So you’ve just had a personal brand photo shoot done with your awesome brand photographer, now what?
You already post daily on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter with your interesting quips, and cell phone pics, how will using your professional pics make a difference?
Consistency is the key. You are now equipped to put your best foot forward looking professional, polished and ready to let everyone know what your personal brand is. We all have a brand, whether you are in business or not. What we post, when we post it, what we look like etc. Even if you have not set out to be a brand, you are a brand. So what kind of brand are you? This is what you will be showing your audience, so hopefully you are portraying it with confidence in a way that will stand out amongst your competitors.
Here are 8 ways to use your personal branding photos to boost your business and create confidence and consistency in your brand.
1. Social Media
Chances are if you are in business, you have figured out you have to get yourself out there on at least 2 or 3 social media channels. You want all of these platforms, if possible to have a consistent look and feel. That way when someone is searching for you, you can be easily found with just one quick scan of the screen or icon.
Facebook:
- Facebook Profile pic – You can use your personal brand photos as your Icon or profile pic. Your avatar should always be a photo of you instead of a logo. Always more relatable, choose something eye catching!
- Facebook banner – If your personal brand photographer has done their job correctly she/he should have taken a few landscape photos with you off to the left or right leaving some negative space for you to write your catchy headline or an offer across your banner.
- Facebook posts – Of course this is the obvious one, use your stylish new photos to tell a story, for special offers or advertising within the body of the platform. Of course, you can mix these in with your more spur of the moment posts taken with your cell phone if it tells a particular story or message that you may not have a professional pic for. As a photographer, I do this too….even though I have branded photos of my own taken, sometimes I need to post something on the fly.
- Facebook ads – Use your eye catching professional pics to make a stand out ad for your business.
Instagram:
- The gram is the perfect place to use your professional pics! This platform is all about the photo.
- Personal brand photographers have this in mind when we are shooting, which is why we ask you all about your brand, brand colours etc. You can use your branded pics for your daily posts.
- Photos of YOU almost always get the most engagement over objects and pictures of others. Posting photos of you along with great captions or content about your life as well as your business is what keeps people engaged and coming back for more.
- Having a consistent ‘grid’ that is eye catching and appealing will help people stop their scroll to take a second look. If you are not as active on Instagram as you are your other profiles, try using your professional photos here daily and see what kind of response you get. (Note if you have never used Instagram before, there is a bit of a learning curve to see what works and what does not. Your voice is as important as your photos.
- Instagram Stories: If you are not using stories, you are missing out! I personally post short videos, pics I take on the fly with my phone, quotes and often my professional photos with a message for my audience. This is another area great to post those images from your shoot.
- Instagram ads: – see fb ads above.
Pinterest:
- Pinterest is often an overlooked platform by businesses/influencers marketing themselves. I personally don’t use it all that much either, but I have heard it can most definitely drive traffic to your website. Again, this is a very visual platform, so a great place to use branded pics. Always add the Pinterest button to your posts if you are blogging etc on your website so they can be shared and linked back to your website or landing page.
2. Website/Landing Page
What better place to use your brand photos than on your website? There is nothing more off putting than a well built website with mediocre photography.
When you don’t use professional photographs on your website, you are basically telling your audience you play small and could not take the time or effort to go out and put the polish on. If you have dated photos and cell phone pics populating your website, go and change them NOW!
That being said, not having a website at all is even worse. You need a personal space for your potential customers to find you when they are searching. If you have a business you need a website and or a landing page. If you can’t afford branded photos upfront, that’s ok, but make it a goal to upgrade as soon as you can so you look as professional as possible.
3. Blog
If you have a blog, these photos can easily and esthetically be used throughout the body of your posts. You can also use them as the banner or header to your article. Using blog headers with text are great ones to pin to drive traffic from Pinterest right back to your blog. Use your brand images to again, connect your face with your business.
4. Business Cards
This one is pretty self explanatory. Not everyone will use a photo on their business cards, but for those who do, use a polished, professional one!
5. Post Cards/Rack Cards
If you have a promotion or are doing a trade show etc, use your images to make brocheures, rack cards and postcards to create an offer or send out info about your biz.
6. Email Newsletters
If you have a business, you should have a newsletter/email list. This is a great way to build potential clients and send them subtle reminders from time to time about what you and your business are up to. You can use the photos as a header to grab attention and use one as your signature as you sign off so people are reminded of your face and your brand.
7. PDF’s, On-line/Digital Courses
Chances are if you are in business for yourself, you are going to be sending out a lot of content. Use your pics as visuals in your on-line course material (if you offer one) PDF’s for price lists, menu’s etc. or any other products you send out to your audience and clients. Encourage your audience to share with their friends, families and favourite businesses.
8. Banner Stands
If you are a speaker, a coach, artisan or whatever, it’s likely that you will have an audience in person at some point. Whether it be in an arena, a small group of people, at a trade show or event, you likely have or might be planning to get a banner with your logo, relevant info and photos for visual effect. Your professional pics are perfect for this and you should have lots to choose from.
Hopefully this gives you a few ideas where you can use your branded photos. Use them anywhere that suits your business. It’s recommended to have these shoots done 2-4 times per year, so your images do not get stale, particularly for social media.
Star Brand offers complete one time packages as well as quarterly membership packages so you can keep your images fresh all year long.
