How to Sell Photography Packages and Get Clients

For both aspiring and seasoned photographers, getting clients is paramount for success. Many photographers book one-off sessions with clients, such as family or headshot sessions, or shoot events, like weddings and anniversaries. But to sustain your business, you’ll need a consistent roster of clients. 

Attracting clients can be hard work if you don’t know where to begin. One key strategy is creating and offering photography packages. This tactic emphasizes both your skills and the value that you provide to clients. 

This guide will cover how to attract new clients, why you might consider offering photography packages, creating packages, and other key considerations.  

How to get new photography clients 

Every small business owner and entrepreneur goes through the process of acquiring new clients. Even established photographers need to sustain reputation and keep their marketing materials fresh to attract and convert clients. A recent Squarespace survey showed that attracting new customers was one of the most common challenges among entrepreneurs of all types and experience levels.

Below are some of the methods you can try or return to when looking for new photography clients. 

Maintain a brand for your business

Brand building is about leaning into your niche, aesthetic, and what sets you apart from your competitors.

Decide what it is your photography business offers—including specializations that can be purchased as a package—and highlight them. Interested in shooting on film instead of digital? Make that a key feature of your branding. 

Use creative elements like a uniform color palette, promo photos, and past shoots in your marketing materials and online to reinforce your brand and talents. 

Create an effective website 

Potential clients need a place to go to learn about you and decide if you’re a good fit for each other. A website is an important tool to represent your brand and help clients explore your offering.

Your website can feature recent projects, editorials, or sessions with clients. Every photographer has a niche or style they lean into—such as portraiture, lifestyle, or documentary. This is the place to showcase these to your potential new clients. 

Use social media

Websites aren’t the only spot where potential clients will find you. Social media is inherently a visual place. These platforms are perfect to showcase your work and broaden your reach.

Social media can be a bit more playful for photographers looking to expand their client roster. Posts don’t need to rigidly explain your offering, but should show what you can do. Post consistently on whichever channel you choose. Instagram is one of the best platforms for photographers as it offers a way to post, communicate with clients and followers, and broaden your network and potential audience.

Word-of-mouth and referrals 

Word-of-mouth reviews are essential in the success of any business, but especially so for service providers. Ensure you’re asking clients for any referrals or reviews and, if possible, to leave public reviews on high traffic review sites and forums. After you’ve wrapped up your work with them, ask them to recommend you to their friends, family, and colleagues. Some photographers offer discounts or complimentary add-ons to referral clients to encourage bookings.

Promote yourself

Don’t be shy about your hard work. Promote yourself wherever you can, and often. Ensure that the images you post as references and examples of what you can do also serve as a way to promote your business. Repost anyone who tags you on social media and ask to be tagged by clients or peers you work with. Do what you can to generate traffic and keep people interested in your work. 

Make sure you’re optimizing all of your web copy so you can be found via search engines too. Many people begin their research in search first. Give yourself and your business the opportunity to show up in this channel by inserting relevant keywords and adhering to search engine optimization (SEO) best practices. 

Create systems and processes to attract and convert clients

Piquing the interest of potential clients is one thing. Getting them to convert is another. A repeatable system for creating client proposals, answering questions, booking time, and accepting payments will save you time and make it easier for clients to choose you. 
Some tools to put in place include: 

• Content plan: Decide when and how often you post to social channels or send emails. This structure will help you plan ahead or pre-schedule posts. 

• Custom intake forms and booking tools: Use intake forms and booking tools that are user friendly and customizable to your needs. For example, you could update your intake form with a question asking clients to upload inspiration photos. 

• Client proposals: Make sure you have templates to draft client proposals. A great proposal is a professional way to present the value you bring to any project or session and share pricing, packages, and policies. 

• Email marketing and follow-up plan: If your potential client has dropped off somewhere in communication, make sure you have a plan in place to re-engage them via email. 

Why offer photography packages?

Photography packages are a good way to generate sales while giving your clients the flexibility to choose a bundle of services that suits them. They offer your clients a way to book popular sessions or delivered products without extra legwork. Packages should be clear about what’s included so they’re easy to navigate and help a client make a decision.

Other benefits of a photography packages include:

• Less decision making for clients 

• Better understanding of value

• Clear expectations and time management

• Opportunities for upselling (e.g. add-ons)

7 steps to make a photography package that sells

Photography packages should appeal to your clients by making their choices simpler and offering services that complement each other. To have a positive impact on your bottom line, you’ll need to make packages compelling to potential clients. Follow these steps to create a photography package that attracts bookings. 

