19. Mini-Sessions Vs. Full Sessions (and Why Minis Win)

Today, we're talking about mini-sessions vs. full sessions for photographers and why mini-sessions win out every time. We're going to dive into the numbers and talk about the nitty gritty details so that you truly understand why I believe in the value of mini-sessions for photographers. I can't wait to talk to you about this topic, it's truly one of my favorites because it surprises SO many people!

Now, before we get too far, I wanted to remind you, if you haven't checked out my free minis class, you're missing out! It's jam packed with all kinds of details about how I structure mini-sessions, market them to be profitable, and book out EVERY time. Trust me, after this blog post, you'll want to go take the class and get going for your own mini-sessions!

Mini-Sessions vs. Full Sessions

Honestly, I feel like this is a MAJOR showdown when it comes to photography businesses. All the time, I'm in groups online and trying to convince photographers to consider offering mini-sessions. If they only understood how much better these sessions can be for your time, energy, wallet, and life... they'd agree! That's why I wanted to talk about it today with you. To be clear, when I say "mini-session", I mean sessions that are 15 minutes and stacked in a time block. These are not stand alone sessions - they occur back to back at a location that the photographer has planned. There are a limited number of images given. Basically, a limited and controlled session. A full session, in comparison, is 30-60 minutes with a full gallery of at least 15+ images. Clients choose the location and it's not as controlled on your end.

Mini-Sessions maximize your time.

As a business owner, I'm always looking for ways to maximize my time, energy, and money. And when I do mini-sessions, I make more hourly than I do during a regular session. And that doesn't even include what you might make by upselling your galleries after the fact. If you're curious about how to upsell your mini-session gallery, make sure you tune into my free class. Oh, and I break down ALL of the math on the podcast episode, so tune in to hear all the numbers laid out for why you actually make more with minis hourly!!

Mini-sessions happen over one or two days!

The spring and fall are notoriously busy times of year for photographers. During these peak seasons, I put all of my energy into mini-sessions. Instead of saying how many dates can I book with full sessions, I'm asking how many slots I can fill on one or two days. I'm not giving up all of my time throughout some beautiful times of year to be photographing sessions. Instead, I can be with my family!

Some sessions SHOULD be full sessions.

I want to be clear: I'm not saying never do full sessions! There are definitely types of sessions that should be a full 30-60 minutes, like newborn or maternity sessions. But, if it can be a mini-session, try to make it one and maximize your time and calendar (and profit) in busy times of the year. During off season, we are booking full sessions because there's not the same demand for sessions - so we can go a little bit slower and not overdo our schedule without helping our wallet!

So...

I truly believe mini-sessions can be a great and easy way to increase the profitability of your business, if you know what you're doing! I hope that I've convinced you, but if you're worried about your mini-sessions tanking, I've got another FREE resource for you: my 12 Mini-Session Ideas. I've got 12 proven themes that people LOVE. Now is the time to start thinking about your fall minis, so make sure you're well-prepared!

Links Mentioned in this Episode

+ FREE Mini-Session Class

+ 12 Mini-Session Ideas

+ Behind the Lens Membership

Topics Discussed in this Episode

Mini-Sessions vs. Full Sessions (1:49)

Mini-Sessions + Time (4:20)

Mini-Sessions + Schedule (9:06)

Full Sessions (11:25)