Mini Sessions Made Easy

Rebecca Rice
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Mini Sessions Made Easy

Welcome to Minis Made Easy—the podcast that’s all about making your mini-sessions simple, profitable, and stress-free! I’m Rebecca Rice, and I’ve helped thousands of family photographers just like you build thriving businesses through mini-sessions. Somewhere along the way, my students started calling me the “Queen of Minis,” and I’ll gladly own it—because I love showing photographers how to maximize their time and profits while working smarter, not harder. Whether you’re brand new to the world of minis or you’ve been running them for years and are ready to level up, you’re in the right place. From pricing and marketing to posing and workflows, this is your one-stop shop for everything minis. So grab your favorite drink, get comfy, and let’s dive in—you’re just one episode away from transforming your business with Minis!

  1. HÁ 6 DIAS

    How To Price Your Minis

    Apple Podcasts |Spotify |TranscriptMore Resources: Mini Session Theme Ideas | Prep WeekPricing your mini sessions can feel like a guessing game. Should you charge what other photographers do? Should you price lower to attract more bookings? Or maybe you feel like you're just throwing out a number and hoping it works. If you’ve ever second-guessed your pricing, you’re not alone! Many photographers struggle with setting prices that not only attract clients but also ensure profitability. Today we'll be calculating your cost of doing business (CODB) because pulling numbers from thin air or copying what other photographers are doing won't help YOU and your business succeed! Let's learn how to price your mini sessions for profit! Here's What We'll Cover:Why Calculate Your CODB (3:40) Gathering Your Numbers (7:02) Calculating Your Numbers (10:34) Brand New Resource - Prep Week (20:18) How to Price Your Mini Sessions for ProfitHave you ever felt like you're working hard, but you're not sure that you're seeing the profit from? Have you ever wondered if you're even covering your costs and making this thing worth it? Whether you're a numbers person or not, learning to calculate your Cost of Doing Business is a must! In the simplest terms you make sure all expenses and taxes are covered in your revenue AND you're paying yourself. Statistics show that most photographers don't make it past year 3. This is solely because they don't price their work appropriately. Gather Your NumbersStep one you need to list EVERY expense you have. Let's take your Spring Minis Sessions for example! List out any expenses that would go towards them including softwares like your CRM (gallery delivery), Lightroom or Imagine AI (your editing software), email marketing, google domain, website costs, gear, props or client gifts, etc! If you pay for something annually divide it by 12 to give you a monthly amount. Next, calculate the number of hours you spend on Spring Minis. Don't just include your shooting time! List the time spent marketing, driving to locations, editing and post processing! Lastly, ask yourself: how much do I want to be paid for my hourly rate? And please pay yourself more than a teenager who works at Costco! I suggest no less than $50/hour because you are well worth your time! Calculating Your NumbersIn any given month for Spring Minis list how many sessions you realistically want to book. For example's sake we'll say 16 (that's 2 days of minis). Here's where gathering your numbers come into play. How many hours will you spend on these specific Mini Sessions (for everyone it's different, but remember to include marketing, post processing/editing, shooting time). So, you should have your total number of expenses for one month and the number of hours you will work for these sessions. Take your hourly rate multiplied by the number of hours for these sessions and that's your profit. Next, take your expenses and add them to your profit amount. Finally,...

    26min

  2. 23 DE JAN.

    Planning Your 2025 Mini-Sessions

    Apple Podcasts |Spotify |TranscriptAs we're headed into this new year and our Mini Sessions season I wanted to talk through the importance of planning EARLY!  January is the perfect time to set the tone for your year. Preparation like this will set you up for success and why not determine this year to be your most profitable!? In this episode not only will you learn why planning ahead is valuable, but you'll understand what happens when you don't. So, for starters let's look at key reasons why planning your Mini Sessions early is a must! Why Planning Your Mini Sessions Early is ValuableIn order to plan ahead you need at least 6-8 weeks before your Mini Sessions take place. When you start marketing early you get ahead of other photographers! Why not be the first photographer seen by your audience for Spring Minis and beat the competition? Rather than scrambling last minute to do Easter Minis or Wildflowers, you can prepare now and get fully booked! This also means you'll be maximizing your profits. You get the opportunity to think through your pricing, structure and upselling. And the best part is you can do it all--stress free! Key Areas to PrepOne thing you need to look at is the calendar as a whole. Start with your personal calendar including birthdays, vacations, important dates. Then you can pencil in dates for Mini Sessions. That way you aren't overbooked and you have control of when you work! My suggestion would be to look at doing Spring, Fall and Christmas Minis. Next, an area you want to plan is thinking through the themes that you could potentially have for your Mini Sessions. You want to think of fun, creative ideas, but things that your clients will actually book. Lastly, plan ahead in your marketing plan! Put together a real strategy including your email list, your SEO and your socials. Trust me, good marketing takes time so tackle this early and give yourself the ability to be profitable. What Happens If You Don't PlanI know there are so many things you have to think about when planning your Mini Sessions, but that's why I'm here! You won't be doing this alone. The danger in not being proactive is you'll be stressed out, overwhelmed, losing clients or missing out on profits! The earlier you start preparing the better off you'll be. Throughout the coming weeks I'll walk through all the important keys in planning your Mini Sessions! Tune in next week for specifics on pricing to be profitable! What We Covered:Why I started planning ahead (1:55) Why planning your mini sessions early is valuable (3:03) Key areas to prep (6:08) What happens if you don't plan (11:00)

