The Holidays are officially upon us! For me, it never seems weird to see Christmas decor coming out at the same time as Halloween decor because I’m already well into gearing up and planning for Christmas mini shoots, the Holiday Cards and creating my deadline calendar. As photographers, we have to be one of the first to jump on the sleigh if we want any chance at making it through the Holiday’s with awesome sauce.
So… How do you handle the Holiday’s with Awesome Sauce?? Here are three ideas that I use in my business and you’re welcome to adapt them for your own!
1. CHRISTMAS MINI SHOOTS! To save yourself from shooting weekend after weekend, use the Christmas Mini Campaign to promote your mini shoots. It’s super important to your awesome sauce recipe that youΒ make sure they are actually mini). Plan a couple weekends and book 20 to 40 minute time-slots (depending on your confidence level) back to back. It’s important that when planning your promotion to create packages that will not require in person appointments or a great deal of back end work. Plan to create package options so that all order decisions and investment are taken care of upfront.Β Tip: Don’t fill in slots sporatically, book one after the other so that you don’t find yourself with holes where you’re just twiddling your thumbs.Β
2. HOLIDAY CARDS! Some people hate them and think they’re a waste of time, others invest half their yearly profits into buying up all the newest card templates. I’m somewhere in the middle. I think press printed cards are an excellent way to have clients market my business (my info is always on the back) but I don’t let them become a major time suck. I usually purchase a couple new card templates each year (some years none). I keep it simple and straight forward. For example, if you want this card template, you must choose an image with the proper orientation.
3.Β THE CUT OFF! If your going to have any chance of enjoying the holidays yourself you must set perameters around what you will and will not do durring the Holidays.Β My Holiday shooting ends on Nov 19th this year. This will give me ample time to create the products that my clients need in time for their own Holiday Christmas mailings while allowing me to maintain the service experience that my clients know and expect. But even more importantly, it ensure that I am spending December making my own holiday memories!
Don’t worry… We’re not done yet! I’ll be showing you Client Gift Ideas, My NEW Christmas Digi Marketing Idea I’m trying this year & Studio Holiday Card ideas too! So stay tuned, cause we’re dedicated to handling the holidays with awesome sauce baby!!
Leave a comment and let us know how you hold on to your awesome sauce during the holidays!Β
Great timing, you always seem to have that! Bonus points for using awesome sauce.
This will help especially tip #1’s book in order and not sporadically. I know that should be common sense but it’s nice to reiterate common sense. π
Is that common sense??? π Because I figured it out after one to many times of letting the client choose and ending up with holes. … So happy that it helped and at the right time. I was worried (still am) that this post came way to late.
It’s not common sense per say but really it now should be. I fell into that “oh whatever time works for you” rabbit hole and it became a mess real quick. If it doesn’t work for this year at least it’s good for next year or another “holiday” mimi sessions that will be coming up. Don’t fret all advice is good advice, late or not.
Thank you Melissa!!!! π
My main concern seems to be with new clients trying to book so late in the season. As photographers we think about Christmas way back in September; however, most people don’t start thinking about Christmas until after Halloween has passed. I try to shut down sessions on November 1 in order to have enough time to process orders to have back in time for the holidays. I am just having a hard time turning new clients down and feel bad disappointing them when I am unable to fit them in to my schedule. They are unaware of my holiday schedule because they are new..Any thoughts, advice? Thanks!
I have a few ideas… I’ll write a post today and share!
Woot so excited to see this post and the future ones! Thanks Leah!
You’re very welcome! π I’m really glad you enjoyed the first one, hopefully you’ll enjoy the others too!
Love the font that you use for AWESOME SAUCE – Mind sharing what that is?
I would be happy to! π I think you’re referring to Lullaby! It’s Free from Dafont! Here is the link: http://www.dafont.com/lullaby.font