Written by Molly Grunewald
I'm probably not the first to tell you, but actually putting a face to your brand will be the game changer for your business. It will change the nature of your biz by humanizing what you do and change how clients think and feel about you immensely. Showing face and personalizing your business is crucially beneficial to building trust around your brand, and showing your community the face behind your product or service offering. I am a firm believer that in making YOU the center of your business and brand. This is the one mistake I see photographers and creative entrepreneurs making over and over again. People fail to show their face and have a personal brand!!
Have you ever wondered what’s going to set you apart from an oversaturated market?!
IT’S YOU BOO, IT’S YOU!!!
Showing your face will create brand recognition
Creating an identity in your brand is key. It is so important to offer your followers and potential clients the opportunity to know who you are and what makes you more than “just another photographer”. Cultivating a personal brand differentiates you in the industry and your authenticity will set you apart. Show your face and make a first impression that builds genuine trust and reflects who you are! It adds a personal touch, let's people feel like they "know" you and adds trust and value like no other.
It's too easy nowadays to hide behind our screens
Stop hiding behind that little screen of yours and SHOW UP for your people. People see your incredible work and beautiful photos displayed but there is so much beyond just the pretty pictures you take. There is a human being behind your business and people are dying to get to know her/him! People want to know the heart behind your business and this is the best way to show them! What is going to set you apart is being the face of your own business! Because I promise you…nobody can be a better you than you! Showing face is the ticket to vulnerability in your brand. It will help your potential clients to truly connect with you and long for you to take their photo! Your audience needs to know, like and trust you. Because from there, this is what turns followers into loyal fans. And your loyal fans will eventually turn into paying customers/clients.
People like to buy from real people
Let me say that again…from a sales perspective, people LOVE to buy from real people. More importantly, people love to buy from people they like! As human beings, we tend to respond to things with our emotions. Seeing a face behind the brand shows your community and audience that you are in fact human -- just like them. You are not a robot brand and they are not the butt of your marketing campaign. You are real and raw which will build up your relatability and trust. Allow your community and audience to fall in love with YOU first and your work second. I guarantee you’ll have more bookings from that change alone.
So how do you show up in your brand on your instagram feed?
There is a lot of good which comes from showing your face on your brand’s Instagram account, so let’s have a look at some of the ways you can start to incorporate this within your own Instagram strategy. We know that this a daunting prospect for many introverts out there, but there’s actually lots of different ways to show your face on the ‘gram and it doesn’t have to be scary!
1. Show behind the scenes and your work space!
Maybe you’re not quite comfortable showing your face on your IG stories quite yet. I get it--this takes time! Perhaps start showing some behind the scenes of your business! As a photographer, there are so many options to give insights to how there’s so much more to our jobs than just taking pretty pictures. Take a few snapshots or short videos to show your audience what your work space looks like! If your editing buddy is your golden retriever, show him off! Maybe consider showing a before and after of your work. Or sneak peeks of a special project you’re working on! These are great ways to showcase what your brand is all about in a personal way! And people will love seeing the behind the scenes workings of your brand.
2. Get your face on your Instagram stories
Consider committing to speaking to your camera on your IG stories at least 1-2 times a week! This one may be wildly out of your realm and that’s okay! This is usually the hardest for people to overcome -- but I promise you, real growth happens at the end of your comfort zone! The more you do it, the more you’ll develop confidence! The one thing that scared you entirely, will bring you more joy than you imagined and also--leads!
Believe it or not, I used to HATE speaking to my camera. It felt so unnatural and uncomfortable. I’d use this peppy receptionist phone voice because I felt I had to overcompensate for my nerves and fear of talking to a camera. Which laughably now, made it even worse! It was so not me but I kept working at it. One day, I swear, it just clicked! I had to use my own voice. Even if that meant a little monotone, that was me and it showed!
The best thing about Instagram stories? You don’t have to do it live! You can pre-record and do as many takes as you want! But remember, it doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be you :) Once you gain confidence in talking to the camera, it becomes second nature! You won’t even care how many times you say “like” or if you have a stray piece of hair. In fact, those things just make you even more human to your audience! And you know we love relatability! I remember just recently I posted a whole story and I had crap in my teeth...but I just went with it anyways!
There is a world of opportunity when showing face on your IG stories. Once you get more comfortable, the ideas are endless! You can share more of your personal life, behind the scenes, highs & lows, exciting news, etc! You will no longer be a faceless brand and people will start to truly connect with you.
3. Introduce yourself in a post on your feed every so often!
It’s not every day that people are landing on your about me page on your website. It’s important to keep in mind that they may not know you beyond your last IG post! Consider making a post specifically about YOU! Introduce yourself to your audience with a few fun facts and a relevant picture of yourself. People will love getting to know you more and putting a face to the person behind the camera.
If you’ve never taken self-portraits before, I highly recommend investing in a professional branding photoshoot. Your budget doesn’t have to be an excuse for this one. Consider even buddying up with another photographer friend in the community and swap sessions! Not only can you use these images on your social accounts, but your business website as well! Have fun with it--these photos should be all about you and showcase your personality!
4. Go live!
For those of you with a little more confidence, hosting a live video can be a lot of fun! It’s a great opportunity to interact with your audience in real-time. You could do a Q&A, or just hop on live to talk about something you’re passionate about!
The best part is...there’s no retakes! What you see is what you get! Keeping it super real here and your community will love it. No matter how many “ums” you say!
Pro tip: Let your audience know ahead of time so they can plan to attend!
5. Write captions using your own authentic voice
The secret to writing IG captions that will compel your audience, is using your own voice. This is the perfect place to be unapologetically yourself and go beyond just posting an image on your feed.
If you wanna know more about my tips & tricks to writing Instagram captions, consider purchasing my IG captions guide in the onlines courses section of the Unscripted App!
It's important to have a personal brand beyond just Instagram!
Integrate your face into your business website as well. In fact, this is the most important place for your personality to THRIVE. While Instagram is the initial handshake and first impression with your audience, your website is the home in which your business lives. Create a website so uniquely you so that your brand can represent your personality accurately! This will assist you greatly in building trust and reputability amongst your brand.
In order to get people to truly connect to your work, you have to allow them to get to know you! So why not embrace the true you?! We want our clients to feel like they’ve known us for years! Step out of your comfort zone and let your clients feel like they’re your friends and not just a target for your marketing! So start building those connections, create real relationships, and show up for your audience! You are so much more than the pretty photos you take and people want to know who is behind that camera! Stop hiding behind the screens and show your face!
Even if you only adopt a couple of these techniques, they will take you a long way in nailing your personal brand! Got any questions about showing face on Instagram and in your photography business? Be sure to get in touch with me!
xx Molls
lead your photography
sessions with confidence.
FAQ's
Why is it important to show my face as a photographer in my business?
How can showing my face benefit my photography business?
Is it necessary to show my face on my website and social media platforms as a photographer?
Are there specific platforms or strategies I should use to incorporate my face into my photography business?