5 Steps To Getting More Repeat Clients As a Photographer (or Creative Business Owner!)

If you don’t know when a client should come back, they won’t know either. Most photographers deliver the gallery, send one final email, and then everything goes quiet. But if you want rave reviews, referrals, and repeat clients, you have to make returning the obvious next step.

Before we dive in though – hi! I’m Colie James, your systems professor. I help photographers and other creative service providers build client experiences that practically sell for them. I’ve got a whole episode on the “confidence loop,” the framework I use to show how building confidence throughout your client experience increases lifetime customer value, but today we’re zooming in on just one part of that loop: making it stupid simple for your clients to come back for more.

1. Determine The Timeline (And Define Your Rebooking Window)

The first step is defining the rebooking window. Essentially, there’s a natural timeline for when a client should return after booking any service. You need to figure out what that is.

I’ll give you a few examples, and hopefully your service fits into one of these.

Let’s start with my family photographers. Many family photographers assume (incorrectly!) that families will only invest in updated photos once a year. That’s just not true. Sometimes they want a change of scenery, fall colors that look totally different from spring, or personality portraits as their kids grow. There are so many natural opportunities to bring families back more than once annually. And if you guide them, and make the invitation clear, they’ll happily rebook.

Now let’s talk about families who’ve just welcomed a new baby. Newborn photography is probably the easiest genre for encouraging repeat clients. Parents often don’t realize how quickly milestone sessions sneak up. A baby who was just two weeks old is suddenly sitting up at six months and cruising or walking by one year. Building in reminders for those milestone sessions, so they know exactly when to book, is the key to turning them into long-term clients.

Let me give you another example. I’ve been talking to a lot of brand photographers lately, and the same pattern keeps coming up: business owners need new marketing photos far more often than they realize. Quarterly updates, pre-launch content, new website visuals—most brands need fresh images constantly. So when you deliver a gallery from a brand session, they’re probably already thinking ahead to the next time they’ll need photos. You just have to tell them when it makes sense to come back.

And speaking of new websites, let’s look at a non-photographer example. Website designers, your clients often believe a website is a one-and-done project (something they can refresh every one, two, or even three years). But we know that isn’t reality. There are so many ways to bring them back for ongoing work: refresh packages, single-page updates, or pairing the initial design with SEO or blogging services. If you offer SEO, for example, you could recommend revisiting site performance every six to twelve months to stay competitive (and even better if you give them the option to book that check-in right away).

2. Weave The Timeline Into Your Client Communication

Once you’ve defined the ideal return timeline, the second step is weaving it into your client communication. Automatic reminders in your CRM are absolute gold here. These reminders can either nudge you to follow up personally or send an automated message straight to your client prompting them to book. Think of emails like: “Hey, it’s been five months since your newborn session, ready for six-month photos of Chloe?” or “It’s been a year since your site launched! Let’s do an SEO review to make sure your traffic is still trending up.”

And I know what you’re thinking: “That sounds great, but I don’t know how to phrase that in my emails.” Don’t worry, I’ve got you. Go grab my free guide, Emails That Convert. It’s packed with prewritten client communication templates you can drop straight into your workflows so you can confidently ask for reviews, referrals, or invite clients to book again.

3. Plant the Seed To Rebook When You Deliver The Initial Service

Step three is planting the seed when you deliver the initial service. It is never too early to let clients know when they should return. So what does that look like in practice?

For example, at the end of a gallery delivery, you might say, “I can’t wait to see your family again next year”

When wrapping up a brand shoot, try: “Most clients come back quarterly for new content. I’ll send a reminder before your next launch.”

And if you’re handing off a freshly redesigned website, something like: “Most clients do a refresh every 12–18 months” works beautifully. I’ll check in with you when it’s time.”

4. Remove Any Booking Friction

The next step is all about removing booking friction. If you can create an automated way for clients to rebook themselves, and include that link when you deliver the initial service, you give them the freedom to book as soon as they’re ready, even if that’s earlier than when you’d planned to follow up.

Consider sending a fast-track proposal or a dedicated scheduler link specifically for returning clients. You might offer a repeat-client discount, a loyalty perk, or a VIP booking window. When you give returning clients first access, it makes them feel valued (and trust me, they’ll take the offer!).

5. Make Rebooking Part Of The Experience

Finally, make the rebooking experience feel like a natural continuation of the service they just finished, not a brand-new process. If you’re creating a workflow just for repeat clients, skip the usual inquiry steps. There’s no need for another consultation call or another intake form if you already have everything you need on file. When you make rebooking this seamless, clients don’t disappear after one project or session. They know exactly when to come back, how to book, and what to expect. That means less chasing on your end and more loyalty on theirs.

Get More Repeat Clients This Year

The key to making all of this work to sign more repeat clients is clear client communication. If you’re not sure what to say or how to say it, download my free guide, Emails That Convert. Inside, I’ll walk you through how to write communication that builds trust and moves clients through your process (including how to confidently ask for reviews, referrals, and repeat bookings).