6 Photography Business Habits That Get You Rehired

with so many photographers to choose from, it’s important that you are not only being chosen for hire the first time, but again in the future as well.  having your photography business attract the right clients for you will help you not only have a successful session, but it will help take you from being a photographer that the client only hires one time to the photographer they turn to whenever it’s time to update their family portraits.  getting hired as their photographer is just the first step in achieving a returning client.  but it is what you do behind the scenes with your business that will make your photography clients rehire you again.  try incorporating these 6 photography business habits when running your business and watch the difference.

are you spending too much time narrowing down photos to edit?  be sure to check out my 5 tips for choosing good photos to edit to help speed up the culling process!

>>this post contains affiliate links.  thank you in advance for supporting bethadilly photography!<<

6 Photography Business Habits That Get You Rehired

our goals as photographers are to not only create beautiful photos for our clients, but to create an experience for them that wants them coming back for more.  instead of having them search for google when it’s time to update their family photos, you want them searching for your business card.  there are 6 principles that i have built my photography business around that have not only made my business very successful, but have created long lasting positive impressions with my clients.  and instead of being a one time photographer, i have become a family photographer who gets rehired time and time again.  keep these tips in mind to help create a photography business that has long term success.

1. Create an Experience

for most families, the idea of getting their portraits taken is quite stressful.  besides capturing wonderful moments with my camera, my main goal is to create a fun experience for my clients so they enjoy their time in front of the camera.  this not only helps to get genuine emotion in my images, but the clients will look back on their images and associate them with a fun experience.  they will replace that feeling of stress and anxiety with a more positive feeling, encouraging them to rehire you for another positive experience when it is time to update their portraits.  in order for you to photograph a family making a fun memory, it’s important that you create one for them.

ways you can do this is by simply having fun with your clients.  take them to a new location that would interest them and allow them to have fun within their surroundings.  encourage them to play games, laugh, and tickle one another.  all of these things help to not only relax the client and make them feel more comfortable in front of the camera, but to create images that have honest emotion.

one of my very favorite sources for posing inspiration is  the design aglow posing guide for family portrait photography.

2. Don’t Offer Mini Sessions

in my opinion, mini sessions are one of the worst things you can do for your photography business.  first of all, you are paying yourself less to do the same work, even if you are offering less images or a shorter session.  second of all, you are attracting the wrong client.  mini sessions attract clients who only want a deal.  and next year when they are looking to hire a photographer again, they are going to be searching for a deal first and foremost.  for me and my photography style, full length sessions are necessary to not only create an experience for my client but to give me time to have some fun and create honest images with them.  it’s not something that can be done in a 15 minute session, but instead i like to take my time with my clients and not make them feel rushed.

set your pricing and stand by it.  the customers who truly love your work will pay for it.  and those are the customers you want anyways because they will help you achieve your photography style as they are invested in it just as much as you are.

3. Maintain A Consistent Photography Style

the reason why clients hire you initially is because they love your work.  the reason why they hire you again is because…they still love your work.  be sure that you are always being consistent with your photography style, as it will help you attract clients and then keep them.  if you are a photographer who has a clear photography style, your clients know exactly what they are going to get by hiring you, and they will be satisfied in the end because you will deliver what they expect.  however, if you are a photography who photographs differently during each session, your portfolio is going to be too diverse, leaving potential clients wondering what they will even get by hiring you.

if you are a photographer that focuses on capturing candid moments with your clients, do it and do it all of the time.  this will ensure that the clients who hire you know what to expect from you, and also ensures that they will be happy with their final images because it’s what they hired you to do.

if you are struggling with finding a unique photography style that represents you and your business, be sure to check out my eBook “The Styled Photographer.”

4. Be Personable and Build Trust

you represent yourself and your business from the very first email a client sends you.  i firmly believe that the client’s session begins way before the session day.  it is your job to build trust with your client from the moment you are introduced.  be personable with your client as you are choosing a location, a date, and confirming their session.  build trust in them by offering additional services before the session like wardrobe advisement.  helping clients decide what to wear to their session not only helps reduce the client’s stress, but it shows them that you care enough about their photos that you are willing to put in some time to show them what photographs the best.  building trust also means following up with your client before the session, by way of sending session reminders and encouraging communication if questions are to arise.

5. Don’t Do What You Say, Do More

if you tell your client you are going to do something, do it better than they could imagine.  for me, i do this in two main ways.  even though i tell my client that it will take me two weeks to edit their collection, i edit and deliver their images within less than a week.  this is not only impressive to my client, but the surprise is lovely for them.  when a client leaves my session, they are already thinking about how their images are going to look so i don’t want them wondering for long, i love to show them right away.  another way that i do more for my client is by editing extra images for them, for free.  even though i quote 20 final images, i always throw in extra images for my clients.  this is not only a great way to say thank you for a wonderful session, but it shows my clients that i care enough about their memories that i want them to have all of them, not just a certain number.  clients remember little things like faster delivery times and free extras.  and to be honest, it takes very little time to do these little gestures.

6. Send An Annual Reminder

every august, before the busy fall season begins, i send emails to my existing clients to remind them that it’s time to schedule a time to update their family portraits.  my clients love the reminder because, being summer, it’s something they haven’t thought of quite yet.  they are glad that you are willing to get them on the calendar while there are many dates to choose from instead of rushing to find a spot when they eventually remember it’s time to schedule.  allowing existing clients to choose session dates before opening up my calendar to the public is a gesture that clients appreciate, and it makes them feel special.  it shows them that you care about their family and want to see them again this year.

successful photographers book clients, but really successful photographers rebook clients.  you know that you are doing it right when your clients choose you again and again.  your goal is to be the photographer your clients turn to no matter what time of year and no matter what occasion.  try implementing these 6 photography business habits to help transition yourself from a one time photographer to you client’s official family photographer.

be sure to join my exclusive email list to receive my latest photography tips and tutorials.  it’s free!

need some photography tips + inspiration?  check out what posts are trending below!