Why not give a customer a price over the phone?
If a photographer simply tells a potential customer, “The price for your photography project will be $4,000,” then the customer may be left wondering about things like:
Does that include expenses and sales tax?
Does that price include post-processing?
When and how do we have to pay?
Exactly what are we getting for our money?
After we pay, we own the pictures, right?
When and how will the photos be delivered?
What if our plans change and we need more pictures?
What’s a usage licence?
Who’s looking after releases?
Is there a cancellation policy?
What happens if we don’t like the pictures?
If we don’t use the pictures, we don’t have to pay?
A photographer must have a contract with their customers and this contract must be offered with the initial estimate before any photography takes place. You need to be thorough and accurate and you need a record of what was offered. Without a contract, the customer will assume what’s best for them and that’s when problems can start.
Producing a proper estimate requires more time and effort than just phoning in a number. But it also makes you more professional and provides the customer with some tangible information.
