Are you watching the news or have you already turned it off? I bet you are like us: taking breaks and trying to listen to a few different sources of information to try and see a bigger, more informative picture... the problem is there is SO much information out there that it can quickly become overwhelming and cause us even more worry. If you are a small business owner, this time can be very uncertain and can cause even more fear and worry. I don't blame you for feeling this way- this is uncharted territory for all of us and we can only do our best to try and carry on despite closures, cancellations and social distancing efforts. If you didn't already know from following me on social media, I am a glass half full kind of gal. Yes, that includes moments when the glass only has a single drop - 'At least it's not EMPTY, right??' << me to a fault. My employer moved us all to remote work last week and after stocking up on a few of the essentials in order to hunker down at home for a bit, I've been spending quite a bit of time thinking about how best to spend this time and the opportunities that could come out of this - and no, I don't mean hoarding toilet paper and re-selling it on eBay or taking advantage of customers who are in crisis (seriously, please remember to practice kindness and be cognizant of those who may be struggling more than you during this time). The three main opportunities I am talking about are:
Create and Foster a Stronger Community.If you own a brick and mortar store, it is very possible that things will slow down for you or stop altogether if you have to close your doors for a while. If you are a maker, artist or freelancer you may have to cancel jobs (or have them cancelled by clients) in an effort to help with social distancing or to protect a family member who may be more susceptible to the virus. Instead of being upset at your community, your clients or anyone for that matter, consider turning your focus to your online presence to reach out to your customers and let them know that you are thinking about them and their families during this time. Let them know how they can support your business if you are indeed in a tough financial situation as well as how you can support them if they are in need. Use this time to truly connect to your followers and have real conversations with them about their situations and let them know that you are listening. Reach out to other small business owners and makers in the same way. There has never been a better time than now to come together (albeit remotely), build new connections and create an even stronger network of support. Find Alternative Ways to Better Your Business.If you are facing slower times in your retail space, cancelled jobs or are working from home this may be a great opportunity to learn a new skill or take an online class in a subject that will benefit you and your business. There are a lot of free business focused online courses & programs out there and finding something like this to focus on can help you keep a positive mindset despite the negative news and updates that may be bombarding you on social media and mainstream news channels. Another thing you can do is to focus on your inventory. If you're a maker or artist faced with show cancellations, you can take this time to re-focus on your inventory. What are some of the things you've been needing to re-stock but just haven't had the time? What supplies do you need to work through? Do you have some items you usually don't stock up on just yet, but know you'll need them at a later date? Are there things you've been wanting to TRY but have not had the "free time" to do so? You can also take this time to take a look at your online presence. Consider working on, updating or refreshing your website; go through your product listings to be sure everything is up to date in your online store or even consider starting/updating your blog. When it comes to blogging you can take this time to work on a few draft posts and get them ready to go to be published at a later date! The same goes with social media, this could be the perfect time to check out app like Planoly, Later or Hootsuite (all of these have free versions) to pre-plan and schedule your social media posts! If you use Facebook you can get (even) more familiar with their new Creator Studio and work on some scheduled posts there as well. Re-evaluate Your Personal Self-Care Routine.I know I have this listed last, but in my option it's the most important point. If you're like me, this situation has already taken a negative toll on your mental health in some way. I find that with each update on the current situation and state of our community and our country, the knot in my stomach grows a bit bigger. I'm a natural worrier so despite my 'glass half full' mentality, I've struggled with my fair share of anxiety. Knowing yourself and knowing how to de-stress is very important during times like this. Maybe that means taking mental health breaks to plug in your headphones and listen to relaxing music and do some meditating. When I say meditating I don't mean anything complex - find a quiet space in your home, close your eyes and try to focus in on your breathing. One of the easiest ways to do this is to use breath counting. Breathe in for 4 counts, hold at the top for 4 counts, breathe out for 4 counts and hold at the bottom for 4 counts, then repeat. Yoga, stretching and working out are another way to fight stress and anxiety and if you aren't used to doing these thing in your home, you can search for free exercise videos on Youtube to guide you. There are lots of options and I will even list some of my favorites at the end of this post to get you started! Do you enjoy working around your home? I find that cleaning and organizing is a great stress reliever for me, so I'm taking this additional time here at home to do some early spring cleaning and organizing (especially in my crafting space). My husband has been doing the same, finishing up some organizing in the garage and basement. If you are a gardener, you may want to start planning and planting for your spring garden, especially if you are planting from seeds and using compost that you already have at your home. My Recommendations:
During this time, remember that although you might feel isolated, you are not going through this alone. Don't completely disconnect from the world around you and reach out if you need support. Stay safe, be smart and remain alert. Take care of yourself and do what you can to keep from getting overwhelmed by everything going on around you. I hope that this is helpful in it's own way and I would love your thoughts in the comments about how you are working to stay positive and dealing with your own personal situation during this time!