1. Evaluate your clients’ needs

You’ll likely want to dig through past projects, client requests, and your work to figure out the details of your photography packages. Ask yourself what your clients often want from your work and you as a photographer or what services they often request together.

For example, if you’re a wedding photographer, you might have packages that address preferences across some of the following client needs:

• Time (how long you’ll be shooting photos)

• Second shooter or videography

• Number of edited photos

• Online gallery

• Engagement session

• Wedding album

2. Develop your package ideas

What kind of packages do you want to offer your clients, and how many? A good rule of thumb is to have anywhere from three to five packages available to your clients. Some of the higher-tier packages can include multiple sessions, which will be built into the price. 

Your package tiers can be driven by theme, timing, or deliverables. Return to what your clients need when deciding on what your packages will be. 

In the wedding photography example, you might have a “best for small weddings” starting package with 5 hours of photography, 250 photos in an online gallery, and an engagement session. But your highest-priced package might include 8 hours of shooting time, more photos, and a set of additional services like a printed wedding album, videography, and a second shooter.

3. Ensure variety and specialization

One of the reasons clients will opt-in to a package is because it provides ease of choice and variety. For example, if you’re offering a portrait session, your packages may include a session in a studio or multiple locations. Do you specialize in specific types of portraits that you could bundle into a package? How many edited photos will be delivered?

In each package, give your client the opportunity to see why they might pick one over another and show the value of what you’d be delivering. 

4. Decide on pricing

How you price these packages is important because clients want variety and flexibility in their selection. Consider offering value-based pricing, which offers clients different tiers of pricing based on the elements included.

For example, you may offer four different photography packages with a value-based model: Basic, mid-ter, high-tier, and luxury. Basic tier pricing might cover the essential services you offer and the equipment you need, any location-based details like travel or space rentals, and final photos. Add in some more for your profit margin—aim for 5 to 10% to start—and you have a price for your package. As you add to different tiers, you can increase prices accordingly. 

You may find it helpful to see what other photographers in your area charge for similar services to get a sense of average pricing. Just make sure to factor in experience level and other details when making comparisons. 

Read our guide to pricing products

5. Consider add-on options 

To keep things customizable and personalized, you may want to offer add-ons for packages. That way a client can add services they want without having to choose a package outside of their price range. This can still generate added revenue while offering options within a client’s budget.

For example, your client may want a basic package that offers only a few hours of your time, 100 edited photos, and a link to an online gallery. You can offer a sliding scale of more edited photos for a cost. They could add on 50 or 100 more for extra price. That way they’re still opting into the package that fits their needs overall, but getting additional edits and prints while you still benefit from the upsell.

6. Create and design an easy to read package

It can’t be stressed enough that your packages should be easy to read and understand. Keep them clear, concise, and the price or price range highly visible. Ensure that your pricing is always accurate across touchpoints like client documents, emails, and websites. Keep them visually compelling and consistent with your brand design. 

If you have more space on your web page or client proposal, you could include sample images to illustrate what different packages offer. Or add testimonials from previous clients.

7. Feature them on your website

Make sure you’re prominently promoting and featuring any photography packages on your website. Select a website template that’s optimized for photographs and your portfolio. Consider adding a new page section or new page that’s exclusively focused on photography packages.

On the same page, add a prominent button or form that points visitors to get in touch or book a meeting so they’re incentivized to reach out when you’re top of mind. 

Photography is often personal. Try to meet your clients over video, phone, or in person instead of emailing back and forth. Sometimes meeting potential clients to understand their needs can push a sale across the finish line. A more direct meeting style makes for smoother communication, helps you connect, and can make it easier to understand their vision and whether you’ll work well together. 

Example photography packages

Example photography packages for portrait photographers may look like the following. These packages might be beneficial for someone who shoots individual portraits or headshots, couples, and family shoots. You’d ideally share a short description and title for each, depending on the draw of each package and the type of client you think it’s best for.
Package one: 

• Cost: $500

• One person

• One location

• One hour

• 50 edited photos

Package two: 

• Cost: $750

• One to two people

• Up to two locations

• Two hours 

• 100 edited photos

• Online gallery 

Package three: 

• Cost: $1,000

• One to five people

• Up to two locations

• Three hours

• 250 edited photos

• Online gallery

Add-on options: 

• 50 additional edited photos: $150

• 100 additional edited photos: $200

• 200 additional edited photo: $250

• Online gallery: $25