Your First 6 Months — Realistic Goals, Marketing Moves & Avoiding Burnout
Welcome to the first six months of your photography business: where hope is high, caffeine is flowing, and every Instagram Reel you post feels like it might maybe change your life. (Spoiler: it might. But probably not the first one. Or the second.)
This is where we separate the Pinterest boards from the profit.
Let’s break it down, real-talk style.
Month 1: Foundation & Confidence Building (aka Mild Panic + Domain Buying)
Goals:
- Pick a name (your name is fine)
- Buy the domain and claim the social handles
- Get your portfolio images shot and edited
- Build a one-page website and stock with 10–15 WOW images (see [Post #3])
Marketing Move:
- Tell people. I know, I know. It’s scary. But you gotta. Send the emails. Make the announcement post. Your grandma should not be the only one who knows you’re in business.
Avoiding Burnout Tip:
- Give yourself time to simmer. Don’t force the whole brand in week one. Make space to listen to yourself and your vision. Also… hydrate.
Month 2: Free Sessions That Build Your Confidence and How You Flow With Clients
Goals:
- Book 3–5 free sessions using email templates from [Post #5]
- Ask friends and local connections to refer you
- Build your email list (even if it’s 12 people right now — they count!)
Marketing Move:
- Create one really good Instagram post per session (behind the scenes, sneak peeks, full gallery launch)
- Get a friend to do Behind-The-Scenes while you shoot. Seeing you in action = solid gold.
- Make sure your handle and website are listed in all posts and emails
Avoiding Burnout Tip:
- Don’t compare your Year One to someone else’s Year Ten. Their aesthetic, pricing, studio—none of that is your business right now. Focus on what’s in front of you: real families, real smiles, and growing slowly on purpose.
Month 3: Pricing and Boundaries
Goals:
- Decide on your pricing model (see [Post #7] for help)
- Set up simple booking workflows (Calendly, HoneyBook, Google Form — whatever works)
- Add a “Starts At” price to your website
Marketing Move:
- Start warming up your email list with 1 email every 2 weeks
- Focus on storytelling, not selling — share a client experience, a funny session moment, or how your background as a kindergarten teacher makes you weirdly good at wrangling toddlers
Avoiding Burnout Tip:
- Say “no” to people who don’t fit. Yes, even now. A $50 session that drains you is more expensive than it looks. Protect your energy.
Month 4–5: Launch Paid Sessions
Goals:
- Book 3–10 paid sessions (mini sessions, seasonal offers, or regular bookings)
- Start collecting testimonials and asking happy clients to refer you
- Track your time and expenses (yes, even if it’s just a Google Sheet)
Marketing Move:
- Run a referral week: offer a thank-you gift for anyone who sends you a new client
- Collaborate with a local business for exposure (preschools, boutiques, yoga studios — somewhere your dream client hangs out)
Avoiding Burnout Tip:
- Protect one day per week as a “non-client” day. No sessions, no editing. You need it to dream, plan, or just lie on the floor in peace.
Month 6: Reflect & Adjust
Goals:
- Review income, expenses, and how many hours you’ve worked
- Identify what you loved vs. what drained you
- Set goals for the next 6 months based on real data and real feelings
Marketing Move:
- Launch your first lead magnet (freebie!) to grow your email list
- Write a blog post or social post titled: “6 Places For Family Photos Sessions in [Your Town]” — it’s something your parent clients are looking for and you can optimize for SEO!
Avoiding Burnout Tip:
- Celebrate. Please. You’ve done a lot. Whether you’ve shot 2 clients or 20, you’ve planted the seeds of a business that fits YOUR life.
TL;DR: The First 6 Months Matter — But They’re Just the Beginning
This is not the finish line. This is the runway. You’re building momentum, muscle, and a client base that believes in you.
And honestly? That’s the secret to this whole thing: believing in yourself enough to keep going.
You don’t need to be the best photographer in your city right now. You just need to be the most helpful, the most reliable, and the one who actually shows up.
Next up. Read this: “Photographer Life Design: Creating a Business That Serves the Life You Actually Want.”