How to Stand Out to Your Ideal Client | Virtual Assistant for Photographers

So let’s be honest, there are a million photographers out there. Just go on Instagram and search out photographers, and you’ll see so many results pop up. (SO MANY). 

And I know that can feel daunting, because you are in a saturated industry. But it doesn’t have to be a bad thing.

If anything I think it’s an invitation to be truly yourself in the online space, and that’s a cool thing.

You need to ask yourself is this:

How do I align with my strengths, to create an intentional client experience, that will make me stand out to my ideal audience?

I know that sounds vague. And vague isn’t helpful. So let’s break it down.

When I was first starting out, most of the photographer’s education I received was “just be yourself!!!” It was a trend at the time that people were shouting from the rooftops (and is still lurking around to this day). In theory, it’s not wrong: being yourself is a big key to success.

But here’s why I have a big issue with it:

it’s NOT practical.

What parts of yourself do you share? What do you keep private? How do you ‘be yourself’ without making your business ABOUT you? I’ve asked all these questions too. The advice to “just be yourself” has nothing tangible or strategic about it. Honestly, is educator copout BS that we need to throw out the window. (I said what I said). We need to be more specific. You are a business, not a self-help guru.

Here’s what I want you to do instead.  
I want you to write out a list of your strengths. 

• Are you a morning person? A night owl? 

• Are you organized? 

• Are you go-with-the-flow?

• Do you have a really good memory?

• Do you make people feel at ease?

• Are you relatably awkward? 

• Do you know your city really well?

• Are you really good styling clients?

• Are you solid with posing? 

• Are you great at traveling in new cities? 

• Are you amazing with lighting?

• Do you give great gifts? 

• Are you good with reading people? 

• Are you bossy? Or fly-on-the-wall? 

This isn’t about hyping yourself up, or bragging on yourself. This is about getting clear on the things that come easily to you. We need to build a framework around those things because there is no point stressing yourself out to do it another person’s way.

Next:

 One of the best things you can do for your business is creating an intentional client experience with touch points that are aligned with your strengths. Your customers should feel guided, and like they can trust you as the expert. HOW you do that will defer from person to person, which is the cool thing about it. 

The one thing every photographer should have is good communication. When you answer your client’s questions before they ask, you are building tremendous trust by showing them you understand their point of view AND that you’ve done this a million times. 

That communication is completely up to your discretion though.

Ask yourself this:

What touch points can I build into my workflow that play to MY strengths, and make my client feel taken care of? 

That might be things like a Welcome Guide or gift, a check-in email, a gift card…anything you want! If you are really good at posing, maybe send them a little Posing PDF that has your “spiel” you tell clients at the start of every shoot. If you’re really good at styling…send a video of you picking outfits or make an IG highlight reel of you shopping for a photo session that you can refer them to later. 

And lastly…

Here’s the reminder you need today: YOU DO NOT HAVE TO STAND OUT TO EVERYONE. You don’t need everyone to think you’re the greatest photographer in the world. If your business is centered around artistic appreciation, than yeah, maybe you need a like + follow from everyone. But if you’re business is all about making you good money doing something you love, you do NOT need to be attractive to a ton of people. 

You want your content, your client experience, your photos to appeal to your ideal audience. 

You need to spend time figuring out who that is, and how YOU relate to them.

What do they need that you have? What problems are YOU really good at solving? I heard a podcast where someone asked actor Fred Armisen, how he was so good at doing every accent? He said: ‘the party trick is that I only do the ones I’m good at, and I only know one sentence from each of those accents.’ But because he leads with that, he is able to create an experience through his talent. 

This is what you’re trying to do for your ideal audience!

What are you already good at? What can you put as the centerpiece of your client experience that will make your ideal client feel amazing? You have something that your ideal client needs or else they wouldn’t be your ideal client.

Our end goal as a service provider, is an amazing client experience that leaves our customers loyal, happy, & talking about us to their friends. Creating an intentional client experience that speaks to them is one of the biggest tools we have towards that goal. I know this will stir the pot, but I would argue it’s almost more important than your photos. What do you think? Do you agree? Disagree?