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If you read my last post you know I've started listening to the Business Boutique podcast by Christy Wright and on this dreadfully soggy morning commute, I listened to her talk about how to share our stories. I don't mean talking about how you started your business and the steps you went through; it's the deeper tug at your heart that sits at the root of your "why", the long nights, the tears, the struggles, the things in your past that have given you the strength to stand up and say "I can do this, I am strong enough". You may not always feel this strength but it's there and it drives you to follow your heart and embrace your passion and run your business the way YOU want to run it. The Easy Answer. I've talked about my why before and it usually starts with the fact that my mother died at only 35 years old after a three year battle with cancer. I remember seeing my birth certificate for the first time and although I have no memory of my mom wielding a professional camera, her profession was listed on my birth certificate as "Photographer". I don't have a photographic memory, but I VIVIDLY remember that little yellow tattered birth certificate and the effect it had on me. I distinctly remember asking my grandfather for a camera when I was maybe 13 or 14 and he bought me my first Canon (a Canon Rebel 35mm to be exact). My Dad and stepmom weren't so happy about this, feeling that I was too young and irresponsible to have this expensive piece of equipment, so the camera sat in the top of their closet, hidden away until I was a senior in High School. At that point I was finally able to explore photography and knew that in some way, shape or form it would always be a part of my life, even if it wasn't my profession. It would be easy to stop my story there and say "I do what I do because my mom was a photographer" but if I'm being honest with myself, it's far more complex. Befriending the Broken. I've always felt a need to help people, make them feel cared for, loved, supported and that they mattered. Looking back at my close friends over the years (which was never a very long list), I was always drawn to those souls who'd gone through very tough circumstances despite their age- parents passing away, walking out on them or going through ugly divorces, living at or below the poverty line, constantly being moved around as a military child, abuse by parents or significant others, drugs & alcohol abuse, forced abortions, the list could go on. It was like I could see past their walls to a kid (just like me) who needed SOMEONE, ANYONE to tell them that they were WORTHY, that they were LOVED, that they MATTERED. I saw their pain and I wanted to help. This kind of approach to my relationships with others has guided me through my own worst personal tragedies and allowed me to heal by first helping others to heal. When I look at how this affects me as a photographer, one of my biggest goals for my clients is to help empower them to tell their stories, so that they can embrace the things that have given them strength; allow them to connect on a deeper level with their clients, friends, family and support systems and remind them of that strength through visual imagery. The Life she didn't get to Live. The other piece of this puzzle is not the fact that my mom passed away at 35, it's the fact that I am getting to live the life that she never got the chance to experience. It brings me to tears anytime it hits me that by this time in my mothers life, she was about to find out that she had an aggressive, invasive cancer that the doctors just couldn't seem to explain or fight. THIRTY TWO. That's it... just thirty two years old when she was thrust headfirst into a three year fight for a life that would be cut WAY too short. If I don't honor her and go after my dreams and embrace my strengths and grow as a person, what justice does that give to lives like hers, ended way too early? I used to get upset by the fact that I didn't get a chance to know her better. What made her tick? Was she emotional about little things or was she a rock of strength? What were her favorite jokes to tell? What were her favorite memories growing up? What made her feel safe, comfortable, relaxed, happy, joyful? Would we have been best friends now that I am in my 30's? But as I have gotten older, I realize that at 32, my mom was just starting to get to know herself... I'll never know what it's like to pick up the phone and call my mom just to say "hi" or chat about my day but I DO know that I'm FAR from the only person out there who's gone through something like this and if I can bring joy, healing, love and understanding to others through my gifts then that, to me, is the next best thing. I DO believe that I've had enough teary-eyed moments for one morning, but I hope that this post will encourage you to explore your own creative stories. Start a little journal it's helpful but get it out! Don't be afraid to hold your breath, plug your nose & dive into the deep end; really think about those moments in your life, as you've grown, that have shaped who you are and that have guided your values and your relationships with those around you. You don't have to share every intimate detail with the world but know that YOU ARE NOT ALONE. You are not alone in your struggles, in your fears and in your worries... people will connect with these parts of your story and by sharing your story, you could literally change their life.
