$110 for 2 cheap frames and 8 pictures?!?

Last Thursday, when I came down from my office, Rach said – in her best speed talking voice, “I want to go to Old Town!  Robbin and Winburn (Sister and Brother-in-law) and going this weekend for their anniversary and I want to go.  We can get one of those old pictures done again.  We don't have one with Amber and I'm getting tired of the one we have on the wall.  Let's go, OK?”

“Whoa, what?  Where?  Old Town, yes OK. Robbin and Winburn, Alright, got it.  You mean the Old West Pictures?”

“Yes!”

“OK, sounds good.  Let's do it!”

“Really!”

“Sure, if you want to go. Can you call and make the reservations?”

“I'll do it tonight!  When can we leave?”

“How 'bout Saturday evening?”

“Saturday Morning?”

“Baby, you know I have to work on Saturday.”

“Yeah but we'll leave early and I'll clear out the hotel room so you can work!”

“OK”

Big smiles of excitement from Rach and the children!  In 20 minutes we were reserved at Saralago resort, not to be confused with Maralago.  This place, it turns out, was a bit substandard..but I'm getting ahead of myself.

Saturday about 3:30 we get on the road for Kissimmee (where Old Town is).  

Yeah, that leave early thing so I can work in the hotel…out the window!  

We arrive at Saralago, and from the outside it looks really cool.  We had a suite, and the price was incredible…shoulda been my first clue that we shouldn't stay there.

It's off to Medieval Times for a dinner show, and a really cool show at that.  I've been going to Medieval Times for 20 years now and I wouldn't dream of going to Kissimmee without a stop by the place.  It's a $250 meal for me and my wife and our 4 children, seriously reasonable, and an incredible show!

Back to the room for an uncomfortable night sleeping on, what I believe was, a box spring.  Ughh!!

Then to Old Town for our photos.

And this is where the business lesson is found.  

Remember, the entire show for my wife and I and our 4 children the night before, including a HUGE show with trained cast members all over the place, was $250.

However, when we went to get our pictures taken it was $110 for 8 pictures and a couple cheap frames.  The frames were nice, but they were commercially available, maybe 2 bucks each in bulk.  The pictures were printed out on a printer and on photo paper…maybe a $1 each including ink and paper and wear and tear on the printer.

How can a picture place get $110 for a few pictures?  I mean, really, the cost to price ratio is WAY off kilter for the pictures vs the dinner show.  

And lest there be any question, the photography studio is ALWAYS standing room only with a wait.  The staff is ALWAYS jumping, there are people lined up to get their pictures taken.  

It's incredible!

It's also an experience, and there is the secret.  

The studio dresses you up in costumes, gives you props, and takes pictures that look like they came from the 1800's or the 1920's depending on your choice of stages.  

It's a hoot, far more interesting than a regular group picture, and they have you in and out in about 45 minutes, after you actually get in for the shoot.  The waiting period, before it's your turn, can run a bit longer.

So here's the question…what are you doing to increase your prices by creating an experience for your customers?  

I know, your business is boring and no customer could ever be interested in any experience you could offer.  That's what they said about the roofing business when I got into it.  After I 10X'd the business in 2.25 years and built the business into one of the largest residential re-roofing companies in the Tampa/Sarasota area…those same people were biting their tongue, and hating me.  But as the kids say…”haters gonna hate!”

No matter what your business is, you can create experience and you can push your price point.  It's just a matter of figuring out how.

To your success!
Everte Farnell

PS.  I asked the other day if anyone would be interested in a serious, back to basics type of sales training seminar.  I have received some very positive feedback, but would like to see if there's anymore interest.  If you are interested and have NOT let me know, please hit reply and do so now!

PPS.  You can catch the pics on my Facebook Page they should be up in a day or so.  Just go to Facebook.com/Everte.Farnell and click friend or subscribe or whatever you're supposed to click.

PPS.  If your a professional photographer I know $110 is not a lot to pay.  However, keep in mind when someone hires you for a shoot, you're going to them and doing a completely custom shoot.  This is a cookie cutter, everything set up, just point and click studio.  I know your time is valuable, however these folks have the "get the people in and out" program down to a science.  They aren't doing what you are doing.

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