It’s said that a picture is worth a thousand words. What do the photos you use to promote yourself and your business say about you? If you saw these images would you hire or buy from yourself?

As an entrepreneur, your brand matters. It’s one of the main elements of your marketing that attracts the customers you want to attract and helps people feel a connection with you. How you determine the elements of your brand is a topic for another day. Right now, let’s think about how you visually represent that brand in the photos used to market your business.

When you are a solopreneur, your business brand is usually your personal brand. For business purposes, you should curate your personal brand just as you would a business brand. When you are an entrepreneur with a business that employees more people than just yourself, your personal brand will likely remain a key element in your broader business brand.

Let’s use myBeeHyve for example. myBeeHyve includes a growing team along with the Cofounders, Jennifer and Megan. Jennifer and Megan each have their own unique personal brands. myBeeHyve also has a distinctive brand, which includes brand elements that both Megan and Jennifer have in common. Regardless of the number of people involved in your brand, the message should be consistent, clear and visually appealing to your audience.

One of the main ways that your personality comes through in that brand is through photos and images. Having current and appropriate images for your business is critical in today’s world of social media, video and near instantaneous decision making. I would even say those first impressions are even more important today, because in the world of online marketing you may never get a second chance to change that first impression.

Female entrepreneurs today are breaking out of the mold of the traditional corporate headshot. If you’ve ever been a victim of this situation, trust me... you are not alone. I truly feel your pain if that headshot of photo involved you wearing a logo golf shirt or some other apparel clearly selected by a man with price at the forefront of his decision. Women entrepreneurs are taking control of their personal brands in new ways, and the results are truly beautiful. If you want to get a sense of what I mean, jump over to Pinterest and view the results for a search of “photo shoot ideas”. Now, are you starting to get excited? I know I am!!!

Having completed several wonderful branding photo shoots, I’ve made plenty of mistakes and learned a few best practices. The main lessons I learned about great photo shoots are:

PLANNING and PREPARATION are critical
Amazing photo shoots are a TEAM EFFORT
HAVE FUN during your photo shoot

To plan and prepare for your amazing photo shoot:

Write down the elements of your brand, including words and colors.
Create a Pinterest board or vision board to capture photos that appeal to you and are aligned with your brand. You are going to share this with your photo shoot team.
Brainstorm about photo shoot locations.
Hire a photographer whose work is aligned with the results you are looking for.
Make an appointment for professional hair and makeup.
Consult a stylist to select 2-3 outfits for your photo shoot.
Create a list of the specific photos you want to come out of this photo shoot and include example images. Share this with your photographer and stylist. Take this to your hair and makeup appointments.
Confirm plans with everyone one week before the photo shoot.
Get a good night’s sleep for several days leading up to the event, drink plenty of water and try to avoid foods and beverages that will make you feel bloated or less than your best. Get your nails done and take care of your skin.
On your photo shoot day, relax and have fun! Let your photo shoot team take care of you, but always speak up if something isn’t producing the results you are looking for.

Now, I know some of you have already rolled your eyes and told yourself “I can’t afford this”. I’m going to stop you right there for a reality check. If you haven’t heard, I’m on a mission to eliminate the phrase “I’d love to but I don’t have the money” from the vocabulary of women. If you are an entrepreneur, you must learn to invest in yourself. Notice I used the word “invest”. I’m not talking about spending money frivolously or with no plan for how to use the investment to grow your business.

Through decades of experience as a CPA and Chief Financial Officer, the one thing I know for sure is that you can’t save your way to success in business. You grow your way to success through increasing sales and cash flow into your business. If you desire an amazing photo shoot, create a vision for what you want and take inspired action to make it happen. INVEST in yourself!

To read more about the topic of investing in yourself, check out this wonderful blog post by my business partner Megan Sumrell: “How to Invest in Yourself...and Why You Need To”

Step outside your comfort zone. Step your game and uplevel into professional business photos that excite you, show everyone who you truly are and attract the people your desire into your business. I can’t wait to see your results!

Jennifer Turnage is an entrepreneur, business coach and author of Honey, You Got This! Technology Made Easy for Network Marketers. As the Cofounder and CEO of myBeeHyve, she combines her experience from multiple tech company exits with her mission of empowering women to achieve financial independence through entrepreneurship. Download the FREE myBeeHyve app in the Apple or Google Play app stores to manage your prospects and customers with ease. Connect with Jennifer on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest or Twitter for support on your entrepreneurial journey.

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TEN TIPS FOR THE PERFECT BRANDING PHOTO SHOOT