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Hi there.
Speaker:It's Sue.
Speaker:And thanks for joining me for tips and talk day.
Speaker:These are bite-sized topics that I pull from community questions and
Speaker:things that I'm observing in the world of handmade small business.
Speaker:If you'd like to submit a topic,
Speaker:DME over on Instagram at gift biz unwrapped,
Speaker:how do you save time and still create good solid photos
Speaker:to use for social.
Speaker:You've seen people who are showing up on social and they
Speaker:seem to have it all together with their photos.
Speaker:They continually have a wide variety of images.
Speaker:They're in all different sorts of locations with their images.
Speaker:They have things theme two different holidays,
Speaker:and you're just like,
Speaker:how are they getting this all done and still running their
Speaker:business at the same time,
Speaker:not to mention creating your product,
Speaker:obviously, which is always an overlay,
Speaker:a different nuance for us as handmade product creators.
Speaker:This topic was inspired by Lona who asked specifically about this
Speaker:in the breeze.
Speaker:She says,
Speaker:I just can't turn out things like a machine solely for
Speaker:the purpose of posting them on Instagram.
Speaker:I don't understand how people do all of that content and
Speaker:still do the actual work.
Speaker:And you're right,
Speaker:Lona. I mean,
Speaker:as a solo preneur,
Speaker:the truth is you can't nor should you be just spending
Speaker:time creating things only to put up on social.
Speaker:So I want to put your mind at ease.
Speaker:I have ideas for you of exactly how you can get
Speaker:this done for clarification here.
Speaker:We're talking about product photos,
Speaker:things like inspirational posts or other types of things with wording
Speaker:included, or of course a live broadcast.
Speaker:That's something else entirely.
Speaker:Let's go ahead and dive into four different strategies where you
Speaker:can much more easily create content that you can then use
Speaker:on social Lona.
Speaker:When I first saw your question,
Speaker:this is what immediately came to my mind.
Speaker:As I've already referenced,
Speaker:you should never be creating content only for social media,
Speaker:unless you're doing a professional photo shoot.
Speaker:And we're going to talk about that a little bit more,
Speaker:but the first thing is,
Speaker:and the various easiest way to create photos for social media
Speaker:is to integrate this into what you're doing as part of
Speaker:your business day already.
Speaker:And as makers,
Speaker:we have the good fortunate that there's a lot of content
Speaker:that is perfectly in line with what you should be posting
Speaker:on social.
Speaker:For example,
Speaker:when you're making your products.
Speaker:So you're at your production table or wherever it is that
Speaker:you create,
Speaker:what you're making and selling stop and think,
Speaker:could this be a good picture for social?
Speaker:Let's say you're knitting something,
Speaker:put your phone on a tripod,
Speaker:set it for delay,
Speaker:and then have your hand doing some of the knitting.
Speaker:Now this is a piece you're actually producing to sell.
Speaker:So it's integrating into the work you're doing in the day.
Speaker:It's not stopping and making a piece specifically for social.
Speaker:And when that piece is done,
Speaker:take another photo of it.
Speaker:It's a finished item that's ready and available to sell.
Speaker:How about when you are fulfilling orders,
Speaker:you're packing up orders to go out,
Speaker:take a picture of a box.
Speaker:That's open with your product in there.
Speaker:Maybe anything that you're adding in,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:pretty tissue paper,
Speaker:maybe some stickers,
Speaker:perhaps it's a thank you card.
Speaker:Take a photo of that.
Speaker:That is you working through your business day,
Speaker:but capturing the moments that then can be used on social.
Speaker:How about when you're out at craft shows,
Speaker:pictures of your booth view,
Speaker:interacting with customers.
Speaker:If you have someone,
Speaker:a friend,
Speaker:family member,
Speaker:who's also assisting you at the show specifically,
Speaker:think about handing them the phone and saying,
Speaker:take some pictures of me while I'm working with people at
Speaker:the craft show,
Speaker:doesn't need to be used right away.
