Your Fall Marketing Plan in One Afternoon
Three Simple Steps to Get Ahead of the Rush (and Still Book a Full Calendar)
The Work Between – Episode 14
Fall is the busiest season for photographers—and the most overwhelming. Between inquiries, editing marathons, and marketing pressure, it’s easy to feel like you're sprinting into October with no plan and no time.
In Episode 14 of The Work Between, we’re kicking off our Fall Push series—a 3-part strategy sprint to help you fill your calendar, protect your energy, and make this season your most profitable and peaceful one yet.
This week: your entire fall marketing plan, mapped out in one afternoon. Let’s go.
Why Fall Feels So Overwhelming (And How to Shift It Now)
Most photographers go into fall reactive—responding to DMs, scrambling to post, chasing late clients. But a little pre-planning now creates a ripple effect of ease, sanity, and structure from October through December.
Proactive marketing isn’t just smart—it’s protective. It:
Gives you more control over your calendar
Keeps communication clear and timely
Helps you sell with purpose (not panic)
Makes you look professional and prepared
Let’s break it into three clear categories.
1. Social Media: Set It and Forget It (Kind Of)
Social shouldn’t take hours a day. Set up your content system now so you're not writing captions at 10pm after a gallery export.
What to do:
Create a library of Wildcard Captions that can pair with any image (topics: styling tips, session prep, what to expect, client experience, etc.)
Batch schedule content for October–December using Plann or Meta Business Suite
Plan for 2–3 strategic pushes, like:
🎯 Calendar Launch
🔥 Final Session Spots
🎁 Holiday Gift Reminders
Repetition = results. Wildcard captions + strategic pushes = consistent, booked-out content with less stress.
2. Email Newsletters: Your Quiet Power Move
Email cuts through the noise. It speaks directly to your people—and gets results fast.
Map out 3 months of content:
October → Talk about holiday gifting, grandparent print ideas, session deadlines
November → Share favorite client images, testimonials, and “last call” messaging
December → Thank your clients, invite early 2026 interest, and offer referral incentives
You can prep and schedule all of these now—and your future self will be so grateful.
3. Client Perks That Move the Needle
Instead of discounting (especially when you’re already busy), offer small, thoughtful perks that add value without hurting profit.
Examples:
Free grandparent print
Holiday card credit
Expedited gallery delivery
Early access to spring sessions
Use perks intentionally—not as default. They can nudge hesitant clients without training your audience to wait for discounts.
Tailor Your Plan Based on Where You Are
Every business stage needs a slightly different strategy:
➤ Just Starting Out?
Focus on visibility, clear messaging, and incentives that encourage quick decisions (like fast delivery or limited-time perks).
➤ Fully Booked?
Use this time to nurture existing clients, reinforce deadlines, and upsell artwork or holiday gifts.
➤ Somewhere in Between?
Push your higher-value sessions (like newborn or membership) while automating the rest of your calendar with pre-scheduled content and emails.
Weekly Question:
What’s one thing I can pre-schedule today that will help my future self in October?
Even just scheduling one email, batching three captions, or adding perks to your pricing guide can change how your fall feels.
🎧 Listen to Episode 14: Your Fall Marketing Plan in One Afternoon
Now live on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you tune in.
Want help mapping your marketing, batching your content, and staying on track through the chaos?
That’s exactly why we built MOTIV—so you never have to figure it all out alone. Sign up here for your free trial.
Final Thought:
You don’t need a perfect marketing strategy. You just need a clear one—mapped in advance, aligned with your capacity, and rooted in what your clients actually need.
