Apple Podcasts |Spotify |Transcript

More Resources: Free Minis Marketing Class| FB Ad Mini Course

If you’ve ever felt frustrated posting your mini sessions over and over on social media and still not seeing bookings come through—you're not alone. This is one of the biggest pain points I see photographers face. Social media feels like it should be enough, right? You’re doing all the things—posting daily, showing up in stories, maybe even creating reels. But somehow, your calendar still has open spots. The truth is, while social media can be a powerful tool, it is not a complete marketing strategy. Find out Why social media isn't enough to book out your Minis!

Here's What We'll Cover:

Why Social Media Isn't Enough  (1:49)

A Multi-Touch Strategy (5:00)

Beyond Social Media (7:05)

Resources Made for You (11:03)

Why Social Media Isn’t Enough to Book Out Your Minis

Let’s start with a harsh truth: you don’t own your Instagram or Facebook account. At any moment, the algorithm can shift—or worse, the platform can go down entirely—and your audience reach disappears with it. Even when things are working, only about 4% of your followers are actually seeing what you post. So if you have 1,000 followers, that’s only around 40–50 people seeing your content. And if your conversion rate is around 1–3% (which is normal), that’s barely enough interest to book even a single session. Relying solely on social media means you’re speaking to the same small circle over and over. To book out your minis, you need to get in front of new people... not just the followers who already know you.

You Need a Multi-Touch Marketing Strategy

Marketing isn’t about showing up in one place and hoping for the best. It’s about creating multiple touch points that guide someone from “interested” to “ready to book.” Experts say it takes at least 7 interactions before someone takes action, which means your audience needs to see your mini sessions a lot. Instead of focusing only on Instagram or Facebook, build a complete marketing plan that includes social media and email marketing, local outreach, SEO, and even paid ads. That way, you’re increasing visibility, staying top-of-mind, and creating urgency through repetition.

Go Beyond Social Media to Fill Your Calendar

If you’re ready to get serious about your marketing, it’s time to go beyond your social feed. Start by posting in local Facebook groups to reach moms in your area who aren’t following you yet. Next, partner with local businesses (think boutiques, preschools, coffee shops, or pediatrician offices) for cross-promotions that benefit both of you. Make sure your SEO is on point, so that when someone Googles “family photographer in [your city],” your site actually shows up. And if you’re up for it, try running Facebook and Instagram ads to target new families in your area. These tools, used together, help you reach way more...

Apple Podcasts |Spotify |Transcript

More Resources: Email Freebie| Flodesk Discount

Email marketing is one of the most powerful tools for booking out your mini sessions, yet many photographers overlook it. If you’ve ever struggled to fill your spots, relying only on social media, it’s time to rethink your approach. Unlike social platforms, where algorithms limit your reach, emails land directly in your audience’s inbox. I hear from students all the time who are shocked at how effective email marketing is—they send a couple of emails and book out almost instantly! Today, I’ll talk through how to use an email list to book out your Mini Sessions. Plus, why it's important for you to get started now!

Here's What We'll Cover:

My Favorite Email Marketing Platform (2:49)

Why Start with Your Email List (4:03)

What to Send to Your Email List (7:43)

How to Grow Your Email List (10:57)

Why Use an Email List to Book Out Your Mini Sessions

Your email list is filled with your warmest leads (people who already know, like, and trust you). This makes email marketing the fastest and easiest way to turn potential clients into booked clients. While Instagram stories might only be seen by 4% of your followers, emails reach your entire list every single time. Plus, with the right strategy, you can create a personal connection with your audience, keeping them engaged and eager to book when your minis go live.

What to Send to Your Email List

If you’re wondering what to send, start with a four-email sequence for your Mini Session launch. First, a teaser email to build anticipation, second a "Now Booking" email giving your list first access, third an update email sharing how spots are filling up, and finally, a "Last Call" email to create urgency before opening to the public. Many photographers hesitate to send multiple emails, fearing they’ll annoy their audience, but the truth is—people are busy! A single email can be missed, and follow-ups ensure more eyes on your offer.

How to Grow Your Email List

If you're not sure how to grow your email list, start with past clients! Invite them to join your VIP email list for exclusive early access to sessions. Use social media to collect emails with a freebie, like a Mini Session prep guide, or run a giveaway where entry requires signing up. The key is to take action today! Start building your list and commit to growing it. Your email list has the potential to transform your business, making Mini Session bookings easier and more profitable than ever!

Some actions steps I want you to take include starting your list today! Grab my Email Freebie and get started. I'll walk you through how to get going. Second, check out this

Let's talk about Mini Sessions! I'm doing a Mini Sessions Q & A from a thread in my Facebook group. There were tons of great inquiries so I'm taking the time to go through and answer now!  I'm also hosting a LIVE webinar this coming Thursday (if you're reading this current and up to date) all about MINI SESSIONS! This is a brand new class I've never taught and we'll have a Q&A section at the end for that too! So, if today's podcast hits home you'll definitely want to join. Be sure to register HERE regardless of if you can make it live or not. Thursday, July 13th @ 1:00pm CST. Once you register you'll receive the replay and get all the fresh content. Now, let's jump in!

This specific question stated, "If your sessions are 20 minutes and one of your children doesn't cooperate what do you do?" Here's the thing, my mini sessions are 10 minutes and most of my students do 15 minutes. So, when a child is crying the whole session or not wanting to participate you just do your best. If you're booking with a family and the parent knows ahead of time the child will struggle, opt for a full session. So what do you do? Keep snapping, try posing different angles to avoid the crying face, book with them in 6 months from now! Most of the time kids are uncooperative because it's new. I did this with a family and the second session was incredible. We got to celebrate the major growth. I'm also a believer in capturing true memories. The reality is kids cry. They don't always cooperate and that's part of life's memories!

This is a loaded question because there is so much that goes into marketing. Join the free class to go deeper! I would say good advertising doesn't just post to your business Facebook page or Instagram. You need all the pieces of the puzzle to present a full picture.

Practice, practice, practice! Start at 15 minutes and use a posing workflow. If you're worried about clients feeling like they aren't served well, it's because you need confidence in your delivery. It's important to know you've captured the right shots so you can deliver a full gallery. But how do you get to this place? Practice. Have family and friends over and do 15 minute sessions with them back to back. I use this

Our next episode of the Business Journey Podcast is live today and we’re talking about something that’s really personal to me: community over competition. This is one of those topics that needs to be talked about and really isn’t… and simultaneously, when talked about too much, can lose it’s meaning. There are so many people in our industry that preach “community over competition” but don’t demonstrate actions that back it up. I seriously believe in it and I truly want my groups, students, and followers to believe in it too! So, let’s talk about what it really means to believe in community over competition.

First off, I strive to create an environment that is supporting in as many ways as possible for my students. And one of the things I’m most proud of is my Facebook group for my students. With Behind the Lens open for enrollment, it’s the easiest way to be added to this group. I’m so proud to hear my students rave about the empowering community we’ve created, and I hope you can join us too!

The first part of this idea is having an abundance mindset. We don’t need to be jealous or upset about those around us who do well. Instead, we have to truly believe and know that there ARE enough clients for all of us! We don’t need to hide in our shells and guard our secrets, because there are plenty of people to serve. And I honestly believe that – and that everyone’s ideal client is out there. And NOT every client is the person you’re meant to serve. So why wouldn’t you want to send them to someone who is the perfect match?! And not only that, but just because someone else is succeeding doesn’t mean that you won’t. Read that again, seriously!

Being part of a group that values community over competition means elevating others. Even if they are “your competition.” Remember what I just said about ideal clients? If you KNOW that you aren’t going to be the best person for a job, elevate or suggest someone else who would be. When I lived in Texas, I would always recommend another photographer if I couldn’t make the request work. In theory, she was my direct competition. And I may have lost some potential long-term clients to her but that’s okay! She seriously IS amazing and I had no problem sharing her name. And guess what? Something surprising happened – she began to do the same. If she couldn’t meet a request, she’d suggest me. THAT is the power of this community. Creating relationships that will elevate you and that you can elevate is a crucial part of community over competition. I TRULY wanted her to succeed!

Honestly, it seems silly to even mention this… but be kind. Building a community is about being kind and taking care of each other. Personally, I don’t understand how communities are built on bashing others – especially new photographers. We were all new at one point! Additionally, take the time to actually make connections and friends… not just a connection for personal gain. Just be mindful of your motives and make sure you’re taking care of the relationships and people around you.

When the idea of community over competition takes off in the right way, it can be SUCH an empowering and encouraging space for us business owners. I’m so grateful to everyone in my Facebook group who makes the Rebecca Rice Education group that way! We weren’t meant to face this road as entrepreneurs alone, so finding a good community is key to your success as a business owner, in my opinion. If we all do our best to create a...

It's Monday again! That means a new episode of the Business Journey Podcast has dropped and today we're talking about all the things related to an email list! I'm a HUGE believer that, as photographers, we should be utilizing our email lists to book more clients. Email lists are the perfect way to grow and build your audience, as well as continuing to serve your current audience. Today, I'm sharing four reasons you should have an email list as a photographer.

Before we jump into the why of an email list, I want to mention my favorite email software: Flodesk. In my opinion, it's the best one out there. It's beautiful, easy to use and kind of like the Canva of email systems! And, I even have a discount code for 50% off - for life! So definitely grab that and let's get started.

You might have heard this before, but an email list is really the only list of clients and potential clients that you own. You don't own your social media followers - sorry to break it to you. If your Instagram or Facebook page disappeared tomorrow, your email list has ALL of the potential clients you've connected with - and that's yours. If you 100% rely on your social media accounts to book clients, you're putting all of your eggs into one basket - and that basket could easily break. Email is never going to disappear, let's be real. So having a way to communicate with clients, no matter what happens, is important.

I used to get frustrated with my email list. It seemed like I was sending things out, but people weren't always opening them. Someone finally reminded me that just because they don't always open it doesn't mean it's not doing something! By having your name show up regularly in their inbox, you're staying fresh in those people's minds. It reminds your potential clients that you're there when they're ready to book!

Email lists are really easy ways to create exclusive experiences for your client - maybe discounts, first booking access, things like that. I call my email list my VIP list because I WANT my clients to sign up and be ready to receive information for me. You can use your email list to send out monthly tips as well as remind them when it's time to book for your next mini session. I use my list to find models when I need model calls, send out recent blogs they might find helpful, and early booking access. But whatever it is, take the time to help them via email - show them that you care and that you're thinking of them. All of this goes into making your client experience even more elevated!

Frankly, clients who sign up for your VIP list when they land on your website or book a session are READY to book you. So sending an email letting them know it's time to book will almost always result in sign ups. I know for me when I send out an email about new minis, within the hour, I've got 8-12 sign ups right away because people were waiting for it. They know me and trust me. They believe in my work and they're going to book a spot!

Honestly, I could come up with a million more reasons that email lists are amazing for photographers, but these four reasons you should have an email list sum up my feelings pretty well! I truly believe email lists are necessary for all photographers. I hope that you feel more confident about tackling your email list now, too! Seriously, the power of emails is incredible and I want every business owner to take advantage of them.

We're diving right into another epsiode of the Business Journey podcast today and this one's all about Pinterest for photographers! Pinterest is one of those marketing platforms that photographers tend to put on the back burner because it doesn't seem like a super big deal. But I'm a firm believer that all photographers should be on Pinterest. If you aren't, you're missing out on some huge marketing opportunities! These tips will be super practical and help you start your journey on Pinterest. And if you're looking for more tips, make sure you join us in Behind the Lens with Rebecca Rice - we've got a masterclass on Pinterest for this month as your bonus content!!

Pinterest is a search engine, not social media. It's not designed to connect us like other platforms. Instead, it's meant to be used for inspiration and to help drive traffic to your website. You won't probably book clients directly from Pinterest, and that's OKAY. Instead, use it to send people to your posts and website, which helps with your SEO! This helps tell Google your site is credible and worth sharing. It's a mindset shift, but an important one! Remember, the lifespan of a pin is much longer than a social media post - so it's worth starting a strategy.

