No matter what industry you’re in you have to market yourself! Whether you are a sales person, a photographer, a graphic designer, or a business owner, that is all pretty irrelevant because at some point or another you are going to have to step out of your comfort zone and put yourself out there. My biggest surprise is when I meet a SUPER talented artist, only to realize that no one knows about them. How is that even possible? I feel like I have approximately 10% of the creative talent of most, yet I have been able to grow and maintain a successful business as a creative. Why? I have learned how to sell myself.
What’s Your Story?
To start, I’ll share my story with you. My love for photography began when I was younger. I was the girl at a hangout that was always there documenting. I actually had a video camera in high school that I brought with me everywhere I went….softball games, sleepovers, parties. I have always been split in my desire to be creative but also practical in my occupation, so I ended up in architecture school. I spent the next year learning about design, but my heart was honestly never in it. What I did discover while in my third year was my extreme love for photography. It was crazy, I was obsessed! Architectural photography was one of my first paying travel jobs. But what I really love is wedding photography! I photographed my first bride in undergrad, spent the next 2 years in grad school photographing part-time and when I graduated, I never stepped foot into an architecture office. I started my business full-time and have been dedicated since. The thing about this story is that it is relatable. Maybe you didn’t go to architecture school but everyone has been in a position of not knowing what to do for their career. What I am engraving into people’s minds is that I have a creative education, which gives me credibility in the eyes of my clients and that I am so passionate about photography I would forego a professional education to pursue it. This shows my potential clients that I love my job, which, who would not want to know the person they are hiring for their wedding is that excited about being there?
What Makes You Different?
I used to think it was SO important to blend in. But, the older I get the more I realize it is okay to stand out. That is what makes you…YOU! If you asked someone close to you what makes you different, what would they say? I asked my husband, Brad, this question and his response was, “You are always honest. In fact it is the thing I most and least love about you. You are also disciplined and hard working.” I didn’t like his answer, so we will go with this: “You love your dog, bike riding in your free time, and exploring cities like New Orleans.” The first answer was sweet and kind, but the second was something that others can relate to. This is important to note, because people make decisions to purchase most of the time, based on a feeling. If you are selling something, especially if that something is a service that you are providing (but even if just as the artist or creator) people want to support others that remind them of themselves. Sharing things about yourself like the examples I mentioned above allow others to connect with you!
Use Professional Graphics
When you think about marketing yourself there is so much that goes into it. Everything from what you say to how you say it or even what it looks like. I wanted to jump a bit into visuals today because sometimes, the person you are marketing to may not even get to your words if they do not identify with what they are seeing. I cannot tell you how many times I have come across a business owner’s website or business card and I just want to encourage them to hire a graphic designer. If you are not familiar with graphics, spend the extra money to hire someone who is! If you are looking for a larger company, Logo Design Guru is also a great site for logos if you are specifically looking for that. Creative Market is another great site for things like templates, fonts, and so much more. One more example is Canva. Yohttps://www.canva.com/u can use Canva to edit graphics templates for a variety of platforms like Instagram, Pinterest or Facebook ads.
Integrate Your Personal Self into Your Work Posts
I have two brothers who are also entrepreneurs so I am going to give you examples of how I feel they are both successfully sharing pieces of their life at work. My oldest brother is a home inspector. Most people really do not want to hear about electrical sockets and leaky roofs. But, you know what they do want to hear about? Puppies. When my brother got his dog, he posted a photo of it with the caption “The newest member of the Paragon Inspections team. Training begins immediately. Lesson #1: Do not use the bathroom on the office floor!” Something like this is doing two things.
- It is reminding people that he is a home inspector. I am a firm believer you have to stay front of people’s minds if you are in a position of selling yourself or your product. Think about it, when you have not heard from someone in awhile, you start to wonder if they are still doing business.
- It reminds people that he is human. This is important because people want to support other people!
Another example of this is my other brother, an orthodonist. If I gave you the choice to learn about the movement and position of teeth and the way braces function would you really want to hear about it? But, I bet you guys would all understand or at least relate to someone having a child, right? Recently my brother had his little girl. So he posted a photo holding her that said, “Little Miss Vivienne stopped by today to tell her dad all about getting her first tooth.” Just as before this approach is relatable! It’s sharing an aspect of your life and your business.