Speaker:It can be used later.
Speaker:So show interaction,
Speaker:packaging up,
Speaker:handing somebody over the product.
Speaker:Cause they just purchased it.
Speaker:Having them take it out right away or in the case
Speaker:of earrings or some type of jewelry.
Speaker:Maybe they're going to put it on right there at the
Speaker:show and walk around and get a picture of that.
Speaker:So all different types of things like that.
Speaker:So this is point number one.
Speaker:And it's a mindset switch,
Speaker:not just going through the work that you have of the
Speaker:day and thinking of that separately than social media,
Speaker:but thinking of social media throughout your day and consciously looking
Speaker:for those times when taking a picture,
Speaker:doing what you're already doing will make sense for social.
Speaker:Okay. That's number one second thing I want you to think
Speaker:about is you can take the pictures now and use them
Speaker:later. As I was just suggesting going throughout your day,
Speaker:let's say you have a finished piece,
Speaker:make a flat light,
Speaker:put it right on something that has a blank background,
Speaker:take some pictures of it.
Speaker:And then you can remove the background so easy to do
Speaker:in Canva and then have that photo of a finished piece
Speaker:that you can use later.
Speaker:Whether it's going to go on your website,
Speaker:whether you're going to add it to a flat lay background
Speaker:that's already created in Canva,
Speaker:whatever you want to do.
Speaker:Okay. Take pictures to use for later.
Speaker:You don't always have to be taking pictures in the moment
Speaker:and uploading them with a post and content and all of
Speaker:that in lifetime.
Speaker:And let's face it.
Speaker:We want to be living our life.
Speaker:We don't want to be thinking about what we have to
Speaker:post on social instead of experiencing the moments.
Speaker:If you're with a friend and they're wearing a piece of
Speaker:jewelry that you made them take a picture of it and
Speaker:then just store it to be used later.
Speaker:Gosh, you may not even put that up for a whole
Speaker:month, but you've got the photo ready and waiting.
Speaker:One of the best things that I've learned to do over
Speaker:time is to have a filing system for my photos.
Speaker:There are different ways you can do this one.
Speaker:If you're in Dropbox,
Speaker:make a master file that says photos,
Speaker:and then underneath have different categories like flat lay photos,
Speaker:lifestyle photos,
Speaker:more professional photo shoot photos that you create,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:whatever your categories will be.
Speaker:And then just throw the pictures in there and then you'll
Speaker:have them available when you need them.
Speaker:You may all of a sudden think of a topic that
Speaker:you want to post about.
Speaker:Go look in your photos and see if you have something
Speaker:that matches that you've already done.
Speaker:And then even as you're going into the holidays,
Speaker:you don't always have to make holiday themed specific photos.
Speaker:If you've got those flat lays,
Speaker:like I was talking about,
Speaker:depending on how the product is positioned,
Speaker:you could probably take that and overlay it into a photo
Speaker:as if your mug is sitting right on the table of
Speaker:a Thanksgiving photo,
Speaker:or just continue with the flat lay theme and have,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:like pumpkin's or something like that around,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:how they'll do around the,
Speaker:like a frame of a photo and the inside is all
Speaker:orange. And then you just put your flat lay on top
Speaker:of it again,
Speaker:all done in Canva.
Speaker:Super easy.
Speaker:The other thing I'll say about this point too,
Speaker:taking pictures for now that you use later after holidays are
Speaker:over. Okay.
Speaker:So the next one that's coming up is Halloween.
Speaker:If you have holiday themed products,
Speaker:take extra pictures,
Speaker:you might not use them this year,
Speaker:but you couldn't use them into next year.
Speaker:Think about it.
Speaker:The images for a lot of the major holidays remain the
Speaker:same holiday after holiday after holiday.
Speaker:And even if let's go with mugs,
Speaker:cause I was just talking about them.
