12 Must Have Business Tools for Family Photographers

Let’s be real: running a family photography business means you’re doing way more than just capturing beautiful images. You’re also the admin, marketer, bookkeeper, editor, and client manager—often all in the same day. After nearly a decade of juggling it all, I’ve learned that the key to building a sustainable and thriving business isn’t just talent behind the lens—it’s having the right tools, systems, and workflows behind the scenes.

If you’re a family photographer wearing all the hats, this post is for you. I’m sharing my 12 must-have business tools for family photographers—the exact tools I use daily to streamline my workflows, automate repetitive tasks, save time, and deliver a seamless client experience from inquiry to gallery delivery. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to tighten up your backend, these tools will help you build a business that feels organized and sustainable—not scattered and chaotic.

✨ Want weekly marketing support tailored to your family photography business? Check out The Family Photographer’s Marketing Society—my $20/month membership designed to help you stay visible, market with strategy, and build a consistent marketing cadence.

1. Dubsado  (a CRM for Photographers)

Dubsado is my favorite CRM (client relationship manager) because it allows you to build out workflows, automate emails, send invoices, schedule sessions, and keep everything beautifully branded and streamlined. Whether you’re booking full family sessions or mini sessions, Dubsado helps you manage the entire client experience with professionalism and ease. 👉 Pro Tip: Start using Dubsado for your inquiry process and mini session workflows! If you’re not sure how, grab my free guide: The Dubsado Mini Session Roadmap. Want 30% OFF Of Dubsado, click here

2. Flodesk – Email Marketing Made Simple

Social media can disappear tomorrow—your email list is yours forever. I use Flodesk for all my client-facing email marketing. It’s intuitive, easy to design, and helps me stay connected with past and future photography clients. Inside my family photography business, I’ve have been using Flodesk to consistently communicate with my family photography clients on a weekly basis. It helps me stay top of mind with my clients, and because of email marketing, I do not have to depend on social media! That’s a win!

3. Dropbox or CloudSpot – Photo Delivery + Backup

I use CloudSpot to deliver final client galleries because it’s clean, customizable, and specifically built for photographers. But delivering images is just one part of the process—you also need a solid backup system to protect your files at every stage.

Here’s a peek into my personal file management workflow:

1. After each session, I immediately back up all RAW files to an external hard drive.

2. Once editing is complete in Lightroom, I save the final, edited images in three places:

   • Dropbox

   • CloudSpot (for client delivery)

   • My external hard drive (again, for safekeeping)

This triple-backup system gives me peace of mind and ensures that if one storage option fails, I’m not starting from scratch. Trust me—waiting for a tech disaster before implementing a backup workflow is a mistake you don’t want to make.

4. Showit + WordPress  (A Dream Duo for Your Photography Website)

My website is built on Showit, and I can’t say enough good things about it. It’s a drag-and-drop website platform that gives you full creative control: no coding required. Whether you’re just starting out or refreshing your site after a few years, Showit makes it easy to create a visually stunning, on-brand experience for your photography clients.

But what makes Showit even more powerful? It uses WordPress on the backend for blogging, which means your site is equipped with one of the most SEO-friendly blogging platforms out there.

Let me be clear: blogging is not dead, especially for photographers.

In fact, blogging has been one of the most effective long-term marketing tools for my family photography business. Here’s why:

• Every blog post you write (whether it’s a session recap, a client guide, or tips for families) is another opportunity to show up in Google search results.

• Blogging helps you build trust with potential clients by showcasing your experience and personality.

• It creates valuable internal links within your site, which is a big win for SEO.

• It gives you content you can repurpose for Pinterest, Instagram, and your email list.

👉 Even if you blog just twice a month, you’re building a content foundation that works for you long after you hit publish.

💡 Inside The Family Photographer’s Marketing Society, I provide seasonal blog post ideas and a system for getting content created without it taking over your week. Because when your backend is organized, blogging becomes doable (and it showcases how important it is to unify content creation with your marketing as a family photographer)!

5. Loom

Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most powerful (yet underrated) tools I use in my family photography business: Loom.

Whenever someone inquires about a session, I don’t just reply with a templated email—I record a short, personalized Loom video and send it right away. It takes me less than 2 minutes, and it creates an instant connection.

Here’s why this works:

• Most potential clients are reaching out to 5 or more photographers. A quick video helps you stand out.

• It shows your face, voice, and personality, making the interaction feel more human and trustworthy.

• It demonstrates that you actually care—you took time to respond to them personally.

• It builds momentum and makes it easier for them to take the next step in working with you.

This simple system has helped me convert more inquiries into bookings, because clients don’t just remember the photographer with the best price, they remember the one who made them feel seen.

If you want to create a SYSTEM for staying top of mind for your inquiries, check out my FREE training here

6. An Accountant (And Bookkeeping Basics)

Even if you’re not ready to outsource yet, you do need to track your income and expenses. I recommend having a basic spreadsheet system (or using my bookkeeping template for creatives inside The Family Photographer’s Marketing Society). Eventually, invest in a knowledgeable accountant who understands your local tax rules and the unique needs of photographers. If you want to listen in to a popular Systems & Workflow Magic Podcast episode featuring my very own excellent bookkeeper, Ana Marie Knapp, listen in here: https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/money-tips/

7. Liability Insurance

If you’re photographing clients in their homes, in a studio, or on location, you need liability insurance. It protects both you and your business. Find a provider who understands the creative industry and ask for a plan tailored for photographers.