Thanks for listening :) Evelyn Since starting my full time job in Atlanta, complete with an hour long drive each direction, I've started listening to podcasts during my commute. One of my staples is The Dave Ramsey Show, but I really wanted to find something more motivational for business and marketing. I kept hearing Dave mention his daughter Christy Wright and her Business Boutique podcast, so I decided to give it a listen this morning and I'm so glad I did! I was inspired by her latest podcast, so much so that I felt the need to spend a little time sharing my takeaways from it with you The podcast, Ep 93: Become A Woman Who Supports Other Women - which you should totally give a listen to no matter what business you're in - was a GREAT reminder for me that supporting and championing others is just as important as supporting and championing ourselves; in fact they go hand in hand! Christy talked about all of the negative feelings we often project onto others out of fear, jealousy and uncertainty about our own decisions and life choices. How often have you rolled your eyes because someone has chosen to live their life differently than you? Or made passive aggressive remarks meant to serve as "advice" for someone when it REALLY wasn't necessary? What about those feelings you get when you see someone parenting their child differently than you? Or when someone at work gets a promotion and instead of being happy for them you allow the little jealousy monster rear it's ugly head? All of these are so common in our everyday life that they can fly under the radar until one day we wake up and realize that "no matter where we are standing, we're always looking down on someone else". If you're like me, you need little "wake up calls" and reminders like this- especially as life gets busy! We have the ability to turn this around each and every day and become cheerleaders and champions of other women and in turn feel better about our own place in the world.
"The reason we’re so quick to judge women with decisions different from ours is simply because we’re not completely comfortable with our own choices." - Christy Wright Christy goes over 5 ways to become a woman who supports other women and I will share a quick overview of them here but you'll have to go listen to the podcast to find out more, and I'm telling you, it's WORTH the listen! 1. Love yourself. We are our worst critics- if we aren't taking the time to learn to LOVE ourselves, we aren't going to have any love to offer to others! "You can't offer something you don't have", so if you want to become a woman who supports and champions other women, you have to support and champion yourself first! 2. Be confident in your own choices. This point was one of my biggest "AHA" moments during this podcast. It is something I know deep down that I have always struggled with. I can be stubborn to a T but when it comes to being confident in my choices, I can still falter. The negative feelings that come along with being an emotional person who takes things personally make it more difficult to be confident in myself, my businesses and my work. Instead of being confident, I catch myself looking to others for validation of my work or comparing my business to other peoples businesses. This can get TOXIC fast. I do feel that the older I get the easier it has been to catch myself doing these things but it is something I will have to continue to work at diligently! 3. Give grace. This is BIG. If you're like me and tend to take things personally, it can be difficult to have patience and grace with others when they let you down or disappoint you. We are ALL going to mess up, ALL of us. Keeping this in mind should make it a bit easier to give grace but not always. This is why we need these little reminders now and then! 4. Have Empathy. To have Empathy is to try and imagine what it's like to be in someone else’s shoes. It’s learning to give people the benefit of the doubt, even if you don't feel naturally "wired" to do so. If you tend to be cynical and un-trusting of others this might be something that takes practice and discipline- but don't all things worth having take practice and discipline?? We're naturally selfish creatures, looking at life through our own eyes & feelings, making it hard to see why someone would react to situations so differently or make such radically different choices than we would, but this is where empathy comes in and allows us to champion others despite our differences! 5. Give what you want to get. "If you want people to champion you, champion them. If you want people to love you, love them. If you want people to be kind to you, be kind to them." Here's the beautiful thing, anyone can be the kind of woman who champions other women. By practicing the five things listed above, you will be surprised at how quickly you can move from wanting to be the kind of person who supports others, to the kind of person who actually does it! I would love to hear your thoughts on these five practices and if you struggle more with some of these than others. I know that for me, confidence is the big one but it is also the one that I try to find time to focus on regularly (especially when things aren't going so hot in life). I have always felt called to support others and help them to be successful and realize their worth which is why my niche has become to work closely with small businesses, makers, artists, creatives, freelancers and anyone who needs people on their team who will root for them, care about their success and champion them throughout their journeys! Until next time, go