit of $125 first which can be applied to their order (or refunded if not wanting to order anything, but that's never happened) By getting the deposit it creates a mindset to use it to purchase enlargements, and it always works for us. So, mentally, you might say they are prepared to buy. Hope this helps for you

Thanks again for the reply. How many proofs do you print? Are the proofs editted fully?

[metric_photography]

Do they get to keep the 4x6s??

[autofocus]

Originally Posted by metric_photography

Thanks again for the reply. How many proofs do you print? Are the proofs edited fully?

We'll only show fully edited proofs. They'll often include variations with some B/W's and some various crops. Total proofs can add up from 65 - 125+....Really depends on how many subjects in the job. Many people here may feel that it's way too many proofs, but it's never hurt us at order time

[autofocus]

Originally Posted by metric_photography

Do they get to keep the 4x6s??

No, but they can buy re-prints of the 4x6's which we'll use a better lab to process them. (without the watermark, of course) Our terms, however, are 4x6's are only available for purchase on orders of $250 or more. Also, our 1-9 piece price on 4x6's is $18 each..so you can make some money on these, and we will often sell a fair number of these. We just had a client come back to us who purchased all 74 of the 4x6's we had proofed, and this was after she had placed a sizable enlargement order with us a few months ago.

[metric_photography]

Hey-- thanks a lot for all your replies. It really gives me a better idea as to what I should be doing and how to go about the charity thing. I went to your website after I asked about keeping the 4x6s and found my answer there (sorry to ask when I could've found out by myself) Anyway, thanks again for your help.

[autofocus]

Originally Posted by metric_photography

Hey-- thanks a lot for all your replies. It really gives me a better idea as to what I should be doing and how to go about the charity thing. I went to your website after I asked about keeping the 4x6s and found my answer there (sorry to ask when I could've found out by myself) Anyway, thanks again for your help.

No problem, always happy to help when I can