Hi there,
Speaker:it's Sue and thanks for joining me for Tips and Talk
Speaker:Day. These are bite-sized topics that I pull from community questions
Speaker:and things that I'm observing in the world of handmade small
Speaker:business. If you'd like to submit a topic,
Speaker:DM e over on Instagram at Gift Biz Unwrapped.
Speaker:Before we get started,
Speaker:I'm gonna share a secret with you.
Speaker:One of my superpowers is the ability to get an enormous
Speaker:number of tasks and projects done each and every week.
Speaker:I easily meet deadlines,
Speaker:rarely forget to do something,
Speaker:and know at the start of each day what needs priority,
Speaker:attention and action type A personality.
Speaker:Yes, and a follow through on the Kobe assessment,
Speaker:which should have given me the clue,
Speaker:but it wasn't until people started commenting to me that I
Speaker:realized not everyone naturally knows how to do this.
Speaker:It's the biggest single contributor to the growth I always see
Speaker:in my businesses without spending hours and hours working either.
Speaker:It's about focus and doing the right things efficiently.
Speaker:Prompted by all the questions on how I do this,
Speaker:I went about finding a way to help you perform at
Speaker:a higher level too.
Speaker:I analyzed my methods and formalized my process,
Speaker:which is one many of my coaching clients.
Speaker:Now, also follow.
Speaker:You can use it too.
Speaker:It's all part of a tool called the Inspired Daily Planner,
Speaker:made specifically for gifters,
Speaker:bakers, crafters,
Speaker:and makers.
Speaker:Make no mistake,
Speaker:this is not your ordinary planner.
Speaker:First off,
Speaker:it comes with a video explaining my productivity strategy and the
Speaker:physical planner isn't dated,
Speaker:so you can start using it the second it arrives at
Speaker:your doorstep,
Speaker:and that's not all included for each day is a motivational
Speaker:or business building tip and plenty of space to capture and
Speaker:book in time for to-dos scheduled appointments and all those ideas
Speaker:that are now getting lost.
Speaker:You can watch the video for free and then get your
Speaker:inspired daily planner@giftbizunwrapped.com
Speaker:slash inspired.
Speaker:One thing that I've never talked about before is that I'm
Speaker:not a great camera person.
Speaker:I'm not the one taking pictures on vacation or at family
Speaker:events, but luckily my husband is,
Speaker:back in the day,
Speaker:we had one of those super big,
Speaker:heavy V H S video cameras.
Speaker:Remember those that you would hold on your shoulder?
Speaker:Oh, gosh,
Speaker:and today,
Speaker:Michael still uses his professional Nikon with all the lenses.
Speaker:For me,
Speaker:it's just my iPhone.
Speaker:If even that,
Speaker:I swear we'd have few,
Speaker:if any pictures or videos of the kids when they were
Speaker:little. If it weren't for Michael,
Speaker:my personal photographer and videographer.
Speaker:I much prefer being in the moment,
Speaker:taking in what's right in front of me and enjoying the
Speaker:experience versus capturing it for later.
Speaker:I don't like being bothered with lighting or getting the perfectly
Speaker:angled shot instead of having the experience.
Speaker:I guess some people can do both at the same time,
Speaker:but that's not me.
Speaker:So when social media came around,
Speaker:it was not a natural fit.
Speaker:Even today,
Speaker:it's more of an effort than a joy to take photos,
Speaker:but I will admit,
Speaker:I appreciate having them later to reflect back on.
Speaker:Yet still,
Speaker:it's always a struggle between taking the pictures and engaging wholeheartedly
Speaker:in the events.
Speaker:What has never been a problem for me is having my
Speaker:picture taken.
Speaker:I don't shy away from a camera pointed my way,
Speaker:still shots or video,
Speaker:all fine with me.
Speaker:I'm a ham.
Speaker:I guess I can play it up for the camera as
Speaker:long as my hair is done and makeup is on.
