.png)
Mini-sessions are more popular than ever as they offer an affordable and convenient way for people to capture special moments and memories. But, with so many photographers offering mini-sessions, it can be challenging to stand out and attract clients. That's why we’ve put together this blog post, where we'll discuss some effective marketing strategies that can help you promote your photography mini-sessions and reach your target audience. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting out, these tips will help you increase your visibility and attract more clients for your mini-sessions.
That’s why mini-sessions are lower cost than regular sessions. They allow you to maximize your time and offer volume pricing. For more in-depth details about mini-sessions, grab our free Ebook, a complete guide to mini- sessions.
Pricing your photography services correctly is critical to the success of your business - especially mini sessions. If you set your prices right, you’ll not only cover your expenses, make a profit, and grow your business but it gives you the confidence to attract the right clients. On the other hand, setting the wrong price can result in undervaluing your skills and time, working yourself to burnout and making no money, and eventually going out of business.
Picsello’s Smart Profit Calculator can take the guesswork out of pricing your mini-sessions. No more copying another photographer’s unprofitable prices and not making any money. The proprietary calculator has over three years of global industry research and personal experience from thousands of profitable photographers. The calculator asks you for the most relevant information from your photography services, such as - how much you want to work, how much money you want to make, your expenses, and more- and gives you the output of the pricing you need to charge to have a sustainable business!
While there are no set times of the year that you are limited to when you are creating mini-sessions, there are definitely times and occasions when they will be sure to be in demand with your current and potential new clients. Some of the most popular mini-sessions by month are focused on holidays and seasonal activities. You can pretty much create a mini-session around any theme you can think of. With the right marketing and audience, you will book them!
You’ll still want to use many of the same tactics as marketing your full-length sessions, but with a few tweaks that cater to the nature of mini-sessions so you can be sure to get the most marketing juice out of your efforts.
Mini-sessions are short, quick, and hit on seasonal or interesting themes (usually). Have your mini-session marketing match that energy by including urgency in your messaging with language like, “limited time only”, and “only a few spots left”, reminding clients what they need at that time seasonally (holiday cards, Mother’s Day gifts, etc), and by making it super quick and easy for them to book a session.
Pro tip: Don’t forget the importance of identifying your target audience. This will help you know where to put more of your posts and ad spends. Remember for mini-sessions you can cast a broader net, so use that to your advantage when sharing your available sessions.
Marketing your mini-sessions is not just something you post once in a Facebook group and expect everyone to see it and rush to your website! As with all businesses, it takes a little more planning - but it can be really fun to do. As your business grows, you will see that it becomes easier to do! Following the steps below will ensure that you are booking out your mini-sessions in no time!
Your email list is such a valuable tool for sharing upcoming mini-sessions. If you have built up a strong email list of past clients, send out a ‘first dibs’ email to them, tell them they are your VIPs so they get first pick of your upcoming Limited Edition Mini-Sessions, and create urgency by noting that they should book within the next 48 hours before you release them to the public. Don’t for get to included a link to your mini-session client booking page so they can book directly from the email
If you are new to your photography business and don’t have an email list of past clients, simply make a list of your friends and family’s emails. Send them a promotional email regarding your upcoming sessions and ask them to share your email with anyone they know who would love these sessions. Remember to add ‘limited edition’, and ‘only a few spots left’ to create urgency and increase demand.
One of the most important aspects to include in any of your marketing is an image of the Mini-Session you are promoting. If you don’t have an image or use an image with people in, your clients can’t visualize what they are buying and it becomes harder to sell. Please don’t use another photographer’s images as you don’t have the legal rights to use them and can get yourself into a legal issue there! Check out the blog post How to Build Your Portfolio the Right Way for some tips on getting those images for your marketing materials.
P.S. Are you a member of the Picsello Business Mastermind? Along with all of our classes, education, and community connection we also regularly send out marketing swipe copy to our mastermind members that you can use to send promotional emails just like this one!