When you first start out, figuring out what to pin can be difficult. But here's the thing: if you're blogging for your business (and you absolutely SHOULD be blogging!), you have content right there! Pin the images you include in the blog and share about the outfits. People will definitely search Pinterest for outfit ideas! Just make sure the images you share are linking back to your site - so that people go there to see the full post or tip you've pinned.

When I first started, I was terrible about keeping up with Pinterest. But now, I've learned to automate things! If I set aside one time a month to really focus on scheduling my pins, it works out way better for me! Currently, I'm sitting at about 1.8 million monthly viewers. That's people that are seeing those pins in their feed. I don't get traffic like that ANY where else but Pinterest. While that's a vanity metric, I did check on my recent clicks and I'm still hitting over 600 a month. That's GREAT for a month!!! What's even cooler is that if someone searches in Google for images, a lot of the ones that come up that are mine actually are from Pinterest - meaning that's ONE more way people are seeing my content.

Seriously, if you're not using Pinterest as a photographer, you're missing out! It's SUCH an incredible resource. It's one more way people can find you and it's free. Pins have a long lifetime, are searchable on Google, and will drive traffic to your site - which helps your SEO. It's a no brainer!!

PS.... If you want to see my full process for automating Pinterest, be sure to join us in the Behind the Lens with Rebecca Rice masterclass!

Why Pinterest Matters (3:00)

What to Pin (8:19)

The first quarter of 2021 is almost over! We thought it was the perfect time to talk about quarterly planning and goal setting with Kat Schmoyer, a guest expert and business coach. On this episode of the Business Journey Podcast, we’re talking about how to create goals you’ll ACTUALLY achieve in your business each quarter. Whether you’re trying to reach a new revenue goal or have a new project to launch, Kat’s got some quarterly planning tips for you!

It’s tempting to want to do all the things. It’s our nature as entrepreneurs to wear all the hats and dream big. But when you start thinking about goal setting and achieving those goals in 90 days, you have to be realistic. Set goals and a plan you can actually stick with. Think long and hard about the time you have available and what you can do with that time. 90 days (a quarter) isn’t a long time. Be ambitious, but realistic so you can actually meet some goals! Setting yourself up for failure isn’t fun for anyone!

When you set goals for your business, think about the WHY behind them. A new revenue goal is great but does it make sense? Are you realistically on target to do that new number? And if not, that’s okay. Set something more attainable. Also think about the time you have available to chase this goal. Is the goal you're setting really realistic in 90 days? Again, we don’t want to fail! And most importantly: make sure that this goal is actually useful for your business. For example, it’s GREAT to hit 10K followers on Instagram but if it’s not increasing your sales or your bookings, maybe another goal is a better use of your time.

Whatever kind of goal you set, make a plan to check in with yourself throughout the quarter. This will help you know what you need to give your attention to. We recommend creating a schedule of checkpoints every few weeks so you can monitor your progress and tweak your plan moving forward. This means that by the end of the 90 days, you’ll really understand what you did (or didn’t do) right to help move the needle forward in your business.

Creating quarterly goals is a GREAT way to create actual change in your business and these quarterly planning tips are a good way to start. With some hard work and focus, you can totally reach those big dreams! Try to remember to work in small, reasonable chunks – moving forward as much as you can every day. You’ve got this!

Kat's Quarterly Cure class

Kat's printable Quarterly Calendars

Our most recent episode of The Business Journey Podcast is a GREAT one. We have two very special guest experts chatting about all things Instagram Reels for Photographers. For this episode, we welcomed Natasha Coyle and Stephanie Kase to chat with me. They’re both incredible photographers and are taking the Instagram Reels world by storm!

Stephanie Kase is an Ohio wedding photographer and educator. She’s been in business for almost 7 years and has gone head first into education for photographers. You can find her on YouTube, where she focused a LOT on marketing through social media as well as Instagram.

Natasha Coyle is a Charleston wedding photographer and educator. She started her business when she was 34, a stay at home mom, and has created a thriving business! She’ll tell you that early on, she knew she had to connect with younger brides and grooms. So, she started working on short form video marketing and fell in love with it!

Both of our guest experts saw their following go from 4-5k to over 10K in the last few months. While that is a vanity metric and not truly indicative of how well a business is doing, it’s still important. It means their audience is growing. Short form video is a great way to create CONNECTIONS – that become people in your audience who you can sell to. But, these videos really show off your personality and connect with people on a personal level.

Sometimes the connections you make in videos are more powerful than anything you can write. People want to buy from people. Showing up in an authentic way for your audience through video is super powerful.

When you’re first learning, I won’t lie, it can be a little time consuming to start to make Reels. But, Stephanie and Natasha shared a few practical hacks to make Instagram Reels for photographers a bit easier. The first seems super obvious but just save inspiration when you’re on Instagram anyway. If you scroll by a Reel you like, save it and then use it as inspiration later – reuse the sound or do your own twist on the challenge. Another super easy tip is to batch create your content. Spend one afternoon filming a BUNCH of video that you can use for the Reels, then share them more strategically.

And here’s a quick reminder: everyone wants to be polished and put together when they film video but short form video is about being more free and who you are. Messy buns included.

Remember the purpose of Reels. Create them so that they’re helpful to you. Going viral is a flashy thing when it comes to social media… But, it won’t grow your brand – make sure you remember that first and foremost. The connection you build is the goal. But it’s something we’re all learning how to do! They’re meant to be joyful and to share your personality, so have a little fun with them.

Natasha and Stephanie shared LOTS of great tips on Instagram Reels for photographers, so make sure you listen to the full episode for them all!

Introducing the Guests (2:13)

Impact of Instagram Reels (6:28)

Hacks for Instagram Reels (11:53)

A Little Encouragement (21:33)

+ Meet Stephanie

Today's podcast episode is something that's coming from the heart. I have so many friends and students who have reached out to me, saying they struggle with the comparison that comes along with the photography industry. It makes me SO sad. Because comparison kills so many things in our lives: joy, excitement, motivation, and so much more. I wanted to share three easy and practical ideas that help me with fighting comparison in the photography industry. I hope you find something helpful and bring back some of the joy in your life!

The first and possibly the biggest thing that helps fight comparison in the photography industry is a mindset shift. There's two big pieces here. First, try to focus on the fact that there are plenty of clients to go around. Every market is saturated. But every client is NOT your client. And that's a good thing! We all serve our clients differently and you want to attract the people that are a good fit for your business! And remember that every journey looks differently. Our businesses and our homes, lives, and clients look different. That's perfectly okay! That doesn't mean anyone is doing it "better" than you!

And, second: Remember that elevating someone else does NOT push you lower. It doesn't hurt you to cheer someone else on. And not everyone is competition. There are more than enough clients out there for all of us. These photographers around you aren't your competition.  Our hearts are healthier and happier when we support those around us - not tear them down. So here's a challenge for you today: cheer someone on that's killing it!! Celebrate the good stuff.

There's SO many places for photographers to connect online: Facebook groups, Instagram, education support groups, the list goes on and on. Just remember that community over competition really matters. While a lot of these online forums are great and supportive, there's plenty that aren't. If you're in a place that turns more toxic or even just FEELS toxic, say goodbye! It's not healthy to constantly live in a situation where you just compare yourself to others. Give yourself the freedom to leave a situation that isn't good for you. And seriously, this attitude MATTERS. We should be lifting each other up - not constantly tearing each other down.

(Shameless plug here, but I'm SO grateful that none of my Rebecca Rice Education spaces are that way! Everyone is super supportive and seriously amazing! If you're looking for a community like that, join us by becoming a member of Behind the Lens!).

A super practical way to make the comparison game a bit easier is to simply remove yourself from the situation whenever possible. For so many of us, we spend time online for our business... but we also spend it scrolling and comparing (let's be honest, here!). If it's really starting to bother you, it's time to remove the app from your phone. Or if that's too drastic, try simply hiding the person that you're struggling over and comparing yourself to. You can also "mute" them temporarily on the app until you feel like you're in a better space. This is your permission to let them go and step back from their account.

I hope that these ideas give you some easy and practical ways to fight comparison as a photographer. I know that it's hard - and it's ugly, and worst of all, it's everywhere. But you ARE a great photographer - and you matter. There is truly room for all of us!

One question I’ve received a LOT as a photographer and photography educator is how I “nail” the light & airy style in my photographs. So, today I want to share a few of my favorite tips to achieve the light & airy style in your portraits too! This will be a little more technical than our past Business Journey posts, but if you’re hoping to achieve a new style in your portraits, this is definitely the blog for you!

Before we get into all of the nitty gritty details, I want to remind you that I DO have Light & Airy Preset for sale in my shop! Now, remember: a preset isn’t the end all, be all, but it can be helpful when you’re editing! Now, onto the practical tips…

Believe it or not, a light & airy style is achieved IN camera – not through editing. Well, editing does play a little bit of a role but most of it comes from HOW you shoot the image. Find a background that allows a lot of light in your lens. That means staying away from dark brick, bushes, and thick trees. Focus on locations that bring a lot of light into the image. If you like the greenery, that’s great – just try turning your clients some so it’s to their side. You’ll be surprised how quickly a slight shift like that can change the light in your frame.

And… hint, hint: if you’ve struggled with how to pose a family or where to pose them, make sure you stay tuned…. on April 1st, we’re launching something really exciting! A membership for family photographers to see how I work behind the scenes ON a session!!! Make sure you keep your eyes peeled for more information on Behind the Lens with Rebecca Rice!

A true Light & Airy style has a white balance that’s true to color. So instead of intentionally warm or intentionally cool, my goal is to get skin tones as true as possible during a session. When I talk about metering, I’m talking about the little “ticker” you see when you’re showing. Between your ISO, shutter speed, and aperture, you’ll be able to achieve the look you’re going for. I use my EXPO Disc to help achieve the best possible white balance in camera and I expose my image for my subjects. You can read more about all of that here!

Although a preset will help you achieve the light & airy style, it shouldn’t be the only thing you rely on! That’s why I’m including it third on the list. I work hard to achieve the look I want in the camera and then when I go to edit, I use my base preset to get more consistency in my images. For me, the preset merely gives me a starting place to work my edits from. I apply my preset (one click!) and then just need to adjust the exposure, usually. And that’s about it!

The last secret I have is another editing tip! In Lightroom, you have filters available to you! I choose the radial filter to make sure everything around my subject is exposed enough. This is helpful if my subjects are perfectly exposed by the background still feels a bit dark. I use the filter on everything that isn’t my subjects and then up the exposure. It’s super simple! I walk through this process in my 

One of the questions I'm asked as a Nashville family photographer is any tips for posing families. I'm SO excited to tell you that today’s episode is all about my top family posing secrets. I'm dishing out my top THREE tips for you. I always want my clients to feel natural and relaxed and I never want to be the one freezing in the middle of my session. I've been there. Over it! Over the years, I've learned that having a few tricks in my back pocket creates genuine moments to capture, and way fewer awkward pauses in my sessions. I work with a variety of ages in my sessions and it helps with ALL of them, so trust me when I say these family posing secrets will help you, no matter who you work with!

When I say posing workflow, what I mean is a list of groupings or various poses that you’re going to hit from start to finish in your session. A workflow can help your session move smoothly and avoid any awkward moments for you or your clients. My posing workflow also includes MUST HAVE poses for every session - make sure you tune into the podcast to find out why that's so important!

Prompts are key phrases I’ll say or questions I’ll ask that bring out genuine smiles and memories for my clients. My goal? Getting real giggles and laughs out of my families, because there's NOTHING better than genuine emotion during a portrait session! During the episode, I share a few of my favorite prompts you can start using in your family sessions to get more real interaction. It's seriously my favorite family posing secret! And remember, even with younger kids, your prompts can become games - or things for them to do. These prompts are super easy to modify based on who you're working with!

Whenever I bring on a new associate photographer who will be helping me capture family portrait sessions, I remind them (just like I'm reminding you) that it's okay to take notes and keep them with you. Have them in a note on your phone or a piece of paper. No one is going to be bothered if you check over your list so you don't forget things. The longer you do this, the easier it gets. I promise!

On the podcast, I have the chance to answer a few other questions - like how to work with younger kids or teenagers during my sessions, how I start family sessions, and how I manage to capture portraits of JUST the parents. Make sure you take a listen - there's time stamps below to help you find these questions. Family portrait sessions should be fun - and NOT stressful for you or your clients. Over time and with practice, you'll develop systems to help make sure your sessions are enjoyable! And, if you're still looking for more posing resources, check out my Family Posing Mini Course!