    13min

  3. 16 DE JAN.

    Minis Made Easy

    Apple Podcasts |Spotify |TranscriptIf you're a family photographer looking for mini session tips to simplify your business while maximizing profits, you’re in the right place! I'm thrilled to announce the rebrand of my podcast: Minis Made Easy. This podcast is your go-to resource for everything mini sessions—helping you streamline workflows, master posing, and build a profitable photography business. The goal is to leave you inspired, provide actionable tips and educational content tailored for your photography business! I've discovered a major part of my why in this industry is to help other photographers in their journey. And friend, it all starts with mini sessions! Why Focus on Mini Sessions?Profitability and Scalability: Minis allow you to serve more clients in less time while still providing an excellent experience. Simplified Marketing: With clear themes and short time slots, minis are easier to market and fill. Community Demand: Many photographers shared their struggles and questions about making minis work. This rebrand allows us to address those needs in-depth. What Can You Expect from Minis Made Easy?Each episode is tailored specifically to help you master mini-sessions. Here’s a sneak peek into what we’ll cover! Workflows: Learn how to streamline booking processes, client communication, and gallery delivery for a seamless client experience. Posing Tips: Discover techniques for maximizing short 10-minute sessions while keeping your posing natural and stress-free. Business Strategies: Get insights into pricing your minis for profit, marketing effectively, and scaling your mini-session offerings. Creative Inspiration: Stay ahead of the curve with fresh seasonal themes and evergreen session ideas that clients will love. You can count on this podcast to serve you in key areas! I'll be breaking down the how, what and when for successful Mini Sessions and be sharing all the mini session tips. Let’s simplify the way you run your business while making your minis more profitable than ever.

    15min

  4. 31/07/2023

    How To Set Boundaries With Difficult Clients

    Apple Podcasts |Spotify |TranscriptMore Resources: Portrait Contract Template | Free Business & Marketing ClassThis is one of those topics that, although it's not fun, is necessary. Especially as we head into a busy season you need to know how to set boundaries with difficult clients! After being in this industry for years I'll just let you know that if you haven't had a challenging client... they're coming. Which is why this episode will be helpful! I'll share some of my personal experience and give you pointers on how to work with them. But before unpacking that, I have a free class just for you! It's all about how to double your photography revenue this year. We'll touch on some business basics but dive deeper into business marketing! Rather than relying solely on pretty pictures you can drive your business with excellent marketing. Now, onto the "fun" clients... Stay Professional and KindIt is so important to deal with clients with kindness. Remember, you're running a business and your conversation or interaction represents the brand/the business. It's very easy to match your client's attitude and energy especially if you don't mind confrontation. Some of you may be people pleasers and negative confrontation is a challenge, but remember kindness goes a long way. Stay professional and give your client a hefty helping of kindness! You have an opportunity to handle situations with grace and I suggest doing it over the phone. You don't want to give clients ammunition so even an email would be beneficial. Refer to Your ContractPointing back to your contract gives you a backbone to lean on. And that's why it's crucial to have a legal contract that will hold up. I have one in my shop you can grab and they are there for a reason! A few things I have in my contract that protects me is found in editing. I have it in my contract that I do not remove things that wouldn't be gone on their own within 1-2 weeks. I won't altar someone's body because all bodies are beautiful and deserve to be captured. I also hold the right to including or excluding photos from their gallery. Sometimes the shot is blurry or simply doesn't turn out. I want to include photos that will not only be a good representation of my work but turn out well! Give a Yes with a BoundaryThis is one of my favorites because it helps you illuminate the positivity and serve your client but protects you as well. You need to be taken care of which is why we are talking about how to set boundaries with difficult clients! So, give your client a yes but with a realistic boundary. For example, if a client wants something edited that's outside of your normal scope of editing....

