Keepin' it real
One important piece of advice when stepping in front of a camera?
Keep it real.
The other day I scrolled through my Facebook feed and came across a speaker that I haven’t met in person, but is known by many of my colleagues, clients and friends.
It was a post that included a series of photos taken from his latest portrait session.
From shot-to-shot, he offered the camera a series of demonstratively silly poses and facial expressions. They certainly caught my attention.
They were so over-the-top, I brought up the post to a colleague who’s known him for years.
Almost immediately, she remarked that he’s normally reserved in his disposition and these photos were a surprise and very out of the ordinary.
Ugh.
He faked it - what a shame.
Unfortunately, I’ve seen this story play out in the same manner for many expert business owners.
For some, they’re under the impression that the moment they’re in front of the camera, they need to put on some type of three-ring circus in order to generate attention from those they serve.
The reality is that the opposite is the case.
You need to lean into your personality and own it while in front of the camera.
As human beings, we have complex personalities, and all of us come in a variety of shapes, sizes and flavors. Whatever your flavors happen to be, stick with those - there’s no need to overextend yourself beyond that.
When you’re an expert, you’re in the business of building relationships with those you serve in order to create a connection that leads to them trusting you enough to help them solve their problems.
You want to attract those who need your help BUT ALSO resonate with your personality and disposition.
If you present yourself one way in your photos but act another way in person, including when you’re working directly with a client, that’s a problem.
It’s false advertising, and that shit gets around the campfire quick.
And once that happens, it’ll be harder for you to bring people in your own world, which will adversely affect your ability to create transformation in the lives of those who really need your help…
...and your bottom line.
At the end of the day, if you simply keep it real and be nothing more or less than who you are, that will generate interest from those who can benefit from your expertise while also appreciating your personality at the same time.
No, not everyone is your client, and that’s okay.
But for those who do resonate with your approach and disposition, you’re the solution they’ve been waiting for, and that’s an awesome place to be :)
The next time you’re in front of the camera, make sure your photographer captures photos with facial expressions and body language that feels natural to you.
There’s nobody better at that than you :)
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