out and tell your stories and always be your true authentic self!! Evelyn B. Networking can be hella awkward, especially for artists and creatives. You may despise even the idea of taking time away from creating to get out and network, but it's extremely important! Networking is one of the BEST ways to build up a client base that actually wants to follow and interact with you - not to mention give you their business! Networking can also allow you more opportunities to connect and collaborate with other creative minds, open new doors within your chosen career path and allow you to brainstorm ideas for expanding your reach as an artist with others like you! Did you know that 50% of jobs are found through traditional networking methods?? It might be time to get out of that studio for a bit and meet some new people! Don't worry, it's not as stressful as it may seem (I promise!!). A little practice implementing the tips below will have you networking like pro in no time! According to Format.com's latest guide to Networking for Artists & Creators, not only is networking important but you shouldn't have to be stressed out about it! I am including 10 tips from their guide below and you can read more about each tip (along with even more great information) in their full article here! 1. Don't go into it Expecting Immediate Opportunities - Networking is about the long-run. When meeting new people, the idea is to build up the creative network around you and then hear about opportunities organically through your connections. You don't have to make a sale or score a commission the same day you go out to a networking event!
2. Treat it like Making Friends - Be genuine and interested in other people's work. You don't have to talk exclusively about work, yours or theirs - instead focus on getting to know them and create an authentic connection, just like you would if you were making a new friend! 3. Talk to Everyone - If you are a photographer, don't just talk to photographers- the same goes for artists, makers, etc. The key is to BRANCH OUT! Try making contacts in other industries with other interests. This can allow you to find out about opportunities you may not have found out about otherwise! As an artist or photographer, getting to know the owner of your local yoga studio or coffee shop might mean they think of you first when they need a new mural on their wall or new photos for their website. 4. Ace your Online Portfolio - Be sure that your website or online portfolio is clean, curated to your client base and up to date! People need to be able to find you and you will want to be putting your best foot forward when they do! Watch for broken or outdated links, old information or missing information! 5. Master your Elevator Pitch - An elevator pitch can be described as a 30-second explanation of what you do and what makes you, and your work, unique. In order to do this you need to know who you are marketing to (your target audience) as well as what makes your work special and interesting. Once you have crafted a pitch, try it out in the mirror or maybe in front a friend or family member to build confidence and get feedback! 6. Update those business cards - You don't want to be caught searching for a scrap of paper and a pen to write down your information (we have all been there at one time or another!). Be sure to have professional, up to date business cards that clearly showcase you, your work and your brand identity. Vistaprint, Moo and Canva are all great tools for creating new business card designs. Also, be sure to keep a few cards in your car, wallet, bag, etc. to ensure you are never caught without them! 7. Check how you present yourself - Body language, facial expressions and tone say a lot about you- not to mention what you actually SAY. It may be helpful to role-play with a friend and get feedback on these things before heading out to an event. The more you practice casual networking with people in your community (your hairdresser, barista, fitness instructor, chiropractor, etc.) the easier this will become. 8. Don't limit it to offline networking - In person meet ups are crucial but you can still do some networking from your home or studio on social media. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Linkedin all offer great opportunities to join groups and network with other professionals both in and outside of your creative discipline. 9. Follow up and remember the details - Don't hesitate to follow up with people you met at an in-person event! Be sure to reach out while they are fresh in your memory, re-introduce yourself, mention where you met and try and include something specific from your conversation with them. 10. Ask to meet in person - Follow up emails are great, but asking to meet up for a one on one chat is even better; this can help ensure that you keep in touch and maintain a true, lasting connection! If you would like to learn more about each of these tips, need help putting together a follow up email or approaching the subject of meeting up in person with your networking connections, be sure to check out Format.com's full guide for prompts and ideas! Just remember that Networking doesn't have to be stressful! It can be very enjoyable meeting and working with other creative minded people. It can also open new doors and offer new opportunities for you and your work! So, take a deep breath, keep those positive mantras flowing and get out there!!! Be sure to give me a follow if you would like to stay up to date with my latest blog posts! How do you manage your work-life balance? (or do you??)
