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Everyone has a wish list for their business. Many of your ideas will likely include projects to grow your business to the next level. And to reach your goals, it’s often necessary for you to make more money. As a wedding photographer, what are things you can do to bring home additional income that does not require too much of your time? In our first post of this series, we discussed how to make more money by adding a photo booth to your pricing packages. Today, we’re excited to discuss how you can book mini sessions throughout the year to make more money.

How To Set Up Mini Sessions

Mini sessions can be something you do during the holidays or the slow season (or even when you have some free time). The important thing to note before booking mini sessions is you need to plan them properly and ensure they make you money, not the other way around. Here are a few additional tips to help you properly book mini sessions for your business.

1. Market Your Mini Sessions

Since your mini photo session packages are meant to make additional money for your business, make sure you market your mini sessions as they become available. Send an email to your client list with details like date, time, and your mini session pricing guide. As you wonder how to sell holiday mini sessions, you can use your blog and social media platforms to reach ideal clients who are not currently on your email list. Update your email list and get more active on social media to reach a larger audience size and grow your client base! 

You can include different photography mini session themes or mini sessions ideas like a quick family, newborn, or maternity portraits shoot. This can be planned around to attract both your past clients and other new ones who match the description of your ideal client.

Suggested Read: Holiday Session Email Templates For Wedding Photographers

2. Choose A Specific Date

Because mini sessions usually run about 15-20 minutes, you can fit multiple shoots into one day. This way, you can have slots for different clients who can book your different mini session packages. Having a specific date (or two) for all of your sessions and not offering additional dates will be advantageous, as clients will feel rushed to book a slot before it is taken. Plus, you will maximize your time instead of spending 20 minutes on different days when you could put your time toward something else. 

Remember to manage your mini session schedule well. When you take on a task that is not necessarily your number one profit-generating activity, it's vital that you schedule and time it correctly to profit from mini sessions. Mini session ideas for photographers can be planned around specific times of the year, like certain holidays or fall mini sessions. Design your mini session packages around the holiday and other periods to cash in on the volume. Ensure you have limited slots. If it gets full, don’t try and accommodate your full-time work, as it would defeat the whole purpose. You can include waiting lists or manage your existing and new clients separately. 

Suggested Read: Top 6 Ways To Boost Your Wedding Photography Sales

3. Charge A Fair Price 

When finalizing your photography mini sessions pricing, you need to think about a fair price. Make sure you are not overpricing the session. But also, don’t forget to include what is suitable for you. Although you take fewer photos, you still put in a similar amount of time as you would for an entire session.

Post-event sales should also follow the same process as a full session, resulting in additional income from each shoot. Schedule your in-person sales meeting when you first meet your clients, so they know their options. It is also a good idea to include a viewing when the images are finished, so you can continue to talk about their decisions to purchase other products.

Suggested Read: Top 5 Tips: Mastering In-Person Wedding Photography Sales

4. Avoid Over-Delivering

Your mini sessions are an alternative way for you to increase your overall income, so make sure you avoid over-delivering images or digital files to clients. For couples who wish for more photos, a specific date, or more time, suggest upgrading to your full sessions. By doing this, you can make sure that your full sessions remain as your client’s favorite and significant source of revenue for your company.

Instead of over-delivering on images, you can over-deliver on their experience with you. Like any other shoot, stay in constant communication, follow through on your promised turnaround time, and make the process as easy and exciting for them as possible. As you book mini sessions, you may also keep your image picks open-ended; allowing your clients to pick their favorite will render a client-favored approach. Include a specific number of samples along with an option to purchase more if the client wants.  

Further Read: A Fall Mini Sessions Guide For Wedding Photographers

When you properly manage to book mini sessions for your business, you can easily make more money and continue to reach your goals of taking your business to the next level. Another excellent way to bring in additional income is to encourage your clients from both your mini and full sessions to purchase prints! As you book mini sessions, either with your existing clients or by taking in new clients, it gives you a great opportunity to not only offer a unique photography experience but also showcase your photography style.