Speaker:Even if you have a mug that has a skull on
Speaker:it with a holiday scary scene or wording or whatever it
Speaker:is that you did for a client this year,
Speaker:you can use that as an example of things that you
Speaker:can make for clients for next year.
Speaker:But guess what,
Speaker:it's already done.
Speaker:You already have the photo it's sitting in your Dropbox.
Speaker:Another way to do this is storing files on your computer.
Speaker:Having like a master file folder that says photos and then
Speaker:different categories of photos in separate files in that master file.
Speaker:Right? So it's another place I like Dropbox because it's accessible
Speaker:everywhere through your phone,
Speaker:multiple computers,
Speaker:anywhere you are,
Speaker:but you could also put it just right on your desktop
Speaker:of your computer.
Speaker:So different ideas.
Speaker:Michelle, when filing,
Speaker:do you suggest renaming each photo immediately to identify it?
Speaker:It depends on your system.
Speaker:I don't,
Speaker:I just throw them in there,
Speaker:then I'll go back.
Speaker:Like if I'm watching TV or something,
Speaker:I might go back in and look because sometimes photos that
Speaker:you bring in,
Speaker:you decide later,
Speaker:like, what was I thinking?
Speaker:That's just not really that great.
Speaker:Or you do three shots of the same photo.
Speaker:Maybe I'll delete a couple of shots.
Speaker:I'm not really worried about naming them necessarily as long as
Speaker:I'm categorizing them,
Speaker:because the whole point is to save time.
Speaker:Google drive.
Speaker:Great option too.
Speaker:So we already talked about integrating and just keeping your mind
Speaker:on the idea that you're always looking throughout your days for
Speaker:ways that you can take photos that you could use later.
Speaker:Remember you don't need to take the photo and post it
Speaker:right away.
Speaker:Just take that image and then save it in the ways
Speaker:we were just talking about for later.
Speaker:Okay. Now point number three,
Speaker:quarterly photo-shoots yes,
Speaker:there are going to be some times when you want more
Speaker:staged professional looking photos by professional looking,
Speaker:I don't mean that you always need to hire out a
Speaker:professional photographer.
Speaker:Some people do,
Speaker:and that's just fine,
Speaker:but I get it like,
Speaker:is that where you want to spend your money?
Speaker:You have to make the choice.
Speaker:And now we're so lucky our cameras on our phones can
Speaker:do the absolute best photos.
Speaker:Very similar to what a professional photographer would do when you
Speaker:know the tricks about lighting,
Speaker:layout placement,
Speaker:et cetera.
Speaker:So my suggestion for you is four times a year,
Speaker:four times only decide,
Speaker:you know what,
Speaker:I'm going to do a professional photo shoot with myself and
Speaker:plan for it.
Speaker:Few different outfit,
Speaker:change outs,
Speaker:because some of these you're going to want to be in
Speaker:the photo as well,
Speaker:maybe in a more professional presence that you might be at
Speaker:a craft show when you're working,
Speaker:things like that and single product shots.
Speaker:Maybe you want to do some more structured layout,
Speaker:your own flat lays,
Speaker:for example,
Speaker:or putting your product.
Speaker:If you make,
Speaker:let's say Afghans,
Speaker:hanging it over a sofa in your family room and taking
Speaker:a shot there,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:things like that.
Speaker:So a more structured plan and the best way to do
Speaker:this is to book it into your calendar.
Speaker:As you're leading up to it,
Speaker:think of the types of shots you wish you had,
Speaker:that are missing from your categories.
Speaker:All right,
Speaker:mark that down that that's something you'll do for your next
Speaker:photo shoot and then dedicate a full day to doing some
Speaker:nice photos half a day,
Speaker:even if you had to.
Speaker:So scheduling your photo shoots.
Speaker:And then my fourth point is a more advanced idea,
Speaker:but it's really only advanced in terms of thinking.
Speaker:And that is using user generated content as photos for your
Speaker:own posts.
