Your Professional Photography About Page: Another Perspective
Well happy Monday, awesome entrepreneurs! Ready to chat about your professional photography about page some more? (no groans here, that’s your cue for a cheer!)
Artists, bosses, business owners… so many words can describe what you do. If you’re a professional photographer, you likely say photographer when someone asks – but never forget, you are a business owner! A lady boss! An entrepreneur!
Why is it so hard for us to embrace that title sometimes?
I digress.
The about page post that I wrote last week caused quite a stir! If you need help writing a kickass about page, check out the formula here, and then tell me what you think, deal?
I have received a ton of positive feedback from several of you that said it was SO helpful in really changing things up a bit, but that it overwhelmed you because now you felt like you had something else to add to your to-do list.
YIKES.
I totally get that – if I showed you my to-do list, you would likely cry. I know I consider it.
I know that it might seem overwhelming, but I promise – it will be one of the best things you can ever do for your business. To really hone in on who you are serving, and know your ideal clients VERY well and to be able to communicate with them? That is gold, friends, I promise.
I also wanted to give you another perspective, and something else to think about when it comes to your about page.
Get yourself an accountability buddy or business BFF.
What the heck is this, just another thing for your never ending to-do list?
Nope, I promise – another thing that will be super valuable in your business, and will help with your about page, and SO MUCH MORE.
Here’s the thing: being an entrepreneur is hard. Not hard in the way that a corporate job is, or another nine to five, but it is really hard. And it can be SUPER isolating! Unless someone else has experienced the same hardships, it can be hard for them to really empathize with what you’re going through, or the challenges that you face.
Finding yourself a business BFF, and building a relationship where you can both lift each other up, be honest, and encourage each other can be an unbelievable resource for you.
So what the heck does this have to do with your about page?
When you are able to connect with another entrepreneur on a more personal level, they will understand your brand, and your target. They will see your brand regularly, and will be able to look at something objectively, without having been tied to the screen for hours working on it.
They can read your about page, and tell you, honestly, if they think it accurately portrays you and communicates your value to your ideal clients.
Sounds scary, right? But I have actually seen this in action – not just with myself, but in one of the groups that I’m on the board for. A group of 1,000 female professional photographers in Colorado – crazy, right? What we did was to essentially start a limited participation thread, where everyone could volunteer to submit and write about pages for the other photographers in that thread.
You think writing your own is difficult, think about writing for another photographer!
Although once you get started, it is easier than it seems. There were people who knew each other, and others that didn’t, all participating in this thread. It required a little bit of social media and blog stalking, but each and every person wrote out the other peoples’ about pages.
What happened was really, really neat, even for people that didn’t know each other very well.
When someone stalks your social media and blog presence, or knows you personally, they may have a different perspective of you than you have of yourself. Not better or worse, just different. And if that is what they are seeing, chances are, that is what your ideal client is seeing as well. For someone to look at all of these things and write about you, and what you do, and the value you offer, was an amazing exercise.
It was a reminder of things to add – oh yeah, I forgot that! A note on things to leave out – ooh you’re right that’s probably not the best way to say that. A red flag to notify you that the message you’re putting out to the world isn’t really what you want – what, you think I have six kids because I’m always posting photos of my nephews?
All of these things are coming from a third party that doesn’t know you as well as you know yourself. And while I would never advocate having someone write your about page ENTIRELY for you, it is an amazing experience to get a second opinion, and to see if what you’re trying to convey to the world is coming across in your marketing.
If you DON’T have a business BFF or a group you can go to for help, here are a few notes on how to choose:
I get a lot of questions about this!
Does my Business BFF need to do what I do?
No, your buddy doesn’t have to be a photographer, although if they are in the same industry that you’re in, they will understand the challenges and frustrations that can sometimes creep in that are unique to your industry.
Does my Business BFF need to be local to me?
Yes, your buddy can be in another city/state/country. They don’t have to be local, but getting together for lunch can be cathartic and refreshing! If you can’t, Skype and have a cocktail together.
Does my Business BFF need to be someone at the same level?
I really recommend either the same level or further along than you are. Everyone starts somewhere, but if you are 3 years into your business and partner with someone brand new, you will find yourself teaching more than having a mutually beneficial relationship.
Can my Business BFF be my spouse/mom/dog/someone close to me?
I don’t recommend this. Why? First, your spouse has to live with you, and if they give you feedback you don’t want, it could start an unnecessary fight. Plus, they have skin in the game that is completely unrelated to your business. Their perspective will be completely different than an objective set of eyes that isn’t affected directly by decisions you make. Mom? This depends on your mother, some are amazing business owners. But most moms want to encourage their children, young or old, and she may sugar coat something that really just needs to be directly said. Dog? They understand us the best, don’t they? 😉 But they don’t understand business, and would likely agree with you just for a spoonful of peanut butter.
Does my Business BFF need to have the same niche or specialty?
Not at all. For example, if you are a senior photographer, it could be a great idea to partner with someone who is a wedding photographer. There is that fresh set of eyes that can really see things from a different perspective. Can they be in the same niche? Sure! The key is to find someone that you trust, regardless of their niche or specialty!
You need someone objective, who can keep you accountable to your goals, and share their goals with you as well.
A business BFF can provide you valuable insight into what you’re putting out into the world, and the things that you may have missed when racking your brain over what to do with your about page.
Check out this post with my Kickass About Page Formula – and write yours out. Even if you’re not going to publish it on your website right now, write it out, and send it to your business BFF, or share in a group of trusted advisors. Get their feedback, get a second and third and fourth opinion. Offer reciprocity – if they do yours, you will do theirs. (that sounds so naughty!)
The feedback can be insanely valuable, and can really help to point you in the right direction when it comes to sharing the right message about yourself, and your business, online.
If you’re ready to put yourself out there and share, I would also love to see what you have written! Share it in the free Facebook group here, and get some feedback!
I can’t wait to help you hone in on that message that REALLY sets you apart. And figure out how the heck to communicate that!
Love and Adventures,
~Brooke
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