I got into taxidermy for one purpose: to mount the deer I harvest each year. Not necessarily to save money but for the pure joy of doing it. So far, it has been a great experience but nonetheless challenging.
This year I'm planning on doing even more mounts and have offered several of my friends to mount their deer free of charge, simply for the practice.
So here is my question. At what point or stage of my experience would it be reasonable to expect to start charging for services? Secondly, given that most taxidermist in my area charge between $350 on up for a deer mount, what would be a reasonable fee for my services given my experience (assuming the quality was comparable.)
The reason I'm asking all these hypothetical questions is because I would like to end up doing this on a part time basis. And yet, I don't want to offend the local taxidermist who might think I'm just wet behind the ears.
STEVE
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I got into it to make cash on the side. Everything I have mounted for practice is sold. I have customers that will only use me and none of the established guys with more experience. If the quality of your work is good then you have no worries. Who gives a crap what the other guy thinks of you. What matters is what the customers think. In my area alot of the old timers are burned out and have a huge volume of business and hire people to do the mounts. So the guy doing the mounts (not necessarily the guy with 20+ yrs)may have less experience than you do and do crappy work. My work looks alot better than most according to my customers.
Over time they still expect the breaks. It's okay to cut them some slack, but I would charge a little on the side. $1500 fleshers don't pay for themselves! And screw what the "other" guy thinks. If they're any good, why should they care.
Why should you charge less then the average in your area? If you have the idea that customers will flock to the cheapest price, then be $10 less than the others instead of $250 less. It takes the same amount of work for you to do a deer as the high priced fellow. Don't [expletive deleted] your work out. Cut your friends some slack once, and let them know that the second one will be the same as everyone else, they will come back, they will understand.
and people will gladly wipe thier feet on you; friends first, family a close second.
= lady of the night.
I did the same thing your doing only i charged $150.00 per deer head ,I recommend no less than 10 deer heads under your belt before charging. You don't want to get too many [under par] mounts out there it could hurt any future business.If your really serious get some training ,as far as offending the locals that's hard to avoid. beware of so called friends
Friends are the worst customers! They think you are robbing them no matter what you charge them. They bring you crappy animals to work on etc. They think they are doing you a favor by bringing you work. They are out drinking beer all day and fishing while you are prepping a pile of capes, yet they think you love it so you should do it for free.
Watch out for family and friends because they are the ones that take advantage the most. I have two mounts left from this year that have not been picked up and paid for and you guessed it ! One is a family member and the other a friend. Good Luck and charge accordingly because you will never get any where doing this for nothing.
...when starting taxidermy. Why is it, that you folks, from any normal walk of life, can ask such a dumb question? Yes, it IS a dumb question. It doesnt take a taxidermist to know the answer here. Since when do we need to mount a certain amount of work before we can charge? You mean to say, your TIME isnt worth anything yet? In theory, a guy who is beginning has way more time into a deerhead than I would, so again, in theory, he ought to charge way more than me! Certainly not less, or nothing! So, at least charge the going rate. They know you are new. They know it might not be the best mount youll ever do. Charge what your TIME and EFFORT is worth, not what the END RESULT is perceived as. Finally, and read the whole post here and think before you get pi$$ed, as I am helping you...when you make these decisions, make them as an adult with a brain, not a a budding taxidermist. Use all that common sense youve acquired over time!
Very well stated!
PLAN FOR SUCCESS! Bill stated it about as well as anyone could.
But I would like to add this. Charge the norm for your area. if you try to build a business on undercutting every one else. you will not only eventually fail you will take $$ out of the pockets of those who depend on this industry to support their family. Just because someone tells you. You do better work than so and so. does not make it a fact. many people will tell you what they think you want to here.
I have people tell me how much better my work is than Brian's Taxidermy. well, I know for a fact that there just is not that much difference. Brian is my son in law, and worked for me for over 11 years. but people seem to think I need to have my arm pumped. its just the way they are. Next year they will tell Brian the same about me.
Do your best, be honest with your customers, deliver what, and when you promise. Act and charge like a professional. remember the bargain hunters often carry a whole bunch of baggage with them.
Boy, Bill Yox hit it right on the head. Word for Word. So did everyone else regarding friends and family. But no one answered your question. Start charging right now and then start (repeat - start) at $400. Some day you'll know that all this advice is correct. It's just that most beginnig taxidermists are slow on the uptake. Me included! Good Luck, rwl
Yox, did you speed read my post or just decide to give a slap-stick answer? As Rick mentioned, no one answered my question? How dumb is that?
My question was, "At what point or stage of my experience would it be reasonable to expect to start charging for my services?" My question wasn't, "At what point or stage of my experience would it be reasonable to expect to stop do things for FREE. See the difference?
STEVE
"My question was, "At what point or stage of my experience would it be reasonable to expect to start charging for my services?" My question wasn't, "At what point or stage of my experience would it be reasonable to expect to stop do things for FREE. See the difference?"
