I’m currently reading atomic habits by James Clear on Audible. I love audiobooks because they keep me entertained and feeling positive while I’m doing chores that otherwise I wouldn’t enjoy. Whether I’m in the shower, cooking dinner, or folding laundry, I’m almost always listening to an audiobook.

Atomic Habits caught my attention because of the concept of stacking habits. It turns out that this is something I’ve been implementing in my Signature Branding Collection all along! My Collection’s workbook is so successful because it doesn’t just help you set goals. It guides you through creating a system to accomplish those goals. Namely, getting excellent ROI on your branding photography. 

Here are the steps as laid out in my Signature Branding Collection Workbook to help you get from “I need better social media” to “I am someone with an awesome social media presence.”

(If you’re reading this, and you feel guilty that you’re not already doing this or not planning to do these things, schedule a time to talk with me. I can help with that feeling.)

Step one-  figure out who your ideal client is. 

Who is your ideal client? How old are they? Are they married? Do they have kids? What kind of job do they have? What’s their education level? What are their interests, hobbies, and ideology? What platforms do they use? Getting crystal clear about who your client is helps you create content that appeals to that person. The clearer you are, the more clear you can be with your messaging.

Step two - what are your keywords? 

Getting awesome ROI from your photos means that you need to know how your clients are going to find you. If you think most people find you through a google search, you probably don’t need to spend a ton of time on Twitter. If you think most people will find you in a Facebook group, maybe LinkedIn is not the ideal place to invest. You need to know where your clients are and what they’re searching for so that you can be at the top of the list where it’s most relevant.

Step three - what is your aesthetic? 

Developing your branding identity has a lot to do with the way you look online. Most social media platforms are extremely visual so being consistent will help you develop a clear identity. This means that when your ideal client sees your post, they recognize you. And they get more and more interested each time they see you. The more exposure to your brand they have, the more likely they are to click and to buy. 

To develop your brand’s aesthetic, go on Pinterest and create a Board. Pin everything that you like. Then, go on canvas and create templates that reflect your newfound style.

Step four - inventory your website images. 

Now that you know (1) who you’re talking to, (2) what you’re trying to say, and (3) how you want to look when you’re saying it, it’s important that your website is brought on board. Inventory your website for images you like and take note of the images you don’t like. What should they be replaced with? What would help your ideal client identify with you? What would make them want to pull the trigger? These are the images that you need taken.

Step five - develop your content calendar. 

You know who you’re talking to and where you’re talking to them, so start a conversation! If you want to build that brand recognition, and you’re ready to get your social media presence to the next level, you need to develop your content calendar. Take into consideration your upcoming promotions as well as any slow or busy seasons you have. These can be great clues about what you should be talking about. 

For example, if you’re me and you know that autumn is crazy busy with family sessions, your messaging should be around family sessions and portrait photography. However, in January or so, when the trees are really bare and sparse, it would be a great time to talk about studio portraits. What is relevant to both your ideal customer and your business that you can talk about in any given season? This is a great place to start.

If this all feels a little overwhelming…

I promise you it’s a lot easier than it seems. Realistically, you probably have most of this done already. Formalizing it on paper in an easy to use and reference workbook makes life so much simpler. In my Signature Branding Collection we go through this workbook step-by-step to create the content calendar of your dreams. It gets really specific so you can load up your HootSuite for the entire quarter. In one sitting if you want! 

If you’re ready to up level your online presence, reach out to me today. Let’s talk about your branding goals. Click here to get on my calendar for a quick, 15 minute phone chat.