Discount requests - How do you handle them?

An Exception · 24 Sep 2012 at 21:39

Just wondering how the pro's on here handle it, and if anyone has any tips.

At the moment I decline any discount request and tell them I'm confident with my price Vs quality.

Then 1 of 4 things happen.

1) They book me strait away anyway.

2) I don't hear from them for 2-3 weeks, but then they get back in touch and book me.

3) I don't hear from them for 2-3 weeks and then out of the blue they make an offer. I decline their offer, but offer them a complimentary engagement shoot.

4) I never hear from them again.

ElDude · 24 Sep 2012 at 21:56

I'd stick with telling them to do one (politely) and stick to your guns. Don't offer complimentary anything. Your work should stand for itself, end of story. If they're not happy to pay your price, they shouldn't be wasting your time by approaching you in the first place.

An Exception · 24 Sep 2012 at 22:04

^^^
I used to offer engagement shoots for free, but people kept asking for discount if the didn't have one. So I started charging just a small amount, and use it as a sweetener if I need to.

Sometimes I book weddings just by doing an engagement shoot, because when someone google's the venue, they see my work.

But other than that I stick to my guns.

Russinating · 24 Sep 2012 at 22:10

We never offer discounts. If you can discount your price willy nilly then your price is too high.

Ksanti · 25 Sep 2012 at 08:42

If you start finding you're losing substantial business because of it then your price is too high rather than you need to offer discounts.

I'd imagine a fair bit of custom in the industry comes through word of mouth, and if one couple gets a discount, every couple they recommend you to will expect that discount as well.

spoffle · 25 Sep 2012 at 08:46

Nearly everyone will try for a discount, I wouldn't take it offensively, even if your prices are good. Some people will be just incredibly stupid, and others will think "if you don't ask you don't get" which is true.

Perhaps if you wanted to do an offer on Engagement shoots, you should make some stipulations with it?

An Exception · 25 Sep 2012 at 08:51

Ksanti said:
If you start finding you're losing substantial business because of it then your price is too high rather than you need to offer discounts.

I'd imagine a fair bit of custom in the industry comes through word of mouth, and if one couple gets a discount, every couple they recommend you to will expect that discount as well.

It doesn't matter what your prices are, allot of people will still ask for a discount, particularly if they are spending >1K.
What I get allot of, is "we really love your work but we are on a really tight budget...".

What I'm interested in is how people say 'no', or offer the client a benefit that is still to their advantage.

a1ex2001 · 25 Sep 2012 at 09:10

No is easy just say sorry my pricing really is the best I can offer, everyone asks for discounts when organising a wedding in fact your stupid if you don't as it's often possible to get extras thrown in by dress shops, florists etc no couple is going to be offended b a polite no and if they don't book you clearly they didn't really want you or really couldn't afford you in which case you have lost nothing.

The only time you should consider offering discounts is when there is something in it for you, for example you have an empty weekend in high season and someone comes to yu a week before and says I need a tog but only have x amount of money. Then it becomes a deal for both of you as you get a booking and income you were not expecting.