Have a posing workflow (2:20)

Use prompts (6:00)

Keep a reference if needed (11:51)

Posing with toddlers (14:05)

Portraits of JUST the parents (15:40)

Posing with teens (17:23)

How I start a session (19:42)

My favorite family pose (21:37)

Today we’re diving into more about mini-sessions and talking about the 4 reasons your mini-sessions haven't booked! Students always ask me why their mini sessions aren't booking! There's generally 4 main reasons that sessions don't book so let's dive into them! But before we do that, I want to let you know that the doors open for my Profitable Mini Sessions Course 2.0 TODAY! The doors have been shut for months and I can't wait to welcome everyone in again! Spots will close on Friday March 5th and won't open again until the fall, so make sure you grab a spot today.

Back to today's topic! I know that not booking your mini sessions can be frustrated, and it can make the whole idea of them awful. If you're not sure what you're doing wrong, this is a place to start. Take a deep breath - we're going to make this happen for you!

Whether it's the timing of the year or whatever's going on in the world, sometimes it's just not a good idea to have mini-sessions. For example, if it's 100 degrees in the summer in Texas, people aren't going to want to stand around outside, no matter how quick your session is. As we go into the spring, now's the perfect time for mini- sessions! If your sessions aren't booking, look at when you're trying to book them. Remember, the season does matter!

Mini-sessions are almost known for their themes in some photography studios! I know that my photography students work really hard on crafting themes, but we have to remember that people have to want to book the theme you create. Think about whether or not this is something people are going to like, want, or need. If you struggle with coming up with ideas for themed spring minis, I do have a free download with 12 Themes for Profitable Minis.

If you're not marketing well, you're not going to book, period. You can have beautiful images, the best themes, the best setup... but if you're not marketing well, you're not going to book. Your marketing plan can't just consist of posting online and hoping it works. You need to get in front of a larger audience!

Remember, for minis, you need to give yourself a head start. Don't just start posting the week before. Ideally, you should be sharing about your minis 4-6 weeks before they're on the calendar. In my Mini-Sessions Playbook, we talk all about why this is important! Basically, it is a step by step checklist that walks you through from like nine weeks out all the way and what you should be doing every single week. You need to get your name out there and that takes time.

Don't let these reasons your mini-sessions haven't booked discourage you! There's so many ways to make mini-sessions profitable - trust me on that. I seriously believe in the power of mini-sessions and I hope you will too!

Earlier this week, I hosted a Clubhouse call all about... you guessed it, mini-sessions! My students call me the Mini-Session Queen, which I just adore. And I LOVE being able to drop some knowledge for other photographers who are thinking about diving into mini-sessions. This Clubhouse Mini-Sessions Q & A was a chance for my students and other photographers to ask anything they wanted about mini-sessions.

If you aren't familiar with Clubhouse, basically it's a new social platform that's like a giant zoom call with audio only. People hop into “rooms” and either engage in conversation or just listen to the conversation happening. Right now it's only available for iPhone users, and is by invitation only. Needless to say, it's not easy to get into a room! I knew I wanted to be able to share our conversation with everyone that ISN'T on Clubhouse, so we recorded this especially for YOU!!

Make sure you listen to the Business Journey Podcast episode to hear all of the questions and answers... there were some really great ones! As you probably know, I 100% believe in the power of mini-sessions. I completely believe that you can build a profitable and sustainable business with them. Or, use them to supplement your income during slower seasons. Whatever your reason is to start planning mini-sessions, I hope this Q & A inspires you!

And if you're not sold yet on mini-sessions, make sure you check out my recent podcast episodes about Mini-Session Misconceptions. Trust me, this is a good one if you're hearing any of the lies in our industry about mini-sessions! I've also got some great tips to start planning for your spring mini-sessions, too!

Don't forget! I'm hosting a FREE class all about mini sessions on February 24th and 25th. You can sign up here and if you can’t attend live, that’s okay. Sign up anyway and get a replay!

Free mini-sessions class coming up on 2/24 and 2/25 (3:23)

Should I market as Mommy & Me Minis or open it up to Spring Mini-Sessions? (4:52)

How should I price my full sessions so that my mini-sessions prices make sense? (8:24)

Does Cloudspot let you limit the number of downloads in the gallery? (11:12)

If you're on the fence about Rebecca's Profitable Mini-Sessions Course 2.0... (13:24)

What types of shots to you capture in a Mommy & Me Mini to get a full gallery of images? (14:06)

Do you get photos of just the kids during a Mommy & Me, too? (17:18)

When should I start advertising my mini-sessions? (17:50)

Do you market your minis on social media first, or to an email list? (19:50)

What should I do if my local Facebook Mom Groups don't allow advertising? (23:00)

Is it possible to start a photography business with mini-sessions? (27:40)

Where can I find...

All month long we've been talking about our Christmas in July Minis Campaign. Today, I'm so excited to finish this out with tips for ding a Christmas in July Mini Sessions Promotion! It's hard to believe we are at the end of June and our promos will be ready to go live soon. Before wrapping up how to do this promo I have a FREE guide to help you make your first $3k or more on your first set up mini sessions. Count it as a gift for those of you that have followed along and apply it during your actual Christmas Minis! Ready for some big tips?

I know we're down to the wire, but it's not too late to get started! Ideally you want to kick off this campaign at the beginning of July. I know you technically have a whole month, but you don't want to promote this at the end. Start the first week when this campaign is fresh and no one has been advertised to yet. That also means you need promo shots! If you're doing Red Truck Minis, Tree Farm or Indoor Studio Christmas Minis, talk to your vendor and see if you can get in there with a real family for promos. Make sure they are real families because they advertise so much better. Don't just show the setup. And of course use past sessions if you have them!

I suggest advertising for 2 weeks or until your spots fill. I have an associate team spread out in 9 different cities and in Dallas we open up July 1st. Our goal is to book 3 dates which is the equivalent of 54 sessions. Remember, I have multiple photographers so it's not all one person. We start by opening to our VIP email list, social posts ready to go and fb ads! These are all things we've prepped in June which makes it a lot easier with automated workflows. Once the 2 weeks is up, we switch to advertise Fall minis. We book these from mid-July to the end of August or so. Then we switch back to Christmas Minis!

Something I get asked often is whether or not to take a retainer. We do a 50% retainer at the time of booking and they pay the

Today, we were talking about mini-session misconceptions. There are so many lies that people believe about mini sessions and I want to take the time to talk about why they aren't true. Photographers will tell me that many sessions don't work and they'll tell me why. And I'm sitting there thinking, "Who told you that? Why are you believing these lies? Because it is not true." I believe wholeheartedly that mini sessions can be extremely profitable, especially when they're done right. When you follow a system in place and plan ahead, they're amazing!

Before we jump in, I want to let you know that I am hosting a FREE class all about mini sessions on February 24th and 25th. You can sign up here and if you can't attend live, that's okay. Sign up anyway and get a replay! Now, onto those mini-session misconceptions...

This is the first misconception I hear a LOT. Remember, a mini session is less time but not lower quality! Mini sessions are a good way for clients to get a taste of what your full session and experience can be like. It's better to leave them wanting more - and wanting to book a full session. So, price accordingly and so you actually make a profit! Remember, mini doesn't mean cheap!!! It's just a mini experience.

The second misconception is that photographers often think they need a super large client base to book their mini sessions successfully. I'll be the first one to tell you that's not true! Marketing is the key to fully booking your mini session. If you market well, you CAN book your mini sessions. I promise you - as someone who booked her first set of mini sessions with zero client base, I'm living proof it's possible. I'm actually going to be sharing 3 marketing secrets from my own business in my free class coming up on February 24th and 25th, so make sure you grab a seat.

The next misconception I hear a lot is that photographers think they only get price shoppers when booking mini sessions. There's this huge idea that for that reason alone, mini sessions aren't worth it. If you feel like you're getting price shoppers, it's probably because you're setting the price too low and not marketing well. I'm telling you from my own experience, I've gotten some of the best clients from my mini sessions!

I don't know where people got the idea that they have to have a super cute, perfectly coordinated setup for every mini session they do. Some of my most popular sessions are fall sessions outdoors, among the leaves - or the blue bonnets in the spring! If you do want to get props, plan to get some that are timeless and can be used over and over again. This will help save you money down the line and keep your sessions profitable.

And if you want to get some tips about spring minis, make sure you check out last week's podcast!

I know that starting a new project, like mini sessions, can feel scary. But...

Another episode of The Business Journey Podcast is live! We are talking about one of my favorite topics of all time: mini sessions! Mini sessions are the bread and butter of my business - I'm truly the biggest fan of them. Today, I want to focus on prepping for spring mini sessions. Yes, spring mini sessions. In February. Because, if you're not planning for them already, you should be! When people begin coming out of hibernation and want to start asking around for photographers, you want to be the post and photographer they tag! 

When it comes to planning your spring minis, I have THREE tips that I'm sharing on the podcast. Make sure you check it out for all of the details, but I've got the overview for you here! Spring minis are one of my favorite types of sessions all year long. Every year, I make about $15,000 JUST from spring minis alone. I hope that got your attention! Now... onto the tips to prepare for your spring minis:

When I say "promo shots", I mean the images you'll be using to advertise your minis. Make sure you show what your location, setup, and theme will be! These are the first photos everyone will see of your setup so they really matter. And if you don't have the chance to capture your setup before your minis because it's your first year (and probably location specific, like bluebell fields!), tune into the podcast to see what my recommendation is. It's easier than you think!

Counting back this many weeks gives you plenty of time to book up your minis. Most of the time mini sessions "fail" because the photographer didn't give enough time to book the sessions. You need time for the advertisements to work! If you're not naturally a planner, I know this can be more difficult - and that's okay! I have lots of tips to help you on the podcast - and in my Mini Session Playbook!

The final tip is to only open one date at a time. If you're planning on multiple dates, it can be really ambitious unless you have a huge client base. I recommend that you start slowly and open the first day. When those start to fill up, you can open the others. You don't want your minis scattered in small bunches across multiple dates - it's better if they're back-to-back for your own planning! There's some other benefits, too, but you'll have to tune in to learn them all!

There they are! Three quick tips to help you with prepping for spring mini sessions! Make sure you listen to the whole episode and get all of the secrets I'm sharing about booking your minis! And check out our first podcast episode here!

Why you should prepare your sessions NOW (1:15)

Theme Inspiration (3:00)

Take Your Promo Shots Now (3:48)

What if I don't have promo shots? The WRONG thing to do (6:48)

What if I don't have promo shots? The RIGHT thing to do (7:50)

Open Up One Date at a Time. (14:50)

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Let’s be honest, time management is hard! From the time I started my photography business to July 2020, my business was a side hustle. I had a full time job! I was balancing work-life, mom-life, AND my side business as a family photographer. I want to give you some tips and tricks I learned to help balance my time between the three of those things. I still use these now because they are so helpful!

When I was thinking about podcast topics, I knew this topic would be the perfect start!

I hope these tips are helpful to you and your business! 

Here is a quick view at some of the things I talked about:

"If you're the kind of mom who feels guilty for working instead of being with your kids..." (2:40)

Set Office Hours (4:30)

Batching your work (5:25)

Do Not Disturb! (6:11)

"You have to be flexible." (8:02)

Automate anything you can! (11:21)

Outsourcing (14:40)

"Lets take editing for example..." (16:33)

Outsourcing Your Social Media (18:25)

LINKS MENTIONED:

+ 5 Must-Have Apps Freebie Download

+ Dubsado (20% off)

+ HoneyBook (50% off)

Do you have a Christmas in July promotion? Today I'm unfolding the 5 reasons you SHOULD do a 'Christmas in July' Mini Session promo. But before we start the countdown, be sure to grab this FREE class all about mini sessions. As fall mini sessions are around the corner, this will be incredible useful for you. It walks you through the main marketing tips to get you fully booked! Now let's talk about Christmas in July!

