When Should You Reveal Your Pricing?

One of the most debated topics among photographers is when to reveal pricing to potential clients.

As business owners, we know that pricing plays a crucial role in attracting the right clients and closing deals, but the timing of when you present that information can significantly impact the outcome.

Unlike many other educators out there who tend to advocate one strategy or another, let’s be honest for a minute – there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution.

Instead, the decision about when to introduce pricing depends on your audience, brand, and sales strategy…and you can actually do things to test what is working for you (or not).

In this blog post, we’ll explore different approaches to revealing pricing, the pros and cons of each, and help you identify what might work best for your business.

Why Timing Matters in Pricing

For photography businesses, the timing of pricing goes beyond just hard financial numbers.

It influences how potential clients perceive your services, your value, and the overall client experience.

Whether you choose to be fully transparent from the start or hold off until you’ve built more connection and value, each approach can shape the sales conversation in different ways.

Let’s dive into the many different options now!

Full Transparency: Displaying All Pricing on Your Website

One approach is to present your full pricing information directly on your website. This method can be appealing to clients who value transparency and want to know what they’re getting into before reaching out.

Pros:

• Full transparency can attract highly qualified leads who are already aware of your pricing and are comfortable with it.
• Reduces the number of inquiries from people who can’t afford your services, saving you time.
• Provides potential clients with clear expectations, which can lead to a smoother sales process.

Cons:

• Potential clients may focus more on the price than the value of your services, leading to price comparison with competitors.
• You may lose the opportunity to explain the unique value you offer before they see the cost.
• Higher prices listed without context could deter some clients who may otherwise have been willing to book after understanding the value.

In the earlier days of our photography businesses, this was the strategy we used and it was simple and effective. As we grew in our businesses, we ended up feeling like we were outgrowing this, mainly because we wanted to shift from selling ourselves more or less as a commodity, to selling ourselves more on the value we could provide though our service. You might see this as a subtle change, but it translated to us moving on to make changes to our brands, marketing message and doing things like increasing prices.

No Pricing on the Website: Focus on Value First

Some photographers choose to withhold all pricing information from their website and only reveal it later in the sales process, such as during a consultation. This strategy can build a sense of exclusivity and allow you to focus on selling the experience and value before getting into pricing details.

Pros:

• Allows you to fully communicate the value of your services without the conversation being dominated by price.
• May increase inquiries as potential clients won’t be deterred by pricing right away.
• Can create a more luxury or exclusive brand perception.

Cons:

• Could lead to a higher number of non-qualified inquiries, requiring more time spent on leads that may not be a good fit.
• Some clients may view the lack of pricing transparency as a negative, feeling uncertain or frustrated by the need to inquire (or even set up a meeting) for details.
• Requires more effort to manage inquiries and provide personalized pricing information.

This is an approach we see sometimes, especially in photographers who are branding themselves as offering a more “luxury” experience.

True luxury experiences, where cost and price is the last thing on a clients list of cares, can benefit from not showing pricing – but you need to have incredibly strong brand, messaging, portfolio of work, sales processes, etc. to be able to capitalize on this type of audience well.

Middle Ground: Showing Starting Prices

A common approach for photographers is to show starting prices on their website, providing potential clients with a ballpark figure while holding back the full pricing breakdown until further into the conversation. This approach can strike a balance between transparency and creating the opportunity to discuss value during a consultation.

Pros:

• Helps filter out clients who really don’t have the budget for your services, reducing non-qualified leads.
• Provides some transparency without disclosing all the details, giving you room to discuss value before talking specifics.
• Builds curiosity and can lead to more in-depth conversations during consultations.

Cons:

• If your starting price is much lower than your highest value package, it could lead to sticker shock when clients see the full pricing.
• Some clients may feel uncertain about what’s included at higher price points without seeing the full details upfront.

At this point in time, this tends to be our “preference” when it comes to sharing price information. It’s a middle ground for a reason – because it just makes sense for most photography business use cases.

Why? It gives enough pricing information to people to remove budget shoppers from inquiring, and people who feel you could be within their budget can still connect for more details and to experience more of the value you have to offer.

