IS YOUR USP STILL RELEVANT?

Taking a slightly dusty dictionary off my office shelf, I can see that the word ‘unique’ is defined as ‘unlike anything else’ – an empowering concept in today’s current culture. Something I feel both inspired and motivated to photograph.  However, in a world full of images, capturing the ‘unique’ might seem like an impossible task!

Yet, I think I do capture the ‘unique’ in every personal branding shoot I have had the pleasure of doing.  I recently mentioned to my hubby that I capture a company’s unique selling point (USP), and he rolled his eyes and muttered something about this being an ‘outdated term’.  He’s right (annoyingly!), this is a term that’s been used for over 60 years and the truth is; a completely unique selling point is a rare thing indeed!  The more I thought about the term USP, the more I realised it’s not what I meant at all! I’m not capturing my client’s USP, I’m capturing their ‘unique personality’!  Let me explain….

Connections

Personal branding sessions aren’t really about capturing a product or even a service; it’s about the projected image of a business’s personality, skills and behaviour. By telling your story, we’re sharing your unique business personality and this allows you to connect with people who share that same vision.

Through personal branding photography, your target audience sees a face, a human, instead of a business name.  This allows them to relate to your message and values. The more they start to recognise you and relate to your values, the more likely they are to trust and connect with your business.

Trust

So, you’ve created that instant connection with your potential clients, but now you need to develop that bond and secure their trust.  We’ve all been in situations where we felt a seller was untrustworthy. This could have been a door-to-door salesman or a sales email – usually, that lack of trust is caused by a seller telling you what you need before they’ve got to know you!  There’s an important lesson to be learnt here; building trust takes time, but can be broken in an instant.

Personal branding photography allows you to build a consistent visual presence, portraying your unique personality. Unlike stock photos, using a high-quality professional and personable photos, your marketing material becomes instantly recognisable.  Don’t forget – consumer’s value and trust what they see as reliable and consistent.

Positioning

Authority is one of the most powerful tools you have as a business owner.  How you present yourself online is essential to establishing this position. Many entrepreneurs struggle with this due to self-esteem issues, however it’s important to remember that you have more experience and knowledge than the prospect – that’s why they’re looking to you for help! So leave your self-doubt at the door and work on the message you’re trying to deliver to prospective clients; properly established and communicated authority will win you more sales with the right customers.

When a potential customer looks you up online they are asking themselves one simple question: Are they the right company/person for me?

This nicely leads us back to my first point: it’s all about connections, which leads to trust which is underpinned by your authority.

The one thing that makes your business unique is YOU! It’s time to avoid boring and generic images and start showcasing your personality. Whether you’re fun and out-going, a peaceful soul who likes to mediate or a creative, colourful campaigner – we need to let those qualities shine!

If you would like to know more about my photography, please explore my website, or reach out to me at michelle@michellemorris.co.uk. If you would like to regularly receive my newsletters and blogs please join my VIP list (you’ll get first dibs to offers and promotions).

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