How to Get Clients for Your Photography Business in January and February

It’s a known fact that January and February are slow months for almost every photography business, which makes sense since November and December are generally fully booked with holiday and family photo sessions. Most wedding photographers are also only really booking weddings in January and February with engagements being quite common in December.

Overall, most photographers will find the first two months of the year rather difficult if they haven’t taken the time to prepare their finances for the slower months. If you’re looking for ideas to bring in additional income during January and February, here is some inspiration:

Build a Marketing Plan Around Specific Holidays

• National Use Your Gift Card Day (January 21, 2023) If you plan it right and sell gift cards during November/December you can use this day as an excuse to send out a marketing e-mail reminding everyone who purchased a gift card from you to schedule their session. You can include a little "P.S." and let them know how to purchase a gift card from you if they don't have one already. 
• Valentine's Day (February 14): Valentine's Day is a popular time for couples to take romantic photos, either for their own personal collection or to share on social media. If you specialize in couples or engagement photography, you may see an increase in bookings during this time. (There are some additional tips for offering Valentine's Day Mini Sessions further in this blog post.)
• Presidents' Day (February 15): This holiday is a good time to focus on marketing to families and offering special deals on family portrait sessions.

• Chinese New Year (February 12): This holiday is a great opportunity to market to the Asian community and offer special deals or promotions on cultural portrait sessions.

• Pet Dental Health Month (entire month of February):  This would be a great time to visit dentist offices in your area and offer to photograph their employees with their pets.  They could use the images to post on social media or even in their office. Perhaps you could offer to do this in exchange for allowing them to promote your pet photography services to their clients. Or even ask if you can feature a pet photography welcome guide in their office for Pet Dental Health month.  This could even lead to portrait photography for the Dentist and their employees.  (Looking for more ideas for how to get pet photography clients... click here). 

By offering promotions or special deals around these holidays, you can attract new business and provide a valuable services to people looking to capture special memories or celebrate with professional photos.

Teach a photography class.

With so many people receiving cameras and new phone cameras as gifts over the festive season, teaching a photography class is the perfect way to attract new clients. You can choose to teach a basic digital photography class, a mom photography class, or you could approach schools about teaching a kid’s photography club. Want a few tips on starting a kids photography club? Click here.

Offer Valentine's Day Photography Mini Sessions 

You could offer packages that include a set number of digital images or print products, such as custom Valentine's Day cards or prints. Advertising these sessions on social media and through email marketing can help attract potential clients. Be sure to set clear booking and payment policies and provide details about what to expect during the session, such as the length of the session and what to wear.

Here are a few ideas for backdrops that you could use for Valentine's Day mini sessions:

• A romantic setting, such as a rose garden or a park with a gazebo
• A love-themed setting, such as a heart-shaped arch or a heart balloon wall
• A playful setting, such as a giant teddy bear or a "love bug" car

The "Love" statue has become an iconic symbol of love and is a popular photography spot in the cities where it is located.

The "Love" statue, also known as the "Love Sculpture" or the "Love Monument," is a series of sculptural works designed by the American artist Robert Indiana. The most well-known version of the "Love" statue is the original red and blue sculpture that was created in 1970 and is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

There are several other versions of the "Love" statue located around the world, including:

• New York City, New York
• Indianapolis, Indiana
• Scottsdale, Arizona
• Cardiff, Wales
• Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Seoul, South Korea

Click here for some images for inspiration for Valentine's Day Photography Ideas. 

Partner With Local Businesses

Partnering with local businesses is a great way to bring in new clients. Get creative about who you partner with in order to do something different. Perhaps a local restaurant is running a Valentine’s Day special. You could offer to set up a couple’s photo booth on the day, giving couples a small souvenir of their special evening together. Most couples will have dressed up for the occasion, so they will be photo-ready. 

The restaurant owner could use the photo booth as an incentive to get people through the door and by offering to send the couple a digital image via email or a print image in the  mail afterwards; you can get the potential clients information and market to them later on. When you do contact them, it would be nice to include a special offer for one of your other sessions or products. It’s also important to remember to choose a restaurant that is targeting a similar demographic as your ideal customer.  

Another approach could be to offer a date night package where couples stop by your studio before dinner.

Offer Birthday and Anniversary Photo Session Packages

If you have been keeping a record of client birthdays and anniversaries, you could develop a birthday or anniversary shoot package or special that you can offer them. For example, you could offer 2 free prints with every photo session to get people to book with you. Restaurants take the approach of offering something for free as a birthday gift to people in order to get more feet through their doors.

Promote Personal Branding Portraits and Headshot Photography 

Headshot photography or Personal Branding Photography is popular during January and February since many people are looking to update their headshots as they head into the New Year. Take a new year, new you type approach to your marketing.

Many people make resolutions at the start of the new year to improve their professional image and advance their careers. This can include updating their online profile photos, such as on LinkedIn, or creating a new resume. Having a professional business portrait or headshot can help people present themselves in a more polished and professional manner and stand out in a crowded job market.

Also, many companies are starting new projects or initiatives at the beginning of the year and may need new team photos or headshots for marketing materials. This could include website updates, social media campaigns, or promotional materials. 

By keeping your photography brand top of mind all year round and thinking ahead, you’ll have a steady flow of clients all year long. Make customer service your top priority to benefit from word of mouth referrals as well. 

If you need some e-mail marketing newsletter templates for January and February? Check out the photography newsletter bundles below. 

Or if you're looking for more photography marketing tips check out these 52 photography marketing ideas. There is one for every week of the year! 

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