How do I know if I am too low on a bid?
If the client responds to your bid by asking if you have enough for certain line items like “location scout” etc, then you can assume you are too low. At that point I’d be direct and explain how you were assuming the budget was low, but you may have been mistaken. This can be turned into a positive to show your excitement for the project. Has anyone had an experience like this you’d like to share?
How do you know if you need a producer or not on your job?
If you foresee the job needing a producer you can always ask the client if they think there is room in the budget for a producer. It’s actually a nice way to try to get more budget info. If the answer is “no” then I would suggest not having a producer do the estimate for you because they usually have higher production costs.
What do you do if you don’t know how to ask for what you’re worth?
This is common and most freelancers don’t know how to rate themselves fairly while balancing out competition, usage or market prices. My approach is to connect with the client on the phone and listen to what they often want to tell me. My favorite sales approach is honesty. It works wonders.
What is your favorite sales approach?
Clients can’t usually give you numbers, you have to throw numbers out there for them to bring you up or down.
One line I add to all our bids:
“Bid based on info provided any changes may incur overages.”
Another good item to put on a bid is 50% advance payment of total due before shoot begins.
Do you separate usage on estimates or do you combine it with the creative fee into one large number? If you are just using one number, are you breaking out additional image licensing costs if a client wants more than the initial ask?
Some people break out and separate from the creative fee, but I have found this can get lowered too easily through shot count changes during bidding. I find it easier to include usage in one creative fee amount for that reason. I am breaking out optional additional usage if they ask for it.
What is the standard day rate for a photographer?
The standard day rate, creative fee, or per shot assignment fee for a photographer depends on the industry they are in. I hear editorial is $500 per day unless it’s a magazine cover. Commercial advertising can run the gamut usually starting at $3,500, up to $6,500 or even around $15k for big jobs.
Also, factor location scouting, prep days, travel days and overseeing post production rates into that rate. And then remember to factor in all the costs of each industry.
Unfortunately there is no clear answer here but there are some great resources to reference. Those are noted below.
Resources available for pricing help: visit @aphotoeditor online for pricing and bidding help, they feature sample estimates
@wonderfulmachine is also great and can step in and help with estimates.
You can also always reach out to a photo agent with questions and we are often happy to hop on a job with you and negotiate your rates. Send industry related questions to [email protected].
Did a bad estimate ever lose a photographer the job?
Guest Post, Mara Serdans: Yes, absolutely, If I feel like a photographer did not understand the scope or properly estimate the job, I let my team know that it could be a risk. I also let the photographer and/or agent know so they can learn from the experience.
Guest Post: Creative Consultant, Mara Serdans
What are some examples of a bad estimate?
Guest Post, Mara Serdans: Misunderstanding the project deliverables or details. Low-balling the estimate or forgetting to include specific expenses. This helps no one because it’s very difficult to ask the client for more money once a job is awarded.
Guest Post: Creative Consultant, Mara Serdans
Trust me, always have a signed estimate that clearly describes what the bid is based on and what the licensed usage is. Be sure all costs are agreed on before beginning the job.
