I need your help.
I am a wildlife photographer who has been trying, with little success, to sell my photographs through my website and more recently at art/craft fairs.
During our last three art/craft shows, I have sold only one 20x30 canvas photograph and less than half-dozen matted images. That’s not all. I have sold absolutely nothing off my website, which has been up for approximately three years.
One friend-of-mine sells very large canvas photographs in the $700 to $900 category and advises not to fool with matted prints. Another friend’s success comes from smaller matted prints. He sells very few larger ones and practically none of his large plaq-mounted photographs. Yet, another friend successfully sells his 20x30 images on floating plaqs in the $500 range.
One person says to do this, while another recommends something entirely different. One individual suggested raising my prices. Another says to have items in the lower price range, thus my reason for offering matted prints. Every time I turn around, it seems as though someone is saying something different.
My 20x30 framed, canvass photographs are priced at $395, yet I have sold only one . . . and I reduced it to $300. Prices for other framing options on my website are priced even lower.
I’ve spent untold hours learning about and perfecting SEO for my website, to say nothing of the days spent adding shopping carts to make it easy for clients to purchase one of my photographs. Yet in spite of this, I’ve been averaging only 10 hits per day for several years and sold absolutely nothing as a result of my efforts. Did I say that it comes up number ‘four’ on page ‘one’ in a Google search for Wildlife Photographs for Sale.
If I received a dollar for every ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ when someone looked at my images, I could retire as a very rich person.
I need you imput. First, go to my website ( www.weldonlee.com) and check out my images and let me know if I’m missing something. Perhaps, they’re not really that good. Next, send post your ideas, comments, and suggestions below. And for this, I will be indebted to you forever.
Replies
I agree with a lot of what the others have said. You site is very nice but there are a few things that I would suggest changing. First always keep the date at the bottom of your pages up to date, yours currently still reads 2012. I know it may not sound like a big thing but it sends a message the site is not up to date.
Next keep in mind this is valuable real estate, try to keep down the amount of scrolling and how many times you need to click to find what you are looking for.
For example I have a wide screen laptop, on you site viewing the top of the page I can see to the bottom of the Lake photo. So the first impression is very nice. When I select your gallery I only see the top photo. Please don’t get me wrong, I know you have to scroll on pages on web sites and you can’t possibly get all your information in to a small area. I would suggest viewing you site on several computers. How, go to your local Best Buy or where ever and go to your site on some of the laptop they have on display so you can see how it looks on different systems.
When you finally get to the photo the user may be interested in four clicks in most cases, again this is valuable real estate. Going to the 0172 Foggy Morning at Sprague page, I can see down to “Old Masters” on the right. The area to the right of the photo should have the information on the photo and price range. Then below it should show or would be nice if it would show samples of the photo in the different frames with the upgraded prices. This will help cut down on all the clicking and moving to other pages. Make a master template for the final photo page and just drop in the photos and text.
Have you considered advertising in some of the wildlife magazines or sites? Or seeing if you can link your site to some of the outdoor sites?
Just a few ideas….
Again, I want to thank everyone who has responded to my post. I am already in the process of making many of the changes that have been suggested. Also, I have wanted a set of ProPanels from the very beginning, but lack of funds have prevented me from purchasing them. Thanks to Nikon for renewing my article/photos on their website, that has changed. The ProPanels are on their way and should arrive sometime next week.
The next tidbit might be of interest to photographers. I have been asked by the editor of Currents magazine to write an article about the responses I received to my plea for help. It will appear in the next issue. For those of you who are not familiar with Currents, it is a publication of the North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA).
Geoff, first let me say you're ideas are right-on. Having said that, I have a few questions and explanations/comments.
"If you don't have time to make more money now (by changing your website prices), when the heck will you?"
Here's why I don't have time to change my web prices at this time. I use PayPal for my website shopping carts for one reason. It's free. Next, I have 7 presentation options for every image. Unfortunately, the way PayPal is set up, I have to make 7 HTML pages for every image on my website and I have somewhere between 150 and 200 images. This takes considerable time and my next show takes place over the Memorial Day weekend. Between now and then, I have a couple of seminars to prepare for and conduct, one presentation to a group of high school students, a magazine article to write, a write-up for an upcoming NANPA Road Show that I am hosting in August, prepare a selection of images for a DVD to raise money for wolf preservation, and a couple of Board meetings with a non-profit art gallery. There's more, but I think you get the idea.
"And if that's the kind of thinking that's in your head when you're talking with them at a show, there's no way on earth that you're making a connection with them..and therein lies a clue as to why you aren't selling. They will buy your art when they love your work, and they like YOU, and they can feel your passion for what you're doing. "
That in no way reflects my thinking, or the manner in which I connect with my friends. I happen to feel that all potential clients are my friends. As for passion, I am extremely passionate when it comes to my wild brothers and sisters. I have stories connected with each image that I share whenever the opportunity arrises.
