Ask the experts: portrait sales

Q. I photograph family portraits, and I feel I’m not maximizing my sales. I’ve tried a few different approaches, including printing proofs and framing some enlargements that I present at the client’s home, but more often than not I leave with more prints than I’d like. I’ve tried online galleries that clients can order from directly, but that didn’t create more sales. How do I present images in a way that will maximize sales?

A. The dilemma you’re facing plagues us all. I want to share three sales secrets that I believe will help you solve this problem.

  1. Accept rejection. I applaud you for trying new strategies, but don’t beat yourself up when a sale falls short of your goal. Just because one person says no doesn’t mean there aren’t other clients who would be thrilled to buy enlargements. Keep trying various processes until you find one that worksbest for your personality and client base.
  2. People buy on emotion then backfill with logic. My studio focuses on the client experience. We spend 15 to 20 minutes in person with clients before their session so we know as much as we can about their family members and the interactions among them. Then, and perhaps most important, we do all our sales in person. If they don’t live in the area, then we do the ordering appointment using screen-sharing software. We start with a slideshow that tugs at their emotions. Sometimes photographers struggle with this technique because they feel tugging at the heartstrings is cheating. Not so. When I look at my young boys’ faces displayed in wall portraits in my home, it’s an emotional experience. When I have guests over and they see our family artwork, it’s an emotional experience. These portraits make me and my family incredibly happy and proud, and I want my clients to have the same experience in their homes. This is why I remind them of the emotional value of what they’re buying.
  3. Always show options. In the planning appointment, find out what your client’s goals are. Perhaps they said they want an updated family portrait above the fireplace. That’s great. Photograph for that at the beginning of the session. Once you know you nailed a beautiful family portrait, photograph what you think they should want. More to the point, shoot what you want to sell. Photograph the family, then each child individually, then just the kids and just the parents. Now you have the opportunity to sell a collection. They won’t know they want those things until you show them.

Most people won’t sit down in front of their computer, narrow down their favorite images, and place an order of several thousand dollars’ worth of prints. Significant client investment requires personal interaction. Clients need you to guide them through their options while you continuously affirm the value of your work.

I applaud you for trying new techniques and striving to maximize your sales. Be proud that you’re a product-focused photographer. Study what other successful print photographers are doing, try new things, and piece together the strategies that work best for you. I’m not telling you it’s going to be easy. I’m telling you it’s going to be worth the work. 

Kristin Privette, Footstone Photography