Seems like everywhere you look online these days, people are talking about being “authentic” to grow your personal brand. The idea is that you need to be the REAL you when you are marketing yourself online, right?
But what does that even MEAN?!? And why is it important?
What it means
I’ve seen a whole lotta Instagram feeds, perfectly curated and meticulously organized. While the photographs are beautiful and the messages uplifting, I’m sometimes left with a feeling of, “jeez, is that even real?”
Let’s face it, when you see such perfection, how can you even identify with that?
Plus, thinking you have to look perfect in your photos online is enough to make anyone want to just give up!
I’m here to tell you that you DO NOT need to look perfect to be visible online. I mean, have you seen MY Instagram feed? In fact, you need to show up as the imperfect human that you are!
That’s what makes you real.
That’s what makes you approachable and likable.
That’s what makes the right people follow you.
You might be wondering how all this translates into photos for your business so that you can grow your personal brand?
Well, I’ve outlined 3 key things that you need to figure out and get solid BEFORE you start creating images for your brand.
Step 1 – Own Your “Uniqueness”
I’ve found, through my own brand journey, that you have to have a foundation. You have to KNOW what it is that truly makes you different! Not necessarily what makes your business different, although that can be a part of it if you have a service or product that is totally new to the market.
- Maybe it’s your own quirky personality?
- Maybe it is a totally unique way in which you serve your clients?
- Maybe it’s something in your past experience that has made you uniquely perfect to serve certain types of people?
If you aren’t sure what makes you unique, I highly suggest that you figure this out NOW. Take out your journal or a pad of paper and start writing down all the things that make you special. Of course, while you do this, make sure to apply NO judgment to anything. Just write it all down.
Once you have all that down, go back with a highlighter and mark all the things that you KNOW help you serve your clients the best.
Step 2 – Who Do You Serve?
Have you figured out exactly who you serve?
Many of us want to serve everyone. We cast a wide net in the hopes of getting the most business we can. Trouble is, when you try to market to everyone, you end up attracting no one.
I admit, when I pivoted to personal brand photography, I wasn’t sure who exactly I most wanted to serve. When people asked me what I do, my response was so general, they would basically say something like, “Oh, that’s neat” and move onto another subject.
Then I finally figured out my ideal client avatar:
- Woman business owner, 45 years old, who is married with 2 kids. She is a speaker and wants to start being paid to speak. She also is working on a book and hopes to make the NY Times Best Seller list.
- Her mission is to reach people in a much bigger way than she can by working one-on-one with them. That’s why she started speaking on stages and why she started writing a book.
- Right now, she’s frustrated because she wants to be recognized by event organizers and land those coveted keynotes at major events and conferences in her industry. She is frustrated because her marketing materials don’t really show her in the way she longs to be seen: as the EXPERT in her field.
Once I figured out my “ideal client,” it became super easy to tell people what I do and who I serve. You know what? I started reaching the right people whom I could serve really well. Plus, those in my network finally understood to whom they could refer me making it easier for them to help me.
Get super clear on WHO you serve and then you’ll be ready for Step 3
Step 3 – Connect the dots
This is where the rubber meets the road. When you know what makes you unique AND you know who you serve, NOW you can start creating the right images to pair with your content!
Answer some of these questions:
- Thinking about your ideal client, what is at least one key story or theme you think they would want to know about you?
- How does your ideal client feel BEFORE they experience your product/service?
- How do you want your clients to feel AFTER they experience your product/service?
When you have the answers to these questions, close your eyes and imagine what images you could create that will show a little bit about what makes you unique, how it FEELs to work with you, and how you can resolve your clients’ pain points and problems.
NOW, you can show up as the REAL you, the authentic you, and attract the RIGHT people to your business and really grow your personal brand.
See how that works?
Want more help and inspiration?
Need more help designing and creating your brand images? I offer complimentary clarity calls during which we will talk about what images you must have for YOUR business and determine whether hiring a professional photographer is the right next step for you.
Whether or not we are a good fit to work together, you’ll walk away from our call knowing:
- What images you need for your unique brand
- When the time is RIGHT for you to invest your marketing dollars in a photographer
- How to prepare for when you ARE ready to take that step
So, grab a 30 minute call time on my calendar and let’s talk!
