Professional Stories: Show or Tell

Let’s talk about self marketing.

In a world where so many of us have side hustles and passions beyond our nine to fives, there is a need for small business owners to learn the art of self marketing. If you’re anything like me, the idea of having to promote yourself is enough to induce hives! While I’m learning right alongside of you by Googling SEO data points or web page speed optimization, what I do know is that in addition to our language choices, clear and evocative photographs are essential for telling the story of your business.

I have heard my husband quip so often while working as an editor about the importance for his authors to show instead of tell. Why say “she is tired” when you can express her exhaustion while creating movement and action by writing “she yawned” instead? The process of fine tuning our word choices is even more important when using social media, making sure every single one of the 280 characters counts to convey the message. That is why engaging and eye catching photographs, that support and undergird your brands story are so key to self marketing! Even a business that doesn’t have obvious products to feature still has a visual story that can be told. Your workshop, creative process, office cat, stack of books, wherever you make your magic, can be the perfect supporting cast for your Professional Story. That’s because what we really want to highlight is YOU! Your ideal clients want to hear your story, to know the face behind the name. People connect with faces, with histories, and with emotion. Your community is rooting for you, and for small businesses, in 2020 especially! Shopping local is more important than ever this year, and seeing WHO they are putting their support behind will go a long way to growing your business.

Below you’ll see an small example of a Professional Story portrait photography session I did with my husband Joel, who is an editor by day and an impassioned writer by night. The worlds he strings together in his fantasy short stories and novels are gripping and mesmerizing. They are colorful, full of whimsy, monsters, and museums. The subjects of his work would all be fantastic visually, and hopefully someday beautiful covers and illustrations will accompany his work. But in his field before you can start designing book covers comes connecting with an agent and a publisher, which means self marketing and self branding. So to highlight Joel, his open and bright personality, and his passion, we chose to take his headshots and professional images at home, surrounded by our cats and with loads of cozy inspiration. Right where he creates everyday. Telling the story of who he is as a writer, as an asset to an agency and to the writing community at large.

I loved showing his professional story, creating a glimpse into who is working behind the keyboard to string together magical worlds and crating perfectly structured sentences. His story is important. Your story is too, let’s tell it together!