    22min

  5. 10/07/2023

    Mini-Sessions Q&A

    Apple Podcasts |Spotify |TranscriptMore Resources: Live Webinar | Posing Workflow | Contract Let's talk about Mini Sessions! I'm doing a Mini Sessions Q & A from a thread in my Facebook group. There were tons of great inquiries so I'm taking the time to go through and answer now!  I'm also hosting a LIVE webinar this coming Thursday (if you're reading this current and up to date) all about MINI SESSIONS! This is a brand new class I've never taught and we'll have a Q&A section at the end for that too! So, if today's podcast hits home you'll definitely want to join. Be sure to register HERE regardless of if you can make it live or not. Thursday, July 13th @ 1:00pm CST. Once you register you'll receive the replay and get all the fresh content. Now, let's jump in! What do you do with uncooperative kids?This specific question stated, "If your sessions are 20 minutes and one of your children doesn't cooperate what do you do?" Here's the thing, my mini sessions are 10 minutes and most of my students do 15 minutes. So, when a child is crying the whole session or not wanting to participate you just do your best. If you're booking with a family and the parent knows ahead of time the child will struggle, opt for a full session. So what do you do? Keep snapping, try posing different angles to avoid the crying face, book with them in 6 months from now! Most of the time kids are uncooperative because it's new. I did this with a family and the second session was incredible. We got to celebrate the major growth. I'm also a believer in capturing true memories. The reality is kids cry. They don't always cooperate and that's part of life's memories! How do you advertise your minis?This is a loaded question because there is so much that goes into marketing. Join the free class to go deeper! I would say good advertising doesn't just post to your business Facebook page or Instagram. You need all the pieces of the puzzle to present a full picture. How do you get comfortable with short time slots?Practice, practice, practice! Start at 15 minutes and use a posing workflow. If you're worried about clients feeling like they aren't served well, it's because you need confidence in your delivery. It's important to know you've captured the right shots so you can deliver a full gallery. But how do you get to this place? Practice. Have family and friends over and do 15 minute sessions with them back to back. I use this a...

    28min

  6. 26/06/2023

    Tips For Doing A Christmas In July Mini-Sessions Promotion

    Apple Podcasts |Spotify |TranscriptMore Resources: $3k Mini Sessions Blueprint | Portrait Contract | Questionnaire | Email Templates | Client Experience Guide| Dubsado DiscountAll month long we've been talking about our Christmas in July Minis Campaign. Today, I'm so excited to finish this out with tips for ding a Christmas in July Mini Sessions Promotion! It's hard to believe we are at the end of June and our promos will be ready to go live soon. Before wrapping up how to do this promo I have a FREE guide to help you make your first $3k or more on your first set up mini sessions. Count it as a gift for those of you that have followed along and apply it during your actual Christmas Minis! Ready for some big tips? Get Started...NOW!I know we're down to the wire, but it's not too late to get started! Ideally you want to kick off this campaign at the beginning of July. I know you technically have a whole month, but you don't want to promote this at the end. Start the first week when this campaign is fresh and no one has been advertised to yet. That also means you need promo shots! If you're doing Red Truck Minis, Tree Farm or Indoor Studio Christmas Minis, talk to your vendor and see if you can get in there with a real family for promos. Make sure they are real families because they advertise so much better. Don't just show the setup. And of course use past sessions if you have them! How Long Do You Advertise?I suggest advertising for 2 weeks or until your spots fill. I have an associate team spread out in 9 different cities and in Dallas we open up July 1st. Our goal is to book 3 dates which is the equivalent of 54 sessions. Remember, I have multiple photographers so it's not all one person. We start by opening to our VIP email list, social posts ready to go and fb ads! These are all things we've prepped in June which makes it a lot easier with automated workflows. Once the 2 weeks is up, we switch to advertise Fall minis. We book these from mid-July to the end of August or so. Then we switch back to Christmas Minis! Hot Topic QuestionSomething I get asked often is whether or not to take a retainer. We do a 50% retainer at the time of booking and they pay the