8. Adobe Creative Suite

As a family photographer, creating a cohesive and elevated client experience goes far beyond just delivering beautiful images. That’s why I rely on Adobe Creative Suite and Canva as my go-to graphic design tools for my photography and education business.

I use Lightroom daily for editing sessions, as well as batch editing and color correction. But I don’t stop there. Tools like Illustrator and InDesign help me create polished, branded resources for my clients, like prep guides, welcome packets, investment PDFs, and session tips.

That said, Canva is truly my graphic design BFF, especially when I want to create something quickly or when I’m designing content for Instagram, Pinterest, or blog graphics. Canva is incredibly user-friendly and still allows me to stay entirely on-brand with my colors, fonts, and layout templates. It’s the perfect complement to Adobe’s more complex tools.

Here’s how I use Canva regularly in my business:

• Designing Instagram carousels and Stories for mini sessions or educational promos

• Creating Pinterest pin graphics for my blog posts

• Making lead magnet covers, mockups, and thumbnails

• Quickly whipping up seasonal content or workflow diagrams for my membership or course material

So whether you’re deep in the Adobe world or just getting started with Canva, having a solid design workflow helps you create a consistent brand presence that builds trust and professionalism with your audience.

9. Networking & Community

Running a photography business can often feel isolating, especially if you’re doing it all solo. That’s why I encourage every photographer (yes, even fellow introverts like me!) to get involved in a local or online networking group. Surrounding yourself with like-minded business owners keeps you inspired and opens the door to meaningful connections, referrals, and future collaborations.

Don’t shy away from joining a group just because others offer similar services. Embracing a community over competition mindset helps you grow, learn, and build genuine relationships with peers who understand the journey you’re on.

10. Enji: A Marketing & KPI Tracking System for Photographers

As a family photographer, it’s easy to get caught up in the daily hustle and forget to measure what’s working in your marketing. That’s why I use Enji a simple tool designed to help small business owners create marketing plans, track KPIs, and stay accountable to their goals.

Enji helps me:

• Map out my monthly marketing efforts across Instagram, email, Pinterest, and blogging

• Track key performance indicators (KPIs) like inquiries, bookings, and conversion rates

• See where my leads are coming from so I can make smarter decisions about where to show up

If you’re tired of guessing whether your marketing is working (or just forgetting to post altogether), Enji is a great way to bring clarity and consistency to your marketing systems.

💡 I actually teach how to apply simple content marketing systems like this inside The Family Photographer’s Marketing Society—so you never feel behind or scattered with your marketing again.

11. Chatgpt My Daily Content Creation Sidekick (Trained in My Brand Voice)

One of the most valuable tools I now use every single day in my business is ChatGPT, but not in a “copy-paste” kind of way.

I spent an entire month training ChatGPT to truly understand my tone, writing style, values, and how I communicate with both my photography clients and my audience of family photographers. It’s not just spitting out generic content—I’ve built a custom brand voice system that helps it act like a thoughtful collaborator behind the scenes.

Here’s how I use it:

• Brainstorming blog post outlines, podcast topics, or opt-in ideas

• Drafting first-pass captions or marketing emails (which I then personalize)

• Reworking existing content to match my new offers or seasonal strategy

• Saving hours each week by systemizing my content ideation process

The magic isn’t in ChatGPT itself—it’s in how you train it and integrate it into your already established brand systems.

I treat it like a team member who understands my brand. It’s a powerful way to stay consistent with content without burning out or starting from scratch every time.

12. The Family Photographer’s Marketing Society

This one isn’t a “tool,” but it’s the hub where I teach family photographers how to:

• Build a strategic, sustainable marketing cadence
• Stay consistent and visible on Instagram and with email
• Plan ahead for sessions so you’re not marketing last-minute
• Avoid the hustle culture of being on ALL the platforms and just focus in on email marketing + ONE social media platform

It’s just $20/month, and you’ll get a weekly marketing plan, seasonal strategy, and encouragement from someone who’s walking the same road as you. 👉 Join here

Final Thoughts & Summary

You don’t need to use every tool on this list, but you do need to be intentional about how you run your business’s backend. The more you systemize, the more freedom you’ll feel, and the better experience you’ll create for your clients. I hope this list gives you a few places to start. Remember: building your business one system at a time is okay.

Meet Your Friendly Launch Planner + Systems & Workflow Educator For Family Photographers

Dolly DeLong is a Nashville-based family photographer who has become a systems and workflow educator for family photographers and a launch planner for small business owners. While she still joyfully serves families with bold, radiant imagery, her true zone of genius lies in helping fellow photographers organize and streamline their businesses’ backend.

Through her signature approach to systems, SOPs, and strategic marketing workflows, Dolly teaches family photographers how to confidently manage their business operations, content marketing, and digital launches—without the overwhelm.

She produces weekly blog posts, podcast episodes on The Systems & Workflow Magic Podcast, and YouTube content focused on backend business strategy for creatives. Her expertise includes tools like Dubsado, Flodesk, Pinterest, and launch planning frameworks designed specifically for service-based creatives.

Whether you’re a family photographer looking to build a more sustainable business or preparing for your first digital product launch, Dolly is here to guide you step-by-step with a joyful, encouraging approach (and a little tough love when needed). She believes that systems are where the real magic happens—and that yes, even solo business owners can run like a well-oiled machine with the right workflows in place.

When she’s not serving her audience, you can find Dolly watching Survivor, indulging in sweets, or listening to podcasts while out for a walk. Her faith and love for her family fuel everything she teaches.

📩 Want to work with Dolly? Fill out her contact form here.