Local Facebook groups can be a great place to post about your limited-edition mini-sessions. Again, include a sense of urgency, a call to action, a link, clear instructions for booking, and relevant sample images. Before posting, double-check the rules of the group. Some don’t allow business promotions or only allow them on certain days.
You can also post on Instagram, sharing images from past mini-sessions and prompting viewers to DM you for a booking link or to head to your link in bio to snag a session while they are still available. Ask your friends and other local businesses to share with their followers too!
Partnering and networking with other local businesses is key to running a local business. Supporting other local businesses and helping them succeed is not only a great feeling but also works well for your business as sometimes they can repay the favor. If you find local businesses that share the same target audience it can be a win, win for both of you to partner. Ask them to share and like your posts. Remember to always be supporting their businesses by sharing and recommending their businesses too.
Never underestimate the power of your blog! Posting about upcoming mini-sessions and optimizing those posts for SEO can increase your chances of showing up in search engines like Google for people looking for mini-sessions. You can also add forms to your website homepage to encourage people to check out and book your upcoming sessions.
Utilize Google Events for your Mini-Session Events. When someone searches for photographers in your area, your event can appear in their search feed. Tons of people are also searching for “mini sessions near me,”- so don’t forget to use this tool for marketing your minis! Check out this post to learn more about using Google Business Profile as a great marketing tool.
A great way to get new clients for your mini-sessions is to run ads and sponsored posts through social media and/or Google ads. You can target your ads to reach specific demographics, including a certain age range, location, occupation, etc. For more information on advertising on Facebook, check out this fantastic blog post by Rod Alan.
Mini-sessions are super popular, especially around certain holidays and occasions. So, don’t let your potential bookings sign up with another photographer before you have your events set up. Get your sessions created and start promoting them early on and get in on that early bird action.
Creating a sense of scarcity and urgency is an extremely effective way to get clients to book immediately.
Your goal is to get immediate clients, so you need to explain why clients want to book today, not a few weeks from now
MIni-Sessions are popular right now, and that means a lot of competition. But don’t worry, you can stand out from the crowd. Highlight what makes your photography uniquely your own and your clients will respond. When you are promoting your mini-sessions, bring attention to what makes your mini-sessions special- share past minis, fun stories, and what your clients loved and used their mini-session images for in different seasons. People like things to be easy- the more your clients can easily see themselves in the shoes of your past clients' experiences, the faster they will book you for their own photoshoot.
Before we wrap it up, let’s talk briefly about a few watch-outs when it comes to offering mini-sessions in your business. The biggest thing you want to remember is that mini-sessions are not just a more affordable custom shoot. Mini-sessions are NOT custom. Clients can’t pick the date or location for a mini-session. If the clients are looking for newborn photos or family photos on a specific date, a mini-session is not for this situation.
In order for you to charge low prices and still make a profit, you have to book multiple mini-sessions back-to-back. That’s why a mini-session has to take place in one location chosen by the photographer, and then advertised to a group of people who are signing up for that. This is why a mini-session can’t take place at a client’s house or on a date of their choosing, those are full-length, custom sessions.
.png)
You can successfully market your photography mini-sessions with these strategies. By using different marketing tools, such as social media, email marketing, and networking, you can successfully promote your mini-sessions to current and potential clients and increase your bookings.
Remember to showcase your unique style and value proposition in your marketing efforts so you will stand out from the competition. With a clear marketing plan and consistent efforts, your photography mini-sessions can become a profitable part of your growing business!
P.S. If you haven't yet, don’t forget to try out Picsello’s Mini-Session scheduler and booking app that lets you create, share, and book events all from one place (and on the go!)
Sign up | Access tools | Get the business you want
Before you leave, sign up for The Lens and join our community of 10,000+ photographers- get business tips, free resources, and feature updates directly to your inbox once a month.
.jpg)
