Personal Branding… It’s one of the latest buzzword with entrepreneurs and small businesses who are looking for ways to improve and customize their social media and online presence. But what exactly is it? In short, Personal Branding is all about making your face the face of your brand.

What’s the Buzz About Branding??

If you think about almost any product you use, there is a familiar logo, a memorable slogan, ads that you’ve seen, and probably a jingle associated with it. These are aspects of branding. But not by themselves. Branding is about creating a cohesive image that conveys what a business or product is all about. Beer brands want to convey that you’ll have a great time drinking their product. Restaurants want you to know how good their food is. Grocery stores want you to know they are a part of your life and there for you with anything you need.

Nobody Does More Than My H-E-B!!

A slogan well-known in Texas because of all their commercials. But proven by how they respond to disasters like Hurricane Harvey. That is another aspect of branding. You have to live up to the image you are putting out there or your brand will be severely and adversely affected. HEB is as Texan as the Texas A&M Aggies, the Dallas Cowboys, or the Alamo. It is a cultural thing ingrained almost from birth. But that is the brand they have created and maintained. My first job was as a bagger at an HEB.

So… Personal Branding Is?

While many photographers do standard corporate style headshots and location photography, there is more to Personal Branding photography than that. First, there should be a variety of poses and images for the entrepreneur to use. Some will be standard headshots. But most need to be poses that may seem awkward or misunderstood. These images include poses that have the subject far off to the side to leave room for text or information to be added later. Also, there are images where the subject is gesturing towards something that is just an empty space, but again graphics or images will be added later.

Location, Location, Location

Second, there should be environmental portrait type images that show the subject “in their element” working. These would also show the workspace the entrepreneur usually inhabits. These types of personal branding shots give a sense of who the subject is with regards to their work. Third, if this is for a brick and mortar location, there should be exterior architectural photos that let potential clients/customers know what they are looking for when they decide to come to your location. Fourth, there should be interior architectural photos to show what can be expected inside. Think about the images you see on a website for a really fancy restaurant. They entice you with their atmosphere. These images should as well. And these interior shots should be done both empty and full of customers to showcase the popularity of your location.  

Looking Good!

Fifth, there should be images of the products and or services being provided. A photo of an appetizing sandwich at a deli. Or a close-up of a barber’s scissors cutting hair. And finally, there are what is known as the “hands and faces” shots. These are images of products being made. A worker setting up an embroidering machine. A barista making an espresso drink. A pastry chef handing someone a beautiful sweet treat on a plate. I think you get the idea. These are the hands at work. But there also needs to be images of smiling customers interacting with the staff. And definitely smiling staff welcoming and attending to customers. This is personal branding for a business.

Do I Need Personal Branding Photography?

If you are a small business owner or an entrepreneur with a website and a social media presence for your business, the answer is yes if you want to have a great and personalized tool for growing your market and your business. A personal branding photographer, such as myself, can help you showcase all you have to offer your customers and clients. And in an era of social media marketing, you need to get your face out there for people to connect with. Entrepreneurs with home-based businesses can take advantage of having unique images to add text to in order to communicate with your customers. The website Social Media Examiner in their article “Social Photos Generate More Engagement,” suggests that photos be a part of any campaign or message.

“From a user’s perspective, photos are also the most engaging type of content on Facebook, with a whopping 87% interaction rate from fans! No other post type received more than a 4% interaction rate.”

That is HUGE!! And it is something any business owner or entrepreneur should be paying attention to. So my next question is when do you want to book your consultation?