Special Guest Blog Post
Mariah is one of my favorite clients, not only is she smart, sweet and is helping me get fit again but because she ‘gets it’. By that I mean, the hustle of starting your own business and that we can’t do everything. That we should hire professionals to help us. For example, my degree is actually in Wed Design but I hired Amanda to design and build my new website. Uh why? you may ask, because I am a professional photographer and business owner, not a web designer anymore. Like the old saying goes, “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.”
Going Pro Makes ME Look Pro
I don’t want to leave that first impression to chance. Going pro makes ME look pro!
In 2014 I changed my business model to convert my services to the online space rather than location-based services. As I adjust to stay competitive in this new way of doing business, it’s now more important than ever that I lead with a strong branded image and continue putting out new visual content to connect with potential clients.
Consumers want to see who they’re doing business with
No longer are customers content to see a single thumbnail of someone’s business headshot or to rely only on product descriptions in their buying decisions. Consumers want to see who they’re doing business with, and they want to see what they’re buying before they buy it. (For data that highlights this fact, click here)
So for me, that means using images in which potential clients can see themselves in my products. For example, I offer a FREE Yoga + Cardio Workout Video for Busy Professionals. I had Everardo photograph me in a way that represents my clients–in dress clothes, running shoes in hand, squeezing in a sweat session between appointments. That’s the life my audience leads, and I want to depict that visually as they make their split-second decisions about whether I’m worth their time or not.
One reason that I like working with Everardo is that he helps me be more ME.
I’m a personal trainer, not a model. I appreciate that he coaches and poses me in ways that he knows will get my message across, so I don’t have to think too hard about what to do with my hands, or what angle will catch the best light, etc. That’s his area of expertise, not mine, so I leave that up to a professional photographer!
In an age of smartphone cameras and Instagram filters, it’s easy to think we’ve got the photography thing covered. But as the use of images increases, so do our expectations of quality. For my most important marketing pieces like my website, social media profiles, sign-up pages, etc.
Learn more about Mariah and Wellthy Boss at http://www.wellthyboss.com
