108: How to Get Repeat Clients as a Photographer (Without Being Salesy)

The easiest clients to book might be the ones who already love you.

One Facebook comment. That's all it took. Melissa was doom scrolling when she spotted a video of a store reopening in her old town, two hours away, and recognized a past client family cutting the ribbon (with a brand new baby she didn't even know about). She left a quick congrats comment, the kind you'd leave for a friend, and within a few hours mom had messaged asking if Melissa would travel back to photograph their family again.

No promotion, no discount, no "my fall calendar is open, link in bio." Just a comment. In this episode, Melissa makes the case that we pour so much energy into chasing total strangers while the people who already know us, trust us, and have our work hanging on their walls are one quiet reminder away from rebooking. She shares how she stays connected with past clients on social media without being weird about it, why back to school season is the perfect window to reconnect, and how to start locking clients in for next year's sessions right now.

What You'll Learn:

• Why past clients are the easiest people on the planet to book (the know-like-trust work is already done)
• Melissa's "quiet reminder" approach to commenting on past clients' posts without ever pitching
• Why back to school season hands you five solid weeks of natural reasons to reconnect
• How one Instagram comment habit brought an overseas client back for family photos
• Ways to lock in next year's sessions at gallery delivery, from soft email commitments to deposits for peak fall foliage week
• How this works beyond family sessions: seniors with younger siblings, baby plans, extended family sessions, and branding clients
• Why this strategy needs no algorithm, no keyword research, and no funnel

Join Alison's Email Marketing Workshop Sept 24! 

Tired of being invisible on Google? Learn the 5 SEO mistakes keeping photographers from getting found (and how to fix them) in Melissa's free masterclass: https://pictureperfectrankings.com/mistakes

Ready to streamline your content? Melissa's got you covered with her 35+ Blog Post Topics freebie—grab them now.

Looking for your next clients? Grab Alison's list of 39 FREE ways to get more bookings—no ads required.

Links:

• Join Alison's Email Marketing Workshop Sept 24! 

• Leave a review in Apple or on Spotify
• 5 SEO Mistakes Killing Your Photography Business Webinar
• Download 39 FREE Ways to Get More Clients
• Get Melissa's Free Blog Post Topics
• Find Alison on IG @‌getbookedpodcast
• Find Melissa on IG <a href= "https://www.instagram.com