Why low–retainer pricing doesn’t work isn’t just a theory I read somewhere. It’s a lesson I lived, session after session as a photographer, until I finally understood what I was really doing to my business—and to myself.
I was taught that the key to a successful photography business was volume. Get more people through the door, and eventually, sales would follow. It made sense on paper—more clients meant more chances to sell, right?
That belief cost me time, energy, and more frustration than I care to admit.
The Model I Trusted
When I started out, I followed the Sue Bryce model. If you’re in the portrait photography world, you know the name. Her approach was revolutionary for many photographers: set a low session fee—a minimal retainer—to remove the barrier to entry. The idea was that once clients saw their images, they’d fall in love and invest. But there was no commitment, ever.
Oftentimes clients do purchase, but you’re still servicing clients who don’t.
But here’s what I didn’t question back then—and what I’m calling out now: no other service industry operates this way.
Wedding planners don’t plan your entire wedding and then hope you’ll pay them at the end. Coaches don’t give you twelve sessions and then ask if you’d like to invest. Interior designers don’t redesign your living room on spec. They require deposits. They require commitment. They require skin in the game before the work begins.
But photographers? We were taught to do all the heavy lifting upfront—the planning, the session, the editing—and then cross our fingers at the reveal. We were told this was the path to success.
And from what I’ve seen? Photographers are more likely to experience burnout than almost any other creative profession. We’re pouring ourselves into clients who haven’t committed, chasing volume to make up for the ones who walk away, and wondering why we’re exhausted and resentful. It’s not a mystery, it’s math.
I didn’t question it then because I didn’t know enough. I trusted the model because someone I admired built it. But now? Now I encourage anyone listening to throw this shit out the window.
Because a low entry point is a filter—and it lets everyone in. When you charge $300 to book, you’re not just lowering the barrier. You’re inviting people who are curious, not committed. You’re attracting clients who want to “see how it goes” rather than clients who are ready to invest in themselves.
This is why low-retainer pricing doesn’t work.
I was front-loading all the work—for people who had no skin in the game. I was giving away my labor for their curiosity.
The Clients Who Showed Me Why Low-Retainer Pricing Doesn’t Work
I’ll never forget the sessions where I poured everything into creating stunning images, only to sit across from someone at the reveal who said, “These are beautiful, but I don’t want to spend that much.”
That’s when it hit me: the low retainer had already told them what to expect. It said, “This isn’t a big investment.” It said, “You don’t have to be serious about this.”
And they weren’t.
Then there was the client who didn’t just hesitate—she never paid at all. I’d put in hours of work, given my creativity and time, and ended up empty-handed. There’s nothing quite like the gut-punch of realizing all that energy went to someone who was never truly invested to begin with.
Meanwhile, the clients who did invest upfront? They showed up prepared. They were excited. They trusted the process because they had already committed to it. Client alignment wasn’t something I had to manufacture — it was built into the transaction from the start.
The retainer wasn’t just a payment. It was a declaration of intent.
Why This Matters for Every Woman in Business
I’m a photographer, but this lesson isn’t just for photographers.
If you’re a consultant, a coach, a designer, or a service provider of any kind, you’ve probably faced the same temptation. Lower the price to get more leads. Offer a cheap entry offer to get people in the door. Do the work upfront and hope they’ll see the value later.
But here’s what research consistently shows: underpricing doesn’t just attract more clients—it attracts the wrong clients. According to Harvard Business Review, pricing communicates value. When you set a low price, you’re telling the market that what you offer isn’t worth much. And the people who respond to that message? They believe it.
Women entrepreneurs are especially prone to this trap. Studies show that women are more likely to underprice their services due to imposter syndrome, fear of rejection, or a desire to be “accessible.” But accessibility without boundaries leads to burnout, resentment, and a client roster full of people who don’t respect your expertise.
Front-loading work for clients who haven’t committed is like giving away the meal and hoping they’ll pay for it because they loved it so much. Sometimes they do. Most of the time, they walk away full, and you’re left wondering why you’re exhausted.
What I Do Differently Now
I no longer apologize for my pricing. My retainer reflects the value of my time, my expertise, and the transformation I help my clients experience.
And you know what? The clients who book now are different. They come in knowing this is an investment. They’re aligned with the process before we ever start. They trust me because they’ve already shown they trust themselves enough to commit.
That shift didn’t just change my income. It changed my energy. I stopped chasing volume and started cultivating quality. I stopped resenting my work and started loving it again.
The Real Filter
Your pricing is a filter. Every business owner gets to decide what that filter lets through.
A low entry point says: “Come on in, no commitment required.” A confident, value-based price says: “This is for people who are serious about transformation.”
Now that you know why low-retainer pricing doesn´t work you could ask yourself…Which clients do you want to work with?
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