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This is the blog for professional photographers, and those who aspire to be. Our aim is to help professional photographers build long-term, sustainable careers.
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At Queensberry we say our ideal clients are mid to high end photographers, and those who aspire to be. Oh, and we love it if you buy albums! So in our recent album pricing survey one of the questions we asked readers was, how many albums do you sell? Over half our respondents said less than ten a year.
HowMany
Ten albums a year doesn't seem a lot, so does that mean the world is ending for albums and the people who sell them? Not at all. Nothing's changed. Albums have always been a way of standing out from the crowd and up-selling. In the old days most photographers sold the negatives or a stack of prints. These days it’s shoot and burn. Same game, different bat. But we can learn a lot from people enjoying the most success, so I've been analysing the survey responses from people selling 20 albums or more per year... How FAIR is 100% markup on the wholesale cost of the ALBUM ONLY?
Fair
How DIFFICULT is it to make 100% markup on the wholesale cost of the ALBUM ONLY?
Difficult
The >20 group seem much more assertive about how much they charge for albums. Nearly half said 100% markup was much too cheap, and almost as many said it was very easy to achieve. While I take that with a grain of salt (many are covering the cost of image editing and design services etc under their album markup) I’m still pretty sure these people are asking more for their albums - and obviously getting it. So how are they doing it? By being much more focused on albums in the sales process, rather than offering them as an added extra.
Method
More than half sell “packages” (ie offer the shoot, images, album and services as a single purchase), and almost all of the 21% "other" category also focus on albums, by offering optional packages, album credits and other incentives to buy. By comparison those selling less than ten albums a year are much more likely to offer an album as a separate purchase (39%) or only when asked (another 19%). So are the album activists suffering in today's market? Not really. In fact they're doing better overall than the respondents as a whole, with 80% reporting their wedding bookings as steady or improved.
Bookings
There was no noticeable difference between this particular group and all our respondents with respect to age, but rather more of them were men (63% versus 53% overall). They were also much more likely to describe themselves as high end (45% versus 15% of those selling less than ten albums a year). And it's no surprise that they're very confident they'll be selling albums into the future!
Positioning
How likely is it you will be selling albums in three years?
Likely
No wonder we love you ;) Cheers, Ian
This entry was posted in Loves not enough by Admin | Leave a Comment
Stephen Baugh
on
December 12, 2013, 9:59 am
said:
Now that sounds like a worthwhile competition, if you need assistance shout out and I'll rally the troops :-) Good luck
 
Reply
Jenn Bates
on
October 18, 2013, 7:05 am
said:
Awesome data - thank you!
 
Reply
apple
on
October 18, 2013, 2:24 am
said:
Would you please share your strategy in doing so? Thanks
 
Reply
Heather Baugh
on
October 19, 2013, 4:17 am
said:
Hi Chanon, Thanks for the feedback and well done and thanks for being a great customer.
 
Reply
Ian
on
December 13, 2013, 3:05 am
said:
Hmm I could look at that
 
Reply
Chanon
on
October 18, 2013, 8:56 am
said:
I used to offer albums as an extra but last year I changed it so all my packages have an album ranging from flushmount 14x10 to a 10x7 press, no one bought my smallest package and all bar one bought my top package, so this year I have added Duo alums to my samples and made it my top package, so far it's a hit with all my bookings for next year wanting the duo! I always show them that sample first and it seems to be that is the one they like the most! So not only am I making more but my images are getting showcased in a better package which will lead to even more referrals the following years!
 
Reply
Fiona Campbell
on
December 12, 2013, 10:39 am
said:
You can rally troops? OOh yes please!
 
Reply
Heather Baugh
on
October 19, 2013, 4:15 am
said:
Hey Sarah, I think you've got it right. With our new offering of free album design and basic colour correcting all you need to do is re think your packages and then sit back and let us do the work so. That way you get to delight your customers and keep that "easy going" life style.
 
Reply
Fiona Campbell
on
December 12, 2013, 9:55 am
said:
Interesting stuff. It doesn't surprise me that men sell more albums than women. I think we girls have still got to break out of a rather limiting mould when it comes to album sales, or sales in general. We have a ppverty mentality. This is my New Year's Resolution, to earn more than my other half. (He's a corporate finance lawyer, so wish me luck!)
 
Reply
Sarah
on
October 18, 2013, 3:04 am
said:
Hmm, I need to rethink my packages in that case! I've been too easy-going!!
 
Reply
Fiona Campbell
on
December 12, 2013, 9:55 am
said:
Ps next I'd like to know which countries sell the most albums?
 
Reply
tomato
on
October 17, 2013, 8:11 am
said:
I agree with selling more albums we sold about 200-300 albums each year and 90% of our clients buy album.
 
Reply