You help people in their every day lives (and sometimes businesses) with your products and services. Your dream clients are wanting connection online, and they want it from you. Why do you get up in the morning to start working? How do you stand apart with all the online competition out there?
Before we get into these tips, it’s important to remember your audience craves more connection from you. They also want your business to be in touch with their needs and communicate it online. People today have limited time and are inundated with information all day long. So how do you strike the right chord, make that great first impression and stand out from the crowd with marketing your business on your website?
1. Have more than 1 or 2 photos online of yourself
Let me ask you this: when thinking about your photos on your website, do you ever think, “People really don’t NEED to see me.”? If so, I’d like to introduce you to something that will change the way you think about yourself in your business and how you attract people online.
Personal Branding Photography!
Even if you don’t know what branding actually entails, you can probably spot a great brand when you see one! When I started as a Brand Photographer in this niche for business portraits in 2017, it wasn’t as common. But I’ve noticed even when my clients don’t identify themselves as a, “personal brand” they do want more personality in their photos and more of them; and that’s a great start. Does that sound like you, friend?
Get this, according to Hubspot, “The brain processes visual information 60,000 times faster than the time it takes the brain to decode text.”??
That’s HUGE for your photos. When someone starts to feel a certain way (hopefully you’ve thought about HOW you want your audience to feel) about you and your business, that’s what a Personal Brand is all about! People also want to see more variety in photos, not just the typical headshot.
P.S. Make sure to follow any photographers you are thinking of hiring to make sure they are going to truly get to know your business and what you need. Then have a conversation to see if you gel! You need to feel seen and heard too 🙂
2. More Stories, less selling
Nobody wants to be sold to all of the time. Here are just a few ideas to get your started in your storytelling:
- Do you have an interesting perspective that others in your industry has?
- Did you overcome some great obstacles to get to where you are today?
- Are there things your clients are always telling you that make you different?
- How do you help people in their lives (look beyond your products & services)
- What are your personal interests that make you human?
TELL THOSE STORIES. On your Home page. About Page. Social Media Stories. Social Posts.
SOCIAL MEDIA – It’s best to have a percentage in mind when using social media and on your website. Consider marketing specific digital products and services only about 20% of the time on Instagram and Facebook, the rest of the time educating and inspiring. Extra points if you can entertain your audience! This is called, Brand Awareness and is super helpful when connecting online.
WEBSITE – Tell stories of the journey you’re going to take your audience on, how you know how they feel, and what they can attain by working with you. Including client testimonials and reviews is a great way to show social proof of how great you are!
Sometimes I’m educating with my stories about how it feels to have a branding photoshoot experience with me. Other times, I’m inspiring my audience how to show up with confidence.
When you can connect on a deeper level with your audience, when you do decide to drop a product, talk about purchasing your services, they’ll be more warmed up and ready to buy!
3. Decide who your dream clients are
I sometimes get a lot of push back when I talk about niching your audience down to an “ideal client” or “dream client”. When this happens, it’s usually because people mistakenly think they will alienate people by leaving them out. The truth is, if you’re trying to speak to everyone, you’ll end up sounding a bit generic. Really think about who you love working with and is a good fit for your products and services. And try to look beyond standard demographics and think more about what your favorite clients think about, dream of, and what keeps them up at night. Then you can create copy that helps to solve their problems, allow them to feel seen and heard, and inspire their dreams!
If you are curious about working with me for a Personal Branding Photoshoot, refreshing your business photos for your website and social media and want a strategy to reach more of your dream clients, reach out and set up a call, I’m so excited to speak with you!
Melissa is a San Antonio based Portrait photographer empowering people to step in front of the camera to help them flourish in life and business as they continue to evolve. https://melissaraelynnphotography.com/contact or send a direct email to hello@melissaraelynnphotography.com for more information!