How to Respond to Clients who Just want Digitals
Tell me if one of your photographer clients have ever said something like this:
👉“Can I just get the digitals?”
👉“Our last photographer just gave us everything to download from a gallery.”
👉“You mean your session fee does NOT include digitals? Those are extra?!?!”
In other words, does it feel like every inquiry or client you get just wants the digitals while you simply want to transition from shoot and burn to offering products that sell?
Perhaps it's even more challenging because every other photographer in your area gives all the digitals away so you may feel obligated to do the same even if you'd rather sell prints, albums and wall art.
Or maybe you are offering products already, but you cave and give away your clients the digital images for free or extremely discounted, which leaves you with less than happy sales and struggling to pay your bills.
I totally get this. Even though I’ve been offering products in my business for years, it didn’t always start that way.
In fact, the very first paid session I ever did, I provided 117 digital images for $100! It didn’t take long for me to realize that charging so low and giving so much would not support my business or my family in the long run.
So I decided to make a change and CHARGE for the digitals and the products I wanted to offer.
The transition wasn’t easy, but it was so worth it! With my old business model, I would have to photograph 30-50 people to equate what I now make off of ONE client! Not only that, but my clients LOVE the products I create for them! I am thanked profusely for providing one of a kind artwork for them.
One of the things I’ve realized is that the market is prone to ask for the digitals because that’s all they know to ask for, but it's not always necessarily what they REALLY want.
So when clients ask me the “Can I just get the digitals” question, I ask them WHY.
When I can better understand the reason they want the digitals, I can provide a better solution and not hurt the sell.
Typically, clients respond to the why question with one of these reasons:
#1: They may say they want to share them online…
… to which I respond with "Awesome! We live in a digital age, and I totally get wanting to share these with your Facebook and Instagram friends! Every image that you purchase as a product comes with a complimentary “websharable” file that has been resized perfectly for sharing on social media and via email."
Or #2, they may say they want they digital files so they can back them up.
In that case, I respond by saying something like: "I’m so glad to hear that you are thinking ahead and planning on backing them up! This is so important that I also back up your purchased images in multiple places. You know, a few years ago, my dad’s home caught fire and he lost quite a bit. Heaven forbid you ever experience a fire or a flood in your own home, but if you do, rest assured that I back up all your purchased images and I will replace products you purchase if they are damaged. Everything that leaves my studio comes with a lifetime guarantee."
Or finally #3, they may say they want to print their own prints…
… to which I respond with something like "Of course! I offer high resolution images for purchase, but please understand that many consumer labs are not suited for this type of work and as such, I cannot guarantee the quality of those quick print labs. Sometimes, they will print images that look too muted or make skin look too orange and we don’t want you looking like an oompa loompa, do we? Where as, if you print through me, my professional lab partners can ensure the quality of your artwork."
Once my clients understand that every product comes with a complimentary websharable image, that I back up their chosen images and that I guarantee the quality of anything they choose to print from me, and the importance of printing through a professional lab, it's a no brainer for them to invest in prints, albums and wall art with me.
Asking the WHY question will help you understand what is motivating your client's buying behaviors, enable you to offer a better solution, encourage higher product sales and create happier clients.
Fair warning: Though this question will absolute help, there is so much more that goes into attracting clients who value photography and will invest in products, knowing which products to sell and how to price them and knowing how to communicate the pricing in a non-sleazy way. The entire In Person Sales process is thoroughly taught inside our mentorship.
In fact, it's not uncommon for our students to get $1000, $2000 and $3000 sales per portrait client. We currently have space for 6 more students so you want to create a boutique studio that filled with high quality clients, so if you’re curious to learn more, answer these questions and then schedule a time to chat with our team here!