Creating a Realistic 12-Month Photography Business Plan | Understanding What It Really Takes To Go Full-Time pt. 2

Blink Photography Co.
Oct 1
5 min read

Updated: 1 day ago

So, you're really serious about going full-time as a photographer... congrats! That's great! But let's be real: passion alone won't get you there. If you want your business to start and flourish you're gonna need a roadmap to get you there.

Enter your 12-month business plan. Without it, you'll find yourself wandering within the first month making poor decisions along the way.

This guide and article will help you to set your S.M.A.R.T. goals, organize your finances, market yourself, and create a clear-cut path to make photography your career, but in a way that is achievable and realistic. Affiliate links may be used throughout, which does not affect you negatively in any way. It does not increase the price of the item(s) we recommend. Should you decide to purchase an item(s) via our links we will receive a small commission as a 'thank you' from the represented company. Thank you for your support! :)

Key Takeaways

Creating a month to month plan helps you to reach your goals (including financial goals) sooner.
Without a plan you risk getting burned out, losing time, clients, and money.
When creating a plan have short term and long term goals in mind.

Why You Need a 12-Month Business Plan as a Photographer

Few aspiring full-time photographers take the time to actually map out a 12-month plan. Doing this will help you take care of a few things...

Get down to the "nitty gritty" about finances and how to reach your financial goals.
Break down your dreams into S.M.A.R.T. goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time based)
Create a clear marketing plan and client booking strategy.
Track your progress.
Work toward your short term and long term goals.

1st Step : Define Your Income Goals

Before quitting your full-time 9 to 5 you need to know what it will take to cover all your living expenses, including any lost benefits such as insurance and retirement funds.

For example, if you need $4,000 to cover your monthly expenses, then you would need 'x' amount of sessions to meet the minimum.

2nd Step : Your Niche and Services

Not all niches are created equal. Some are seasonal based, some are "high-ticket," and some are volume driven. Take a while and sit down to brainstorm what would suit you best. There are pros and cons to every niche, even the high-ticket, high-paying niches. Will you be focusing more on local sessions, or are you wanting to branch out to other locations? Will you only be able to offer sessions a few days a month? Will you be able to juggle thousands of photos from one event, or thousands of photos from several clients? Will you have an online presence? What about packages and add-ons? There are so many factors to consider.

3rd Step : Build Your Marketing Plan

Even if you are by far the most talented photographer in your area, no one will hire you if they don't know you even exist. Thats where an effective marketing plan comes in to play. Your 12-month plan should include: website or booking platform optimization, social media strategy, email marketing methods, and local networking.

Here is an example of a S.M.A.R.T. goal that you can use:

By month 6 I will have grown to 1,000 followers on Facebook by posting 3x weekly and running a locally based ad for mini sessions.

4th Step : Creating a Workflow

Consistency, quality, and ease are what make you stand out. Your clients should feel as though they are getting only the best experience from start to finish. Not only should your clients feel this way, but its also really important that you also feel this way.

Use a CRM, such as Picsello or Session, to help manage client contacts, contracts, invoices, file delivery, payments, and general communication. I highly, highly recommend using an "all-in-one" platform to perform these tasks because having to juggle between 5 different tabs risks missing something important and just, overall, makes the experience terrible.

When setting up your terms, conditions, and so on don't forget to set up a timeline for bookings, deposits, cancellations, and gallery delivery. Doing so helps prevent complications and potential arguments with impossible clients. Having set boundaries for these things also protects your mental health and prevent breakdowns. :)

Many tasks can be automated such as invoices, payment reminders, marketing emails, the list goes on. Shop around for softwares (such as the ones mentioned above) that have options for automation. It will take a while to set up your automations, but will save you a butt load of time in the process. Brainstorm automations that you need to have to run your business.

Break it Down Month by Month

Here is a simplified, summarized 12-month plan that you can adopt for your photography business...

Months 1-3: Set financial goals, choose niche, build website, create services, begin sessions.

Months 4-6: Market heavily on social media and grow email list.

Months 7-9: Refine workflow and pricing structure, trial offering discounts and promos.

Months 10-12: Review income and expenses, set goals for next year, explore more income options (digital products, add-ons, etc.)

Read the next article: "Building a Photography Brand That Stands Out | Understanding What It Really Takes to Go Full-Time pt. 3"

FAQs | Creating a Realistic 12-Month Photography Business Plan

1. How much money do I need to start a photography business?

You can start lean with under $1,000 if you already own some gear. The main costs (after buying gear) are a website/booking platform, editing software, and paid or ad-based marketing.

2. How do I know when I’m ready to quit my 9–5 for photography?

I recommend that all aspiring photography business CEOs to wait until they have saved up enough money to live off of for at least 3-6 months. Or, when your side income from photography consistently covers your living and business expenses.

3. Should I specialize in one niche or offer multiple services?

Up to you. There is no right answer. Start with one or two niches where demand is high in your area. You can diversify later once you've build up clientele.

4. How do I attract clients if I’m new and don’t have many referrals yet?

Run seasonal sessions with discounts, optimize your website and socials for local SEO, and run ads on social media.

5. What if I don’t hit my income goal in the first year?

That's okay. It doesn't mean you need to quit altogether, but rather you need to adjust your plan and review your finances. Review your income and expenses and see if there are any big expenses you can go without. If it's reasonable, consider increasing the price of your packages by a few percent.