Let me clarify, I am not suggesting you shoot mini sessions in July! I grew up in Texas and I couldn't imagine going out in the brutal heat for 2-3 hours of mini sessions especially as Christmas! I am talking about doing a promotion to book those minis in October. Each year I do Red Truck Minis and some sort of indoor studio Christmas minis. For my Christmas in July promo I book out my Red Truck Minis that I shoot in October. A big reason I love doing this promo is because my business gets put in front of A LOT of eyes. Red Truck Minis are desirable and capture the attention of clients.

For too long I waited to advertise mini sessions when I started hearing people ask for them. The goal here is to advertise and make Christmas Minis available before your clients request it! You will be the first ones to mention these minis and chances are clients will stick with you because you brought it to them first!

Good marketing takes time and that means at least 6-8 weeks. Doing this in July gives you a major kickstart to the busiest time of the year! Regardless of whether or not your spots are fully booked, you're relieving the pressure by starting early. Once you've done the promo the ground work has already been laid and when Fall comes you will easily book out the rest. You won't be scrambling to get promo shots or workflows ready. You'll be prepped!

July is usually a slower month for mini sessions, so having something in this month carries you over to busy season! We collect 50% retainers (which I highly suggest you do) to lock clients in. This is a nice perk to having some sort of income during summer. For some of you that alone is enough!

The last reason I love doing a 'Christmas in July' promotion is you'll have a good expectation for your Fall. For one, you know what to expect from the second half of your booked sessions. But it also gives you a gauge of people's interest. Many clients may see your promotion and decide to book a fall mini with you. They may not be ready to jump to Christmas, however, it gets the ball moving for the next season!

I hope this encourages you to give it a try! There's a lot of beneficial...

We're at episode 100!!! I'm thrilled to be able to look back and share how this began as well as how it evolved along the way. It's going to be fun, but before heading down memory lane I have something ALL about mini sessions for you. My students call me the Queen of Mini Sessions and it truly is the bread and butter of my business. I've learned a lot over the years and put together a blueprint for you to follow! If you've never made $3000 in a single day (2-3 hours) of mini sessions then be sure to grab this! It's called the "$3k Mini Sessions Blueprint" and lays out exactly how to structure a mini sessions day. This will be so helpful for Fall Minis just around the corner! Now, let's go back in time...

Back in 2020, we uprooted our family and moved to Nashville, TN! We were living in a townhome waiting for our house to be built and The Business Journey Podcast was birthed. We didn't have a studio, but my husband wanted to make sure it sounded excellent. So, we set up the computer, the microphone and there I was in my closet recording my first episode! I say this because not all starts are glamorous. Maybe you're not starting a podcast, but whatever it is just go for it. It doesn't have to be perfect or look like your long term vision. For me, I had this dream of being able to serve and connect with you in a way that was a lot more personal than just an email. And now, here we are!

Knowing the audience I have I wanted to be intentional to make episode consumable. Most of you are on the go, busy running a business or in the thick of it with family! That means you've got maybe 15 minutes in the car to listen in. When creating episodes I had to make it short, sweet and to the point. After all, the intention is to serve you with valuable content. Allowing you into my life and equipping you with business related content! This journey has not always been easy, but now 100 deep I am happy to say so worth it!

The goal of this podcast is to talk through topics or things that serve you well. I'd really love to hear from you! So, send me a DM and let me know what you'd like to see in the next 100. Maybe there's a special guest you'd like to hear from or topics for your business you need covered. I want to dive into areas that help you grow and give you insight. I always pepper in more personal subjects that allow you to have eyes into my life and business because I believe we grow from one another! Your voice is incredibly valuable to me so send an email with feedback or shoot me a DM. I take your suggestions to my team so we can coordinate and serve you better.

There's lots...

I felt it would be helpful for other business owners and photographers to hear what my schedule really looks like! I want to pull you in behind the curtain to see how I go about a typical business day. But, before jumping into those details I do have a FREE blueprint to help you successfully navigate a day of minis. If you've never made $3000 on a single day of minis then you definitely need to grab this guide! Now, I was at the Graceful Gathering conference speaking when a photographer asked me about the structure of my business day. I'm very strategic in what that looks like and there's been an evolution throughout the years. I started part time, moved to full time with kids then to adding team members. So, what's worked best for me...

I am not the best at multi-tasking. I'm a mom of 2 little ones and I also enjoy my work. With that being said, I currently have my kids in a hybrid homeschool. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday my kids are at school or with Mimi and I can solely work on my business. My work day starts at 8:00am and kick it off with meetings on Tuesday. I will say my business has grown and I have a staff team. So when I'm not "in the office" they are still getting work done. It's incredible, and yes, it is possible! Next, I hone in on projects like culling sessions or tasks from team call. I stop working my work days at noon. And fun fact, I take a nap EVERY day. It fits perfectly into my afternoon right before I need to pick up kids!

Since I only work about 10-12 hours a week I have to utilize my time efficiently. I use filters to place priority on things. For instance, if it requires my face - YouTube, Instagram stories, etc. If it uses my voice - podcasts, interviews, etc. Or just showing up in communities on Facebook and lastly things like strategy or launches fall on my plate. Everything else I pass on to other team members. That's why I have a team under me to be able to accomplish everything while still being able to have a work week that looks like this. Now, I still have slack and voxer on my phone so my team can reach me throughout the week. But I strive to stay in my zone of genius while serving my family and business well. This took years of trial and error, but I finally feel like I've figured out what works for me.

If you're a solo-preneur this can be hard to imagine. But I hope this episode at least encouraged you that it is possible! Feel free to DM with any questions because I would love to help you get to your dream. If you want to work towards a lifestyle like this, I encourage you to start with just one team member. Find one thing you can outsource. Inbox, editing, etc! My first team member was hired as an outside contractor and I paid them $30/hr for 10 hours a week. Because I got 10 extra hours in my month I was able to book more sessions and bring in more income! So, start somewhere and begin taking those steps to creating your dream work life. There's so much more in the podcast so be sure to give it a listen and get yourself in the place you want to be!

Focused Work Hours (5:04)

Intentional Use of Time (9:17)

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Transcript

Let's dive into the topic of model calls. I get asked about this often and today I'll be sharing some secrets to successful model calls! How do you run one, what are they useful for, how do you set them up. Before we get into the all the good things, I've got a FREE class for those of you that are ready to go beyond simply taking pretty pictures. It's called "6 Steps to Double Your Revenue" and full of educational content you can start applying to your business. This class walks through the importance of having a true marketing strategy so you can bring in more revenue.

There are definitely right and wrong ways to do a model call. First, you need to know what the goal is. Are you trying to grow your portfolio or like me, when I first moved to Nashville, you're starting over with your clientele? Maybe you're needing more content that you can blog about! Whatever it is you need to clearly define the purpose. If you just say you're doing a free shoot, people will come flocking! Be clear on what you're looking for. Lifestyle newborns, multiple siblings in the session, etc.

I set up my model call similar to a mini session. I'll give 5 free photos, but deliver a full gallery! Most of the time clients will purchase the full gallery. There are some important things you should require like having clients follow your style guide. You should pick the location and state that the session is 30-60 minutes or however long you need. I use my Client Experience Guide to help them choose outfits and make sure they send photos beforehand so I know what to expect! Remember, it's a model call which means it's for your business.

This is a valuable opportunity to collect emails and grow your list. In order for people to apply for your model call you can get their info from a form. You can include questions to help with the verification process. I have them include a photo of who they will have in their session. It adds an extra layer of protection to be sure you have the models needed! And the best part is by having them on your email list when you advertise for sessions later in the year they often book you.

Use a contract! Yes, it's a free session, but having a contract guarantees everyone is clear on expectations and what's included.

Let’s continue a conversation that got started on my Instagram a few weeks back. What does freedom look like for you? This is a convo worth having friends! As we come into the new year I like choosing a word to move forward on for the year. This year I decided that my word was simple. I want to enjoy the simple life that I’ve come to love! It may seem boring to others, but for me it’s not a common freedom in our industry.

The thing about freedom is it looks different from one person to the next. I have enjoyed baking bread which is a long process, I love reading while watching my kids play outside and I thrive when I get to take a nap in the middle of the afternoon. You didn’t become a business owner to quit a 9 to 5 job just so you could start working 24/7. But the reality is, if we aren’t intentional to carve out freedom in our day we’ll become so consumed with our businesses we don’t end up living a full life! Hear me, I am so thankful for my business and I enjoy doing what I do. But I started it so I could have time with my family, travel and have a say in what my day looks like.

If money was no object, you could do anything you put your heart to? What would you do in your life? Once you discover what kind of things give you life and bring you joy you can structure your business accordingly! You can allow yourself to have the freedom to do the things that bring you joy.

The first step is defining what freedom looks like, then start making some adjustments in your work. If money is the problem, start setting a goal of 1 more session per month. Start making some of those changes to allow yourself the ability to do what you’ve always wished you could do. Maybe that’s reading 12 books a year? Start by giving yourself 15 minutes in your work day to do it. These moments of doing what you want will refuel your tank and give you the extra push to tackle your business goals!

If you have questions or want some feedback, DM me on Instagram! It’s really me in there responding to your comments and messages and I’d love to hear from you.

We All Need Freedom (5:42)

What Does Freedom Look Like For You? (11:18)

Make Goals (12:47)

Welcome to the Business Journey Podcast! Today I'm sharing all about how I use StoryBrand in my business! I also have a FREE class that will be helpful this Spring in your sessions. It's called "Keys to Effective Family Posing" and you'll walk away with creative ideas on how to pose well! Posing isn't something you should "wing" but rather something you excel at. Now, StoryBrand is something that comes from a book by Donald Miller called "Building a StoryBrand". Let's dive in!

This has been incredibly helpful for me in marketing. The StoryBrand script starts with the main character, villain and guide. The main character is your client! Then we look at who their villain is. Maybe their villain is a lack of time. It breaks down why they don't have time, what that makes them feel and what they are being robbed of. Next the outline introduces the guide who comes in and brings a solution to their problem (that's YOU)!

Once all the people are in place we get to build this story. Maybe you have 3 or 4 steps that's going to take them to their answer. It's going to lead the client to a place of finally getting to book with you. You'll list out steps for clients to take to get photos taken with you! Along the way you're answering questions, removing fear or doubt, etc.

Finally, we give our clients the invitation to do something. Make the change of feeling like time is robbing them and giving clear steps for them to book with you! You can address the issue and boldly state, if they don't make a change they miss out on these memories for life! I know that seems intense, but you're making a clear story here. You want your client to relate and see the reality of their current decisions. It's a call to act!

This is an awesome way to emphasize your brand messaging through marketing. There's more in the podcast and I breakdown the application in depth so be sure to listen! Marketing just got easier with this StoryBrand outline in place. I encourage you to follow the script and create your own StoryBrand HERE!

StoryBrand Outline (3:10)

Mapped Out Process (9:07)

Call to Action (11:23)

Market with StoryBrand (15:25)

Let's talk about how to MARKET your mini sessions in 2023. I know we've talked about marketing before, but times are changing and this episode has some new things that need applying! Before jumping in I'm so excited to share a NEW live class I'm offering. It's called the "6 Steps to Double Your Photography Revenue" and let me just say it's possible to double what you did last year! I'm sharing the 6 steps I did in my own business so I know they work. Be sure to register and save your seat so you don't miss out on 2023 strategies! Now let's get to how to market your mini sessions in 2023...

The ideal amount of time to market for minis is 6-8 weeks. The absolute minimum is 4 weeks, but the more time the more likely you are to be fully booked! First, pick out your date and work backwards from there. If you're not sure what the timeline should look like you can grab my Mini Sessions Playbook!

Next you need to have photos for advertisement! I try using photos of the location from previous years or go out and get them now. If the weather isn't working or they are seasonal minis like blue bonnets, cherry blossoms, etc. use a stock photo! Never use another photographer's work as your advertisement - it's illegal. And I've seen this a lot, try to stick with just one photo.

When it comes to advertising, start with your email list. And more specifically your VIP list! That's basically clients or people that have joined your email list. Do this before going public on your social media and opening it to the public. I've got more to say on this topic that applies to 2023 in the podcast so be sure to listen!

I normally wouldn't push this, but this day and age requires us to utilize ads. Facebook and Instagram want you to pay for advertising and if you don't it's likely your posts won't be seen. The Facebook/Instagram advertising platform is very intuitive. You can target a dream client and truly get in front of them! The best part is you can see your return on investment due to analytics! Trust me and give this a shot after you've exhausted your free advertisement!

