How to Take Advantage Of Slow Booking Season
As a virtual assistant for photographers, one of the things I hear the most from my clients around this time of year is that it’s a slow booking season. And yep, that tends to be true…
Most every niche of photographer has a quiet couple months at the beginning of the year…
Newly engaged couples are just starting the planning process.
Spring family photos haven’t started yet.
Boudoir tends to slow down until after the holiday slump has worn off.
Not to mention your ideal client is probably just in recoup-mode from the busyness of the holidays.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t use this slower booking season to your advantage. In fact, this is the time to buckle down, get strategic and set an amazing foundation for the rest of the year.
I want you to think of the year as a whole and zoom out. If you are wanting to magnetize ideal clients, make more $$, and align your business to your desires - than having a strong foundation is really going to help you. Not to mention, just because bookings might have slowed down doesn’t mean SHOPPING has slowed down. Your dream clients are scrolling through online, taking mental notes about what photographers to talk to for their 2023 photos. Now is the time to get strategic and make a good impression.
(And no, I’m not talking about hustle culture here. You know how I feel about that around here haha.
I’m talking about strategy, efficiency, and creating ease for yourself later in the year).
Here are my top 3 ideas on ways to capitalize on this time of year:
USE your blog:
This is a unique time where you can start serving your ideal clients right out of the gate. Use your blog to start talking about educational topics & show off your FAV recent work. Think about what your dreamy clients are considering right now, and start talking about that. DON’T OVER COMPLICATE IT.
Wanting to book weddings + engagement? Publish a blog about “how to pick an epic engagement location”. Or “the first 3 steps to consider when wedding planning”. If you are a boudoir photographer, share all about the process of booking a shoot with you (that makes it a low barrier for them to reach out!). A family photographer? Publish one about “how to coordinate instead of match for family photos!” The possibility are endless.
The goal here is to SERVE your future client. There are people out there who want to book someone just like you. So you’re using your blog as a way to show up, and put your expertise on the table. They don’t know you are the expert if you aren’t showing them. Your blog is a GREAT place to do that.
ALSO: Blogs also have the capacity to get Google searches to notice your site. Once I started using SEO and blogging in my business, almost all my inquiries started coming from google searches. Slow booking season is NOT the time to stop blogging.
(I wouldn’t be a good VA without plugging that I have a blogging team that will literally do all this for you. Click here!)
CRAFT AN AMAZING CLIENT EXPERIENCE:
Now is the perfect time to set the stage for all the super cool clients who will be reaching out over the next couple months. You want to be able to wow them with your customer service, which means you need thoughtful automation in your life.
Now is the time to overhaul those dusty CRM systems, get clear on the client’s journey through your business, and align your automations to support you.
I recommend starting with pen & paper, to write out exactly the steps you want your client to experience. Every touch-point is an area you can “wow” them, and create raving fans/repeat clients. Then translate that process to your CRM!
As a virtual assistant for photographers, I help my clients set up automations all the time. I highly recommend either Honeybook or Dubsado if you are wanting to really be able to customize your client’s experience (Dubsado is my fav!)
Book a creative shoot:
At the end of the day, you are a business owner. Yes. True. BUT you are also an artist. And finding that balance between your business brain & artist brain is something you will always be juggling. Take a mental note that later in the year, you are going to be in the hustle & bustle of busy season (which, like it or not, is a lot of business owner hat-wearing) and will be craving some playful, artistic time.
Lay the foundation for that balance by putting together a styled, creative shoot for yourself (or joining one another photog is hosting!)
Fun fact? I used to host styled shoots when I was a photographer. I loved getting together all the details and executing a creative vision. Whether you do it yourself with models & fellow industry vendors, or pay to join a styled session, give yourself space to create without inhibitions. Get out of your comfort zone and play around. You’re an artist, you need this time.
That’s it! If you are a photographer navigating a slower booking season, I hope these tips & tricks helped! As your friendly neighborhood VA - I can’t wait to see you thrive this year!
