I've been chatting lately about the importance of having a great bio picture, and how it can really help get your message across. But today, it's about pulling it all together. Today's post is by Nicole Longstreath of The Wardrobe Code:
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There's a saying that goes, "Don't judge a book by it's cover."
Oh, honey - that's so twentieth century.
Before you can establish a name for yourself as business person and service provider, you have to have good personal branding. And part of branding is telling your story in a visual way.
Not the story you think the world wants to hear, but your unique, compelling story.
So this is it, baby! A photo shoot is your chance to tell the world who you really are, to differentiate yourself from competitors, and to create an urgent, insatiable desire for your services.
Because, as most of us are aware, clients don't buy services - they buy YOU.
Clients don't buy a haircut, they buy attention and pampering.
Clients don't buy the result of months of dieting and training, they buy the accountability and motivation that comes with a personal trainer.
Clients don't buy legal services, they buy security and peace of mind.
So, for an upcoming photo shoot, you want to take a look at your current branding to see how you can create some consistency. Not in love with your current branding? No problem. Having an updated photo shoot is a great way to course-correct.
And, speaking of branding, we're not just talking type fonts and colors.
When you're planning a photo shoot, you need to consider 2 very important things:
1.) What is the overall theme or concept for my business?
For me, it's rebellion.
My target customers feel like they're on the outside looking in when it comes to fashion. They're dying to be themselves and not ruled by trends - but they do have a desire to be fashionable in their own way.
So, for my own upcoming photo shoot with Michelle, we're going with a theme of rebellion to communicate to my target clients, "I get you."
2.) How does that theme translate visually?
Remember when I said, "clients buy YOU"?
No pressure, but you're basically summing up your entire personality and business in either one or a brief series of photos. However, you can make the process easier by gathering some inspiration images to help guide you - and Michelle - toward the final result.
(Pinterest is a good tool for this, by the way.)
First you need to consider your surroundings - do you want studio or on location?
A studio shoot is going to feel more polished. Everything is more controlled - the lighting, the setting, wind/no wind - and it usually puts 100% of the focus on you.
But maybe that's not your brand. Maybe you want the scene to be part of your brand. Maybe your brand is more outdoorsy or artsy, and a specific, on location scene would actually help you tell your story.
Now that you've figured out where you'll be shooting, you must decide what you'll be wearing. Here's the deal: you can't phone this in with a plain white button-down and hope that your sparkling smile will be enough.
Long gone are the days when the ultimate goal was to look "professional." Yes, professionalism counts, but people want to know you get them.
To plan your look for your photo shoot, go back to your photo shoot concept (remember, mine is rebellion) and plan your outfit around that. It doesn't necessarily mean that you want to create a literal interpretation of your concept - like a costume - you simply want your outfit to be inspired by this concept.
I've been speaking a lot about
To help you put this together, imagine you're your target client: what do you want them to feel when they see your photo?
The answer: this person gets me. They understand my troubles and have a solution for me.
See, it really comes down to being your true self - just dial it up half a notch for your photos by adding some interest with color, pattern, accessories. Even a simple, but spectacular, dress will do the trick.
And this is where making the investment of quality photography comes in.
Anybody can put a camera in your face and create a pretty picture - but what you need, as a business owner, is someone keen to helping you tell your story in a visual way. A way that compels your target client to imagine working with you, and how transformative it would be for their life.
That's the thing about your clients - they just want to be understood. And they're looking to hire someone to help them feel understood.
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Nicole Longstreath is on a mission to save women from the dysfunctional shopping experience. She is a wardrobe stylist working with women across the globe to build personal brands that command attention and influence. You can find her at her home base, http://theWardrobeCode.com
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Guests entering the theme park during the time of the promotion will be greeted by this special display, and guests are able to purchase a commemorative limited edition magnet to place on the display in honor of, or in memory of, someone affected by breast cancer.
I, myself, left a magnet in honor of my mom's best friend, Jackie. She is definitely a strong woman, and the world is a much better place with her still a part of it.
These magnets, as well as special edition pink Knott's for the Cure shirts, are available in select merchandise locations inside Knott's Berry Farm, and all proceeds will benefit Komen Orange County.
You can even take a picture in-park and share it with your social media network.
Because it's all about spreading the word. Touching people at an individual level, so that their voices as a collective become that much stronger.
For instance... Jacque is a survivor. She got through it, and didn't let her cancer define her. Just a little piece of her story: She is a single mom, and had just started taking classes at a community college when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She found out on her son's 2nd birthday. When many women might crumble under the strain, Jacque decided that she was not going to let it win. She continued her classes and graduated with a full scholarship to UCI. Just having graduated from there with a B.A. in Psychology, she is about to continue her education by going for her doctorate.
She is most definitely an inspiration, along with so many other women I had the pleasure of meeting that day.
As individuals, they are strong. As a collective, hear them ROAR!
Now, that's not to say that the person in example one doesn't have a serious side, and the person in example two doesn't laugh and play.
I was craving an iced coffee. Badly. And I was practically drooling just thinking about it. But I was also in a rush. Rather than take the few minutes to park, walk into Starbucks and wait in line, I decided to hit up the MCDonald's drive-through for one of their fabulous sugar-free vanilla iced lattes with nonfat milk instead. I meeeeeean, their coffees ARE pretty great, right? And let's face it... they're a whole LOT cheaper than the ones from Starbucks.