Be sure to give...

I get this question ALL the time, especially in our facebook community. And if you're not a part you can click the link above and check it out! Today I'll be sharing how to confidently price your sessions because a lot of you have been asking. Before diving into my photography pricing tips, I do want to offer you a FREE class I have called "Booked Out Minis." Now, let's figure out how to confidently price your sessions so we're ready for Spring Minis!

Before committing to any kind of pricing you want to be sure you've ran your cost of doing business. If you don't know what that is, basically it is discovering how much you're actually making per hour. Not just the time that you're shooting, but the time that you're driving to the session, setting up editing, communicating with clients, delivering galleries, all of the things that go into making a photo session happen. You can watch THIS video to find out your CODB. This is your first step when it comes to pricing!

Rather than having a ton of different priced packages stick with a simple rate. It sounds like a good idea to have all these session types listed on your website, but for clients it's overwhelming. Especially when they're priced similarly! I have my portrait session package and it's for any type of session that somebody wants to do with me. We're talking families, birthdays, couples, maternity seniors - any kind of portrait session. I have one session fee and it includes the full gallery, it's very simple to understand! Listen to the podcast to find out which packages should be priced differently.

Here's a good rule: don't touch your prices after changing them for at least 6 months. Most of the time photographers go up in price and freak out if they aren't getting booked! Here's what I've learned, it's not a pricing problem it's a marketing problem! Ask yourself...How do you need to market differently to the people in that price point? And does your client experience justify the pricing? Maybe you can tweak a few of these things and see a whole new client group!

There you have it! My photography pricing tips! Lastly, I do have something coming soon that will help your photography business tremendously. So stay tuned on my socials and get your business ready!

Run Your CODB (3:05)

Don't Overcomplicate It...

Apple Podcasts |Spotify |Transcript

More Resources: 12 Theme Ideas Freebie | Flodesk Discount

Mini sessions are an incredible way to attract new clients, but many photographers wonder how to convert those Mini Clients into Full Session bookings. While Mini Sessions are highly profitable (especially during peak seasons like fall and spring) not every type of session can or should be a mini. When big life events happen, like welcoming a new baby or celebrating a first birthday, clients are much more likely to book a full session. The key is to strategically leverage your mini sessions to encourage those Full-Session bookings. So, let's dive into how you can use Minis to get Full Session clients!

Here's What We'll Cover:

3 Must-Be Full Sessions (3:22)

How to Leverage Your Minis (8:29)

Key Marketing Strategies for Full Sessions (11:45)

Recap (14:36)

Not Every Session Should Be a Mini

Educating your clients on the difference between mini and full sessions is crucial. Some sessions require more time, flexibility, and a personalized experience—meaning they simply can’t be squeezed into a 10-15 minute slot. Three session types that don’t work as minis include: Smash Cake Sessions, Lifestyle Newborn Sessions, and Extended Family Sessions. By educating your clients upfront, you naturally create opportunities to upsell them into full sessions when these milestones occur.

Turning Minis Clients into Full Session Clients

Mini sessions serve as the perfect entry point for clients to get to know you, experience your style, and fall in love with your work. When you deliver a top-notch mini session experience, booking a full session later becomes an easy decision. A great strategy is to plant the seed early. During a mini session, mention full-session options if you learn a client is expecting or has a milestone coming up. Follow up with past clients at key times, like when a newborn turns 10 months old! Remind them about first birthday sessions and other milestones. Offer incentives, like early access to Full-Session dates or priority booking for loyal Mini Session clients.

Marketing Strategies to Encourage Full Session Bookings

To consistently book more full sessions, be intentional with your marketing. Showcase Full Sessions by posting images from full sessions on social media so clients see what you offer. Educate on the Differences. Use blog posts, Instagram captions, and emails to highlight the benefits of full sessions. Leverage real client stories! Share before-and-after journeys of Mini Session clients who later booked Full Sessions.

The goal isn’t to replace Mini Session bookings with Full Sessions. Both serve different purposes. Instead, it’s about maximizing revenue by making sure Mini Session clients...

I get this question all the time so I wanted this episode to answer it with practicality! I've had to do this not only when I first started, but also when I moved states. I had no portfolio in my new location and no client base. So having gone through this twice now I feel I have some wisdom to share. Before answer how to build a portfolio of images you love I wanted to give you a FREE resource to help those that are just starting. This class, The Ultimate Guide to Mastering Manual Mode, will help you take your photography to the next level! It will walk you through set up to make sure you're doing things right and have the correct settings.

There are more than enough people willing to model for you, especially when it's free! This is valuable because you're able to build a portfolio and advertise. Now, I will advise you to give them a style guide. You want them to help showcase your style and work so giving them instruction is vital! If you don't have a style guide you can grab mine in my shop. It's called a Client Experience Guide because it's packed with more than just styling tips. You'll also find it useful for sessions with paying clients! Family and friends are often the people that want to support you and this is a perfect way for them to do it.

This is something you post online that calls for specific models. For example, you're looking for a family with 2 older kids and 1 baby. I include 5 free images for their time, I kind of treat it like a mini session, then upsell the full gallery! And this is usually a full session, so I'm shooting for 30 minutes to an hour. The amazing thing is I've never done one without the clients buying because the session itself was free! They get the full gallery 60-100 images for a discount of $200 as well since it's a model call. You can book these in local mom groups and they let it happen because it's free! But note, this still needs a contract in place! It protects you and the client and if you don't have one you can grab mine in the shop.

Keep in mind that you want to show what you desire to shoot more of. Use locations that showcase your...

Welcome to the new year friends! Seems a bit wild that we are already getting settled into 2023, but I wanted to talk to you about what to do when life happens. I wasn't sure if I was going to share, however, I know this is common and real! Before unraveling what took place for me and my family back in September I do have a FREE blueprint called the 3k Mini Sessions Blueprint. If you want to run profitable mini sessions this Spring you should grab this free resource. It's actually the right time to start prepping for Spring and I want you to successfully execute those! If you've never made $3000 in a single date of minis it's your year to do just that.  Ok, are you ready to hear why I didn't work for a whole month?! Here's what to do when life happens and what exactly took place in September!

I have two kids, a girl and boy who I absolutely adore. My daughter is in a hybrid homeschool so she's at school for three days and the other two she's home and we do homeschool. My son is three years old and just started a new preschool this fall. And this year we sought out to potty train him. It was on and off since January, but we were hopeful it would click for him over the summer. Wrong! He's very strong willed and also doesn't care if he's messy or running a muck. Such a boy! Well, the preschool (like most) required him to be fully potty trained. He would have days where he was good and then days where I literally followed him around naked because it was accident after accident. Any mamas out there that can relate?!

So when September came and he wasn't allowed in school, I had to step in majorly as mom and get this resolved! That also meant an unexpected month away from the business. So what did I learn that could hopefully help you know what to do when life happens?

I knew I couldn't be at my computer for extended periods of time and some days not at all. And following around a toddler leaves you feeling drained. I had to figure out what was the bare minimum in my business. So, I made a list of must-have to-dos that my business needed from me. I suggest you do the same for these emergencies that pop up. Then go through and determine what is the bare minimum of what's required. Blogging will probably be on pause, book keeping may pile up a bit, etc. Think through the vital items and only put your hand to that.

Sometimes it's disheartening to adjust your quarterly business goals, but it's necessary. I had to look at my goals and determine what was most important. In that season I knew we wouldn't hit our business goals, but my son officially being potty trained was. These were long and challenging days, but I had quality time with him that I won't forget. So, business owner, photographer, mom... it is ok to adjust your goals!

Here we are at the end of the year already and one of the things I like to do is take a look back at 2022. What are our wins, our challenges and how did the year overall look!? This was a transitional year and that often poses challenges, but I know I'm a better person because of it too. I do have a free class for you all about mini sessions. Whether you've tried running minis, failed or just want to grow this class is for you! You'll learn how to structure and market your minis well. It's definitely a class favorite so check that out! Ok, a look back at 2022... this was a fast yet slow year. We accomplished so much and I wanted to open this up so you can see into what family and business looks like for me.

I was able to hire on two new members. One on the education side and one on the Wisp and Willow side of things. I knew I would hire but didn't realize we would need two! I was also part of mastermind after saying I wouldn't be. Last year I was in a mastermind and it was incredible so I thought I would use all of this year to just implement everything I had learned. Well, I was wrong! An opportunity to be in Katelyn James' mastermind presented itself and I just couldn't pass it up. I am so glad I didn't because it was a great way to invest in myself and my business. I highly encourage you check that out and let it add amazing value to what you do! Another new thing for the business front was getting much stricter on my work hours. It was a goal to set rhythms, routines, and boundaries. I enjoy working so placing some work hours and sticking to them have helped me be the best version of myself in all aspects of life.

This one arrived at the end of the year. But I am so glad it has; we've found a good family rhythm! After ten months I can confidently say we've cracked our family code and know what works. We started my daughter in Acton Academy. It's a non traditional micro school, that is big on training up independence and giving kids the freedom to learn at their own pace. They truly foster a love for learning and it's blessed my family so much! There are Acton schools all over so if this peaks your interest I highly suggest looking into it. The one we're a part of is under a home school umbrella, so three days a week are in school and the other two days we homeschool. We also found a preschool for my son in October that coordinated with my daughter's school! This was a really big deal and there's more to it in the podcast so give it a listen!

As I take a look back at 2022 I realized we traveled A LOT. Travel with my husband, for work and for family. I grew up traveling and seriously enjoy it. My husband and I sat down and looked at our calendar to decide when we wanted to travel, how much and what were the best times to do it. This was definitely our most successful year when...

Today's topic is a continuation of the last episode "How to Take Time Off in Your Business". This topic is incredibly valuable. I want to share how I set boundaries between work and life! I do have a free class, that being in the middle of December could help you with. If you look back on your fall season and question... was it great? Was it awkward? Was it uncomfortable? All these things can be answered with a good posing foundation. This class teaches keys to effective family posing so you can say goodbye to awkward and stiff! Click the link and take advantage of that FREE resource! Now on to how to set boundaries between work and life!

Determining what your ideal life looks like. So, for me my biggest priority is my family. That comes first. I want to be the best version of myself for them and for myself. In order to do that I needed to set up boundaries that promoted a healthy version of me. What is a realistic amount of time to work on my business and be with my family? I figured out that's about 15 hours a week. That still gives me time to take a nap everyday and fuel my priorities. It's funny when people find out I take a nap literally everyday they are shocked. But I know I'm my best version of myself when I'm fully rested!

Obviously owning a business means you have to be flexible, but setting true office hours is vital! I did this and try to stick to it. That means when office hours are up I'm closing my laptop and not talking about work at the dinner table or bouncing in and out of work life to family/home life. For me I do my best work early in the morning. My office hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday from about 8:00am to 12:00pm or 1:00pm. I usually wake up naturally around 6:30 so by the time I'm done working I'm ready for my nap! Why those days? It's built around my kids. They are in school those three days and we homeschool the other two. When you're setting work hours, think about what season of life you're in and what works for your family to set your hours accordingly.

Pro tip: keep your computer in your designated workspace (office). That way you're not tempted to cross the boundary!

I don't know if you're an Apple user or Android user.. I'm an Apple user. I say this because Apple allows you to choose your focus mode. You can set it up by time of day or even location. You can set focus modes to work, sleep, do not disturb, etc. Depending on the time of day your phone will either notify you or not. You get to choose what notifications your receive when depending on the mode! During my work...

Before diving into things today, I also wanted to give you all a gift to help with your photography business! Question: how did your fall season go? If it wasn't exactly what you were hoping for then this is for you. If you've never made $3,000 or more on a single date of minis you need this. I call it my 3k Mini Sessions Blueprint! It has helped so many photographers and it will reassure you that YES, it is possible to run successful minis! Now, that we've taken care of "business" let's talk about how to take time off in your business. Here are some practical things to help you take time off!

