[Ed_L]

We all know that the majority of people want a day's work for a few minutes pay. What can we do to make people realize that the work performed is worth much more than they expect or want to pay?

Ed

[Paul Rupp]

I have a portfolio with the steps it takes to restore an image. I show them the pictures of the restoration process (screen captures) and they see the time it takes and what actually goes into it.

I think it helps for them to have a "visual"

HTH

Paul Rupp

[jeaniesa]

GREAT idea Paul! I might use that myself if you don't mind.

-Jeanie

[Ed_L]

Paul,

Great idea! I think that would fall under the "educating the customer" category, which I always felt was the way to go. Out of curiosity, what percentage of your potential customers give you the idea that they think your prices are out of line, or more than they're willing to pay? There will always be some, but I think the education part might cause this percentage to decrease. I know Tom takes special care of his customer's images, and that in itself should help a lot. He also makes available information on the best conditions for storage and display. Many people will see this as an bonus that they weren't expecting, and it sets him apart from the guy next door who has Photoshop.
Ed

[kathleen]

i haven't made any marketing forays and don't consider myself a pro, but have a question or two.

do you think it's because of the widespread availability and use of Photoshop LE that people underrate the time/expense/effort that goes into a restore?

When i first heard about digital photo restoration i was immediately interested/enthused precisely because i had long had a few old family shots i wanted to see fixed, coupled with the knowledge that photo repair was very tedious and expensive (i think i gleaned that from little ads in the backs of magazines)(but that was hand restoration)

do you think they just don't know anything @ all, or know a little and it's proving dangerous? or just plain trying to get sumfin for nuthin

[Ed_L]

Kathleen,

I think it is a combination of things. People in general have no idea what is involved in doing a restoration. Some people might even think that because they've seen quite remarkable improvements from someone clicking on a button ("remove red eye" for instance), if someone has a more sophisticated program, they simply have to click on a button to remove scratches, replace missing picture parts, remove color casts, etc. The average person just doesn't know any better. Of course, there are always people just trying to get something for nothing. That's why scams work so well. There are still others who just can not see the difference in a good restoration and a poor one unless they are side by side. Take one of these people, show them where the differences are, what it takes to do the better job, and you've begun educating him. Most of the people in my own family don't see the detail in highlights and shadows. But if you put a good job of the same image next to a poor one, they'll know there's something that makes one better than the other. They just won't know what it is. Then there are the people who don't really care much about the image they have of Great Aunt Martha, who died in 1875. But since they have a picture, they think it *might* be nice to have a better one (for nothing, I might add). I think it all boils down to how much they care about their images, how much they understand about the process of restoration and the importance of older images. If they care little, or know little, chances are you have a potential problem with pricing. Ask some of your friends what they think a *fair* price would be for a relatively easy restoration. What about a more involved one? Then ask them what they know about the process, and what images mean to them. Gotta go. I'm losing my voice!

Ed

[kathleen]

chewy, ed. real chewy.

i think what you said about what the images mean to them is key. one anyway.

[thomasgeorge]

Very good points, Ed. I suspect that with the increasing avaliability of low cost Image manipulation programs there will be some who will quibble about price simply because they have seen someone who owns one of them do a minor and automated type correction and assumes that all restore work is just like that. One individual I know who owns one of these type programs ask me what program I use and when I replied Photoshop 6, he announce he uses Photoshop 7 ( and has told other folks the same thing!) OK...... Perhaps because this is such a new field, lots of folks simply dont have any idea of what it takes, time and knowledge wise, to do a restore. Thats where education comes in, Pauls approach should be standard for anyone trying to engage in this line of work as well as getting all the info you can on photo types and associated historical stuff as people tend to not argue with someone who obviously " knows their stuff". Just my opinion though.... Tom

[kathleen]

well i myself am getting photoshop 8 for christmas.

[thomasgeorge]

I shall now quietly step outside and howl in anguish at the moon. Tom

[kathleen]

and you do it so well. soulful, mournful, yet somehow tuneful. yes, hauntingly tuneful.

[Paul Rupp]

I would say that I have to "educate" about 20% of the customers that I get.

I have even gone as far as (with one customer that thought they KNEW IT ALL) loading there image in Photoshop and let them sit in front of the computer and give it a shot. He managed to delete the image after pressing buttons and monkeying around for about 15 minutes, he did NOTHING to the image. He decided it was best to PAY me for the job he wanted done.

People seem to like seeing what goes into the restoration and the care that is taken with there images. I usually wear white gloves when I am working with a very old image. It gomes out of there packaging, goes on the scanner, goes back into there packaging and gets put in a safe. Just in case I need it again.

HTH

Please feel free to use any of these ideas that I have presented. We are here to HELP one another.

Paul Rupp