What should you charge?

A reader sent me an email the other day:

I’m a newbie at my photography business, and a friend asked me to photograph her wedding. I really didn't know what to charge (and thinking of just doing it for free). I decided to go by what other photographers are charging in my area. I lowered my price from theirs, but I'm not sure if that's what I should do. What else should I do to come up with my pricing?

I cringe when I hear photographers guessing at what to charge for their services. There are a lot of things to consider when deciding what to charge.

You must look at the following:

expenses

editing time

marketing

business expenses

The bottom line to a business is profit.

Just "guessing" will lead to failure. You have to take into account where you are located, what the competition is doing, what you can give your clients and what your clients expect.

Another important factor is making a goal. This will help determine how your business will run. Some people want to replace the income from their present job. Others may just want some extra spending money. Still others may want to become a well known photographer.

Each goal is different for each person starting a photography business. Where you want to be in 5 years will help you to have a successful business.

So, where do you want to be in 5 years?
How to easily start up and market your own profitable photography business