How to use your brand photos.
The amazing Rosie Holman, owner of Join the Circle.
So I think that everyone in the entrepreneur world is now aware of what a brand or personal brand photo shoot is. I also think that many people now know they should have one but I don't think many people fully know how they should be using their photos.
It goes back to the age-old social media question of 'what should I post today?'
For me, the primary goal of social media is to build an engaged audience that connects with who you are and your business. Most people don't go on social media to be sold to. People want to be entertained, inspired and to feel a part of something. They want to be given value.
With that in mind, that is what you should be thinking about when it comes to your brand photos.
Now don't get me wrong you can absolutely sell through social media and many people do successfully. There is, however, a reason that they do sell so well though on social media and that is that they have an engaged and loyal following.
If all you are putting out is the odd post selling something as a reaction to a lack of money then your wallet or diary is still going to remain empty.
If you aren't showing up regularly with the intention of people getting to know like and trust you then you are not going to see the growth you want.
Which is why a brand shoot is so important.
It's not just the photos though. It's how you use them.
Rosie Holman is one of my best examples (although I have many examples of people successfully growing their audience with their photos) as soon as she had her brand photos back she was getting her message out everywhere.
She regularly shares her story, the story of her business and her daily life. Her brand photos give these posts the edge that they need and they give people a regular visual context of the lifestyle of what she is selling. They also build trust as it's her face they are seeing behind the all-important copy.
Her photos engage people and increase the chances massively of them becoming a client.
Still feeling confused? Well, let's break it down into some helpful tips.
- Overlay your photos with quotes. I always compose some of my client's photos with the idea that they can overlay quotes on to them. Everyone loves an inspiring quote and that quote becomes even more related to your product and service if your face is on it.
- Tell your story. You should be regularly telling your story to your audience, I know it feels spammy but the algorithm means that not everyone is seeing your posts which is why you need to do this on a regular basis. How did you start? What inspired you? What problem did you need to solve that you can solve for others? There is endless content in the story of you and your business and it needs to be shared. Your brand photos will help build the trust factor as you let people get to know you more and more.
- Share what you love. Chances are your client loves it too or they will. When doing your brand shoot make sure to include you doing things that you enjoy or visiting places that you love. Have a favourite cafe? Do you love curling up with an inspiring book? Have you got a pet that people will love to know about? Are you fashion driven? All of these things are content and if you include them in your brand shoot those photos will help you be more visible and your audience will start to love you because you are relatable.
- Talk about your challenges and weaknesses. No one is perfect, I mean no one. Being vulnerable and having the confidence to talk about your downs as well as your ups makes you appear more relatable and human to your audience. It also takes a really strong person to be open about these things and in sharing your challenges you will gain the trust of your audience. Chances are someone else will be living what you went through and you will help them by sharing.
So there you have some little tips to get you started on using your brand photos to their full potential. Remember content creation is like a muscle. The more you do it the better you get at it. Oh and remember the world needs what you do, you will be doing it a disservice if you don't get yourself out there.
Have great Wednesday!
Ami xx
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