Friends and loyal clients provide my competitor's Senior Portrait marketing materials to me each year. (Thank you VERY much!) I analyze their offers and research their web sites. My goal is to stay competitive with regard to price and to exceed their services. 

My first reaction after reading the two I received this week was  - WOW those are some great prices, there's no way I can compete. (How do they stay in business I wondered?) Then I started to "do the math" and found that these studios are really far pricier than we are. Both offer various levels of sessions ranging in price from $19 to $149. There are NO prints (no proofs - nothing) included. One of the least expensive packages is $175 and includes (1) 5x7, (2) 4x5 and (8) wallets. So the least you would pay is $224 and you'd get the prints mentioned above. Did I mention that the prints are all one pose?

Our studio offers much better value! There are no sitting fees and every dollar that you spend is credited toward your prints. In the end, for your investment you could get (mix and match the poses) (6) 4x6, (6) 5x7, (6) sets of 8 wallets PLUS an 8x10 and 11x14. Add to the great value the flexibility of mixing and matching your poses, print sizes and quantities to build what you want in your package and we're looking really good - competitive for sure. (The above is not a package - just an example that matches the competitor's offering as best I can - it's just an example.) The difference here is not price - it's our open disclosure of how much you'll spend.

While I want you to be our guest at our beautiful (and really really big) new studio, I also want to  help you  make informed decisions about where to have your senior portraits made. Whether you use us or our competition, make sure that you really understand what you are getting and the total that you'll be spending. "Do your homework" (do the math, research the quality of the results) before committing to your session. When you do, I know you'll want to book your appointment with us.

Did I mention that the sooner you book your session the more likely it will be at the most convenient time for you? Sort of the early bird gets the (fattest) worm philosophy.