Your pricing strategy could be the silent killer of your wedding photography business. How you present your rates to potential clients directly impacts your inquiries, your client quality, and ultimately your bottom line.
Coming to you from John Branch IV Photography, this insightful video reveals a counterintuitive pricing display approach that dramatically increased inquiries after a booking drought. Branch explains the traditional pricing dilemma photographers face: either show no pricing (focusing on value but dealing with price shoppers who ghost after learning rates) or display full pricing (attracting fewer but more qualified leads). The no-pricing approach tends to work better for luxury photographers, creating an upscale impression and allowing conversation before cost discussion. Meanwhile, displaying pricing upfront filters out budget-incompatible clients but risks making your services appear commoditized or bargain-based.
Branch shares how he transformed his inquiry rate with a hybrid approach that combines the strengths of both strategies. After realizing his prices had climbed too high for his local market recognition, he made strategic adjustments. Instead of simply slashing rates, he created a more sophisticated pricing structure showing only his mid-tier package on the main pricing page with a prominent "view more packages" button. This middle-ground package serves as an anchor point, giving prospects enough information to determine if they're in the right ballpark while creating curiosity about other options. The genius lies in the simplicity of the form that follows – requiring just names, email and wedding date – making the barrier to inquiry remarkably low compared to lengthy contact forms.
The implementation details reveal how Branch integrated this strategy into his workflow. His Squarespace form connects to Honeybook through Zapier, triggering automated sequences specifically designed for these pricing inquiries. What makes this approach particularly effective is that it transforms the inquiry from a one-sided request (client asking for information) into a value exchange (photographer offering additional options). Branch emphasizes that alongside presenting pricing differently, he also recalibrated his packages to add more value through video content rather than simply reducing rates. The psychological effect works both ways – prospects feel they're gaining access to special information rather than just submitting a generic contact request, while photographers can present pricing in a consultative rather than transactional context. For photographers struggling with inquiries, especially in competitive markets, this subtle shift in how pricing is presented could be transformative. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Branch.