Talk to One Person
When you are sharing a message, whether in be on a website, on Instagram, Facebook or even a newsletter, always talk as if you are having a conversation with one person. In order to have a conversation with the same person you have to know who they are. What I like to do is picture a client that I had a great connection with! Someone that I feel fits the personality I identify and feel comfortable with as well as the type of work that I want to create. I know exactly who that person is every time I draft anything. If you have not heard it yet, be sure to tune into episode 5 with Ashlyn Carter! She is a professional copywriter and has an entire course on writing for your business if anyone is interested.
The Power of Professional Imagery
When you are using imagery for social media or for promotional materials, the images in the post can have a huge affect on the impression that the post makes. “Good images can sell a bad product before a bad image can sell a good product.” I am even surprised when I come across imagery from another photographer that is unprofessional. If the content is strong it can possibly outweigh the bad image, but a good rule of thumb is to try to post good and consistent imagery. Planoly is a great photo app that allows you see your grid in Instagram and schedule your posts prior to putting them up so that you can begin to create that consistent and personal image grid.
Show Up
When you are excited about your newest product or your newest service, Show Up! When you are feeling down about work and do not know why you are in a slump…Show Up. If you wake up feeling GOOD that day. Awesome. Show Up. And when you feel like you just do not have the content, or the energy or even the desire. Show Up. Not only do people notice, but when you show up, you give yourself the best chance at progress. Every day I wake up and work on my business. Some days I feel awesome and some days I do not. But, each day I am waking up and I am doing something and sometimes I will look back and am amazed at all I have accomplished. Another awesome guest I had recently on the podcast in episode 6 was photographer Jose Villa. When I first heard of Jose I could not get over his success. I could only see where he was and where I was not. But, I learned that he has been photographing for 16 years now and he shows up. He is never “too good” and he works exceptionally hard at everything he does. That is why he is successful.
I also want to note that showing up does not mean showing up by posting. Showing up also means being there for others! When I launched my podcast, the shares, reviews and comments that people left meant SO much to me..and I remember them! Those small gestures only make me want to support those other people even more! When you can take the time out of your day to comment or support others it means SO much!
Behind the Scenes
In terms of posting, I find my followers most enjoy seeing images of me in every day life and images taken behind the scenes while I am working. How many of you have ever followed someone you admire and thought…How did they do that? A great example of this, is photographer Gray Malin. He is known for his limited edition prints taken in super unique locations. Behind the scenes of Gary’s post he shows you all of the production and effort that goes on behind the scenes. Many artists are afraid to share their process or behind the scenes of how they work for fear that others will steal their ideas. But the truth is, artists like Gray Malin or Megan of MaeMae & Co are constantly creating so others will never catch up. Sharing can not only position you as an educator and encourage others to follow on your journey but will continue to push you to stay ahead of the game.
Know that You are Always a Representation of Your Brand
If you are selling yourself, it is good to keep in mind that you are always a representation of your brand. Everywhere you go and everything you do says something about you and who you are. Am I saying that you can’t ever have fun? No, not at all! Am I saying that you should post on your instagram stories things that are unprofessional and would make someone question whether or not they would hire or purchase from you? Probably not. People could decide not to work with you simply because of how you portray yourself online or even in person.
Do Not Be Afraid to Put Yourself Out There
Fear is such a real thing. I will be honest, I am scared to be here today! But growth happens in those moments when you are so scared, but you do it anyway.
“What we fear of doing most is usually what we need to do.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
In the words of Jocko: If you are afraid that you might fail, you will. This is why you can not be afraid of it because you are almost guaranteed to fail. But, guess what you will get better because you failed. You will be more confident because you failed. You will grow because you failed. Failure is inevitable and it is good.
If you are being genuine and you are being kind, you are doing nothing wrong. If others do not agree or think less of you, that is on them. You are doing the best you can with what you have. You cannot control what others think of you but you can control what you do. You can control what you say and how you act. Which is why if you are putting out and doing the things that you believe in, there is no reason for you to be scared.
The Quality of Integrity
I remember once I received a gift card in the mail. I found out later it was from my friend Netter but for the first day after it arrived, I had no idea who it was from! I called my dad and said something like, “Well, I guess it is mine now.” And he instantly responded with, “No it is not. You do not know who it is for. Just because you do not know who it is for…that does not make it yours”. He was right. This type of mindset will take you so far and not just in work but also in life. Integrity means the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; righteousness, fairness, sincerity.
LINKS REFERENCED:
Logo Design Guru
Creative Market
Canva
Planoly
Gray Malin
MaeMae & Co
SPONSORS:
Showit – User-Friendly Web Design Platform: Use code MAGIC for 10% off your subscription!
Black River Imaging – High Quality Online Print Site: Use code MAGIC for 20% off your order!
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