It's Monday again... what does Monday look like for you? If you are an independent contractor, freelancer, artist, maker or small business owner it probably doesn't involve waking up and commuting to a 9-5 job. Our hours and "work weeks" can change at the drop of a hat and keep us on our toes- or knock us on our butts! Don't get me wrong, I love having the flexibility of working for myself BUT I do sometimes miss being able to turn "off" once the clock hits 5 pm... it somehow made the idea of work-life balance a reality that can seem out of reach as a freelance photographer and maker. Instead of trying to "do it all" and achieve balance (I am telling you right now I will not be able to help you do that...) my biggest piece of advice is to prioritize. Achieving a real sense of balance involves learning to make choices that resonate with who you are, what you want for your life, and be at peace with them. Since leaving my 9-5, I have still had the desire to book more work during weekday hours. With this in mind, I decided to design my branding photography sessions to be more affordable if booked at times that make my life a little easier (weekday hours between rush hour times). If a client books me between 10am and 4pm, Monday through Friday, my pricing starts at $100/hour BUT If they need me outside of those hours or on weekends the base cost is doubled to $200/hour. I do this because my husband and I decided early on that our time together was too precious to take for granted. Afternoons and weekends are often the only time we have to spend together and we prioritize that time. SO... that being said, if you need me on "our" time, it is going to cost you a little more, but for me, it is worth the extra charge to have that time set as priority. I asked a few other local artists and freelancers about their strategies for maintaining a work-life balance and here is the feedback I got. I hope this advice is helpful (or that is at least gives you a good laugh this Monday morning!) 1. When Work = Life. If you LOVE what you do, you may have no desire to separate work from life... If you work in a creative field you may see your life as part of your "work", finding inspiration and opportunities to learn and grow with each new day. If you feel this way about your professional activity, maybe it's time to find ways to focus more on what you enjoy rather than compartmentalizing your work. If you are caught up in paperwork, blogging, social media, networking and administrative duties instead of your craft maybe it is time to look into adding to your support team. Outsourcing is no longer just for big corporate companies. Look into new apps and software that can help you streamline your behind the scenes needs, there are SO many options out there that you are bound to find affordable ways to take a few things off of your plate and get back to making creative magic! Maybe adding a few freelancers to your support team like social media specialists, photographers, brand specialists, tax consultants, etc. It may mean taking a hard look at your budget but if it allows you to spend more time doing what you love, it might be worth making some changes elsewhere in your life. 2. It is OKAY to say NO. How much time and energy to you spend dealing with people, activities or even clients that add little to no value to your life or your creative career? Do you say YES to any job or project proposal because you feel like you need the money? Sometimes it is worth taking a little more time to think about whether you REALLY want to do something before you say yes. We all have personal boundaries and it is important to have professional boundaries as well. Feeling like you have a choice is so very important! Learning that is is okay to say no and take a step back, focus on yourself and the projects that bring you joy and improve your overall well being. Is that client who wants to beat you down on your pricing and then demand the world REALLY worth the money?? Or could that time better be spent focusing on your marketing to find clients who will see the true value in your work? "When you’re new and thirsty, you’re gonna get yourself in bad business relationships. Instead of getting really upset during the project, just don’t bother with it. Learn how to read people better. That may require you to take on some boring jobs as opposed to dream jobs." - Artist, Atlanta GA 3. Practice Self Care. A self care routine can be difficult to implement if you are a creative workaholic... we get so wrapped up in the all or nothing mindset and focus on the endless to do lists that we stop being kind to ourselves (often when we nee it the most). When we get overwhelmed and feel like we aren't getting enough done, we tend to be even harder on ourselves, creating a negative spiral. learning to prioritize self-care can give us momentum and confidence to recharge and move forward in a positive way. There are SO many ways to practice self care that I can ASSURE you there is something that will fit into your life and help you begin your own self care routine. I have listed a few ideas below! Stretching. Creating vision boards. Spending more time with family and friends. Meditation. Yoga. Walking & Jogging. Exercise (weight lifting, Youtube Videos, etc.). Tidying up your space. Going out of your way to be kind to others. Prioritizing your time and setting goals for yourself. Take naps and prioritize a sleep schedule as often as you can. Unplug for a few minutes, hours or even a full day. Journaling. Writing hand written notes to family and friends. Organizing your space. Volunteering for a local charity. Getting outside. Finding a Chiropractor, Massage therapist or Acupuncturist. "I practice taking care of my hands; decades of making things have rendered them super sensitive, so I vary my activities quite a bit to avoid soreness." - Susan Lightcap, Artist, Atlanta GA 4. Don't Force it. Creative Blocks are real and forcing yourself to try and create when you aren't inspired can lead to more stress and frustrations and cause you to work longer and harder than necessary. Take breaks, get outside, grab some coffee, do some meditation