I've Waited Over Two Years to Publish This Post.
I still remember the first time I ever put together a cost estimate for a nonprofit client. I had no idea what to charge. AII I knew was that I really, really wanted to work with this organization. I dug around on the internet for guidance. I called a friend for advice. But ultimately I pulled numbers from thin air. It took me years – yes, years! – to figure out what to charge for my work.
I don't want you to go through what I went through; and so my business partner, Laura and I are excited to share our first online course over at NGO Storytelling. Registration is open now until June 7, 2019. The course starts on June 8, 2019.
We’ve been working on a project for over two years and we’re finally ready (and excited!) to share it with you. Our online course, Pricing Nonprofit Photography, is live and accepting students from May 31 to June 7, 2019.
Have you ever struggled with how much to charge nonprofits for your photography? Feel guilty about asking nonprofits to pay you for your photography? Don’t have a head for numbers? Let us help you!
We created this course for other humanitarian storytellers when we realized there’s one question readers ask us over and over: “How much should I charge nonprofits for my photography?” We’ve tackled this subject on our blog numerous times. But it was becoming clear that people wanted more details and guidance. So, we decided to create an online course filled with videos, worksheets and bonus materials to help you better understand what you need to charge and give you the confidence to say yes to the right jobs and no to the wrong ones.
Who should sign up?
This course is right for you if you’re a photographer, photojournalist, visual storyteller, or a person with an interest in photography and you are confused about what to charge for your services. It’s a short, self-directed study on setting the prices that are right for YOUR business. The experience is designed to give you specific tools that will help you understand what you need to do to stay in business.
Who shouldn’t sign up?
This course isn’t right for you if you want help finding clients, creating and negotiating contracts, creating shot lists or learning what to do on assignments.
If you want us to give you an exact number to charge, this course isn’t for you. Every photographer’s numbers are different and we’ll teach you how to calculate yours. And that number can change on a regular basis based on your overhead, how many days a year you work, and how much income you bring in.
This course might not be right for you if you're an experienced photographer with established business practices that are working for you. We believe that experienced photographers can learn something new from this course but it's likely more beneficial to photographers in their early to mid career.
This course is not right for you if you want to know how to find work with nonprofits. We haven’t made that course yet. But we did do a podcast on the subject.
It’s not right for you if you’re looking for a one-on-one business or life coach.
It’s not right for you if you don’t want to do any legwork. Accurate calculations require reviewing past receipts and estimating future expenses. If you’re expecting us to hit the easy button for you then this isn’t the course for you.
It’s not right for you if you’re looking for an easy way to make money. There is no easy way to make money in the photography industry. It requires creativity, varying income streams, and lots of sticktoitiveness. You really need to love it to be here and we can only show you how to set your numbers so that your business has a real chance of success.
How much time do I need to commit to this course?
If you watch all the videos, fill out all the worksheets and listen to the podcast all in one go, you should be able to finish everything in about one hour. We strive to give you the the fundamentals of pricing in a short amount of time so you can apply them to your business immediately. Now that’s an hour well spent!
How much does this course cost?
The course fee is $129 unless otherwise stated due to a sale. It must be paid in full upfront before starting the course.
We know how hard it is to commit your hard-earned cash to training when you’ve got bills to pay and gear to buy. But staying in this business means valuing what you create. We can help you calculate a creative fee that is fair both to you and the nonprofit organizations you work with.
You may feel awkward asking organizations that do such life-affirming work in the world to pay you. But remember: your professional pictures and stories will help them share their mission and bring in funds. Also, they are businesses – ones that must show a zero balance sheet at the end of the year, granted – and so are you. Just as they invest in great people and technology to keep their organizations running, you, too, can invest in yourself with this course to further your professional development and keep your business running.
I hope you’ll consider joining me in this course. Have more questions? Visit our comprehensive FAQ or email us at hello@ngostorytelling.com.