Podcast Summary
This Can’t Be That Hard – Ep 363: There’s More Than One Way to Win the Pricing Game
Host: Annemie Tonken
Date: April 7, 2026

Main Theme & Purpose
This episode launches April’s theme of “Pricing and Money” for photographers, but with a twist. Rather than repeating the usual advice about raising prices to improve your business, host Annemie Tonken responds to recent feedback from her community (especially those concerned about the economy) and explores creative, alternative ways to achieve profitability in photography, even when price increases aren’t possible. The heart of the conversation: profitability isn’t just about charging more, but about the entire structure and efficiency of your business.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Listener Context & Rethinking “Raise Your Prices” Advice

• Annemie observes that while “just raise your prices” can sometimes work, many photographers right now feel stuck — due to economic conditions, being at the top of their local market already, or fearing loss of clients. (01:45)
• “What if I feel like I can’t raise my prices?” is a new, more pragmatic concern being voiced by experienced photographers.
• Annemie decides to pivot her planned content to better address the wide array of ways to achieve profitability, focusing on efficiency and business model shifts.

Three Eras in Annemie’s Business (05:00)

• Era 1: In-Person Sales (IPS) (2010-2017)
  • Dedicated to “white glove” service, with multiple client meetings, high-end products, studio rental, and significant overhead.
  • Despite high per-client revenue, profit was low and exhaustion high.
  • Quote: “Given the amount of time that I was dedicating to each client, there wasn’t a whole lot of room for me to grow. And I was exhausted, to be honest.” (06:35)
• Era 2: The Simple Sales System
  • Reaction to personal and economic needs — streamlined offerings, fewer meetings, sold off high-overhead assets (e.g., large printer, studio lease).
  • Business survived and flourished; clients welcomed the streamlined, lower-effort process.
  • “My business didn’t implode. Quite the opposite, actually…my clients didn’t miss them. In some cases, my clients actually very much preferred the new streamlined process.” (08:53)
• Era 3: Portrait Membership (2019 onward)
  • Created a membership model for repeat clients, with even greater automation and consistency.
  • By 2021, memberships made up 70% of business revenue and almost everything was automated.
  • “They didn’t even have to pull out their credit card because everything was on autopilot.” (10:11)
  • This model, with high efficiency and low overhead, resulted in the highest profit margins.

Core Lesson: Efficiency Over Top-Line Revenue

• The hardest-working (IPS) era was the least profitable; the streamlined membership era was most profitable, even at similar prices.
• Annemie’s key takeaway: “Profitability isn’t about what you charge, right? It’s about what you keep.” (12:15)

The Simplified Math of Profitability (13:30)

• Profit = Revenue – Expenses.
• Many photographers focus too much on increasing revenue, but reducing expenses and time per client can increase hourly rate and overall profit even more efficiently.
• Example comparison:
  • $2,500 client with $1,800 cost and 15 hours’ effort ≈ $46/hour before taxes.
  • $1,250 client with only $200 cost and 3 hours’ effort ≈ over $300/hour.

Three Photography Business Models (16:32)
(Revisited from Episode 38: “The Donkey, the Workhorse, and the Unicorn”)

1. Unicorn Model:

   • Boutique, high-touch, luxury experience.
   • Fewer clients at higher prices; lots of customization and interaction.
   • “You are very much limited by time, right? There are only so many clients that you can serve when each one requires that level of attention.” (17:20)

2. Workhorse Model:

   • Professional, reliable services at moderate prices.
   • Mix of systems and some customization.
   • Most photographers fit this category. Differentiation and balance are key (too much customization at workhorse prices = burnout).

3. Donkey Model:

   • High volume, highly systematized, automation-focused, possibly lower priced.
   • “A well-run donkey business is often more profitable than any of the other businesses out there. Not less, more.” (19:46)
   • Example: Liz Hansen’s Chicago boudoir studio — presents as luxury but operates at scale, booking 250+ clients/year with automated systems, low entry price ($400), and high sales average (~$4,000): “That, my friends, is a donkey model business. It’s a sneaky donkey, but it is a donkey nonetheless.” (22:45)

Mythbusting and Encouragement

• Donkey model businesses are not cheap or poor-experience by definition; efficient isn’t “bad.”
• All three models can be profitable if executed intentionally and matched to the photographer’s strengths, market, and preferences.
• “Profitability isn’t just about pricing. It is about the entire structure of how you deliver your service.” (26:30)

Choosing the Right Model — Reflection Questions (24:55)

• Do you want to work with more clients or fewer clients?
• Do you thrive on efficiency and systems, or love crafting custom experiences each time?
• How comfortable are you with sales, automation, and consistent processes?
• Each model has tradeoffs; select based on your skills, market, and life needs.
• Annemie links to an online quiz to help photographers identify their ideal model: thiscantbethard.com/quiz.

Action Steps for Listeners (27:56)

• Calculate your average revenue per client (no expenses yet).
• Calculate average time invested per client (shooting, editing, communication, etc.).
• Calculate average cost per client (products, fees, outsourcing).
• Use these numbers to calculate effective hourly rate: (Revenue – Cost) ÷ Hours.
• Reflect: Would you rather serve more clients at high efficiency, or fewer at higher prices with more customization? Use your answer as a guide for future business structure.

Upcoming Series Teasers

• Next week: Tackling “invisible” costs that erode profit.
• Following that: Creative strategies to increase client revenue without raising prices.
• Then: Interview with a photographer who shifted to the donkey model.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Profitability isn’t about what you charge, right? It’s about what you keep. And I know that sounds simple when I say it out loud, but so few people are saying it.” – Annemie Tonken (12:15)
• “You, what you charge is only one piece of the profitability puzzle. How much it then costs you to deliver on that session, both in terms of money and time, really does matter just as much.” (14:41)
• “A well run donkey business is often more profitable than any of the other businesses out there. Not less, more.” (19:46)
• “Liz’s clients don’t feel like they’re getting some kind of less-than experience. …It’s just efficient. And efficient isn’t bad.” (24:08)
• “Profitability isn’t just about pricing. It is about the entire structure of how you deliver your service.” (26:30)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:45 – Community concerns about pricing in a changing economy
• 05:00 – Annemie’s three business eras (IPS, Simple Sales, Membership)
• 13:30 – The profitability equation and per-client math
• 16:32 – Overview of Unicorn, Workhorse, and Donkey business models
• 22:45 – Liz Hansen “sneaky donkey” case study
• 24:55 – Choosing your best-fit model, reflection questions
• 27:56 – Listener action steps to assess their current business
• 29:00 – Preview of next episodes and encouragement

Summary & Takeaway
This episode challenges prevailing wisdom in the photography world, encouraging listeners to look beyond blanket “raise your prices” advice. Annemie underscores that photographers have viable alternatives for increasing profit — through refining business structure, automating and streamlining, and choosing a model that matches their strengths and market realities. The episode is filled with actionable steps and real-world examples to empower listeners to get more out of their business without sacrificing their sanity, values, or client satisfaction.

Resources & Links Mentioned

• The Donkey, the Workhorse, and the Unicorn framework: revisit Episode 38
• Liz Hansen’s interview: Episode 242
• Business model quiz: thiscantbethard.com/quiz