How to Maximize Your Photography Income With Wedding Album Sales

Incorporating wedding album sales into my business model has been the best decision I’ve ever made for my photography business. Three years ago, I watched my sole income stream—photographing weddings—evaporate overnight as the pandemic forced all my clients to postpone their celebrations. Not only that, but I soon found myself in $20,000 of credit card debt after purchasing albums for former clients. I envisioned losing my home, unable to provide for my two boys because I had relied on a single income stream that had dried up. I felt hopeless—until I discovered the power of diversification.

Diversifying your income is the secret to maximizing your photography revenue while freeing yourself from the need to always be on the hunt for the next client! Most wedding photographers rely on a single income stream doing what we do best. However, if you’re anything like me, you’re probably more than a little stressed out when inquiries slow down. What will happen if you don’t book the next wedding? The panic snowballs fast when you don’t have any other income to fall back on. But there’s hope!

After swearing in 2020 that I would never again end up in debt without any means of paying it back, I began researching how to diversify my business. What I discovered unlocked the potential income I had overlooked for so long. Soon, I had grown my business by not just hundreds but tens of thousands of dollars per year! Today, I’m sharing what I’ve learned with fellow photogs through this series on increasing revenue through diversification. We’ve already covered wedding add-ons and portrait sessions. Now we’re going to discuss wedding album sales!

Creating Value for Clients with Wedding Album Sales

Wedding album sales are the definition of a win-win for you and your client. You create an income stream independent from shooting weddings that capitalizes on your relationships with your current clients. Meanwhile, your clients receive even more value when they invest in your business! Not long ago, I made a $3,000 album sale when a client purchased a gorgeous album to house her memories from her special day. I sat in immense gratitude and couldn’t help but notice the difference between that day and three years prior. I create more beautiful albums for my clients now, and I’ve introduced a new income stream into my business.

In the wedding off-season, I used to spend every waking moment in a panic as I awaited more inquiries that sometimes never came. Now I love the off-season! I’m helping my clients from the previous season create beautiful wedding albums and spending worry-free leisure time with my family. With multiple income streams, I no longer rely on the hamster wheel of booking wedding after wedding with no end in sight. 

I’m also creating a luxurious client experience by providing a one-stop shop for all their wedding photo needs. I offer in-person album sales now, and I’ve found that this makes a massive difference compared to shopping online! I walk my clients through ordering their albums and provide opportunities to add to their purchases. This process contributes so much value to their experience with my business! Ultimately, their wedding photos are all they have to memorialize such a momentous occasion, and preserving them beautifully in a hand-held album is much safer than relying on the Cloud.

Tips for Making Wedding Album Sales

If you’re incorporating wedding album sales into your business model, it’s best to familiarize yourself with a few tricks of the trade! 

Have Samples Available

As mentioned, I always have sample albums for my local clients to see before purchasing. Often, they can tell the difference in quality between my albums and the albums at the craft store. Accordingly, this highlights another benefit of ordering from me vs. an online retailer! 

Mention Wedding Album Sales Early

Don’t wait for your clients to ask if you sell wedding albums—chances are likely they won’t! Instead, mention this aspect of your business early in the planning process (even in the inquiry phase!). Sometimes, this could make the difference for a prospective client to decide between your business and another.

Have wedding album sales listed among the services provided on your website. Then, mention it during your initial email consultation with a new inquiry and on their discovery call. The best way to frame it is by explaining that you are helping them create lasting memories. Explain that it’s important to you to provide your clients with the best products, including albums!

Follow Up After the Wedding

Follow up with each client post-wedding. Chances are, they’ve been so busy that they haven’t even considered their wedding album yet and would love your help creating one! Also, follow up when offering sales, such as during Black Friday or the holidays. Email all previous clients and explain that they can now order their albums for less, which makes a perfect gift for close family members!

Learn More With Individualized Coaching

If you’re ready to make the most of your wedding photography business by diversifying and maximizing your income, I would love to share more with you about adding value to your business—without coming across like a sleazy salesperson. Reach out today, and we’ll hop on a coaching discovery call! In addition, Beauty in Birth’s blog shares more about the heart behind serving our clients through extras like wedding album sales. I love what she has to say, and I think you will too!

Are you continuing your way through the blogging series? [Click] to learn more about generating revenue with print sales, the fourth and final step of diversification.