A customer may directly or indirectly tell a photographer that their price is too high. When this happens, the photographer has to understand why the customer is saying this.
A customer may say the photographer’s price is too high when, in reality, the customer is undecided or confused about the offer. It’s easier to say, “it’s too expensive” than “I’m not sure how I can benefit from this photography.”
Price has importance but it’s not often the make or break point of a sale. The critical point is whether or not the customer sees the potential value of the photography. When a customer feels the price is too high, that may indicate the photographer hasn’t done a good job of showing the benefits of their photography.
A customer might think the price is too high when they can’t differentiate between photographers. If a customer thinks that all photographers are alike then they will shop price because that’s how we buy a commodity. When a customer says the price is too high, that may suggest the photographer doesn’t stand out from other photographers.
A third reason is that there are often too many photographers and the customer may have difficulty making a choice. This might be explained by The Paradox of Choice. The anxiety of having too many choices means the customer may fail or refuse to make a choice. Or they may try to simplify the decision making by falling back into their comfort zone of shopping by price.
The next time a customer says your photography is too expensive, don’t blame the customer for being cheap. Instead, take a look at your business messaging. Being called too expensive might be an opportunity for you to improve your marketing.