or exercise and come back after you've had some time to let your brain take a break! Often creative blocks can stem from not taking care of our physical and mental health. When our bodies and brains are tired, they are not going to be functioning on a level that allows us to make that creative magic! If you look up how to beat creative blocks, you will see many of the same ideas listed above in my #3 tip. Exploring, developing and practicing a self care routine that works for us and fits into our lives is paramount to being a successful creative entrepreneur (especially one that's juggling a family and maybe a full time job too). The simple self care rituals that I do on a regular basis - ok, I will admit it is more like "semi-regular" basis include drinking lots of water, taking high quality pro bionics eating as healthy as possible- lots of fresh fruit and green veggie smoothies when I'm on the run and granola bars hidden in my car and travel bags. I also stretch as often as possible- at least 3-4 times a week and see a chiropractor on a monthly basis. I stay active and try to spend as little time as possible sitting on the couch watching Netflix (this is a tough one folks!) and I try to spend as much time working in our garden and doing projects around the house as I can when I am not working. "I don't force myself to try and create when I am not inspired" - Justin McCafferty, Artist, Atlanta GA 5. Prioritize Family and YOU time. Maybe you work a full time job on top of your creative career - this can make things harder. Sometimes it can feel impossible, but actively scheduling time with your family, time to create and time to rest and reboot can be the BEST way to keep from feeling overwhelmed by constant business needs. You may be living through a very demanding time in your life and feel over stretched & overwhelmed. This just means you need to be even more selective about your choices and how you schedule and spend your time. Not only this, but you must remember to take care of (and be KIND) to yourself. You may not find a full day or even an hour to rest or do the things that your heart desires. Maybe all you have is 20 minutes a day to yourself, if that's the case- make the MOST of it! As you practice prioritizing, scheduling and making time for yourself it will be easier to see your priorities clearly and make more time for them when you can! "I used to do craft shows every weekend from the end of October through Christmas but now that I know which shows are most lucrative and worth the time away on the weekends, I have narrowed those shows down to 5 or 6 vs. 10-12!" - Pink Sheep Design, Textile & Fiber Artist, Atlanta GA "I have almost entirely stopped taking gigs on weekends. My son is 7, and since he’s in school (or camp) most of the day, my weekends have become precious to me! I love working in the business world of photography, because almost all of my jobs are M-F 9-5" - Business Photographer, Atlanta GA What are some of the things you do to maintain a work life balance?? What are your biggest challenges?? Let me know in the comments!!! I want to take a moment and get real with you about family photos. This is a subject near and dear to my heart and one that I have through about a lot lately. Because I grew up as an only child with a photo happy mother- and grandmother, I now have PILES of photos from my childhood. I am talking in the hundreds (and it wouldn't surprise me if that number was actually in the thousands!). I have slowly weeded through and compiled those photos into albums that I can easily store and look at when I am feeling nostalgic. When my mom passed away, I was 11 years old. I became extremely attached to the photos I already had of her and of us. Since then, the idea of keeping memories alive through photography just seemed to resonate with me. I not only began photographing everything, but I also scrapbooked the majority of my photos, and still have those scrapbooks from high school and college years that I love getting to look back on from time to time. Here is the tough truth though, I wish I had more photos of me and my mom together. We focus so much on taking photos of our children and yes, they are great for sharing with family and looking back on, but be real with yourself... if something were to happen to you, do you think your children will want the thousands of photos of them in the bathtub, eating cake and learning to walk? No. They will want YOU to be in those photos. My mother was always the one with the camera, this means that I have plenty of photos of me and my dad, but very few of her. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the photos that I DO have of my mother and of use together as I grew up, but it made me think about how people approach photography these days. We take all of these photos on our phones, only to forget to back them up and then one day our phone takes a swim in the lake and those photos are lost forever. We take hundreds or thousands of photos of our children but do we take enough of our families as a whole? Do you always find yourself with the camera in your hand? Maybe it is time for YOU to get in front of the camera for a change. I had the privilege and honor a few years ago to take family photos for a friend. They ended up asking if their son's grandmother wanted to come to the shoot and I got photos of her and her grandson as well as a few photos of her. A few months ago, she passed away. I was contacted by our friend, thanking me so much for taking the time to take those photos, as they were the best (and the last) photos that they had of her and her grandson before she passed away. It is in moments like this that I feel that deep love and connection with photography and the way that it can keep our loved ones memories alive and with us for years and generations after they are gone. Photographing the adventures, the precious moments and the candid shots that capture exactly the personalities of our loved ones is so very important and we don't usually realize that until it is too late. We want to remember our loved ones as they were at their prime, in all their happy, laughing, silly glory!
