One of the things I love about my job is when I get to meet business owners who are passionate about what they do and I get to help them tell their story to their customers using images. I do this through personal branding.
In these times of modern technology and advanced information age means that with a decent website, being active on a few social media platforms and a mobile phone just about anyone can call themselves an expert. Brilliant! Right?
So, in this multitude of opportunities for consumers, how does one find the ‘right’ person that has the solution to solve my problem? And how will I know they are the right person so I don’t end up wasting my time and money?
How do you search for a vendor? Google? Yellow pages? Trading Post? Facebook? Most often our first port of call is their website. What are people looking for when they’re on your website? PROOF! Proof that you exist, proof that you have similar values to them, proof that you have credibility. This search for proof extends way past your website, its communicated in your emails, blog posts, books you write, facebook posts, print marketing, Traditional media.
Do you have professional Headshots for LinkedIN, Facebook, Twitter and the other Social Media platforms? You know that your prospects will only want you, and your products & services, when they know, like and trust you. This is why your Personal Brand is vital, to position yourself as a professional who’s credible, authentic and is the real deal.
The solution to building credibility and trust with your clients is to have a strong personal brand. After all, people only do business with other people they like, respect and trust.
So what is Personal Branding??? Unlike Corporate Brands, simply put your personal brand is who you are and how you show that to the world both online and in person. CLICK HERE to see for yourself!
First, let’s talk about personal branding. Think celebrities: Who do you like? Why do you like them? Who do you identify with & why? The reason you love or hate a celebrity is because of the image and elements of their personality & values they put out for us to see – after all, that’s all we’ll ever get to know about them!
These are personal brands. Why the Kardashians always wear black, white, silver and gold. Its why Richard Branson comes across as a likeable larikan, and why everybody loves Jimmy Fallon.
Anyone can and should have a strong personal brand. Who are you? What do you stand for? What are you known for? Do you express yourself with your wardrobe? Are you Kmart or Armani? We all like to be defined and feel understood and to understand others. It is human nature to categorize the world and people around us. Heard of stereotyping??? So, why not make a stand for what categories you are willing to be put into. No one can please everyone so commit to being proud of who you are. That way you will be attracting the kind of people you want to like and repelling those who never stood a chance with you anyway.
This is why you need to you build and maintain your Personal Brand to create a point of difference over your competitors. To successfully leverage your Personal Brand you need a well laid out plan on where, when and how you’re going to use your photos. But for today, I’m talking about using photography to communicate your personal brand.
Did you know??? the human brain can process entire images that the eye sees in as little as 13 milliseconds! That means that you’ve already seen this photo, processed it in your mind and decided whether you want to trust this person or not.
How does this information help you to build your Personal Brand?
1. Use images (photos or graphics) more than anything else to communicate your message. The information transfer is faster than video or the written word as both take some time to watch or read. Facebook photos generate higher engagement than posts with just text. That’s where I come in!
2. Use them frequently and in various mediums to maximise your exposure. Such as your website, on social media, in print and traditional media.
3. Do it right all the time because with every image you publish you are either enhancing or damaging your brand, so be consistent and use high quality imagery.
Your customers want to know about you! what makes you tick, your story and your personality. Focus on what problems you solve for your clients, why you are the right choice for them. Show more, tell less. It’s easier to absorb visual content that’s authentic and you’ll hold the viewer’s attention.
Your personal branding shoot images need to communicate to your customers:
1. What problems do you solve???: Show how you deliver on the problems you solve.
2. Keep it real and authentic: No stock images, Keep it real with actual photos of you and your team, in action, having fun at work so you can show some of that awesome culture you have created.
3. Toot your own horn: photos of you and your big name clients, sponsorships, promotions, exhibitions, VIPs, the people you associate with you at events.
4. Include your staff: At a minimum include a headshot of all your team and a short description of what they do for the customer and their role in the company. Go one better and show your team in action during their working day. If you’re a Solo Entrepreneur include photos of you in action – photos that give people insights as to who you are and what you do.
5. Keep it on brand: Keep the look and feel of what you present, on brand. Show your personality, your character, something quirky about you and always keep it professional. No drunken team building shots.
7. Tell your story with photos: Include where you came from how you started show some depth and volume in your history so that it gives people a sense of who you are as a person (people if you have a team) which adds huge amounts of trust and credibility. This will help fast track the Know-Like-Trust journey.
8. Include photos not of you: your office, your awards, covers of magazines, the media you’ve been featured in (TV, Newspapers magazine or Radio), articles you’ve written, books you’ve published (contributed, co-authored or fully written) plus products/services.
So how does JettyBlue Photography deliver you a solution to your personal branding problem? CLICK HERE to download my FREE Personal Branding E-Book!
If you want a world class brand, you just need to call in an expert. My Human Icon Alchemy Shoots are not just about pretty pictures for instagram – they are all about YOU. Being immersed completely in the experience and enjoying yourself is key to my process. After all, its my time too and I like to have FUN at any opportunity I can! Professionally directing every shoot, I work together with professional makeup, hair and fashion stylists to capture your perfect look and make your brand message sing.
And here’s a few real life examples of my imagery working hard for my clients:
http://fsinsights.com.au/
http://wyzefinance.com.au
http://boutiquelifecoaching.com.au/
http://helenowen.com.au/
http://sylviatroccoli.com.au/
All of these websites were created by the amazing team at www.divinecreative.com.au
Lastly, if you haven’t already checked it out, I’m on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram and I’d love for you to connect with me so you can keep up to date with what’s happening in JettyBlue land.
If you are considering investing in the best personal branding images, lets connect over coffee and workshop your very own Human Icon Alchemy shoot!
Samantha Halpern
B. Visual Communications (Photography & Digital Imaging)
Dip. Fine Arts (Photography)
Fully Accredited Member of the AIPP since 2008
JettyBlue Photography
0414 412 069
+612 9575 7542
sam@jettyblue.com.au
www.facebook.com/jettyblue
jettyblue.com.au/blog
www.jettyblue.com.au
