Pricing Your Photo and Prop Styling Services For Growth

When you are the “cheapest” photo and prop styling option available, you may think it will be easier to gain and book clients for styling assignments.  (Especially, if you are a new stylist just looking to gain clients.) BUT, it isn't sustainable and in time you may grow to be exhausted as well as resentful that you are not being paid “your worth”.  It’s an unrewarding (& unrealistic) place to be when launching, growing and sustaining your business.

"Being cheap ain’t easy."

Remember that you aren’t just charging for the prep and styling you do on set or on location of a styling photo shoot.  You need to take your ability, talent, eye, skill, and unique resources into consideration.  While you may love styling and think it's easy to do (for you!) it's a VERY valuable (& marketable) skill to brands, companies and advertisers.

When quoting styling assignments, keep these 3 factors in mind, but realize there are exceptions. I do always say . . . "their budget has nothing to do with your styling rate".  You need to stick firm to your rate. (most of the time, again, there are exceptions.)

1.  Client.
Is client a local small company, a large brand?

2.  Type of Assignment.
Is the assignment a product shot, editorial or advertising.

3.  Experience.
This factor is very flexible to me.  I feel that some stylists have an innate talent.  (I have worked in many in-house corporate brand studios where a junior stylist would be hired and their talent and skill level SURPASSED a 20+ year stylist in the business.  Take your talent in consideration, not just your "experience" in years. 

THINK ABOUT THIS WHEN YOU QUOTE A POTENTIAL CLIENT:

YOU, with your styling talent and creative ability, get eyes on and capture the attention of your clients customers through YOUR creativity.  You do that. There is value to that.  So, you need to price your styling services accordingly.  

ALSO, you need to take everything you do in account when pricing. Your pre and post work. Are you letting some time slip through the cracks? Are you charging for:

▪︎  Research and Sourcing done online
▪︎  Packing all your items to go to job
▪︎  Time it takes you to organize yourself for job
▪︎  Packing up after the official “wrap time”
▪︎  Travel time
▪︎  Travel Expense (Hotel or Mileage).
▪︎  ALL time taken to do all the returns

So, basically, charge for everything you do to get the job done, in addition to styling on set.  You might be thinking . . . but I want to extend myself and go that extra mile for my clients.  I get ya ~ I do too!  There ARE ways to do that without going down on your rate (or charging too little.)

When consulting with stylists about pricing and negotiation, I first ask: “How did you “come up with” the styling rate you have now?”  These are the answers I get.

▪︎  I guessed at it.
▪︎  I charge what other stylists charge.
▪︎  I went to sites like payscale.com / salary.com **

** In my experience, these sites are WAY off in salary of the styling profession. Do not use this as your guide on rates and salary.

Do your “due diligence” when it comes to pricing your services. (Taking into account that every niche, location, region, etc. is different)  You can’t be shy on this. You have to go right to the sources.  Ask:

▪︎  Professional Commercial Photographers
▪︎  Professional Commercial Stylists
▪︎  Creative Directors
▪︎  Photography Producers
▪︎  Photo Art Directors ~

ALL people who do the actual hiring of Photo and Prop Stylists.  Just be straightforward and honest and say . . . "I’m finding it a challenge to establish my photo styling rate and need some guidance”.  We all have had help and guidance in our careers ~ and many are happy to pay it forward.  So ask.

Your rate is the basis of your entire business on how fast (and whether) you grow or not.  That's what I want for you ~ a growing, sustainable styling business with many income streams through your styling talent!  In this world of "content creation" and fast moving media, advertising and promotions ~ the industry is only growing and need of your talent. So, charge a "healthy" styling rate.

Bonnie ~

Want to save this Post for Reference?  Pin below image on Pinterest.