Speaker:Now what user generated content is,
Speaker:are photos that your customers have taken of the products that
Speaker:you have.
Speaker:You know how some people will do an unboxing.
Speaker:They've been waiting for this necklace that they ordered from you.
Speaker:They're so excited to have it.
Speaker:And so they do a photo of unboxing and receiving the
Speaker:necklace, or they take a picture now that it's on and
Speaker:they do a real fun picture where in the necklace,
Speaker:if you're able to get those photos that is user generated
Speaker:content, one way to do this is to do a promotion
Speaker:and with every single order that goes out,
Speaker:say, if you take a picture and tag me on Instagram,
Speaker:for example,
Speaker:you'll be entered into a drawing for whatever it is,
Speaker:either a discount or a free piece or whatever it's going
Speaker:to be and do.
Speaker:Then what happens is people take these photos for you,
Speaker:tag you,
Speaker:and that's how,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:you can enter them,
Speaker:cause they've already tagged you.
Speaker:And then listen to this,
Speaker:you take that and reshare it in your own feed on
Speaker:Instagram with your own wording.
Speaker:And then you give credit back to them because they took
Speaker:the photo.
Speaker:It's your product,
Speaker:it's their photo.
Speaker:It's on your social media and there's as well.
Speaker:Okay? So in summary,
Speaker:here are the four ways to save time yet still collect
Speaker:all of the pictures that you need for posting on social
Speaker:media. And most importantly not stop all your regular work that
Speaker:you need to get done to have these photos.
Speaker:First thing is integrating it into your Workday and just remembering
Speaker:that you want to take pictures from time to time.
Speaker:Maybe it's not every day,
Speaker:but regularly throughout your day.
Speaker:So you have instant photos.
Speaker:Second, take the pictures now and use them later,
Speaker:but do some type of an organizational system.
Speaker:Only one system only put things in one place cause you
Speaker:don't want them saved on your phone in Dropbox,
Speaker:on your desktop,
Speaker:Google drive everywhere,
Speaker:just pick one place and save them there and resource them
Speaker:later for when you're looking for photos,
Speaker:third, quarterly photo shoots for a little bit more professional and
Speaker:strategic photos that fills in the gaps where you're missing photos
Speaker:that you've been looking for and you can't find make a
Speaker:list so that they're ready for your next photo shoot day
Speaker:and fourth.
Speaker:The advanced idea user generated content.
Speaker:Listen, customers love doing things in return for you as well.
Speaker:And if they're getting to put a picture up that then
Speaker:gets entered into a contest,
Speaker:they're already your customer.
Speaker:They get more visibility for themselves,
Speaker:whatever they do too,
Speaker:right? So it's a,
Speaker:win-win all the way around.
Speaker:I'm going to say this over and over again.
Speaker:The most important thing for us to do in our business
Speaker:is make sure that we are focusing on revenue generating tasks.
Speaker:If you're not familiar with what I'm talking about,
Speaker:I did a whole tips and talk on this.
Speaker:This was tips and talk number 28,
Speaker:about our timing valuable and how to make sure that we're
Speaker:using it on the tasks that we're doing in our business
Speaker:that are actually going to create sales.
Speaker:And there were a lot of these little hidden things that
Speaker:we got caught up with that don't create sales and making
Speaker:product only for the purpose of posting on social media would
Speaker:definitely be one of them that is not a revenue generating
Speaker:task, not in the way you're doing it that way.
Speaker:While social media deserves dedicating the time.
Speaker:It should not override your work day and all of the
Speaker:tasks that you need to be doing to keep your business
Speaker:alive and growing.
Speaker:That's a wrap.
Speaker:I'm a get to the point kind of girl.
Speaker:And this is what you can expect from these quick mid-week
Speaker:sessions. Now it's your turn go out and fulfill that dream
Speaker:of yours.
Speaker:Share your handmade products with us.
