Podcast Summary:

Book More Photography Clients Podcast
Host: Brooke Jefferson (Oklahoma Family Photographer, Photography Business Coach)
Episode: It’s Time to Audit Your Pricing (Grab Your Packages and Let’s Go!)
Date: November 6, 2025

Episode Overview

Brooke Jefferson leads a hands-on, interactive pricing audit designed specifically for photographers who want to ensure their rates are both profitable and sustainable heading into 2026. This interactive workshop encourages listeners to analyze their current packages, calculate their true hourly rate, and build confidence in their pricing by aligning business goals with session offerings.

Brooke emphasizes the importance of treating your photography as a business, not a hobby, and provides a step-by-step breakdown to help listeners update their pricing for the new year. By the end of the episode, photographers can expect to have a concrete plan for setting (or raising) their prices with confidence.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Preparing for the Pricing Audit

[00:00–03:10]

• Brooke sets the stage for a hands-on, interactive episode, recommending listeners pause and work alongside the episode with their packages and pricing sheets.
• She frames the timing as perfect: “This is a perfect time of year to be looking at all of this to reevaluate how 2025 went for you. But also you are probably already starting to think about 2026 and some of your photography goals as well.”
  (00:30)

2. Step 1: List Out Your Packages and Session Types

[03:11–07:20]

• Action step: Write down every session or event type offered and the price for each.
• Include all services, even those not actively marketed.
• Ask two critical questions for each:
  • How long does this session really take from start to finish? (Include communication, prep, travel, shooting, editing, uploading, delivering galleries, sneak peeks, etc.)
  • What are the total costs? (Include time and expenses: gas, props, gallery fees, gifts, etc.)
• Notable realization: Many photographers underestimate the real time involved, leading to underpricing.
  • “If your $300 session takes about 8 hours total, your hourly rate is not $300. It's about $37 an hour before expenses... This is usually where photographers realize, oh, my goodness, I am working way more than I thought for way less than I deserve.” (06:30)
• Brooke urges a data-driven, non-emotional approach: “Are you charging enough?… It doesn't need to be an emotional question. It's a data driven question.” (07:10)

3. Step 2: Pricing for Profit—Calculate Your True Hourly Rate

[07:21–17:55]

• Set a meaningful profit goal for the year based on your personal and business needs.
  • “You’re not doing this for fun. You’re doing this to make a profit.” (08:19)
  • Brooke shares her own upcoming life changes and new goals for 2026 as an example.
• Formula Walkthrough:
  1. Set your profit goal (amount you want to pay yourself or keep as net profit).
  2. Add total annual business expenses (subscriptions, gear, insurance, software, etc.).
  3. Estimate taxes (Brooke uses 25% for safety).
  4. Add these together to calculate required gross sales.
• Example Calculation:
  • Profit goal: $60,000
  • Expenses: $15,000
  • Subtotal: $75,000
  • Add taxes (25%): $18,750
  • Total needed in gross sales: $93,750
• Decide how many sessions you can or want to do per year, then divide gross sales goal by that number to find minimum per-session rate.
  • Example: “If your goal is eight sessions a month, that equals approximately 96 sessions per year. $93,000 divided by 96 is $976 per session.” (16:30)
• Compare current rates to what calculation reveals to check if you're undercharging.
• Resource: Brooke offers a free Pricing for Profit Formula resource on her website for visuals and an easier calculation process.

4. Step 3: Evaluate and Adjust Your Package Inclusions

[17:56–20:22]

• Review what you are currently including in each package—are you overdelivering, underdelivering, or just right?
  • “If you're offering 50 edited images, but your clients really only ever download 20 of 50, then that shows you that you can scale back.” (18:40)
• Protect your time: Consider reducing inclusions if you’re consistently overdelivering with little client demand for it.

5. Step 4: Check for Client Experience Alignment

[20:23–22:10]

• Make sure your pricing matches the level of service you provide:
  • “Are you trying to give that full blown luxury experience on a budget photographer price? Look at what you're doing. That disconnect is not only going to drain you, but it's going to confuse your clients.” (21:20)
• Aligning pricing with service level helps avoid burnout and client confusion.

6. Step 5: Gut Check — Confidence and Mindset

[22:11–24:08]

• Test your confidence with your new pricing. Say it out loud—does it feel right, or do you want to hide or apologize?
  • “You can't expect clients to believe in your value if you don't believe in your own value. Stop giving discounts. Stop trying to explain your pricing. I want you to stand firmly behind it.” (23:00)
• Confidence is crucial for successful price changes.

7. Step 6: Update Your Packages for 2026

[24:09–26:20]

• Armed with your calculations, expectations, and confidence, update your packages and pricing for the new year.
• Consider a visual revamp for marketing materials or your website.
• Adjustments might include adding travel fees, simplifying package options, or small incremental price increases.
• Best indicator it’s time to raise your prices: consistent bookings.

8. Bonus: Communicating Price Changes to Clients

[26:21–27:15]

• Decide whether or not to inform clients about new pricing.
  • “You don't need to over explain it. You don't need to justify it. You don't even have to notify everyone. But if you want to, it could be as simple as saying, My 2026 pricing will reflect the growth and the experience that I've gained this past year and I'm so excited to continue serving...” (26:45)
• Keep it brief, confident, and focused on positive growth.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Brooke on the reality of pricing:
  “This is usually where photographers realize, oh, my goodness, I am working way more than I thought for way less than I deserve.” (06:30)
• On goal setting:
  “You should never be asking other people what you should charge because it always goes back to you, your business, your goals, your lifestyle, where you're located.” (07:43)
• Empowering listeners:
  “You have really big goals. You work hard for your clients. You pour your time, energy and heart into every session that you do and you deserve to be paid fairly really for that.” (28:00)
• Reframing photographer identity:
  “You are the CEO of your photography business. You're not just the artist behind the camera... you are making good decisions for your business.” (28:30)

High-Impact Timestamps

• [03:11] — Start: Listing out all package/session types and prices
• [06:30] — Realization on hourly rate and underpricing
• [08:19] — Introduction to Pricing for Profit formula
• [12:00–17:00] — Example calculation of total gross sales and per-session price
• [18:40] — Evaluating package inclusions for efficiency
• [21:20] — Client experience/pricing alignment insight
• [23:00] — Building pricing confidence
• [26:45] — How to communicate upcoming price changes

Conclusion: Big Takeaways

• This episode is a practical guide for photographers to audit and update their pricing for the upcoming year.
• Brooke provides actionable steps rooted in business fundamentals, not emotional responses or external influences.
• The focus is on building confidence, protecting time, and ensuring pricing matches both the client experience and the photographer’s goals.
• The core message: You are the CEO of your photography business—own your value, set your prices purposely, and step confidently into a new year.