Your brand . .. what does it really consist of and how do you build a strong one?⁣

First, let’s talk about what a brand isn’t.⁣

A brand is not just a pretty logo, a typeset and color palette. Yes, that is some of the visual aspect of it but only a very small part of your company's brand.⁣ When it comes to building a brand, never start with the logo.

If I had to sum it up in just a few words, your brand is what people say about your business . . . but let’s dive in a little deeper.⁣

“your brand is what people say about your business”

Your brand is how people perceive you and your business. It is everything your customer experiences, how your audience feels and what they think when they come into contact with your business.⁣

It takes time to develop a strong brand, but the hard work will pay off for your studio as you generate those die-hard fans and an audience who would actually miss you if you disappeared from social media tomorrow.⁣⁣ Would your audience miss you? What do you think? Have you shown up enough every day for that to happen?

Building a brand doesn’t happen overnight. Do I need to repeat that one more time for you guys? I will just in case ;)

Building a brand doesn’t happen overnight.

A brand is made up of a few things - your purpose, your messaging and your personality.

Your Brand Purpose

What do you stand for? Why are you photographing high school seniors? Besides pretty pictures, what does your client really need? There is an end goal behind all of those beautiful senior portraits . . . and it has a little something to do with building their confidence, showing them just how amazing they are, giving them something to document this special time in their lives and a treasure to pass down to their own children one day. There is always a bigger picture behind what we do. What is your purpose and your mission in your senior photography business?

Your Brand Messaging

Your dream clients want to hear you loud and clear. You’ll continue to build a strong brand when you speak to where they are in life, their current struggles and desires (aka, homework, college acceptance, prom, what to wear, skincare, etc). They can feel the passion for what you do when you speak boldly about why you love what you do, what you believe in and what you stand for. Be sure you have a consistent voice in all of your messaging to continue attracting your ideal client.

So when building your brand think about what you stand for, who you are for & yes, who you aren’t for (there’s nothing wrong with that). Defining your purpose and your core values will help tremendously. And then infuse those into everything you say and do.

Your Brand Personality and Style

Your brand will also develop its own personality and style. This is built through the stories you tell, the way you communicate with your audience and the visuals you use. The more consistent you can be here, the more your audience will get to know you, like you, trust you & hopefully book a session with you!

What sort of personality and style will your brand take on?⁣ Sophisticated? Funky? Fun? Witty? Rugged? Fashionable? Dreamy?

p.s. I think the best brands are the ones that take on their owner’s own natural personality :)

Don’t be afraid to let your sense of humor shine. Embrace your quirkiness and what makes you YOU! Letting your guard down and being real is something that teens absolutely love and can relate to!

As far as your visual style goes - yes, logos, fonts and colors are important. But they aren’t everything. These are just the things people see and recognize you by visually. What’s behind that logo is what is most important - your purpose, your message and your personality.

Building Relationships

Strong relationships are built because of the time spent together. They are also built on authenticity and solid communication. Are you talking at your audience or are you having conversations with them? There a HUGE difference here. Spend time on the platform you want to build, speaking to the teens you want to build relationships with. Will they all book a session? Nope. But they will know your name and it will come up - in the lunchroom, in front of the bathroom mirror and all over social media. But you’ve got to put in the time to connect and nurture the relationships.

Showing Up Consistently

It takes time to develop strong relationships and connections. It takes showing up consistently on social media. It takes cohesiveness in your messaging, packaging and the products you offer. You can’t be a high end luxury brand one day with custom designed products & then offer slash sales, discounts and mini sessions with a Dropbox link the next day (because you need quick cash).⁣

Side note on needing quick cash or having a lull in business. The slow season of senior photography can be a tough one to ride out. I’ve been there. I think we all have been. You have to do what is best for your family, but I couldn’t stress enough for you to have patience and to trust the process of building a solid brand. It has its pay off. Please believe me when I say that.

The Purpose Behind The Brand

The purpose of building that strong brand is to differentiate your photography business from all the other senior photographers in your area. Your brand will help you attract your dream senior clients - by staying true to your purpose through your messaging, consistently building authentic connections and infusing your personality into everything you do. It will allow you to stand out from your competition, and it will get you the most out of your marketing efforts as your business grows.

But the only way that happens is by trusting the process and staying true to who you say you are. No more playing small. Build your brand. Stay consistent and book those sessions!

Are you still confused about how to create your senior photography business brand?

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