How I Book My Newborn Sessions
As I’ve perfected my niche in newborn photography, I often get a plethora of questions from other photographers seeking to break into the specific photography industry. One question I often see repeatedly asked is… How do I book my newborn sessions? It can be tricky because you know, babies have their own schedule and all! However, I’ve found a tried and true method that has worked well over the past couple of years for me and my business. Because this is a question I’m often asked, I decided to break it down in bite-sized pieces of how I not only book newborn sessions, but also handle my inquires.
Inquiry's The very first thing I do when I receive an inquiry is add the expecting mama’s info to a Google Spreadsheet. I do this even before I send my response email to her. Because, let’s be honest… how many times do we say we will input something into a document later and then get distracted by another business task? I’m definitely guilty of this. The last thing I want is for an inquiry to go cold or completely forget about it all together. By immediately putting the potential client’s name on my inquiry spreadsheet, I avoid this from happening. And, wanna know a secret about my inquiry response email? I don’t send any pricing info or even book clients until they reach their second trimester! This is because my rates can change often and I want to make sure I always send the most current pricing info. Bookings How do I know how many newborns to book for that particular due date month? This answer is going to be based on your personal preference. For me, I like to keep 6-8 total sessions each month and this includes my maternity sessions. I usually will only take on 3-4 newborn sessions per month. As I mentioned above, babies are on their own schedule and because of this, I don’t book more than two moms who are due around the same time-frame. For example, if I have two moms due mid-February then I won’t book another mom who’s also due mid-February. I would still be comfortable booking an early or late February due date mom. Once I have 3-4 clients booked for a single month then I will close my bookings. I love using Usesession.com to stay organized when it comes to all of my bookings. The client’s estimated due date will be on my calendar to remind me not to take more clients who are due around the same time.
Baby’s Arrival Once baby makes his/her debut, I’ll have one of the parents email me within 24-48 hours and I’ll offer two dates that I have open for them to choose from. Fun fact: I only offer weekday morning sessions when it comes to my newborn sessions. I also recommend 5-10 days after baby is born before having their newborn session. For the moms who have a scheduled c-section, I do allow them to schedule their newborn session date before the baby is born, if they wish. Of course, there are the scenarios where a baby may be born very early and need to stay in the NICU for awhile. I always work with my clients when this happens. Once baby is released to finally go home and the mom is ready, we will schedule their newborn session. I know this is A LOT of info in one blog. And, believe it or not, I dive even deeper into all things regarding scheduling your newborn sessions in my online course. Newborn photography, for me, is such a rewarding job and I’m blessed by all the families that trust me with their little ones! If this is a niche of photography that you are considering, make sure you also check out my “For Photographers” page on my website. Connect with me for a mentorship.