Ya, I noticed that nobody answered your question. First, you should be licensed in your state before you begin charging. You also need to be set up as a business before you can charge for your services. You also will need to get the OK from your local zoning for your business. In my state (MI) I have to deal with sales tax. Don't forget business insurance because to run a business without insurance would be foolish. You will have to keep track of all business finances separate from your personal finances and likely hire an accountant. So, actually your experience level is the least important factor in deciding when to start charging. You have to commit to your hobby becomming a business. Only you can answer your question on when you are ready to go commercial. If you start out turning out subpar work, then your business' reputation might get ruined from the getgo. You have to take a honest look at your work to determine that. There are lots of references available for you to make a comparison. Also, your potential volumn has to be high enough to justify the cost of operating the business. If it doesn't, then you're better off just keeping it a hoby. Any as for frieds or family, I would never give them any breaks on your price. If they want to trade you something of equal value or you owe them a favor (or you will get a favor back from them), then that would be OK, otherwise they are just using you.
not sure I see much of a difference
Steve, My 2 cents...if your work is at a point where people are happy with it, you should charge. When I started and needed practice, I asked my friends for deer they killed that they normally wouldn't get mounted. You know, basic bucks. Then I mounted them at my expense. I never agreed to give them the mount. I wasn't happy with some early ones and they got trashed. I'd remove the rack and give it back. When I was more satisfied, I might offer the friend the mount for free after the fact. Made then real happy since they didn't expect it. The only friendly favor involved was the friend donating the deer with no expectation to ever see it again. Once you get past the learning stage, now its a whole new question as to how to handle friends. I don't give any price breaks per se but sometimes I trade. For example, I have a friend who lets me hunt his land every year and has for years. He's killed a few trophy's and I chose to do them for free. I figured its a fair trade. I agree with most written above about dealing with friends.
Hi
When I first started (much like you) I did my own mounts and a few for friends for cost of materials. I thought my mounts were OK and my friends thought they were great. When I decided to start charging and trying to develope a customer base I joined my state association and did two mounts for the state competition. I told myself that I would need to earn a ribbon (in any division) before I thought that my work would be worth charging for. After all, the judge is a pro taxidermist. Once I got a ribbon I felt that the quality was there to charge accordingly. I charge the same as the local full-timers.
Steve
If you don't like the answers to "this should get everyone stirred up" don't ask such no common sense questions.
1. If you don't charge friends and relatives you will wish you had.
1a. Why wouldn't you charge and at a rate that makes a profit?
2. Compete with yourself don't worry about the competion.
2a. Why are you worrying about stepping on the toes of the competion?
3. Don't do anything for free, charge from the get go, once these people get free service they expect free service for life.
3a.Do you get along with friends and relatives? You won't after you do this type of biz.
Been there done this ya da ya da ya da...over 35 yrs in taxidermy, the guys that are giving you, how should i say harsh answers are full timers who have been through the hard knocks you are heading straight into with your eyes wide open. The ones giving you answers to give you a smiley face are part time wanabes, that more than likely will be waiting for you to fail, and PROBABLY have less experience than you!
Or it would happen that we all charged for our work in the beggining but I learned the hard way friends and relatives suck when it comes to paying. I'm not sure which is worse of the 2 but heck yes I would charge them and not just for the materials. Like others have sais you do it once and its expected of you everytime. I don't do anything taxidermy involved for free except for my brother and he does pay for the materials and we are very close so he does stuff for me in return. I had a couple friends and relatives I did work for and all had the same outcome no pay or cheap as hell. good luck <Mark V.
you should do work for free is if the guy (friend) you are doing it for happens to be a plumber or painter or some other trade that you just happen to be in the need of. You do (Joes) deer for free and he concretes your driveway...see how it works?
(make sure you come out on top)
dispite what you think of your selves. And hell no that was not a dumb question for a beginner for crying out loud.
Steve. I would not charge full price till my work is up to par. And it will take more than your friends judgment or even your own to determine this.
Working for free is fine as long as you are just having fun. Helping out (true ) friends is also fine. Again, as long as you are having fun with it. I once helped a friend by mounting his whole african safari for free. BECAUSE I ENJOYED IT. Guess what, a few years latter when he was better off he paid my way to africa. Yes it pays to help people some times.
However if your work is COMPARABLE to the others your price should be too. But if you are a beginner I think prices should be based on quality.
Also, many mounts are very precious to some people and you should not except them if your not experienced. I have seen people crying over poor mounts that were ruined by other taxidermist and expected me to be able to fix them. This has taught me even after 30 years to not except things that I am not experienced in unless it is understood that I might not be the best at that particular area of taxidermy.
My advice to you would be to keep practicing and having fun. Don't jump into the business end of it to fast. Ease into it and see if you really like it after a year or two. This business can wear you out and make you bitter. Just read the responses to your questions. GOod luck.
To clarify from my earlier post: I think I have 3 people on my list of true friends. They are the kind of friends that would burn up a weekend with me helping me work on a broken down vehicle etc. They get the special pricing. Everyone else just becomes your friend each fall, they are the ones to avoid.
Look up, it went right over your head, Im afraid. To sum it up (and I cant believe Im doing this all over again...) if you mount, charge for it. It cant get any more simple then that...This aint nasty, this is blunt, just like your customers will be, and just like business is. Welcome to the business world.
After reading this post 4, 2, days . the answer to your question ,If your mounting than charge $ for your work at the least materials, tanning ,etc, and When you feel your work is comparable than $300.00 is a good starting point.Also if required in your state get a licence ,permits, tax # [etc] make sure your azz is covered. Good luck.
Your friends will expect at cost everytime there after. When you start to charge and expect them to pay, they'll get sour at you and make YOU out as the ass! Happened to me. Atleast I thought they were my friends. That's ancient history anyhow. And history is the greatest teacher. I've learned.
or stage of your experience would it be reasonable to expect to start charging for your services?
You start with the first one you do for somebody other than yourself!
The day you start handing out free mounts will be the beginning of the end. Your credibility will be shot! If you dont think enough of yourself and your work to charge for it, then how can you expect anyone to take you seriously as a businessman?