Speaker:That is,
Speaker:but I've even relaxed on that a bit too over the
Speaker:years. This leads me to the topic of today and how
Speaker:it relates to your business photos.
Speaker:Let me start off by asking you this.
Speaker:What do you do when a camera points your way?
Speaker:Probably the same as most people do.
Speaker:You find yourself totally changing your behavior.
Speaker:It's like,
Speaker:okay, now you have to be on and you analyze and
Speaker:adjust so that you're captured in exactly the right way.
Speaker:In your mind,
Speaker:you might run through a checklist.
Speaker:Stand straight,
Speaker:turn your head to the best angle,
Speaker:tongue to the top of the mouth.
Speaker:Do you know that trick?
Speaker:Supposedly if you smile and press your tongue to the roof
Speaker:of your mouth,
Speaker:it pulls on your neck muscles so that they stay smooth
Speaker:and taut.
Speaker:If you look closely,
Speaker:you'll see people doing this and exaggerated a little bit,
Speaker:so it looks totally fake.
Speaker:But anyway,
Speaker:it is a trick,
Speaker:and while these tricks make for great photos that show your
Speaker:best self and ones that you don't shy away from or
Speaker:are embarrassed about,
Speaker:they're not the best ones for your business.
Speaker:What's natural for you to do when a camera is pointed
Speaker:your way may send some of your potential customers in the
Speaker:opposite direction?
Speaker:The irony is we have greater trust in those who are
Speaker:natural and don't put up a front regardless of the quality
Speaker:of the photo or video,
Speaker:they're seen as more credible because they aren't acting or staged.
Speaker:Now, before any of you starts sending me messages about this,
Speaker:yes, there are times when you may want a more formal
Speaker:photo like for headshots and such,
Speaker:but this type of posing doesn't serve you well when you're
Speaker:trying to communicate who you are in the day-to-day to attract
Speaker:business. So I am begging you to stop posing,
Speaker:let's say formal posing.
Speaker:When a camera points your way as an example,
Speaker:let's imagine a picture of you and your significant other on
Speaker:vacation. Which picture do you think would be more interesting?
Speaker:You two sitting at a table side by side,
Speaker:straight and rigid,
Speaker:just smiling right into the camera,
Speaker:or one where you're toasting each other or even holding up
Speaker:your glasses to the camera with natural expressions and moves that
Speaker:bring the viewer into the scene with you.
Speaker:That's what you're aiming for with the images you create for
Speaker:social media in emails and on your website.
Speaker:Natural images that get across your personality,
Speaker:which includes emotions and tells a story.
Speaker:Okay, easier said than done.
Speaker:Right? Here's an idea to help you the next time a
Speaker:camera points in your direction and you find yourself starting to
Speaker:stiffen up.
Speaker:This takes a little prep that we can do right now.
Speaker:I want you to think of three adjectives that define how
Speaker:you want people to talk about you and your products or
Speaker:business. Do you wanna be known as being sassy,
Speaker:a down home country girl,
Speaker:the professionally skilled creator?
Speaker:Do you wanna be seen as formal and proper or free
Speaker:spirit? What are your adjectives?
Speaker:My three adjectives specifically for gift biz unwrapped are informative,
Speaker:friendly, and helpful.
Speaker:Once you've got your adjectives,
Speaker:think of them.
Speaker:Every time you're in front of that camera,
Speaker:take your mind off posing and act in a manner that
Speaker:reflects the characteristics you've chosen.
Speaker:It will make your pictures more natural and send the message
Speaker:you're truly trying to convey so your audience can get to
Speaker:know you,
Speaker:fall in love with you and the products that you make.
Speaker:Plus it's way less stressful and much more fun.
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 midweek
Speaker:sessions. Now it's your turn.
Speaker:Go out and fulfill that dream of yours.
Speaker:Share your handmade products with us.
Speaker:We want them,