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John DeMato Blog

Welcome to the Deliver Magic blog, where experts who speak, coach, train, consult, and write books will find actionable insights to elevate their personal brands through visual storytelling. From strategy tips and branding photography to live event coverage and storytelling techniques, discover step-by-step guides designed to help you align what you say with how you show up in photos. Get ready to unlock the magic behind creating a cohesive visual identity that drives engagement, builds credibility, and inspires your audience. #DeliverMagic

Don't tell people you're an authority - show them!

 

If you want to be paid like an authority in your space of expertise...

 
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...you need to look like an authority in your space of expertise.

 

Your photos play a huge role in helping shape someone’s impression of who you are within the first few seconds of them being introduced to you through your website or social media channels. 

And if you want to present yourself as a top-of-the-food-chain expert in your space, it’s doubly important. 

Take this example:

Let’s say that you are looking to hire a creative consultant to help you with your marketing and promotion. 

You’re given two recommendations from a trusted colleague. Based on that recommendation, you can’t go wrong either way. 

Before you schedule a call with both potentials, you do a little research by visiting your good friend, Google, to check out their websites.

OPTION A

When you visit the first website, which looks like it was built circa 2008, you are greeted with an above-the-fold image of the consultant posing awkwardly in a poorly lit studio setup flashing the fakest smile you’ve seen in years. Ughh.

As you scroll down, the visual horror ensues.

In one photo, which looks like it was taken with a smartphone camera by someone who’s never taken a picture before, he’s forcefully shaking someone’s hand with a weird grimace on his face in what appears to be the entrance of a parking lot. And oh, the photo is visibly out-of-focus, to boot.

In another image just below this one, he’s blankly staring out a window with zero emotion on his face while clumsily holding a coffee mug. It looks as if the photographer forced him into this position and it’s written all over his face.

After witnessing those cringe-worthy photos, you bail out of this exploratory mission because you’ve seen enough and go straight to his services page to check out his rates because, at the end of the day, he did come highly recommended, so, for now, he sorta kinda gets the benefit of the doubt. 

After taking a walk around the block to shake that not-so-magical experience off, you reluctantly head over to the second potential consultant. 

OPTION B

Within 2 seconds, you realize that you’ve entered a completely different world. 

First of all, the modern and clean website layout immediately catches your eye - beautiful fonts, the colors all work really well, and the copy is broken up by a series of beautiful and compelling photos. 

There’s a mixture of headshots with confident and open expressions, lifestyle portraits of him working with clients via Zoom, as well as some candid photos of him facilitating a workshop.

And that photo of him with his dog at the bottom of the page is really cute and inviting.

You’re hooked and want to know more right away, so you go to his services page and discover that his rates are actually higher than the first consultant.

But for some reason, you decide on scheduling the first consultation call with the latter option.

Well, that “some reason” is because the second website did a much better job of presenting himself as an authority through the design of the page, the artistry of the images and how these elements visually punctuate the sentiments of the words on the page.

Listen - it’s not enough to shout from the mountaintops that you are an authority who commands premium rates for your time and talents - prove it by showing them what a premium expert looks and sounds like.

Paint a well-rounded picture that illustrates your confidence as an expert, what working with you looks like, and various aspects of your personality to help draw potential clients into your world.

And you need to show it everywhere across your online presence because consistency is key.

You have no idea how, when and where people will come into contact with you, so that’s why there needs to be a consistent look of excellence across every digital touchpoint you have.

Along with your website design, your photos play a foundational role in this process.

Don’t skimp on the photos, folks - it could be the difference from someone setting up a call to learn more about you and them turning away while holding their noses. 

Speaking of photos, I know someone who takes a lot of them and would love to explore the opportunity to see if you’re a fit to work with him, :) 


If you’re looking to upgrade your image content portfolio branded lifestyle portraits or virtual photos, schedule a call with me and let’s see what works best to solve your problem.