Today was sitting faced with one of those ‘Photographer’s Dilemmas’ – to Mini Session or not to Mini Session.
There is part of me that doesn’t like mini sessions, only because I love giving each of my clients the time and attention to have an enjoyable, relaxed & bespoke photo session experience and to produce a product/products of superior quality… I put my heart and soul into each of my full sessions… spend hours perfecting the post-processing and get really excited to upload a full gallery of beautiful images of their babies, children and family, and to hear how much they adore what I’ve created!
Which brings me to Confess: Yes, Mini Sessions scare me a little. Although ‘everybody is doing them’, I don’t necessarily feel that I need to… In fact, I usually like doing things my way and to not always follow the crowds. BUT, there is an element of Mini Sessions which I DO enjoy – that I am able to style the session to a specific theme, relevant to the time of the year, which makes it special and fun for myself and my clients! And best of all, it is a chance for any client or potential client to book me at a much more affordable price than normal, a much shorter session time (those with very young children will sing for joy!) and it usually includes a product/digital file(s)/print! And there is of course the small chance I will have a client for life too after *smiley wink*
Here are a few of my favourites from last year’s Christmas Mini Sessions
So, what have I decided – do I, or don’t I? Well, after listing to myself the pros and cons of offering (theme specific) photography mini sessions, I have decided to give it a few more ‘goes’ to see if it is worth my while in the long-run. Whilst you keep your fingers crossed for me (thanks!), please have a read through my list of thoughts, and if I’ve missed something you think I should add, please let me know, or if you want to prove to me otherwise, please message me – I’m sure there are many photographers out there way more experienced with Mini Sessions than me 😉 I really only offer them less than a handful of times a year. Please bear in mind that these are based on my experiences, what I’ve heard and read over time from others in the industry, and meant to be aimed at THEMED mini sessions!
CONS:
- Little profit/potential for upselling: Even though it still takes a lot of prep & planning of location, theme, props etc., same post-processing time per image to ensure consistency with your usual quality and style, there is not much profit to be made from Mini Sessions as, a) to make it appealing to potential customers, you may have to cut your own hourly rate as well as cut into your usual profit per product offered – this is the part that I struggle with most, as I want to give a competitive, affordable deal, but at the same time I wonder if it is worth it when you are making next to nothing then? Probably not, but some photographers swear that it brings them new clients, so I’m not giving up on these sessions completely just yet! b) as these sessions are usually seasonal/ at certain festive or celebratory times of the year, styled accordingly with props, clients may be after just that one or two images offered. There is not much room for upselling on these sessions, apart from a few small products or cards maybe – it is highly unlikely that the client will ask for a USB with all the images from the session (who needs ten Christmas images on USB anyway?), and it is even more unlikely that, due to a theme based on a specific time of the year e.g. Christmas/Easter is going to be blown up to take the main spot above the fireplace. Be prepared – not many mini session bookers will actually purchase any other products over and above what is included in the offer!
- Not attracting your ideal client: if priced too cheaply, or too many products included, it may only attract ‘deal seekers’ – those who want all for nothing, those who won’t be loyal customers but only out to find the cheapest deal regardless of quality. (Beware, this type of client is usually the one who will threaten or manipulate you to get further discounts or even freebies, the type of client who will give you a bad rating or slander you if you don’t.) These are not the clients I want. Nor you. We want people who value the art of photography, the time and effort that goes into creating each image… a client who appreciates quality over quantity.
- It may feel rushed: As an artist, I like to take my time to create my vision, to provide the client with images that I am proud of. I find it hard to ‘work with a timer’, which you NEED to if you have several bookings in one day…so yes, a 15-20 minute session freaks me out a little! But this is probably just me, and I usually manage to get over it as soon as I start the session, when the adrenalin really kicks in and I do realise that mini sessions are actually fun too! haha
PROS:
- Discounted rates: This may not seem like the best news for you as the photographer, but there may be some positivity in this if you look at it another way; Not everyone who waits for an offer on your services is a ‘bargain hunter’ or goes for price over quality… There are customers or potential customers out there who loves your work, who would love a session with you, but they just simply cannot afford to pay full price. Mini Sessions give these clients a chance to book you at a much more affordable price (my mini sessions are between 40-50% off my normal session fee) plus there is usually the added bonus that there will be a product or some digitals included in the price! Even if this customer who loves your work but struggles to afford your normal prices are unable to book a future full session with you, chances are, they will be return customers for mini sessions (or maybe even special occasions), and they may also be doing some word of mouth advertising for you!
- Styled Session: It means a fun, different-from-your-usual set-up with some pretty theme specific props! This is what should make mini sessions different from your normal sessions – it has to be something they cannot book at other times of the year… something ‘special’ for Father’s Day/Mother’s Day/Christmas…because if it is just a mini version of your typical full session, then clients will rather wait for your mini sessions offer instead of having to pay for a full session. If it is styled specifically to the theme or time of year, your full sessions will still be the ones being booked for the portrait to go up on the entrance hall 🙂
- Specific Date(s) and Location: You can have specific dates set aside specifically for these sessions, at a time most convenient for you, and to make sure there will be no crazy rush during peak times at your chosen photography labs/printers.
- Shorter Session Times: Means less images per client, which means you will have the gallery up sooner than your usual timeframe. Less images in gallery also makes it easier for your client to choose from, which means you won’t need to have the gallery up for weeks and your client’s order will probably be placed within only a few days.
- It’s all in the spirit of fun & festivities: And this is probably the one reason why I may keep offering these sessions. Apart from being completely different from my usual sessions, they are fun – lots of fun! My favourite being Christmas time! I offer my Christmas Mini Sessions in November – this way everyone, including me, are starting to feel really Christmassy, happy, jolly and all round merry!
Here the blog links to two of my Christmas themed mini sessions from last year (2014) :
Last minute thought (and this should actually be added as a PRO) – one could always use these mini sessions to raise money for a good cause. Instead of sulking over the little profits, why not just enjoy the magic of giving to a charity of your choice, even if just a percentage? Customers may even spend more if they know that it is for a good cause! Now, there is a thought that is actually getting me really excited about mini sessions! *big smile*
This post was mainly from a photographer’s point of view. Next time I will post something similar aimed at clients – the PROS of taking advantage of styled mini sessions. EDITED: I previously said there are not cons here…but actually there are – oops – and I’m sharing them in the new post! 🙂
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