About this episode

In this episode, Ali interviews Kate Grabowski about the strategies for successfully booking and executing private Santa sessions for portrait photography.

Private Santa sessions are one of the most beloved offerings a portrait photographer can add to her calendar, but building them into a smooth, fully booked experience takes more strategy than most people expect. In this episode, Ali sits down with Kate Grabowski of Kate Marie Portraiture, an eight-year Santa session veteran based just outside of Dallas, Texas, who has refined her process from zero bookings in year one to selling out 24 spots in a matter of days. In This Episode Why early marketing (we're talking July) is the single most important factor in booking out Santa sessions, and why you shouldn't panic when spots don't fill immediately How Kate structures a tiered launch, from a VIP client list to a "Nice List" sign-up to a public release, and why that sequence creates genuine urgency The case for private, unhurried sessions and why marketing the experience (not just the photos) is what sets boutique Santa offerings apart What Kate has learned about session length, scheduling logistics, and why she scaled back to one day after two exhausting back-to-back event days Creative gifting ideas that elevate the client experience, from homemade gingerbread Play-Doh to jingle…

People in this episode

Host: Ali

Guest: Kate Grabowski

Topics covered

• Santa sessions
• portrait photography
• marketing strategy
• client experience
• session logistics

Keywords

• Santa sessions
• portrait photography
• marketing
• client experience
• session logistics
• Dallas
• Kate Marie Portraiture

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Kate Marie Portraiture

Places: Dallas, Texas

More episodes of Motherhood Anthology: Photography Education for a Business You Love

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• Episode 188: What's Next for TMA Education: Meet TMA's New Director of Education, Katie Lamb · September 1, 2026 · 28 min
• Episode 187: Your Google Business Profile Is Doing More Than Your Instagram (If You Let It) with Melissa Arlena · August 25, 2026 · 17 min
• Episode 185: How to Run a Profitable Photography Business · August 12, 2026 · 33 min
• Episode 184: Consistent Editing, Skin Tones, and Style Boards: Building a Photography Brand You Can See · August 4, 2026 · 52 min
• Episode 183: How to Stand Out as a Photographer · July 28, 2026 · 15 min

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