But first, you need to understand marketing.

What is marketing?

Let me guess, you think marketing is an icky thing to do, so you avoid it at all cost.

It can definitely feel uncomfortable to market yourself *if* that’s how you feel.

Here’s the thing. Marketing isn’t about “selling”, it’s about solving your ideal client’s problem as it relates to your business.

Believe it or not, you’re in the business of solving problems first, and then taking pictures.

What Marketing Isn’t (and I see photographers doing this all the time on social media):

• Pushy sales tactics
• Self-promotion
• Generic, impersonal messages

Sometimes, your ideal client isn’t even aware of their problem in which case with your marketing, you’re making them “problem aware” so they buy from you.

For example: Perhaps I’m looking for a photographer for a large group portrait. I come across your Instagram and see that you talk about how to create group portraits where everyone is posed properly and ends up happy with their images without taking an hour.

I wasn’t aware that it can take an hour to photograph a big group and I certainly don’t want to do that to my team so I start to follow you. As I see more of your content, I begin to trust you as an authority in your niche. When I’m ready, I hire you.

So do you know what problem you’re solving?

First, you need to make sure you understand your ideal client. Once you do, you’ll quickly figure out what their problem is as it relates to your services.

When you market your service as a way to solve your ideal client’s problem, you build relationships (which grows your brand) and you begin to earn their trust.

If you can do this AND be yourself, you complete the “know, like and trust” factor needed to make a sale.

What do I mean by that?

Marketing now is very personal. That’s why big brands hire influencers to market their products. Influencer marketing is now a multi-billion dollar industry.

Because people connect with people, not businesses.

So to have the “know, like and trust” factor, you need to show up to be known, solve problems to earn trust, and be your authentic self to be liked.

Make sure your personality is everywhere. Take a stance on what your core beliefs are in life. Add that little note about being a vegan, a movie buff, a coffee connoisseur or having fat pride in your bio to attract your people.

I know you’re probably wondering… “what if people don’t like me for taking a stance and showing up as me?”

You’re correct in that not everyone will like you and that’s okay. In fact that’s better. When you show up as yourself, you attract your tribe – like minded people who you enjoy working with.

Not everyone is for everyone but when you hit that “like” factor, just like when you niche down with your craft, you actually attract more people to you than if you didn’t.

Leave your questions in the comments below!