Have you lost a customer because of your prices?

Business, Marketing

Have you ever lost prospective customers because they said you were too expensive?  Or your products cost too much?  I have.  In fact, this used to happen more than I’d like to admit. 

But here’s the ironic part: I lost the most customers when my prices were at their lowest.

I started my photography business and charged $1,000 for my services.  A few years later, clients are spent (on average) $10,000+ for my services and my calendar was full for the year.

So how did this happen?

After a few years of struggling with my prices, I soon understood that I needed to sell the BENEFITS of my services, not my SERVICES. 

You see, services are duplicatable (I photographed weddings…so did 100,000 other people), but the personalized benefits I provided were not.

The same could be said when I launched my Instagram for Business class, INSTA180. Were there other Instagram classes that charged less for the course content?  Yes.  Were there lots of other options?  Yes.  But the personalized benefits set me apart.

Benefits are the things that my clients experience as a result of working with me.  Because I’ve worked hard at showcasing my uniqueness, my clients know booking my services is about the photography and business advice they receive, but—also, and importantly—about the benefits.  Things like:

  • Learning from an internationally recognized photographer
  • An inside look into my business and approach
  • Being featured on my social media networks
  • A decade of experience
  • …and more

Marketing efforts should focus less on what your business does (it’s duplicatable), your prices, or the technical aspects of your craft (the competition may be better).

Prospective clients aren’t comparing services on price alone any more.  They are choosing a business because the benefits they receive are tailored for what they value.

I’m writing this post as a photographer and business strategist, but the same principles can be applied to any business.  So show off your benefits with confidence because your services are just a small part of booking your dream customer.