Hi, I'm shooting at a "heritage days" type event and was thinking of this business plan: Offer quarterplates for $19, halfplates for $39, 5x7 for $55.

My experience is that since this is not a reenactment with people that want period plates of themselves, and understand the process, my prices have to be low. I base this on several similar events where I couldn't hardly give them away. Lot's of tire kickers, but you couldn't get anyone to sit. Other, more photo-related events had people lining up, so I know it's not my sales presentation.

Another plan is to use my friends/family as shills, to get people interested.

How do you get the customers? It's gotta be twofold, presentation and price. Right?

Take clothes and dress them. I also would never drop my prices to get customers. I may offer than other insentives but not drop the price. Its not fair to other photographers who may work in the same area. There arent any laws or rules though so you can give them away if you like, just my thoughts on the subject.

All the people I see at events are charging:

1/6 - $30.00
1/4 - $40.00
1/2 - $50.00
5/7 - $60.00

Full plates $75.00 to $80.00

Bobs prices are pretty good.

However, if you take 1/4 plates of old rotting piers at a riverbank..those plates are $1400

Since you are at a history related event, those probably folks will be in tune with a renaissance effort.
I'd definitely stick with even numbers, and I think your quarter plate rate is a bit low.
If things get slow, I'll grab somebody and ask them to sit for a demonstration. A lot of times they will end up buying the image. If they don't, you have a sample to display all day.

make it easy on yourself, 10 and 20$ intervals, less change to make.
Credit card swiper helps too.

Ya know...when you really think about it...those prices really are lousy. Thats what people were charging fifteen years ago...and as far as I understand...things have gotten a lot more expensive...supplies, gas, sutler fees, everything...and the prices are the same.

makes ya think, eh??????

Thanks for the good commentary. I guess I'll keep the prices a little higher, and go for even increments.

As far as the comment "...Thats what people were charging fifteen years ago..." remember these points:

[*] We are in a recession where people are clearly afraid to spend money
[*] I'm not at a reenactment, I'm at an event were people walk around gawking at some old stuff. The customers are the gawkers, not reenactors.
[*] I'm in southern AZ, the state with about the poorest interest in history I've ever seen. Golf courses, yes. Drive bys, yes. History, no.
[*] The last similar event I could not sell a single plate at $10. Much less $40.

It would be nice to turn a profit, but think of it as if you set up on a busy street in your hometown. Like a lemonade stand. How are you going to get people to stop and buy a glass?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/08/2010 10:24PM by goamules.

Try to get out some advance notice. Maybe the venue will advertise and spread the word. All it tKes is a few folks to get fired up about something different. I had good luck last weekend mostly because I brought my wardrobe for people to wear with fake guns. Only one customer didn't use one of my outfits and that's because she had her own. On the other hand almost every one was with a small child that couldn't sit still.

Garrett, people are going to pay what they are gonna pay. I still won't pay more than $30 for a pair of shoes.

My advice for dealing with public or "tourists" as I call them is that you need to inform them first off that this image will not be ready to take when I come out of the darkroom. It has to soak in water and be varnished as a last step. I tell them to come back in an hour or maybe two hours depends upon how busy I am. So many people then want nothing to do with it because they want to be at McDonald's in 30 minutes.

Good luck, Ty

www.guillorycameras.com

Better to sell one at $50 than one at $10. Maybe its better to look at this as
a chance to build portfolio. Shoot people you see that you like and who cares if they buy it or not. It puts on a show on and a real buyer may come forth.Or someone may want want to hire for something else, Family portrait etc. Put a positive spin
on it even if you make $ or not.

Just give the stuff away for free.

we are in a recession, and people like free stuff.
They dont understand the process, and are only casually interested, just gawking.
take up Golf, its fun, and also challenging. Arizona has lots of golf courses
Travel to california, and do the events there.

I want free stuff! Ray and Ty, please send me a camera for free! I suck at golf

No. First you get good at golf, and then Ill give you a camera.

You go out to an 18 hole course and shoot a 67 and Ill send you a camera.

Mark, I'll gladly send you a free camera; I am bound to have one of those kodak disposables ...somewhere.

www.guillorycameras.com

Youre cruel, Ty, Cruel :-)

I'm looking forward to the event, the last time I was at the same event I did as Fly said, and took plates of some people just for my experience. I think that was 2-3 years ago. This time I'm on the official vendor list, so we'll see what happens.

I'm not concerned either way, I didn't get into this as a money making endeavor. And golf? Ha! Hate it, always have. But If it's a challenge you want Ray, and you advocate giving stuff away, I'll shoot a silhouette rifle match with you. Open sights, 500 yards. 15 ram silhouettes per person. I'll put up a nice pistol, you put up a Lewis dag camera. Whoever knocks over less gives up his item.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/11/2010 04:23PM by goamules.

Ty, send it my way! I'll try to figure out how to use it with wetplate.

Ahhh...hate to tell you, I hold an expert rating in revolver, expert rating in carbine and a sharpshooter rating in musket.

we have to use civil war era weapons, you understand.

Then you shouldn't have a thing to worry about. I have a few National BPCR trophies on a shelf somewhere. I'm defiantly OK shooting black powder, I'll just use my Sharps Long Range Express if you don't mind.

How about.....clay pigeons on a backer board rapid fire for 2 minutes at 50 yards.

muzzleloading....

(I had a decade in the NSSA)

oh baby.

sounds like a shoot out!