Episode 36: Mini Session Contracts

Are you a photographer who hosts mini sessions for your clients?! We're going over the ins-and-outs of mini sessions in this episode from choosing the dates and themes, to promoting them effectively, to up-selling additional photos and prints, to ensuring your mini session contract is legit and protects you. Join Paige as she tells you all her best mini session tips & tricks and talks about what you need to protect yourself while hosting mini sessions this year.

Things we talked about:

• What is a mini session and how do you structure it in order to be successful?

• Tips & tricks for a successful mini session, choosing the dates and themes, to promoting them effectively, and up-selling additional photos and prints.

• Why having a CONTRACT for your mini session is so important! You have to make sure to protect yourself, especially during mini sessions when there are so many what if scenarios.

• Important things to have in your contract, including late fees, cancellation, editing, and an inclement weather clause.

Here are a few quotes:

• (3:36) "While mini sessions are super amazing, the one thing that I've seen missed is having clients sign very specific mini session contracts and then things to awry like refund requests or time changes in the future and that can all be avoided when you list out the roles and responsibilities..."
• (5:47) “Mini sessions offer a reduced fee for a reduced time. It's just an abbreviated experience all around.”
• (15:09) "You want to make it easy for them to choose ALL the digital products if you're going to up-sell."
• (16:48) "I make it very, very clear that they never get a refund, but that they can sell their session to someone else."
• (26:27) "The BEST thing you can do is protect yourself! Think about all the risk and liability that's coming up."
• (26:35) "There are so many "what if" situations with mini sessions. That being said ENSURE that you have a mini session contract to protect yourself."
• (26:55) "You want to ensure have a contract that avoids any cancellations, like I talked about, you don't want to throw off your time slots.
• (26:58) "I suggest that you make them pay the full fee upfront."
• (28:11) "Make sure you are setting up your sessions legally."

Links mentioned:

• The Legal Paige Contract Shop
• The Grinch Legal Case