CREATE A PR READY PERSONAL BRAND THAT DOESN’T WAIT TO BE ASKED FOR THE OPPORTUNITY IT SEEKS IT OUT!

What’s that’s saying? You know the one about the planning…

Oh yeah I remember my dad said it to me all the time…

 “By Failing to Prepare, Your Prepare To Fail!”

Whenever I think about that quote, I do think it’s a tad harsh, but you know what we are in business, and it’s not bloody easy, and you do have to be harsh on yourself. If I apply this quote to every missed opportunity, it certainly becomes apparent as to why I missed those moments. I don’t want to miss moments, and neither do you!

I want to ask you; would you like to be featured in a magazine? Let’s say its Forbes, they have seen what you’re up to. How they have seen you, you’re not sure. But somehow word has got to their journalist and you have peaked their interest. So, she has contacted you and wants to do an interview. What do you do? Well I know you want to say yes! But the deadline is tomorrow and she needs images of you and how you work. Now what do you do?

You have 24 hours to find a budget to pay for a photographer that will show you at your best. There’s no time to be thinking about weight, hair, nails. You need someone who can achieve the brief and edit the work in time.

So now you are at the mercy of the choices you need to make now, and the final ones that will come when you view your pictures.

The truth is, whatever you put out to the world is this digital age will last a life time. The fact this is Forbes can you afford to say no, if you don’t like your images. How will poor images reflect your business?

Can you see how vital and less stressful it is, to create a personal brand that is PR ready from the outset? Let me put it this way, having a PR ready brand will not only help you rise to the challenge when opportunity knocks, but you will be able to seek out and have conversations which allow you to make these moments happen for you. In fact, let’s take it up another notch, if you are PR ready you are telling yourself and your audience how much you want this, how much you believe in what you are doing. You are building up your confidence to the next level.

This quote from the secret, “like attracts like” empowers me to make sure that I am ready in mind and physically for the things I want and know I can attract with the right mindset. My tip to you, is don’t wait for it to happen, have a mindset that already knows what’s to come.

Believe it, aim for it and you will find that these opportunities will never be far away. You will attract the powerful connections, because you won’t be afraid or lacking to enter the right circle, your audience will grow.

If you have enjoyed my blogs, why not attend my upcoming webinar where I have put together a great resource under one webinar. I wanted to share with you the 3 secrets to “How to Create A Powerful Brand That Attracts Your Target Audience & Increases Your Presence & Growth”

I would love you to join my webinar, where you can join in the Q & A and find out how you can build a recognisable brand

Is personal branding and PR just for the rich and famous… HELL NO! It’s also for you and your business. Do it right from the start, and you will make a powerful impression.

ARE YOU STRUGGLING WITH THE IDEA OF PERSONAL BRANDING, DON’T FEEL PREPARED OR CONFIDENT ENOUGH YET?

I want you to imagine the following mental picture. The picture I want to paint you is this, you’ve a photoshoot tomorrow. Your excited, scared, nervous and unsure.

You’ve gone through your wardrobe a thousand times, trying to decide what items you should take to the shoot and which ones to leave behind.

The only guidance you’ve been given, is to take whatever you feel is right for your shoot, but everything you see suddenly see feels wrong. So, you decide to just take everything that fits the vague picture in your mind, from clothes to accessories….

Really, what should you wear? What’s too formal? What’s too casual?

Then you try to wind down for the night, but your mind is racing, and you can’t quiet sleep as the nervous energy floats through your body and mind.

“Why am I doing this to myself! I would be better off going to the dentist!”

Sound familiar?

Even those that are confident in front of the camera, need reassurance. You would be amazed at the clients I have seen, who on the outside are super confident. Still arrive on the day, nervous and unsure.

YOUR PERSONAL BRANDING SHOOT

You can understand why that situation would feel a little daunting. Especially if you have ever experienced the above. So how do you get around this and find the confident you? Well there are varying factors that can help you find your confidence. What I will show you is how vital communication is on a shoot, it’s a two-way street between you and your photographer of choice. The more freedom there is to talk the easier the shoot will become. Second you have to get past certain fears that you have allowed (through no fault of your own) to be programed into our mind, such as…

Are you good enough? Are you photogenic? Can we truly represent and be the face of our brand?

In this blog, I will address some of those concerns, while applying my own experience and knowledge that I have learnt during my career as a photographer. My aim is to help you feel enlightened and empowered to action.

First let me take you back to the beginning, where I too, faced the front of the camera, in order to understand your fears.

HERE’S MY STORY!

When I first trained as a photographer I felt the same. I hated being in front of the camera. I also found translating my instructions and needs to my client difficult.

I know that a lot of photographers have and do feel the same. Then one day, I asked my mentor Roger, how to get around this obstacle I knew it was a challenge I had to face.

Which lead to a plan, where Roger asked me to come to an evening class that same day, as they had a model booked in. I could watch and partake and see how adult learners worked through this process. This was a great idea, I could make notes all from a distance. I arrived at the class, quiet and trying to hide in the corner.

That was till my mentor turned around and spotted me, and said a sentence that I will never ever forget!!

“ah! Here’s our model for the evening!!!”

“WHAT!!!! ARE YOU KIDDING!! THIS IS A JOKE RIGHT!”

Nope, it wasn’t a joke, I sucked it up and got on with the task (even though I was dying in side. With all the fears flashing before my eyes. I was in my slobs, as I thought I would be working as a STUDENT).

THE BEST LESSON I COULD HAVE LEARNT

What that evening taught was the most valuable lesson I could have ever wished to learn. Becoming the model, on the other side of the camera, helped me to fully understand the questions that pop up in your head when you need direction. How essential that continual guidance and reassurance is all the way through the shoot.  

From then on, I developed methods that would help guide my clients through each step of their shoot. Helping keep a positive vibe the whole way through, so that confidence would grow rather than be lost. I made sure that communication was never lost, my shoots became a conversation between myself, my camera and my client. I have had clients say that they forgot the camera was there!

PHOTOGENIC IS JUST A MYTH

I always think I take an awful photo… as I never like any holiday pictures of myself. I’m my worst critic. I don’t look at my face, or how my smile looks, I look at all the bits I don’t like. Why? Because I have allowed my brain to be programed this way. Even my husband said, it’s because you’re not photogenic. Which I think is a pile of crap!!!