It starts with your calendar. You obviously can't take time off in a busy season, but you should be intentional about having time away from the hustle. In about a week my staff and I will head to the beach at 30A in Florida to plan out our upcoming year. My integrator and I meet first and go over everything in the business - what worked, what didn't, what needs to change, etc. Then my staff joins us for a staff retreat! Once all the work and planning is finished the remaining month of December is time off. Now, we do check in on things to make sure we're serving our customers/clients, but this is a time to refresh and reset before the new year. This couldn't happen if I wasn't intentional in my planning. And it starts with choosing a date and sticking with it!

Let's say for the sake of this episode that you are planning to take a week off. First, take out a piece of paper and write down all that happens day to day so you know what needs to be covered. Don't try thinking through how to make this happen just brain dump. In order for you to be "gone" and people not realize you're out. Don't get overwhelmed, just think of how wonderful it would be to have it all done and truly get time off! Maybe your list includes checking your inbox, responding to clients, social media posts, blogging, etc. If this is too much just keep a running list next to you over the course of the next week to write down what you're doing!

With a list, you're able to see clearly what needs to be finished/prepped. One of my team members, Bonnie, had a baby this fall which meant we were planning months ahead of time. She writes our blogs for Wisp and Willow and we created a list of blogs that needed to get done before her maternity leave. This involved blogging October, November, December AND January because once she came back we didn't want her scrambling. Bonnie was amazing and is enjoying time with her new babe as we speak! So for a week of vacation it's not nearly as drastic. Let's say during your week off you would normally have a blog post go live and a social media post along with it. Those things can be scheduled! Use something like Plann, Later, Planoly, etc.

There are things that can't get scheduled, like emails. I know not everyone is on team auto responder for emails, but imagine if you did step away for a week and didn't tell anyone. That would be difficult and leave your clients/customers with nothing. An auto responder is basically an...

I'm excited to jump into today's topic! It's one I don't talk about much, but a lot of you have asked me. I'm sharing tips on selling prints to your clients. Hopefully this answers things for you and you increase your revenue by selling to your clients! I do have a FREE class for you all about POSING! Most of us are in the thick of sessions right now so this class is timely. I'll be walking through the 6 keys to effective family posing. The best part is you'll be able to apply the contents to your very next session! Ready to have some tips for selling prints to your clients?!

I know this may seem like an obvious tip, but you'd be surprised how many photographers are missing out simply because they don't offer it! Most gallery delivery systems have a shopping cart feature where you can set all this up. Basically the system has an auto fulfillment for prints. So, clients can put photos in the cart and order. The orders are placed with the printing lab and delivered white label to your clients so they don't see who you're printing from! So for starters, open up the shopping cart with your pricing, etc.

This is one of those things that if you don't know, you don't know. We live in a digital age so it's easy for people to just get digitals and that's that. As photographers we should cast vision as to why prints are important! We should paint the picture of the value of prints. There's something special about pulling out an heirloom photo album or having pictures around your home. Having prints gives those in the photo a sense of belonging. However, clients may not think of this off the bat. When you showcase the value of tangible prints your clients are more likely to buy!

Show what you want to sell. You've got to excite your clients on social media and advertisement for what you're offering - in this case prints! So, if you're wanting to sell wall art then show them wall art on your social platforms. Give them reason to want what you're selling. Another point to think about is to educate them why they shouldn't print them at shutterfly or costco. We know, as photographers, those types of places have terrible quality. You don't get beautiful heirloom pieces from shutterfly. This is why clients should buy prints from you! But, it starts by talking about it in your content.

A good rule of thumb to price your prints is to mark up 3x the amount of wholesale. For example, if something was wholesale at $2 then you would mark it up to $6. The reason for this is in the case that you need to replace a print you will still make a profit. If a print gets messed up, which doesn't happen too often, you would need to make it right. By marking up the wholesale you cover those instances without eating up your revenue.

Selling prints...

It just seemed timely to have an episode like this in the midst of Mini-Session season! Here is a glimpse into how I prep the week of Mini-Sessions. Your prep week doesn't have to be frantic or stressful, but before diving in I do have a FREE class that targets the marketing for mini sessions. Be sure you check that out and let it be a help to you this mini season! Ready to learn how I prep the week of mini-sessions?

The very first thing I do is get my gear ready. I charge all my batteries and clear my SD cards. I always bring two batteries on my mini-sessions day. I usually never need the back up, but I don't want to panic if the battery in my camera has an issue! And a good rule of thumb is don't wait to charge the night before. Get them done early in the week then test it out to make sure it's fully charged. I do this because I had a bad experience and for some reason my batteries didn't charge completely and I was trying to charge in between sessions... not fun! I like to shoot on 32 gig SD cards and I bring two for the day as well.

I like adding all my clients' sessions into Google calendar. It helps me stay organized and know who is up next. Something I've been doing with that is including their Client Questionnaire in their event! It's genius because in case I forget details about them or their particular session I can quickly open it inside my Google calendar. I use Dubsado which is awesome for this purpose too. Dubsado actually adds sessions into my calendar and I manually add in the Questionnaire afterward.

When it comes to Mini-Sessions you are limited on the amount of time you have with your clients. So, rather than using up precious minutes with questions like what's your name and tell me about yourself I have a Client Questionnaire! This is another 'how I prep the week of Mini-Sessions' tip. Read through all your client questionnaires. In that I ask very intentional things like if they've ever done a mini session. I ask specifics about their family dynamic, if they have any special needs, etc. The goal is to serve them to the best of my ability so having this information beforehand is so valuable! Not sure on what to ask? You can actually purchase my Questionnaire HERE!

Another thing I do to prep the week of Mini-Sessions is send out my Final Info Email. This gives clients last minute reminders, answers questions about location, etc. I used to send it out manually, but now it's an...

I'm excited to have Krista Lynch on the podcast today sharing about what to do when burnout impacts your creativity! She's a wedding and brand photographer but also does business coaching. She has a lot on her plate and knows a thing or two about burnout. Although this topic may not be the most glamorous to talk about, it's something all of us face at some point. So, what do you do when burnout impacts your creativity?

It's easy to see it, but accepting it is a whole different thing. Living in a culture where social media constantly reminds us we should be creating more, producing more and not struggling while doing so is tough. The truth is everyone faces seasons of feeling unmotivated and lacking creativity. So understanding it is a normal thing can help you with the next step. Acceptance. Frustrations or that "blah" feeling does not mean you've failed.

Where or what has made you have self doubt? What is it in your life that made you feel like you need to over work? Locating triggers can help you set boundaries and avoid going down ugly rabbit trails. Social media can be a big one like we've talked about earlier. But, pausing and making space for rest is actually productive. Work really can wait for tomorrow because the reality is... work will always be there! A common response to burnout is ejecting yourself from everything. So giving yourself space allows for you to get back to a healthy state of mind.

As business owners, expressing this place of burnout to someone who understands the shoes you're in can help a lot! Often we have people in our lives that want to help but hearing "you're doing great" or "you'll be fine" isn't exactly motivating. Finding someone who shares some common ground with you is like finding truth! You can believe what they say. And most of the time they have great tips to get you out of the funk you're currently in!

Usually we end up creating unrealistic timelines and overwhelm ourselves with work. Here's what to do when burnout impacts your creativity - relieve the pressure! You can't function and produce all these great ideas when you're already tending to so many other things. I created this "parking lot" list that I put my great ideas on. At times the items on this sit for months. When you have the capacity you can pull things from the parking lot, but if it becomes too much just park it!

Once you feel like you're back in a space to grow and put your hand to things, write down your goals. From there, break down what needs to take place to accomplish it. Break down goals into the smallest steps possible. By doing this you slowly start building confidence because you're checking things off the list. It also helps us pace ourselves so we don't jump into too much too soon. Start by doing one thing at a time, just one task a day. Regulate yourself and see the momentum begin to build again.

All these will tend to you. So next time you're stuck or overwhelmed you have some tools to know what to do when burnout impacts your creativity!

Accepting the Season (6:13)

This is a tricky one for me! If you're a visual learner and want this "drawn" out just let me know! I'm going to be walking you through my photography client workflow. More specifically, the back end of what my clients go through with me for a session! Before getting in too deep I want to remind you of a FREE class I have all about posing. It's called the Keys to Effective Family Posing and inside I unravel elements you need to pose families well! Click the link, learn a ton and head into your next session excited to implement! Now here's my best verbal explanation of my photography client workflow...

This is one of my top tools I use and it's basically a business management tool. In it I have an entire board for my photography client workflow. Each client gets their own card on the board that has a massive checklist. It includes all the pertinent info for the client (name, email, location, date, time, etc.). Every step of booking, Dubsado workflow, leading up to the session, final payment info, etc! Post processing: editing, uploading, backing up hard drives, etc. When I said everything I meant everything! So that's where I start. Getting all the info and workflow in an organized place.

I use this to send contracts and invoices, additional emails, the questionnaire, the client experience guide and the final info email. So all our clients are housed here because this is where they are served and communicated with. Clients don't see or have any involvement in Trello (that's in house).

The next step is sending all our images to our private editor and we use Lightroom classic cc to edit all our images! We put images in Lightroom and once they're ready to be edited and include smart previews. That's how we send them to our editor. Rather than having to send all the raws we send them the Lightroom catalog that has smart previews. This allows our editor to edit the images without having the files. After editing in Lightroom they send it back and we are able to make final tweaks and crops to the images. After all that we export and it's on to the next...

It's finally time for delivery! I use Shootproof to deliver galleries. We also upload our final images to Google drive as a virtual back up. You can never be too safe. We don't keep a back up of raw images, however, images aren't deleted until 2 weeks after the gallery has been delivered.

Was that a lot? Here's a recap: Start with the big checklist in Trello! Next is contracts, forms, invoices in Dubsado. Lastly, deliver the galleries in Shootproof. If you are lost in any way feel free to reach out and ask more about my photography client workflow. And check out the resources mentioned above to help you...

I'm so ready to pull back the curtain and let you in on the top 5 tools I use in my business. If you've been around a while these may not be a surprise, but it's a great refresher! All of these will be linked so you can use them too. I have discount codes for most and others are free! Now, before digging in I do want to mention a FREE class I know you'll benefit from. It's called "Keys to Effective Family Posing" no more awkward and stiff! If you feel like posing is your weakest link, maybe you're not super confident or clients are a bit awkward and stiff... this class is for YOU! In the class I talk through some of my go to poses, things to look for when posing and just some building blocks to creating a natural/comfortable pose. On to the top 5 tools I use in my business...

This is a free online business management tool and it's how I keep EVERYTHING in my business organized. It's an alternative to asana and to me it's much more visual. Trello is incredibly flexible and we literally use it for content management, launches, to-dos, etc! It's similar to Pinterest in that it functions in "boards". Within these beautiful boards you can create checklists! As I began adding team members I needed the workflows and processes to live somewhere other than in my head. (If you've never written out your workflows/processes is vital for future or current outsourcing!)

We use this as our client relationship management tool. It's our CRM and it is houses our contracts, invoices, any communication between us and the client and workflows! I literally don't know where I would be without it. I've tried plenty of CRMs and this one has the best automations in my opinion. If it weren't for this platform I would lose track of clients which is not ok! I do have a discount for Dubsado that you can access HERE!

Our gallery delivery system here is wonderful. It's user friendly, helps assist our clients and is so pretty! You know I am a big believer in upselling and this platform allows us to do it well! I do have an affiliate link, which sadly doesn't give you a discount. But it does give me a small kickback which just helps with running a business and making this podcast possible! You can start using Shootproof at a small rate and increase as you need to with their packages.

I am a huge fan of Google calendars and to be honest we probably use WAY too many! I separate promotional campaigns like Christmas in July because it just makes it easy visually. It also integrates beautifully with Dubsado, so when I book

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More Resources: 12 Theme Ideas Freebie | Flodesk Discount

Have you ever wondered why your Minis aren't booking? If you've struggled with booking out your sessions or they aren't booking the way you expected them to then you're in the right place! Trust me, we've all been there. The good news? Mini Sessions work, and with a few strategic tweaks, you can turn things around. In this episode, we’re diving into the three biggest reasons your minis aren’t booking: your timing or theme isn’t resonating, your marketing strategy is incomplete, or your messaging isn’t connecting with your ideal clients. Stick with me, and let’s troubleshoot your Minis so you can start booking out with confidence!