"All that stuff you wrote in your response is just you putting up barriers that keep you from taking effective action, because raising your prices is deeply confronting for you...something you'll avoid even if it takes your career into the Dumpster."
So, what do I do? Let all of my responsibilities and obligations go to hell in a hand basket?
What I don't understand is that image prices on your web site are, in my opinion, greatly under priced, yet you seem to be a proponent of increased prices. Also, you seemed to be against my idea of gradually raising my prices. Again, you are doing something quite similar with an image on your website. I don't understand.
Actually, I am familiar with Charles Lewis and have subscribed to his newsletters in the past. I finally unsubscribed because most of what he talked about related more to wedding photographers. However, based on your suggestions, I will consider reconnecting with him.
Who is Bruce Baker and how does he fit into our conversation?
"Then, schedule time to go to a show that one of your local photographer friends is doing, and hang out with him. Don't just pick any photographer: pick one that is where you want to be. Don't ask questions when he's busy, but watch, listen, and absorb everything you can."
I've done this. Actually, I'm aiming for a higher level.
"And good luck! I know you can do this, because I did, and so have so many others on this site. I look forward to your future!"
Once again, thank you very much for your honest and frank input. I like that approach. I don't do well went people talk around the 'bush' in gray areas.
Weldon, Bruce Baker is a sales trainer who specializes in sales and marketing for art show artists. His website is here. Someone earlier in your thread mentioned him, and many people on the site say he's really good!
Judging from what you wrote w/r/t "why wait to raise prices"?, it sounds like you are very deeply involved in non-profit (that is to say, non-revenue generating activities). That is always a delicate balance for those of us in wildlife activities--there are so many worthy causes worth supporting! You are absolutely right that there are only so many hours in a day. Only you can decide whether a given slice of time is best spent on generating revenue for your business, or contributing to non-profit organizations. It is a hard truth, however, that the more time you devote to NP activity, the more imperative it is to raise your prices--thereby increasing your "hourly rate."
I use Mal's ECommerce linked to pay pal. All I had to do to create various options for purchase was to create a form with checkboxes for the various options. The form creation was a little difficult but the Mal's ECommerce site has many examples to copy and tweak. You can check it out on my website at www.SerenityScenes.com.
Opening the blog in another tab or window:
Your particular browser may be set up to open links in a new tab or window. Mine is not. When I click on your blog link your blog opens in that very same tab. The only ways to return to your site are to click the back button or re-enter the URL. Either way, visitors can easily leave the site and potentially not return.
Readability will improve with either a larger font or a dark color. If black is too harsh, try a very dark grey, like #111111.
As for raising your prices, I'm with Geoff, just do it. No signs. No apologies. Shock them once and be done with it. The way you suggested feels manipulative from a customer perspective. As for price discrepancies on the web, disable all of the paypal stuff and direct your customers to email you for a price list, or provide a PDF they can download. It looks like pricing is the same across the board for each size and framing option.
Before you spend too much time trying to improve your current website, look at others to see what you like and what you don't. It is my opinion that building fresh will require a lot less work than fixing what you have.
Look at the plans offered by Moonfruit and Magento Go. I haven't used Moonfruit, but it's cheap, looks really nice, and there's a free plan you can try. I considered using it for another webstore, but it lacked a few features that the company required. I have noodled around with Magento Go. The learning curve in the back office is a bit steep, but everything works well and logically. The customer interface is very well done. These are both hosted, so you won't own your webspace. You will, however, have plenty of support available.
I am really impressed by Art Fair Insiders and everyone's desire to share. Thank all of you who have shared . . . and to Connie for putting it all together.
Geoff, as one photographer to another, I really respect your photography and for sharing what you, as a photographer, have learned doing art fairs over the years.
Raising prices is a bold move. However, you and several others who are suggesting the same thing are giving me courage to do so. For what it's worth, here's what another friend had to say about the same subject . . .
"Your prices should be 4 times what they are. People either have money to buy, or they don't. We need to respect our art and sell the work as such. $300 for a 20x30 is horrible. I'm not being nasty here. you work hard and do quality work. When you raise your prices to "art prices", you are actually telling the art collector that there is value. Why sell and make no money? Also, it is one way to separate ourselves from the thousands of people that call themselves photographers and sell for ego."
I totally agree.
