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| Just like Daddy. |
Not quite one year ago, my little at home side business tripled. It outgrew my home in May. I added weddings this Summer. The times I set aside for Fall shoots filled up three months in advance. I was at a crossroad.
Do I follow the growth of my business, or do I slow it down? I couldn't keep going like I was; kids at home 80% of the time, and working 30+ hours per week. I couldn't give my customers the attention or service I wanted to. Neither could I give my girls undivided attention, because I was SO behind. After much back and forth I've made a decision....I'm letting my business grow.
With this decision comes some changes. I'm listing them with a brief explanation, so that my customers can better understand the direction I am taking my business.
The order minimum is now $200. I very rarely have orders under $200, so this won't affect many people. I know most people unlikely realize how expensive it is to be a small business owner. Taxes take 35% or more (not including sales tax), the studio costs plenty, along with its maintenance, the high quality portraits I sell are priced no where close to $0.19 a 4x6 [in my dreams!!], keeping props new and updated costs, laundering newborn fluids off props and drops costs, advertising, website charges...you get it :) You factor in time for editing, ordering, accounting, customer service, marketing, blog posting, and you begin to understand how much goes into one shoot. I stress all this because I don't want anyone to feel like I am being unreasonable :) What I do is a combination of skill, experience, and natural talent. I give a little of my heart to each shoot :)
I will book $100 mini's at all times. These are not styled mini's, just coming into the studio like a standard session, but only for 20 minutes, and a limit of 2 outfits if one subject, or 1 outfit per subject if more than subject. The mini's will have a small 10 picture album (5 color/5 black&white), the copyright to these images is included, and will be downloadable as soon as they are available. No preview session with the mini's. I feel this gives some who may not be able to spend $300+, to still get a few perfect pictures of their little ones :)
Online Albums will expire after 10 days. Albums can be reopened or extended for $15/week. They can be reopened at any time, and pictures will be kept for 2 years. After 2 years, the images will no longer be available. Images at 14 MB each, and 40+ per shoot take up a ton of space. Space isn't cheap! I will be offering DVD slideshows for $10 for all old sessions for the next ten days ONLY. That's 60% off, and after these days pass, the late and archival fees will apply, so if you want memories of these old, old shoots, make sure you take care of that in the next days :)
I'm adding Preview/Order sessions as part of my service! At no additional charge! These sessions will take 30 minutes to one hour, and be held in my studio. We will book it when we have the portrait session. At the preview session, you will see your pictures for the very first time, soak them in, touch and feel a ton of products I offer, ask questions, and place an order if you wish. Ordering at this time is optional, but if you do place a minimum order at the preview session, you will receive 8% off your order. Additional orders can be placed before the album expires :) These sessions are more in line with the new leaf I'm turning...one-on-one customer service, and a custom experience for all!
These changes take affect for all shoots after today. All albums on the site that have already placed an order, or are more than 1 month old expire September 22, 2012.
I feel these steps will take me closer to where I want to be. I want to make each customer feel special, while making a living, and making it worth my while to be away from my baby girls :) I'm so excited to see where we will be a year from now, and appreciate every customer who has given me the opportunity to work with them, capturing fleeting moments in their lives!
Thank you for your support!!
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