And I agree, Matthew, it makes the pricing more rock solid. If the client asks me to lower the overall price, I tell them that’s fine, let’s pull out the estimate and see what services they would like to cut. More often than not nothing gets cut, the job goes through at the estimated price, and they’re so happy they add more final files to the end of the job. Good deal!

To your point, Craig, as professional photographers we only get one chance to make a good (professional) first impression. They may not end up sending us all of their work…just the good, profitable stuff.

Slowing the process down like this can help to reassure the client that you will be able to control and handle a hectic, hair-pulling, high pressure job. That is a quality-minded client would be reassured. One that just wants a low-end price isn’t as worried about the quality and will shop prices around for his next job anyway. The quality minded client though, will remember that you helped them out of a difficult position and be more inclinded to send more work to you in the future.

Another advantage to your approach is that a detailed, written estimate appears more solid and less negotiable than a verbal ballpark figure.