    18min

  7. 12/06/2023

    5 Reasons You Should Do a 'Christmas in July' Mini Sessions Promotion

    Apple Podcasts |Spotify |TranscriptMore Resources: Free Minis ClassDo you have a Christmas in July promotion? Today I'm unfolding the 5 reasons you SHOULD do a 'Christmas in July' Mini Session promo. But before we start the countdown, be sure to grab this FREE class all about mini sessions. As fall mini sessions are around the corner, this will be incredible useful for you. It walks you through the main marketing tips to get you fully booked! Now let's talk about Christmas in July! Greater ExposureLet me clarify, I am not suggesting you shoot mini sessions in July! I grew up in Texas and I couldn't imagine going out in the brutal heat for 2-3 hours of mini sessions especially as Christmas! I am talking about doing a promotion to book those minis in October. Each year I do Red Truck Minis and some sort of indoor studio Christmas minis. For my Christmas in July promo I book out my Red Truck Minis that I shoot in October. A big reason I love doing this promo is because my business gets put in front of A LOT of eyes. Red Truck Minis are desirable and capture the attention of clients. Get Ahead of DemandFor too long I waited to advertise mini sessions when I started hearing people ask for them. The goal here is to advertise and make Christmas Minis available before your clients request it! You will be the first ones to mention these minis and chances are clients will stick with you because you brought it to them first! KickstarterGood marketing takes time and that means at least 6-8 weeks. Doing this in July gives you a major kickstart to the busiest time of the year! Regardless of whether or not your spots are fully booked, you're relieving the pressure by starting early. Once you've done the promo the ground work has already been laid and when Fall comes you will easily book out the rest. You won't be scrambling to get promo shots or workflows ready. You'll be prepped! Influx of RevenueJuly is usually a slower month for mini sessions, so having something in this month carries you over to busy season! We collect 50% retainers (which I highly suggest you do) to lock clients in. This is a nice perk to having some sort of income during summer. For some of you that alone is enough! Overall EstimateThe last reason I love doing a 'Christmas in July' promotion is you'll have a good expectation for your Fall. For one, you know what to expect from the second half of your booked sessions. But it also gives you a gauge of people's interest. Many clients may see your promotion and decide to book a fall mini with you. They may not be ready to jump to Christmas, however, it gets the ball moving for the next season! I hope this encourages you to give it a try! There's a lot of beneficial...

    15min

  8. 29/05/2023

    1-0-0 Episodes: A Look Back At How It All Began

    Apple Podcasts |Spotify |TranscriptMore Resources: Free $3k BlueprintWe're at episode 100!!! I'm thrilled to be able to look back and share how this began as well as how it evolved along the way. It's going to be fun, but before heading down memory lane I have something ALL about mini sessions for you. My students call me the Queen of Mini Sessions and it truly is the bread and butter of my business. I've learned a lot over the years and put together a blueprint for you to follow! If you've never made $3000 in a single day (2-3 hours) of mini sessions then be sure to grab this! It's called the "$3k Mini Sessions Blueprint" and lays out exactly how to structure a mini sessions day. This will be so helpful for Fall Minis just around the corner! Now, let's go back in time... Not a Glamorous StartBack in 2020, we uprooted our family and moved to Nashville, TN! We were living in a townhome waiting for our house to be built and The Business Journey Podcast was birthed. We didn't have a studio, but my husband wanted to make sure it sounded excellent. So, we set up the computer, the microphone and there I was in my closet recording my first episode! I say this because not all starts are glamorous. Maybe you're not starting a podcast, but whatever it is just go for it. It doesn't have to be perfect or look like your long term vision. For me, I had this dream of being able to serve and connect with you in a way that was a lot more personal than just an email. And now, here we are! Short and SweetKnowing the audience I have I wanted to be intentional to make episode consumable. Most of you are on the go, busy running a business or in the thick of it with family! That means you've got maybe 15 minutes in the car to listen in. When creating episodes I had to make it short, sweet and to the point. After all, the intention is to serve you with valuable content. Allowing you into my life and equipping you with business related content! This journey has not always been easy, but now 100 deep I am happy to say so worth it! What Do You Want to Hear?The goal of this podcast is to talk through topics or things that serve you well. I'd really love to hear from you! So, send me a DM and let me know what you'd like to see in the next 100. Maybe there's a special guest you'd like to hear from or topics for your business you need covered. I want to dive into areas that help you grow and give you insight. I always pepper in more personal subjects that allow you to have eyes into my life and business because I believe we grow from one another! Your voice is incredibly valuable to me so send an email with feedback or shoot me a DM. I take your suggestions to my team so we can coordinate and serve you better. There's lots...

    17min
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Sobre

Welcome to Minis Made Easy—the podcast that’s all about making your mini-sessions simple, profitable, and stress-free! I’m Rebecca Rice, and I’ve helped thousands of family photographers just like you build thriving businesses through mini-sessions. Somewhere along the way, my students started calling me the “Queen of Minis,” and I’ll gladly own it—because I love showing photographers how to maximize their time and profits while working smarter, not harder. Whether you’re brand new to the world of minis or you’ve been running them for years and are ready to level up, you’re in the right place. From pricing and marketing to posing and workflows, this is your one-stop shop for everything minis. So grab your favorite drink, get comfy, and let’s dive in—you’re just one episode away from transforming your business with Minis!

Informações

  • Criado por
    Rebecca Rice
  • Anos de atividade
    2021 - 2025
  • Episódios
    107
  • Classificação
    Livre
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 Rebecca Rice
  • Site do podcast
    Mini Sessions Made Easy

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