Branding Archives - Page 7 of 7

One example of the many photos my hubster has had to take.

“I need you to take a picture of me.”

I say those words to my husband about once a month and not because I’m a fashion blogger or incredibly vain. Whether it’s for an article I’m being featured in or an advertisement for a conference at which I’m speaking, about once a month someone asks me to send them my head shot.

But I don’t have one.

So I make my poor husband play photographer, which is not fun for either of us because I hate having my picture taken.

“The more work you do and the more exposure you get, the more people will ask you for one,” said Alison Lewis, founder and editor of Healthy Travel Magazine and Ingredients, Inc. “It’s great to have in your back pocket!”

Writers may need a head shot for a book cover or blog or for speaking engagements.

“Even if you don’t need one regularly for work, your LinkedIn profile photo should be professional,” said Birmingham-based blogger Tanya Sylvan. “That’s people’s first impression of you, and you don’t want it to be negative.”

In addition to blogging, Tanya works in advertising and contributes to See Jane Write Magazine. She a busy and popular woman who probably needs a head shot. In fact, I even asked her for one when putting together the See Jane Write Magazine contributors page.

Sherri Ross Walters, a writer and the founder of Birmingham Girls Club, is another person whose portrait is probably in high demand.

“I have never had one, but the more connected and exposed people get and become, the more I’m finding a single, universal head shot is super helpful and convenient in recognizing people…myself included,” she said. “I need one!”

I need one too!

Enter Lynsey Weatherspoon, one of Birmingham’s best local photographers.

Lynsey has generously offered to meet with the women of See Jane Write for brief headshot sessions for the cost of only $75. She normally charges $350 for a head shot session, so this is the deal of a lifetime. The sessions will be held the afternoon of Sunday, July 21 on Morris Avenue in downtown Birmingham. (You’ll be sent more details on the location.)

You can sign up for your slot here.

Now go pick out your outfit!

In addition to the change-your-life, Oprah-like sessions I’ve written about, the skirt! Creative Conference also offered very practical workshops on how to promote your writing, including one on social media. Session leaders Taryn Pisaneschi and Desiree Scales echoed a lot of the things I’ve heard at similar seminars, which was reassuring.

Social media is like a hearing aid, they said. You can use it to find out what people are talking about. You can also use it to find events you might want to attend, position yourself as expert and to build your brand.

Something that Twitter rookies always wonder is What should I tweet about? I even know some people who haven’t tried Twitter simply because that question has paralyzed their efforts. Taryn and Desiree reminded the audience that Twitter is just a way to start conversations and really is no different from starting a conversation at a bar or a networking event. You listen a bit to what folks are talking about and jump in when you can with what you have to contribute. You can make connections through Twitter by simply starting conversations with people tweeting about things you’re interested in, conversations that can sometimes lead to business opportunities.

While we can use Twitter to promote our writing that shouldn’t be all we do. With that bar conversation model in mind, remember that no one likes to talk to the person who won’t shut up about herself. Your Twitter posts shouldn’t have that “Look at how cool I am!” vibe. Instead focus on others. What information can you share? How can you help others find the contacts they need? This may seem counterintuitive but it will pay off in the long run. In that same vein, they added that the best way to increase traffic and comments on your own blog is to comment on other blogs and feature other bloggers on your site.

Taryn and Desiree then gave a session on brand building. In addition to recommending that we all purchase the web domain for our name and use it as a landing page with links to our blogs, Twitter accounts, Facebook accounts, etc., they also discussed things I’d never considered. You are your brand, they stressed, which means your physical appearance is essentially your logo. This sounded scary at first, but not so much after they explained. Basically you need some simple signature. Desiree, for example, has on a stylish necklace in every photo on her websites and therefore always sports one when she’s networking or at speaking events. Taryn usually wears something pink to match the dominant color of her website.

So I got to thinking: what could be my signature? My husband is community manager for an advertising agency and I instantly knew what his signature would be: his tie. He’s known for wearing colorful and stylish ties and he wears a tie to work every single day even on Fridays when his co-workers are sporting jeans. But I had no idea what my signature could be.

When I told my husband that I had to sit and think about this, he actually laughed at me. It didn’t take me too long, though. In between sessions I kept meeting women who would come up to me and say, “You’re WriteousBabe!” which is my Twitter handle and the name I use for the blog I write for skrit.com. “Yeah, that’s me,” I’d say. Then they’d say, “I knew it was you as soon as I saw the hair.”

Of course! My big curly coif is my signature! Ironically, as I type this I’m rocking straight hair, which I do only about three times a year. But don’t worry, I’ll be sure to bring back the curls before my next networking event.