That is why I am a photographer. That is why I do what I do. THAT is why I would love the chance to work with you. Small businesses, Entrepreneurs, freelancers, makers, artists, creatives... we all have big dreams for our small businesses and growing pains are inevitable. Investing in supplies, marketing, branding, website development, social media management and all of the other things involved in running and growing our businesses can leave us with our heads spinning. Despite this we know how important these things are, so we keep pushing, keep moving forward and keep fueling our passion for what we do to make it happen!
Social media, online marketing and web development are HUGELY important in todays digital, global society. Even local businesses who used to rely on people driving by their shop or businesses as advertising find themselves turning to social media to connect with their clients and customers to keep them in the know, even if they are miles away! Personal Branding Photography is a service that bridges the gap between you, your business and your followers, clients and potential customers online. As a photographer specializing in Personal Branding and Lifestyle portraits, I work with small businesses to create digital imagery that tells their story to their customers. I feel like I am illustrating a story book for each of my clients, creating content that they can use throughout all of their marketing efforts and feel that they are being represented in the truest most authentic way! For my clients, just one session with me can yield enough high-quality images for them to post daily on social media for 3-6 months! No more spending 30 minutes a day trying to stage your latest instagram post. Instead you will have web ready images at your fingertips and all you need to do is add your story and your narrative! Aside from just sharing social media content, how else can these images be helpful to you and your business? I have compiled 8 more ideas below based on feedback from my clients! 1. Update your website! STOP using stock photos and selfies on your website! When you personalize your website with authentic pro-quality photography, you create connections and trust with your clients and followers. These images visually tell the story of your business, your brand and your passion for what you do. At the very LEAST, you want to have a quality headshot on your website. People want to connect with you and know that you are a real person. Remember, People do business with PEOPLE, not businesses. 2. Place them in your newsletters and e-blasts. Showing your clients what is new & upcoming is more effective than simply telling them. Check out the way Garage Door Studio in Avondale Georgia used their product photography session photos in their latest email blast here! 4. Use them for media requests. Many businesses will get approached by local magazines, newspapers, blogs, etc. to showcase their business. You will easily be able to send them your favorite images from your shoot for their media releases! 5. Refresh your profile pictures every few months so that people see a new image of you. This puts you back in the front of their mental database. Just remember to use the same image across all platforms so people can quickly recognize you. 6. Place them in your sales and landing pages. This will lead to better conversion rates. 7. Submit an image along with your bio when you have a speaking engagement or press opportunity. Don’t just tell them who you are. Show them. And speaking engagements are a great way to get in front of new faces and meet new potential clients. 8. Put one in your email signature. Personalize your email and help people remember who you are. You are more likely to remember a face even if you can’t remember their name. 9. Use them to create a rack card, brochure, mailer or other print marketing pieces. Print marketing is not dead! It is still a HUGE part of marketing, socially if you are a local businesses looking to get the word out in your neighborhood. Flyers, posters, handouts, etc. are all a great way to utilize your new photos. You can even put a photo on your business card — it helps people remember you! |
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