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It's Fall mini session prep time! That's why I recently hosted a Q & A about fall mini session prep and I thought I'd share some of the things we discussed with you! Preparing for mini sessions shouldn't be overwhelming. It should help you feel like you have a plan and you're going to sell out all of your spots because you're ready and prepped your audience. So let's dive into our Fall Minis Q & A! I hope these questions (and answers) help you feel ready to go this year!

How do you get promo shots without a setup?

I see this question a LOT, especially around holiday sessions like Red Truck mini sessions. If you don't have the setup yet for your holiday minis, which is totally cool, there's a few things you can do. The first is to rent your setup for 1 day for a few hours to capture promotional shots. Have a model call and bring in a real family to photograph in your setup. If you aren't able to rent your setup or the space for a small period of time, ask the rental company or location if they have any photos you can use for advertising. It's not always ideal but it can work. Post that image alongside images you've taken so people know what they're getting.

How do you recommend scheduling your promotions for Christmas minis in July and also fall mini sessions?

I think running a Christmas in July special can be a great way to build excitement for your Christmas minis. I would hold off really promoting your fall mini sessions until you're done with your Christmas in July marketing, though. I know for me and my team, we've sold almost all of our Red Truck mini session spots from this month's promotions alone! As soon as they fill up or July is over, you can start pushing the general fall mini sessions and then bring back the sign ups for Christmas ones again as it gets closer.

If you had a successful setup last year, should you offer it again?

I get this question a lot, but I think the answer is if it's a unique setup, then absolutely do it again! I know for me and my business, I do have clients that will book the same (or similar) setups year to year. For some families, it becomes a tradition. And for new families, it's nice to be able to offer them something they may not have been able to book the year before. If you're worried about it, you could also add an additional setup that's an option. That gives people more variety to choose from so they don't feel like they're “stuck” with the same setup as the year prior.

Is it too early to start advertising fall and holiday mini sessions?

The short answer? No! It's the perfect time to start getting your plan together for your fall and holiday mini sessions. If you're part of my Behind the Lens Membership, there's actually a quarterly planning masterclass from this month where we walked through how to plan mini sessions specifically with my associate, Bonnie. It's SO helpful and a great video to watch. All of that to say, now is the best time to start penciling in your dates for mini sessions and begin to plan the promo shots, marketing and all of that. In many ways, we're in an “off season” as family photographers, so take advantage of that.

How do I pick themes?

Another really popular question I get is about picking themes for mini sessions and if every session has to have props. I personally don't think every mini session has to have a big theme or props. Often for fall mini sessions, I'll pick beautiful locations. And I like giving that option to my families the option to have something that isn't themed or bright and colorful because they may want something they can display year round. Or it's just not their thing. For Christmas minis, I always try to offer the themed and non-themed setups because everyone likes something different! And PS, if you need more ideas, download my FREE guide with 12 theme ideas that work for mini sessions!

As you can see, we got into some REALLY fun topics about mini sessions. And there's SO many more over on the podcast today. Click “play” above and listen to them all. I hope this Fall Minis Q & A helps you plan your fall sessions with more confidence this year.

Topics we Discussed:

Promo shots without a setup (2:04)

Christmas in July (5:32)

Offering the same setup (7:42)

Is it too early to advertise? (10:01)

How do I pick themes? (12:03)

Links Mentioned in this Episode:

+ Behind the Lens Membership

+ 12 Themes Freebie

 

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