Clients

Q:

I want a rep to help me get larger brand clients. I’m working with good mid-level clients, but I’m at the cusp and ready to see which larger clients I can work with. What steps should I take to find the right rep to help me take my career to the next level?

A:

Reps can open doors that may be tougher for a photographer to do themselves. The key is to find an agent who will see your talent as a potential income stream for both of you. Who are the reps who work with clients you can be working with? Do you match their branded style and fit within their roster? Do you have anyone in common who can recommend you to the rep? Have a short list, focus and engage, introduce yourself, and communicate on all platforms to see who is interested in your work.

You’ve been told the potential client’s budget, and you’d like to meet it but don’t want to be held to that amount in the future – use the words “Discounted Rate” as the best excuse not to guarantee that same rate next time. Even better, put a discounted percentage subtracted under your actual total to show the deal they are getting.

“Discounted rate” is a term used to protect oneself from future pricing when bidding for a job that has a lower budget than what it should actually cost. By taking off a certain amount from the total bid, one can still get the job, have the desired images for their portfolio, and protect themselves from future pricing demands. This approach is useful when the client is desirable and the type of images is beneficial for the portfolio. This way, the bidder is protected from being trapped into meeting the same requirements in the future. It is also possible to avoid listing out prices and just providing the total amount to be charged for the job.

Retouching rates leave ambiguity when it’s based on per image, so one way to protect your time spent is to make it a day rate. As you track your time, the client can be aware of the image(s) progression and even try to speed it along, helping them achieve more out of that 10-hour day they are paying.

When pricing retouching fees, it is important to be careful as clients and photographers may have different interpretations of what is being done, what is being supplied, and how many revisions are allowed. Feedback can become intense if not priced accordingly. One way to handle this is to charge a day rate for one 10-hour day, based on time instead of production level or the number of images. This makes it more about the retoucher’s time rather than the amount of images being worked on.

Cover yourself by getting a 50% Advance Invoice BEFORE the job begins. You have more power in the game with clients on your side to get you paid and not delay the photoshoot vs. trying to convince them to hurry up after the job begins.

It is important to get an advance on your invoices. It is recommended that 50% of the job awarded should be invoiced in advance, and this should be included in the estimate and terms before the start of the shoot. If the request for advance payment is made after the shoot has begun, the client may have more flexibility and less urgency to make it happen. Pushing for an advance invoice before the shoot begins shows a level of professionalism and sets clear expectations with the client. Clients are more likely to respond positively to a clear and organized approach, and this can help build trust and credibility in the business relationship. Overall, advance invoices are an essential tool in the photography industry, and their importance should not be overlooked.

Q:

When you tell us always to provide an estimate, what if they refuse to sign your estimate, saying legal will only allow them to work off their agreement? How do we respond to cover ourselves?

A:

The norm is for larger clients and ad agencies NOT to sign our estimates/bids/contracts as their legal department controls the company decisions. We cover ourselves by carefully reading through their SOW (statement of work) agreement, not signing any terms contradicting our arranged policies. Our estimates still protect us if it comes down to a legal matter, so use the protection terms wisely as our backup.

Rate sheets, rate cards, and day rates do not have to be the same across the board. Rates are based on more than your time, amount of images, and usage terms. Your unique creative experience and the client’s budget affect your fees, making ‘one single rate’ for every project an incorrect business model system.

Day rates in the photography industry are not fixed and can fluctuate depending on various factors such as the artist’s level of experience, usage, and the client’s budget. Negotiation skills and a sales mindset are crucial in determining the day rate for a particular job. The assumption that day rates remain the same once a certain level of success is achieved is incorrect. There can be a range of prices to consider, and it is not necessary to stick to one specific price.

Additional usage pricing options are the one client request which gives us more flexibility than the other bid costs since they do not add to the bid total. My approach is to come in higher on these since it won’t make or break a bidding situation, allowing the wiggle room to be lowered after we get the job.

Discussing the benefits of pricing oneself for additional options for usage when negotiating a photography job. By having control over additional usage terms, a photographer can negotiate for more options and flexibility in their fee. This allows for more negotiation and freedom, as photographers are not held to a strict usage amount in their fee. Furthermore, additional usage terms are optional and can be used as a bargaining tool to ask for more money or benefits. This approach can provide more financial security and opportunities for photographers in their industry.

Q:

An international agency with a household name client has reached out to me to bid on five separate occasions to do a grueling bidding/treatment process, and each time I didn’t get the job for different reasons. How many times do you bid with an agency before you are to believe that they are only collecting a third or fifth bid from you?

A:

Bidding’s long-term goal is to keep yourself well-footed inside the agency doors with the ever-evolving creatives and clients. Repetitive bidding may indicate that you are in the door but must strengthen the relationships and your work to get further in. See the open door as an entry invitation. Invite them to dinner and ask the Creatives what they look for, taking your relationship to the next level.

Q:

I recently moved to a state where it is required to pay sales tax for digital goods. As a commercial photographer, how appropriate is it to charge sales taxes to my clients?

A:

Sales tax laws have been changing, and no matter how you deliver your images, some states like Kentucky and Texas now require photographers to charge clients sales tax after we have invoiced them a certain amount. 

If you know of a good resource for this, please share it in the comments.

Bidding with larger clients usually means dealing with cost consultants asking us to reduce their selected costs. The better we prepare with strategic category padding, the more we can keep in our budget and respond with reasoning explanations of why costs need to stay the same. 

When bidding for a job with larger clients, it is common for clients to hire cost consultants to review and fine-tune the bid. The cost consultants’ job is to reduce prices, so it is expected that some areas will be padded. This can include crew size, producer time, equipment rental, and even meals. To prepare for cost consultants, it is recommended to pad some areas knowing they will be reduced. For example, inflating prices a little bit or bringing up prep days with the expectation of being asked to reduce them. It is important to adjust for cost consultants on the client side to secure the job.