At this point, I am thinking that I will gradually raise my prices over a couple of years and post notices to that effect on my website and under my canopy at the fairs, stating that prices will increase next year. This will give me the opportunity during the winter months when I have more time to make these changes on website. It will also give potential buyers an opportunity to purchase/invest my limited edition photographs at a lower price and watch their investment grow as prices increase (at least that's what I can tell them. :-)
Andrea, thank you very much for all your wonderful suggestions. I really like what you said. In fact, if I had the money (which I don't) and if you had the time (which you probably don't), I would hire you as my web master and publicist. However in the real world, finances force me to be my own web master using Adobe GoLive. I can't even afford Dreamweaver, Adobe's newer web development program. However, I a little confused about about your comment that my blog "Should open in a new tab or window." To me, it does. Could you explain? Also, if I decide to stay with a gray background, what color would you suggest for text? One last question, since I really like to build my own website, where do I find an ecommerce platform that's compatible with Mac and GoLive?
Weldon: Great advice on the website above, though brutally direct.
I'm going to follow suit.
It's great that you say you appreciate my advice, but your strategy for acting on it just SUCKS.
* "I will gradually raise my prices...post notices...potential buyers...limited editions..."
Quit waffling and overthinking this stuff. Get in there and raise your prices YESTERDAY. If you don't have time to make more money now (by changing your website prices), when the heck will you? Strategizing about how your work will appreciate in FUTURE value in the minds of your potential investors is a bunch of nonsense, given that your sales results are dismal in the HERE AND NOW.
What's worse, that way of relating to your customers is totally out of touch with what they are thinking when they walk in your booth. (TRUST me on this!) And if that's the kind of thinking that's in your head when you're talking with them at a show, there's no way on earth that you're making a connection with them..and therein lies a clue as to why you aren't selling.
They will buy your art when they love your work, and they like YOU, and they can feel your passion for what you're doing.
All that stuff you wrote in your response is just you putting up barriers that keep you from taking effective action, because raising your prices is deeply confronting for you...something you'll avoid even if it takes your career into the Dumpster.
That's the bad news. The good news is: Most of us have all been through this, Weldon. We speak from experience.
A story about my history in photography: In 1983, I was working for the Washington Post as a corporate editor and writer of the company magazine. I wrote well, photographed even better, and I took a shot at landing a summer internship on the photo staff, but didn't get it. Instead, I quit my job there and decided to freelance, to open a photography studio.
I began shooting weddings and portraits, and though my work was noticed immediately I decided that I should work cheap--the better to corner the market. So I booked lots of clients, and made littles of money. So, I thought, the answer was to work harderharderharder. So I booked moremoremore, and guess what? After a year of that, I was nearly out of business.
A friend of mine who'd been running a successful photo business, and was where I wanted to be--the emphasis here is intentional--told me about a wedding photographer named Charles J. Lewis, a really successful shooter in Michigan who was doing photography business and sales seminars around the country. "I took his seminar, and it completely turned my business around, " he said. "He'll be in Philly in a couple of weeks, why don't you sign up?" When he told me the price--$395 (a lot of dough in 1983)-- I hesitated. "Best $395 you'll ever spend," he said. "Unless, of course, you're so afraid to succeed that you don't take the coaching."
So I did. And based on what he said at the seminar, and much more, I doubled my prices the very next week. And the week after that, I booked two weddings in ritzy Georgetown--an area of town I hadn't dented in two years of doing business. And my career was off to the races. I doubled my gross sales in 1984, and nearly doubled it again in 1985 and 1986. It wasn't as easy as just raising my prices...because first, I had to recognize that there was lots of what sales guru Zig Ziglar called "stinkin' thinkin'" that was keeping me from trusting myself...and my potential clients. Once I could distinguish that, and embrace my failures, my confidence soared, and raising my prices was not only easy, it was a logical expression of the quality of my work. And THAT, my friend, is what I learned in that seminar!
So...<deep breath>. Here's what I would recommend that you do this weekend to get into action. Baby steps.
*Don't do a thing with your website. Or even, just yet, your price list.
* Visit Charles Lewis' website. (Yes, he's still around!) Visit Bruce Baker's. Read, watch, listen, absorb. Sign up for a few courses, buy a few books, tapes, and what have you.
* Then, schedule time to go to a show that one of your local photographer friends is doing, and hang out with him. Don't just pick any photographer: pick one that is where you want to be. Don't ask questions when he's busy, but watch, listen, and absorb everything you can.
* Lather, rinse, repeat. THEN work on those price lists and that website.
And good luck! I know you can do this, because I did, and so have so many others on this site. I look forward to your future!
Everybody,
This is really good stuff, I hope that somebody copies this down and writes a book...
Jacque
Agreed!! Great advise!
I have been taking some of Bruce Baker's ideas and implementing them, and will be incorporating more this year. Definitely worth it. And Geoff is absolutely right....no procrastinating....its time to take it to the next level. Brutal but honest.
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