Here's What We'll Cover:

Theme or timing holding you back? (2:14)

Social strategy (7:01)

Is your messaging connecting with clients? (12:03)

Recap as a whole (14:27)

Is Your Mini Session Theme or Timing Holding You Back?

One of the biggest reasons Mini Sessions don’t book is that the theme or timing isn’t resonating with your ideal clients. Just because a theme was popular last year doesn’t mean it will work again this year! Trends shift and client preferences change. Some themes become overdone, while others may not be in demand at all. Additionally, the dates you choose can make or break your success. If your minis fall too close to holidays, school breaks, or major local events... families might already have plans. So, do your research! Look at current trends, ask past clients what themes they’re excited about, and test new ideas that fit what families want right now. When you align your Minis with what your audience is actually looking for, you’ll see more interest and faster bookings.

Are You Relying on One Post to Fill Your Mini Sessions?

Posting once and hoping for bookings isn’t enough! Only 4% of your followers see what you post, so you need to reach beyond your audience to get more bookings. A strong marketing strategy includes consistent social media posts, reels, and stories, plus email marketing to remind past clients. Local outreach, like sharing in Facebook groups or partnering with businesses, also helps spread the word. Creating urgency with limited spots or early bird discounts can drive faster bookings. Instead of relying on one post, map out a marketing plan across multiple touch points over several weeks for the best results!

Is Your Messaging Connecting With the Right Clients?

If your mini-sessions aren’t booking, your messaging may not be resonating. Clients don’t just want a “Mini-Session”... they want an easy, stress-free way to capture beautiful family photos! Focus on the emotional appeal rather than just the photography itself. You should clearly communicate when, where, how much, and what’s included to eliminate any...

Last week we talked about prepping your business, but today we're going after how to prep your family for a busy season! I also have a Free Minis Class and will help you so much before diving head first into busy season. You should be booking minis right now so if you're not you need this class! Now, let's talk about prepping our families. For me family is one of the most important aspects of my life. When I look back I did my family a disservice when it came to busy season. Let's learn how to succeed in business while protecting our families!

Start having conversations now about the upcoming season. Understanding the world doesn't revolve around your sessions and your spouse or kids also have agendas they want to accomplish is vital. I like to talk about it like a rhythm rather than a routine. Routines are usually concrete, but a rhythm (much like music) gives you space to speed up and slow down. In busy season I typically shoot on weekends, but summer I am able to be home with kids, etc. Talking about what's coming now helps give my spouse understanding. Remember he is not a photographer and doesn't know the schedule! In these convos we can talk through daily schedules and what boundaries will look like. Find what works for your family and prepare your family for a busy season! It won't last forever.

I open up my photography schedule to my spouse and show him what I want to do. Then he has space to veto something and have a say. We want to plan around birthdays and other events. This way I'm not going into the next month with a plan to shoot every weekend when we have a family birthday or something else going on. 

I know hiring childcare may not be feasible for your family. But if it is, I highly suggest doing it! Even if it's just 1-2 days a week. You could even price it out and add it into the overall cost of your sessions. Knowing your kids are being taken care of will give you peace of mind. You will be able to give yourself 100% to the hustle without feeling torn. Obviously you need to do what works, but trust me, it's worth it if you can!

What is this going to look like and when is it going to end? This is what needs to be communicated to your family. When you set the expectation there aren't surprises! Literally pull out a calendar and circle a date that determines the END of your hustle season. We have a rule in our business that there are NO sessions after the first week of December. When you have an end in sight you can endure the craziness! In my business, we take the entire month of December is off. My husband knows after that first week, life is "back to normal". Having an end date gives you a goal to push through. And hold the line! Do not let yourself go beyond that

How many of you are ready for Fall?! I have a Free Minis Class on mini sessions and right now is the best time to do it! Especially if you're wanting to have a successful mini season. There are no catches or gimmicks, just a great class filled with tons of info! Today I'm talking all about how to prep your business for a busy fall season. I've done this well and not so well! Here are some practical things that will make a huge difference. Instead of being burnt out and exhausted you can look back and be proud of what all took place. So here are your practical applications on how to prep your business for a busy fall season...

This is STEP 1! Now, regardless of what you're using it should do the work for you. I love Dubsado, but maybe you use Honeybook, etc. Rather than having to remember to send contracts, invoices and forms you can have them automated! So all the emails that go out, the client experience guide, the whole sequence can be triggered and serve our clients without me having to think about it!

Write down all the steps you have in place to serve your clients. What emails are you sending them, do you have style guides, are you answering last minute questions. Maybe you've been wanting to give a Client Experience Guide, which is like my version of a style guide, now is the time to do it! Don't wait for the busy season to fix or add what you're doing. And if you want to start sending one, but you're not sure where to start you can grab mine in my shop. It's a Canva template that's pre-written so you can add photos and it's done! Maybe you need to add a Final Info Email to answer those questions. I've got Email Templates as well to make things easy for you!

Blank space is not bad space! It's needed. I remember being just miserable early on, especially when I had little babies! I became intentional about when I would shoot. So, I chose either Saturday or Sunday but not both. It's important to give time to rest, protect your mental health and honor

I'm pleased to have Ashley Spriggs on with me today! She is a wife, mom to 3 little ones and owner of Pivot Media! We're excited to talk about finding rhythms that serve your family best. This is crucial especially when it comes to thriving in both "worlds" so to speak. Today is all about the rhythm not the routine! Rhythm gives you movement and allow flexibility vs. being boxed into a routine. Let's dive into finding rhythms that serve your family best!

Sitting down with your spouse and actually talking through what is valued most is a must. You can't come with your own expectations and force them on everyone else. Talk through what you value! Afterward prioritize from greatest to least. It's interesting because within our values we all have unique rhythms that allow us to accomplish them. And learning how your family functions - whether they are morning people, work around naps or like to have a quiet space all plays into your family rhythm.

Looking at actual seasons of life and asking questions: what worked in the last season? What didn't work? What do we value moving forward? Then the implementation needs to be practiced for a few weeks. Find what works! Another thing is don't be afraid to ask questions that challenge where you are and stay flexible! Being aware of what is needed in today will help give your longevity to endure tough seasons. Seasons of transition are inevitable and often the hardest. You almost have to mesh an old rhythm with a new one which is why flexibility will save you. Rhythm without flexibility is actually routine!

Sit down and put together 5 potential rhythms that work for the week. And don't do Monday through Sunday, utilize Monday through Friday and allow the weekends to fuel your family. If Monday's rhythm works then build on it Tuesday. If Monday's rhythm caused stress and anxiety, it's ok! Tomorrow is a new day. Sometimes it's trial and error until you see what fits. And don't forget finding rhythms that serve your family best takes time. It requires flexibility and practice. Learning to ebb and flow with the season your kids are in, the new natural seasons like school starting and knowing people's preferences will help tremendously!

Tune in to hear more from this conversation. It's jam packed with relatable content and will help you wherever you are in this season!

Priorities & Values (8:28)

Finding a New Rhythm in New Seasons (16:53)

Write Out a Flow (35:40)

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I'm thrilled to have special guest Annemei Tonkin from the "This Can't Be That Hard" podcast! We're having a conversation around the response you may have gotten from clients "We can't afford you"! No one likes hearing that and it's a very hard response. Rejection in general is challenging, but let's dive into the reality behind "we can't afford you"...

Sometimes giving our clients too many choices overcomplicates the "deal". Options aren't wrong, but they can be overwhelming! If you offer different types of sessions, have add on packages and give them too much to choose from they may back out because they don't know what to do. Less is more, right? You can give them more customization later rather than "brain dumping" on them at the beginning! On the other hand, you do need to give them something to work with. One size doesn't fit all. If you're struggling to book you may want to examine if you are building flexibility in what you offer.

The reality is "we can't afford you" isn't always true. If clients don't see the value you have then they aren't willing to move forward because it's not worth it to them. It's important to look at your forward facing material like website, socials and branding. Maybe your messaging or how professional you come across. Does it line up with your pricing? If you don't value yourself others won't either. Just be aware of your presentation across the board and believe that what they purchase is worth it!

The number one way someone will hire you is to make clients feel loyal to you. How do you do that? Have a real conversation. Respond to their questions or concerns and be relational! I know not everyone wants to get on the phone, but maybe you could send a short video. Rather than just sending an email a great idea is to put a personal touch on it. Marco polo, vox or voice memo are some options. It can be as simple as sending a DM because it's a place they are already comfortable and it's not a flat email template!

At some point in the process of booking and someone "backs out" it's possible it's because you haven't delivered somewhere. Maybe they just needed more "proof". This is where testimonials, social proof or videos where they see an answer to what they're nervous

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Today's topic is an interesting one! I'm talking about what I would do if I was starting my business in 2022! It's going to be a good one, but I do have this free class to help you get started to have a complete marketing strategy! It's called the "6 Steps to Double your Revenue". It helps you build your photography business so you can be on your way to doubling your revenue this year. So, here's what I would do first if I was starting my business in 2022...

Email marketing is the easiest way to book photo sessions from your warmest clients. They know you, trust you and want more of what you have! You want to start an email list of these clients. I call them the VIP clients. This way you market to them first without having to go to the public. That definitely takes time, but that's why you need to start NOW! An email list is something you own so you have control unlike social media platforms where things are constantly changing. I use Flodesk as a platform and have loved it. Flodesk is easy to use, it's beautiful and I've got a FREE guide to grow your email list from 0 to 100! You can use my code HERE to get 50% off for life and get that list going!

Before you start take paying clients you need to register your business as either an LLC or Sole Proprietor. This sets you up to be legit moving forward. Even if you're not making much, this is important! The next thing to get legit is by getting a contract in place. And not just any contract, but one a lawyer has looked at or approved. Regardless of the type of...

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Blogging is honestly one of my FAVORITE things, specifically for long-term marketing. Now I will say I didn't enjoy this in the beginning because it's for the long term play. I'll be sharing why I still blog every week in this episode. But, before I do, I wanted to give you this new, completely free, Email Marketing Guide. If you want to see your subscriber list go from 0 to 100 then be sure to grab it. This step by step guide will walk through exactly what to do to see growth in your subscriber list! So, when it comes to blogging let me say: blogging is not dead!

Blogging is HUGE when it comes to SEO (search engine optimization). This is important because although social media is grabbing attention it's also based off of algorithms. That means you may or may not get found. But, I use a platform called Wordpress that has a free plugin called Yoast SEO. So, it gives me a checklist of things to do in order to optimize my blog! This is why I still blog every week. I am increasing my SEO which gives me the ability to be found on google.

A blog's "shelf life" is YEARS. I still get hits on blogs I wrote years ago which connects them to my site, etc. You can't really say the same for social media. People are not seeing posts you made 1, 2 or 3 years ago. The beauty of google is they don't just store blogs in the posts section, but also images. I've had people reach out to me because they found an image of a session I blogged about and now they are a new client!

Blog content is so easy to repurpose. For instance, if I write a blog on a family session I did I can reuse the content for social media posts or, one of my favorites, Pinterest! Pinterest is great for visuals like photography. I use tailwind and to automate my Pinterest and I do it once a month. We load up the queue which does take a few hours, but then Pinterest is sending out pins automatically for me for the next month! That is my #2 resource for driving people to my website. My #1 resource is definitely YouTube.

Another reason why I still blog every week is because it acts as a portfolio. This is super helpful when you have someone asking to see examples of specific sessions. Sure your Facebook and Instagram might seem like they cover that in marketing, but when you have blogs you can easily search and send them a link! Maybe they're wanting to see images from a specific location. You can have blog posts that act as location spotlights. Blogging really is such a resource for your future clients.

Pay attention to questions that people ask leading up to their sessions. For example, "Can I bring my dog to my session?" You can literally have an entire blog post about pets and policies. By creating blog content that answers...

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Transcript

Today we're talking all about my favorite email marketing platform! Before breaking down all the info I wanted to give you something that goes hand in hand with this topic. I have a free guide to help you dive deep into email marketing. This is designed to grow your email list from 0 to 100 subscribers. So, if you are looking to get your first 100 subscribers, this download is for you! Now onto my favorite email marketing platform... Flodesk! You can try it out for 50% off using this code!

