Normalize Not Negotiating Your Rates As A Creative
BTS of Revive Clothing Lab photoshoot (you can see me on the right) | The two models are Diane (on the left) and Méline.
I mean… Who really wants to work with you, won’t even discuss about your rates. This is how I view things.
As a photographer, I don’t only provide a service, I provide value to the people or the brands. It’s more than just taking beautiful pictures. It’s a lot of things: the equipment investments, the knowledge, the fact that the brands will be able to sell thanks to the photographs for example, the experience etc…
I think, as entrepreneurs we need to keep our rates like we want them to be (however, it depends on the situation). When I bought my equipment, I couldn’t negotiate the prices. If you want to buy a washing machine, you enter a shop with an idea of what you want but don’t have the budget to buy what you initially wanted. What would you do ? Would you negotiate the price with the seller ? No, you won’t. Or at least ask if there will be a sale coming. But, you won’t negotiate. You would simply start to look for the cheaper ones. Maybe, some people do negotiate with sellers but it’s unusual.
Concerning my rates, I operate like I am a shop. If you don’t have the budget, you can leave. The funny thing is… haven’t you noticed that the ones who try to bring the rates down always require us to work more. I’d rather lose a potential client rather than feel small and exhausted.
At the beginning of my photography business, when I started to get potential clients, I was afraid of them not accepting my rates. And it hardened into facts because many of them asked me to lower my rates.
I came to the conclusion that it was not about them, but only me valuing my work first and being confident that I deserve to receive the value I set for my rates. When I changed that perspective, there were no more negotiations. People simply asked for my availability and when I sent an estimate, they said OK !