Average Pricing: Setting Expectations Without Details

Another strategy is to show average pricing on your website. This gives potential clients an idea of what most people spend without listing all your packages. It can help manage expectations and avoid potential sticker shock.

Pros:

• Sets realistic expectations for clients about what they can expect to spend, while leaving room to discuss different packages during consultations.
• Helps position your services as valuable, with a focus on the average spend rather than the lowest starting point.
• Can serve as a middle-ground solution for photographers wanting to give some pricing transparency without showing the full breakdown.

Cons:

• Average pricing may feel vague to some potential clients, making it hard for them to decide if your services fit their budget.
• Clients might assume your pricing is higher than it actually is if they don’t see lower package options.
• This approach requires careful communication to ensure clients aren’t surprised by the range of prices.

Similar to showing a starting price point, this can also be another solid option for most photographers.

Revealing Pricing After Inquiry but Before a Call

Some photographers choose to send their full pricing sheet after an inquiry but before hopping on a call. This allows clients to see your pricing upfront while still giving you control over the sales conversation during the consultation.

Pros:

• Provides transparency while allowing clients to digest the information at their own pace before a call.
• Helps filter out clients who aren’t a good fit for your pricing, saving time on consultations.
• Sets the stage for a more relaxed consultation focused on connection and value rather than price.

Cons:

• Clients may make decisions based solely on price without engaging in a conversation where you can explain the value behind your services.
• If your pricing is higher than expected, it may deter potential clients before you’ve had a chance to build a connection.

I have personally had a good experience with this approach to sharing pricing, because it vibes with my brand and, frankly, my personality and approach to sales.

When I talk to people about this, I like to make it clear that “Yes – I get results with this. No – I don’t book every person who walks in the door, and I expect some of them are put off by having my price sheet sent right out to them.”

In all honesty this is going to be the reality for any strategy you use here.

What becomes most important is understanding your personal conversion rate, and deciding if that is working for you and your business, or if you need to try a different process to get something that is working better for you.

Revealing Pricing During the Consultation

For photographers who prefer to discuss pricing in person or over the phone, waiting until a consultation to reveal pricing can be an effective strategy. This allows you to first establish a connection, understand the client’s needs, and position your services as the solution before talking numbers.

Pros:

• Gives you full control over how pricing is presented and explained.
• Allows for a personalized discussion where you can recommend packages that best suit the client’s needs.
• Helps build a stronger emotional connection before discussing financial details.

Cons:

• Some clients may be hesitant to schedule a consultation without having an idea of pricing first.
• Requires a higher level of sales skills to navigate the conversation without making it feel overly sales-focused.

This is the approach Marshall takes, and has a ton of success with.

Personally, I tried doing this for a few months and it never really “clicked” for me. I felt it was important to try, but ultimately decided to hang it up since it wasn’t connecting with my approach to sales and the experience I wanted to be having with my clients.

I will say – I find it incredibly important that we, as business owners, experiment and try new things from time to time. This is especially true with things that push you out of your comfort zone (as was the case here for me). You can always go back to older methods, but sometimes trying something new can reveal a better method…or at least let you know that it’s definitely not for you!

The Importance of Finding What Works for You

There is no universally “right” way to reveal pricing, as different approaches work better for different business models, clients, and personalities. The key is understanding your audience and experimenting with different methods until you find what feels most natural for your business.

For example, some photographers thrive by building personal connections through consultations before talking about price, while others find success by being fully transparent on their websites. The method you choose should align with your brand, client expectations, and sales process.

Conclusion: Timing is Everything

The timing of when you reveal pricing can have a significant impact on how clients perceive your services and make decisions. Whether you choose to display full pricing, only starting prices, or wait until a consultation, the key is finding a strategy that works for your unique business.

Remember, the way you reveal pricing isn’t just about the numbers—it’s about creating an experience that builds trust and positions your services as valuable. By carefully considering when and how to present your pricing, you can create a smoother, more effective sales process that leads to better client relationships and more bookings.

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