I have used so many different platforms and landed on Flodesk for a reason. I've done mailchimp, mad mimi, ConvertKit, but in the end Flodesk became the winner! The founders are so sweet and truly listen to their customer feedback. What makes Flodesk unique is their price. Every month you pay the same amount regardless of how many subscribers you obtain. This is different from other platforms because you don't get penalized for growing your email list!

I call Flodesk the Canva of email systems. Flodesk is so user friendly and absolutely beautiful! Maybe it has changed since I used it, but ConvertKit required me to do coding in order to add a simple button in my emails. Flodesk makes it simple and easy with a drag and drop design. Choosing layouts, dropping in images and having the choice of pretty fonts made it easy to design around my brand! We are talking about marketing. If your emails don't match your brand then your marketing isn't where it could be.

Now it may have fewer bells and whistles compared to ConvertKit, but it has what you need. Sometimes too many features can be overwhelming! A few of the features that Flodesk has is what they call segments. It allows you to separate your subscribers into groups of people. For instance, you can separate your list into demographics like young families, wedding, seniors, etc. This allows you to send specific emails to these different groups. Now you won't be losing subscribers because they aren't getting emails that don't apply to them. I also use segments with my associate team. I can set up segments for Dallas clients then Richmond clients or Nashville clients, etc.

I love that I can create beautiful and easy opt in forms. An opt in form collects basic info. So, someone fills out their first and last name along with their email and they automatically get added to my email list. You can set this feature to add

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Transcript

Let's get into Profitable Minis 2.0! If you're listening live the course is OPEN and 50% off! Maybe you're wanting to level up your mini sessions game and need to learn how to make them profitable. Today I'm answering questions about my signature program, so here we go!

Basically Intro to Minis began as the start to minis. It's about 3 hours of content and was launched as a basic foundation for mini sessions. It covers things like structuring your minis and shooting workflow, but it is very different from PMC 2.0. I realized after doing Intro to Minis that there was SO much more information I wanted to put in. So, PMC 2.0 has everything Intro to Minis has but a lot more! The course is a one stop course including 15 hours of content and preparing you start to finish for successful mini sessions. Plus it has plenty of items from the shop like templates, other mini courses, etc. included.

Profitable Minis 2.0 takes a deep dive into marketing. That's one of the major differences between minis booking out or not. There are complete modules set aside solely for marketing and multiple types! Inside this course you'll have screen shares to see how to set up campaigns and tie all your marketing together. That's the beauty of marketing, once you learn how to set it up, it doest the work for you!

I'm often asked, which course is a better starting place: Intro to Minis or PMC 2.0? I suggest PMC 2.0 for those of you that are more advanced in your photography. Intro to Minis is better for beginner photographers (especially those with a more restrictive budget). If you can afford to do PMC 2.0 I still would highly suggest this course. There are payment plan options to help, so if you can swing it I would do PMC 2.0!

Here's the thing, I don't do the best job letting people know about this option. Ultimate PMC 2.0 is the same course, but it includes a 1 on 1 call with me! So, if you're the kind of person that likes more of a "hands on" approach or you need some accountability for implementing this is a great option! Maybe you're looking for individualized feedback and guidance on how to make mini sessions work for your specific business then that's the goal for Ultimate PMC2.0. It's one thing to watch a course, but sometimes you need eyes in on what you're doing. You want someone to look at your work and say "make this tweak, adjust this here" and give you specified advice. This gives you that ability!

Some of you already have Intro to Minis and either want PMC 2.0 or wish you had that instead. I've actually got an upgrade payment option. This way you can get in, but won't feel stressed about the budget. Again, I wanted to make this attainable for anyone so if budget is holding you back...

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There is a time and place for themed minis. Today we'll be talking through the pros and cons to themed mini sessions! But, before we get into it I want you to know I'm hosting a LIVE free class all about MINI SESSIONS! I'll be sharing secrets I use and tips for fully booked minis. Especially with Fall minis literally around the corner it's the right time for you to start prepping! Choose the time that works best for you and join me live (I'll have a Q&A at the end), but if you can't make it live be sure to register for a replay! Now, on to the pros and cons of themed mini sessions...

Themed mini sessions are ideal for those seasonal things like Christmas or Easter. My team does Red Truck Minis and they are such a hit! This is when everyone wants to do nostalgic set ups like Christmas pajama minis, Tree Farm minis or Easter minis. I do a fun picnic mini setup in the Spring and people love it!

They typically are like the "Pinterest worthy" shots that everyone is looking for. Here's the thing: if you're going to do a theme you want to go all out! Choose something that will grab people's attention. Most of the time when you have a setup that is elaborate and Pinterest worthy people will book. They just have to have that robust flower truck for Spring or that fireplace Christmas setup.

A lot of those elaborately themed minis are expensive. Renting all the things or purchasing the right furniture can add up quickly. This can eat into your profit before you know it. So, you have to be prepared to factor that into your cost. Be sure you increase the price of your mini sessions to cover the cost!

Sometimes when you're too specific you miss your audience. A lot of times people want something more generic. For instance, in the Fall I don't do an "autumn themed" setup. I've found that most clients just want updated family photos for cards or frames around the house. Which means they don't necessarily want a specific Fall theme. When nature provides something beautiful enough like colorful leaves, blue bonnets or wildflowers don't add to it! Save your themes for more seasonal or holiday shoots. Back to school is a great themed idea that's not necessarily a holiday!

Think through pros and cons of themed mini sessions before diving in and you'll save yourself time and money!

Pro: Perfect for Seasons (3;11)

Pro: Pinterest Worthy (4:58)

Con: $$$ Expenses (6:57)

Con: Super Specialized (7:27)

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Transcript

Ready to take a stroll down memory lane? Let's take a look back at my very first mini sessions and what I learned! Before that I've got this free class to walk you through all things mini sessions. It's a perfect time with Fall minis just ahead and the best part is it's free! You can invest into yourself and business by setting time aside and taking this class. I know it's June, but it really is time to start preparing for marketing Fall minis. This is why I want to walk you through my very first mini sessions.

I saw a post on Facebook from someone looking for a photographer to do live bunny Easter minis. So, I responded on a whim and said I would do it! I literally decided I'll find a bunny and do sets of minis and priced them at $125. That number was pulled out of thin air and I don't suggest doing that! You need to do a CODB (cost of doing business) and if you don't know how check out THIS YouTube tutorial. I did 4 hours of minis with a lunch break and it was way too much. Each set was 15 minutes and I learned I prefer not to do such a long timeframe. You have to find what works for you!

The location we were shooting was quite a distant away from where clients showed up. I had my assistant escort them back and forth so I could effectively do sessions back to back. You can find out how to shoot back to back by taking that free class mentioned above! Now, you don't need an assistant, but it is so worth it. I pay them an hourly rate and often used people I know personally. They don't have to be a photographer either!

I've experienced poor communication and knew if I was going to start a business or do this part time I wanted communication to be bliss. I discovered how important it is and what an impact it makes on a client experience. This is where my Final Info Email comes into play. Inside the email includes information like specific directions to our location, parking instructions, what to expect when they arrive and the fact that I shoot sessions back to back. This way they know they can't be late! The wording states that if they are late they forfeit their time and they will not be refunded. It goes out one week before the session and...

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More Resources: Prep Week | 12 Theme Ideas Freebie

Spring is right around the corner, which means it's the perfect time to start planning your Spring Minis! With warmer weather, blooming flowers, and families eager to capture seasonal memories, spring is one of the best times to book out your minis. Today, I’m sharing creative Spring Mini Session ideas that will make your Minis stand out, attract more clients, and boost your bookings. Whether you’re looking for fresh ideas or want to refine your approach, this episode will lend inspiration to help you plan successful and profitable Spring Minis! Before diving in make sure you sign up for my newest FREE resource... PREP WEEK! This 4 day training paired with today's episode is a guaranteed win for Spring.

Here's What We'll Cover:

Why Spring? (5:45)

Theme Ideas (7:52)

Questions to Ask While Planning (11:25)

Prep Week (15:03)

Spring Mini Session Ideas

A well-thought-out Spring Mini Session idea can be the key to booking out your spots quickly! A strong theme creates excitement making it easier for potential clients to envision themselves in the session. It also helps you stand out from other photographers running minis in your area, giving you a unique edge in the market. The best spring themes are fresh, colorful, and family-friendly! By incorporating elements that feel light and full of life you'll end up attracting more clients. And while being unique is important just make sure it appeals to a wide range of clients! Some go to Spring Mini session ideas would include seasonal flowers (think blue bonnets or cherry blossoms), vintage Spring picnic, Easter Minis or a flower market location!

Spring Mini Marketing Must

Preparing for your Spring Minis starts with capturing promo shots that will attract clients and fill your calendar. The best way to do this? Set up your Mini Session backdrop in advance and use a real family for test shots. This helps potential clients visualize what their photos will look like and creates instant marketing content. If you're doing a wildflower field theme, you can use a stock image of wildflowers for early promotion and then update your marketing with an actual portfolio image once you've photographed a session. The key is to help future clients envision themselves in your promo!

If you’re feeling unsure about how to market your minis effectively, Prep Week starts next week! It’s a FREE, four-day challenge where we’ll cover marketing strategies, pricing, workflows, and everything you need to book out your minis with confidence. Don’t miss this opportunity to make your Mini Sessions more profitable and stress-free, sign up today!

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I'm diving into my favorite topic: Mini Sessions! More specifically, I'll be talking about Christmas in July and when to start preparing for Christmas minis! I do have a FREE class to help you market your minis. So jump in and get all the free info/resources on how to grow your photography business with mini sessions! Ready to unfold what exactly is Christmas in July, how this campaign works and how you can implement it in your photography business? Let's go!

Starting July 1st we open up booking Christmas minis with one of our biggest themes: Red Truck Minis. These are not shot in July, they're shot in October. But, we fully book our dates with this campaign in about 2 days every year! The way we open this or start promoting is to our email list first. We give our email list 24 hours, maybe 48 and then we move to Facebook. If needed we promote these to our Facebook groups and if then do Facebook ads. Typically, because we've done this a while now, we book with our email list alone.

Start now! Choose date to do indoor studio, pajama, pictures with Santa or tree farm minis. You need to set dates and reserve rentals. The next step would be to prep your emails. Don't be worried about sending too many. We've increased the amount of communication when it comes to marketing. Typically we email five days in a row and trust me, it's not too much! Now, you may have some unsubscribe, but the people supporting you appreciate the fact that you are serving them well. Obviously if you book out in the first day or two you don't need to send the rest of your emails. So get them ready now so they are scheduled and ready by July 1st. I use

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Have you been wondering if you should add associate shooters to your team?! It's something I've navigated through for the past year and a half so I'm thrilled to be talking about it today! I do have a free posing class that focuses on families. It's called "Keys to Effective Family Posing". I've had tremendous feedback from those that have taken already. My heart is full hearing back from you all, so be sure to jump in this free class and learn helpful tools for all things posing! Now, are we ready to dive into the big question - Should you add associate shooters?!

Most of the time an associate photographer is a contract photographer that works for you. So they essentially photograph sessions for you. Once the session is finished they give you all the raw images for you to edit, deliver, etc. You handle all the marketing, the booking and the client communication. One of my favorite perks is that you multiply yourself in a way. You can be in two places at once and get more done! I got to a place where I was fully booked but had more inquiries. Having associate photographers allows me to serve more people and in more places!

Having a team allows you to continue taking on clients, without using up all your time. You're able to continue bringing in revenue without forfeiting family time or every weekend, etc. Maybe you want to pivot. This may be a season where you want to shift your focus. You might want to adjust your full time job. I've had students that love being photographers, but pivot into becoming social media managers or full time editors. I personally made a transition into education. Adding an associate team allowed me to put some major focus on creating education without worrying about enduring a financial hit.

Having an associate team allows you to have multiple price points. I know I shoot in a luxury price point. So for someone to want to book with me, but maybe it's not in their budget my associate team is a great solution! Clients that want to book with you don't have to be turned away due to price. Now you can suggest one of your associates because you're still handling the edit and delivery. Clients still get to work with you, but you don't have to limit yourself to one market!

When I launched my associate team they had zero client base. So, we started them off with Facebook ads and grew to six figures last year! It was...