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We've got another episode of the Business Journey Podcast to share with you today! Today, we're diving into another one of my all-time favorite topics: how to book mini-sessions with no client base. It's one of the biggest misconceptions when it comes to mini-sessions - that you have to have a huge client base for these sessions to be profitable. But, it's a lie! You can totally have successful mini-sessions, no matter the size of your client base. And today, we're going to walk through some super practical tips to help make sure you have profitable mini-sessions wherever you are in your business.

Build Your Portfolio

In order to reach and book new clients, you have to have a portfolio that you can use online. From a consumer's standpoint, they're going to want to book with someone they know is an expert. For us, that means we need to actually have photographs that are ours to show off on our websites and social media platforms. An easy way to build your portfolio? A model call! Post in your local community groups with a date and time you need a family for, offer some digitals in exchange for their time and now you've got a session you can use to advertise! I usually do a few families so I can make sure I'm diversifying my portfolio, too. The same goes for your actual mini-sessions with themes. You'll need photos to advertise them so have a model call so you can photograph your set!

Have a Home Base for Your Clients

When I say "home base", I really mean a centralized spot that clients and potential clients can go to be able to see your work and get in touch with you. Ideally, this should be your website. But if you're not quite to that stage, a strong Facebook or Instagram page would suffice. Now, I totally get how terrifying that sounds. We aren't web designers! We're photographers! The good news is that so many website platforms have templates - like Showit and Wix. So, you're not out there all alone trying to design a website. Remember to keep it simple to start. You need a home page, a portfolio page, and a contact page. That's literally all you need to start with - and done is better than perfect, so get that site up!

Advertise Where Your Ideal Clients Are

So many business owners get swept up in the idea that they have to do every single thing when it comes to marketing. But the truth is, you need to focus on where your ideal client actually is. Think about where your ideal clients hang out: Mom's groups on Facebook? Instagram? Pinterest? Once you know, put your energy in that direction and location. A big piece of advice for marketing is to exhaust all of your free options first. I'll be the first to say I love my Facebook ads now but when I started my business, I wouldn't have been able to understand them and get the most return for my money. So start small and where you know your ideal audience is - and you'll be amazed at how you can start making connections there!

Appear in High Demand

This step is vital for booking clients with little to no client base. I learned this one from my mentors and I think it was a HUGE turning point in my business. From a consumer's perspective, people want to work with someone who's in demand and good at what they do. So make sure you look like you're in demand! All this basically means is share constantly - no one has to know if it was a model call or free session of your sister's kids. Stretch out whatever you've got as long as you can! You can share the final images, behind the scenes - like editing or at the session, before and afters, while you're scouting the location... you get the idea.

Booking mini-sessions with little to no client base is way easier than it seems! With these four tips, you'll find your business is going from slow to booming in no time. Seriously, everything in business just comes down to a little bit of planning! And speaking of planning... Don't forget, I've got a FREE guide to help you decide what kind of mini-sessions to plan this fall. Trust me, you need to be planning NOW for those sessions to be a success! This freebie has  twelve (yep, you read that right!) proven-to-work mini-session themes that you can use this year. You can download that guide HERE!

Links Mentioned in this Episode

+ 12 Mini-Session Ideas

+ Behind the Lens Membership

Topics Discussed in this Episode

Build Your Portfolio (5:15)

Home Base for Clients (8:00)

Advertise Where Your Clients Are (10:08)

Appear in High Demand (16:00)