Invest in YOU.

I’m the first to admit that I am always anxious to invest money back into my business. According to Forbes, it’s recommended to invest “around 30% of profits -- with some people suggesting as high as 50%…” back into your business. WHAT?! That is a big scary number, but that number will pay back! This is your baby, your passion, give it some love.

(Below: Folia Milwaukee, Brand Photo Subscription)

Social Media BOOM.

Right now social media is exploding at an exponential level, welcoming roughly 1 million new users a day. “Instagram now has over 1 billion monthly active users–a 42.86% increase from 2017 when it had 700 million.” We live with our phones in our hands, and much of that time is spent connecting with others via social media. Your your 16-29 year olds spend roughly 3 hours a DAY on social media - I believe it.

One 3 hour brand session will get you enough photos for 6-12 months of social media content!

(Below: Calie, founder of Milwaukee With Kids)

Brand Consistency

All of this insane info above points to something important. Your brand is being seen the most on social media. Based on the growth and amount of time potential clients are spending on social media, you may want to show up there! Showing up means building a brand that is trusted and consistent. Your clients want to see that you have an appealing visual presence and gain some information about you and your brand just by browsing images. 1 image = 100 words right? (Below: Hall Creative Co.)

Soooo….

Invest in yourself and book a branding session! This is a jump point to show your following and client who are new to you, who YOU are, and what YOUR BRAND is about. They can scroll away quickly understanding what you provide and your aesthetic. This doesn’t have to be boring, awkward, + stiff. Your clients want to get to know you. So be you, bring what makes you unique, use the space that speaks to who you and your brand are. This is FUN:

“After having used many different photographers, we recently used Chelsea Matson for branding photography and we will be using her going forward. Chelsea completely exceeded our expectations. From the initial consultation, to planning and execution, she listened to our goals and the quality of the photos reflected her skill and preparation. I would highly recommend Chelsea if this is your first or 50th branding photography session. You will not be disappointed. Within a 3 hour session, we have more than enough images for an entire year with depth, variety, and interest that will speak to our customers on a variety of platforms. The experience was professional and fun from start to finish. Highly recommended.”

-Ginger, Northshore Shorewest Realtor (Below)

next steps my friends:

• commit to investing in you and your brand

• think about what story you want you photos to tell

• who do you want to show your clients you are? its ok to be personal, show them you are human

• don’t have a physical product? thats ok, how can you show your skills and your expertise

• what are your MUST have shots

• what makes you feel your best

Whether you sell a product or a service, when it comes to small business you are the business. People want to connect with you and know you. Getting photographed can be awkward and feel uncomfortable, but approach it as having fun or a day of work where you are being documented.

are you ready?!

(hint: yes you are!)

Check out these small businesses who have already invested in themselves!

Sources:

https://www.digitalmarketing.org/blog/how-much-time-does-the-average-person-spend-on-social-media

https://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2018/10/02/five-reasons-to-reinvest-in-your-own-company/?sh=2d19fe252da4

https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-statistics/