Hello there, new to this forum and relatively new to making the transition to doing cakes full-time. My question: I was recently thrilled to be asked to create a cake, mini-cakes, and decorated cookies for a sweet table done by a local event planning company. The sweet table will be professionally photographed. I quoted full price for the order, but when the client came back to me and seemed a little taken aback by my price (I don't think the price was outrageous - I feel I am starting to charge what I'm worth but still tend to undercharge a bit) I started worrying that maybe it wasn't right of me to charge full price, since I will be benefitting from the professional photographs as well and it's a great opportunity for me (assuming she is OK with me posting them on my fb site while crediting both the photographer and the event planning company), so I took about 20% off the order. I guess I'm wondering, should I have deducted more? Or none at all? What is the etiquette here, I have no idea. I just want to make sure I'm doing the correct thing. Would love any advice!

AOn one hand I can understand giving a small (maybe 10 percent) discount to secure a large order but on the other hand, your price is your price. Your ingredient cost and time aren't worth any less just because someone's going to take pictures of your work. You'll have several clients ask for discounts since "there will be so many people at my event that will see your cake." But that doesn't necessarily warrant a discount...

I realize I wasn't much help... sorry.

I itemize every item on my sweet tables. That helps explain why they cost so much. If people see that a decorated cookie costs 4. each that's realistic and makes sense. A professional should understand this.

I've never had good luck getting professional photographs (often they aren't better then mine), unless the client themselves were the photographer. So that wouldn't be much of an incentive for me.

AND consider this, how many photographs of one sweet table are really usable for you? At the most you could use maybe 6 shots for promotion..........more than that is redundant and not showing a good range.

It would be more of an incentive it they were going to get those photographs published, then I'd give a better discount!

Thanks Stitches and manddi for your replies, both were very helpful!! Stitches as far as I know the photos won't be published, so you're right, while it's a definitely a plus for me to have professional photos of my work (if they turn out well) it probably doesn't warrant a bigger discount than I've already given.

Thanks again, you both made really good points and I feel better about the situation and in the future I'll know what to do! 

AUnless the photographer is the client, you haven't really exchanged anything.

It may even be that you will need to pay the photographer for any photos or rights to use them.

Presentation matter a lot, because people eat with their eyes first.Its all about the sensation, So it should look good and appealing.
 

Is this for their company for advertising? Or is it for an actual client?

I have been asked to collaborate in the past for certain things- bridal shows, photo shoots, etc, and it's usually pro-bono. I usually consider it creating relationships between other vendors and a cost of doing business. I think once I charged a small fee because it was so last minute, but I guess around here it is assumed that by collaborating you all benefit from the finished product. 

Although I would argue that you as the baker would have put in the most work of the group. 

This spring I set up a booth at a Woman's Day Out and a "professional" took pictures of my table.  I asked her if she would mind to email me a couple of the pictures.  When I received them I laughed!  They were so blurry I couldn't use them.  I hope she is a better photographer for her paying customers.