In-house sales work best with boudoir clients. But what does this mean? It means you have to find a way to show your client an album before they see their final prints.
Here are my tips and tricks for boosting book and album sales specifically for boudoir photographers!
1. Show and sell
Have particular products in mind for your boudoir clients? Great! Then, you must show them to sell them! When I shoot boudoir sessions, I have hair and make-up artists come to my studio, so clients see my books in front of them while they’re getting styled. They naturally want to look through the books. Initially, the client may be looking to see how other women have posed or what they’ve worn (or not worn!) in their sessions. But they always end up admiring the book! I have several sample books at my studio for my clients to experience. I only display books I want to sell and they range in price from as little as $150.00 to over $1500.00, so there is something for everyone!
2. Create a Clear à la carte System
While packages work well with weddings, the best way to boost boudoir product sales is to create a clear à la carte system. In the past I offered packages that included books and a disk. But I discovered that clients consistently bought just the base package. Based on this experience, I revised my sales system. I start with one base package, which only covers the sitting fee, hair and make-up. All products are sold separately, including disks, retouching and books. By doing this I was also able to lower my initial fee and get more clients in the door. When I changed to an à la carte system my profits increased dramatically!
3. Use the Disk as an Incentive
I only include the disk of edited images if the client buys a book. The best part about this? I rarely lose print sales because most non-professional photo labs will not print boudoir or “risqué” photographs! So my clients usually end up ordering prints through me! When clients realize that the price of a disk is equivalent to the price of a book – and is included with the book anyway – buying books seems like the most logical choice.
4. Limit Retouching to a Specific Number
Immediately after each session my assistant sits down with the client and reviews the “untouched proofs.” Then, the client selects their favorite images using Lightroom. Initially my assistant advises the client not to worry about the number of favorites, because she will help them narrow down final selections after they decide which book they would like. In my base package I only include 10 retouched images. As the books increase in quality and size, the client receives more retouches. What happens? The client almost always selects more favorites than are included in the book. At this point, if they want more retouches they have to give up some of their favorite images, pay a per-image retouching fee, or buy a larger book.
5. Embrace In-House Sales Success!
Using these simple methods, and by keeping sales in-house, I’ve seen significant sales for my studio. By applying these small changes to my boudoir business, sales have increased so much that now approximately 90 percent of my clients buy books in addition to their base package!
Written by Kelly Segre
Kelly’s photography career started many years ago in her father’s darkroom. With a love for film and timeless, classic images, she strives to bring this style into every session she shoots.
By creating an environment that allows her clients to feel sexy and glamorous before ever stepping in front of her camera, Kelly is able to get the most out of each and every session. Using simple techniques and literally showing her clients how to pose, Kelly is able to set a fun, playful and sexy mood for her clients, turning a girls night out into a sexy boudoir session!