Personal Brand Photography for Fitness Coach - Hutton Health, Maidstone Kent
Brand Photography is more than just taking a few photographs of you or your business. To really capture the essence of your personal brand, it’s necessary to invest time together to look at the bigger picture and tell your ‘story’. The images that you take away from the shoot are effectively your ‘shop window’; to support your brand and enable you to make those connections with your audience.
Anyone can tell you what it’s like to work with their business, but how do you know whether they are the right person to tell your story? That’s why I ask my clients to tell you in their own words what it means to them to work with me. In this case, Janice. A health, wellness and fitness coach based in Kent.
“I’m Janice Hutton from Hutton Health. I simplify fitness, nutrition, and mindset for busy people. I think it’s easy to come up with excuses why we can’t start looking after our health and our fitness.
It’s so easy for people to think they’ll wait until they’ve more time, or they’ll wait until they have the money. They’ll wait until they have more energy, or they might feel they’ve failed in the past, so why start a health and fitness coaching programme, because they’ll fail again?
I want to help people remove those barriers, to make them believe they are worth it and they’re the only people who can take care of their health. They’re the only people who truly can make a difference in their own life, both in their bodies and in their minds.”
Brand Photography – the ‘Shop Window’
Within a few moments of speaking to Janice, you really get a feel for the passion that she has in helping her clients. She needed to find a way to get that across through images and videos, so that her audience can learn her story and discover her values.
We’re back to the ‘shop window’; Janice wanted to give people a glimpse of who she is before they even contact her. She wanted to draw them in and encourage them to overcome their excuses and apprehension. This really is the first step in enabling your audience to get to know, like and trust you.
“I needed images so potential clients could start to learn about me, demonstrating what I believe, how I’ve created the business, how I deliver my programmes, and how I can support them.
I wanted to have an expert be able to go, “Do you know what? This is you, and you’re special because of these things. Now we need to show these things to the world so they choose you.”
What made you decide to work with Graham Baker Photography?
“First off, I knew the quality of the images would be better, but it was after we had a one-to-one meeting, and you asked me questions about my business. You asked me about myself, my purpose and my reason ‘why’.
You didn’t try to sell at all. You communicated effectively what you do and how you do it. You offer much more than being a professional photographer.
The discussions we had and the lead-up; it was more than you taking pictures of me. It was the entire journey I was automatically sold on, what you could do for me and my brand.
It was then I realised you care about the person you’re taking pictures of. In a sense, you’ve helped me create a way of communicating to the world – who is Hutton Health and who is Janice Hutton.
A lot of those things I wouldn’t have been able to see on my own. We know how important imagery is and how important it is to ‘stop the scroll’. I think I wouldn’t have known how to do it, how to appear confident on the camera; the poses to go into, the expressions and being relaxed behind it.”
We all know that the ‘know, like, trust’ model really works; I don’t need to give a hard sell, because my services speak for themselves via the number of positive testimonials that I receive. I also know that communication is the key to a good relationship with both existing and potential clients.
How important is it for you to know your audience?
As a photographer, I’m not there just to take pictures – I want to know who you’re trying to appeal to. Together, we can look at your target audience and what they’re going to like, and how to attract them by telling your story through imagery and showing them what it’s like to work with you.
“It’s massively important. I think one of the differences between me and a lot of people in the fitness world [is that] a lot of others are after the six-pack abs, looking great in shorts and a crop top and they want to fit an image of being super fit. Not my ideal client, which is someone who needs help taking the first step into a health and fitness coach programme.
I think the images and the videos I would’ve created, had I been after somebody who wants six-pack abs, and big toned arms and shoulders would have been completely different.
My brand is about saying, “You can do it. You can take the first step. Let me help you. Let me hold your hand on your journey.”
Did you have any reservations about working with a professional photographer?
Many of the people I work with are uncomfortable with being in front of a camera. Part of the appeal of working with me is my ability to put you at ease and to make you feel as natural as possible.
“I wasn’t happy about being in front of the camera. I’m one of the typical people who think, I’m not going to look good. My posts before were my feet, everywhere I went, whatever sport I was doing.
It was only when I worked with a business coach, who said people need to build a relationship with you. They need to see your face and build a relationship. It’s not my shoes. No one’s going to build a relationship with your feet.”
“Working with a professional photographer helped put confidence into me.”
You knew quickly that I wasn’t super confident in front of a camera. You knew what my business was about and you spent time creating my journey, working with a client or on my own. You helped make me comfortable to be in front of the camera to get those pictures.
it was more like spending time with a friend for a morning, rather than a professional photographer turning up, taking pictures of me, and walking away. You gave me the confidence to take part in the journey.
I felt like you had a real interest in me and helped me communicate my inner thoughts and my purpose and share the mission with the people who might be looking for what I can help them with.”
Was there anything that surprised you about the shoot?
“I think the variety of images, ways to move your head and the relaxed nature of it. I was not expecting that. I wasn’t expecting it to be so fun. Yeah, a positive experience!”
“I thought it might be going into awkward positions and forcing these pictures you’re not overly comfortable with and it wasn’t at all.”
Booking a Brand Photographer
“I initially met you through a networking group, and we then had a one-to-one meeting. You asked me questions, you found out about ‘me’ and it was very relaxed.
It was one of the first one-to-one meetings I’d had after starting Hutton Health and you helped me to come up with who my ideal client is, what sets Hutton Health apart from every other fitness coach business or PT out in the world, which we know there’s many!
And then you helped put confidence in me behind my business, which maybe I didn’t initially have. You also looked at the whole business, rather than focusing on taking pictures.
I felt like you were helping me in my business. You weren’t only getting pictures of me. You were going for the whole picture of the business, which at the end of the day, will help grow it.”
Do you see this process as a cost, or an investment?
I’ve always emphasised that brand photography is not a set of photos you use once and that’s it; your shop window is a library of content you can adapt, change and repurpose (and be seen) over and again, giving you real value for money.
“Absolutely it was worth the investment, that will benefit my business for years to come. I also think that the quality of the images has boosted Hutton Health’s appearance and branding to a new level of professionalism.
I’ve repurposed them for so many different things, and continue to use them again and again, in different ways and on different platforms.
They’re part of my website. I might post the videos in lots of different places, but I’ve been able to, because of the way you took the pictures. From one shoot it’s been eight months of using them for all sorts of things.”
What type of person or business would you recommend this service for?
If you’ve got an amazing product or service, but your audience doesn’t know about it, how will you help them? How will you reach them and convince them that they want to work with you?
“I see a purpose for any business where you are trying to build a relationship with your potential clients, trying to show you and your business.
I can’t think of a business that wouldn’t benefit from working with Graham Baker Photography, taking them through the journey and communicating their mission and purpose to potential clients.”
Any final thoughts that you would like to share?
“I think brand photography is about showing images; of what your business does, who you are as a person, and what they’re going gain from working with me.
Because then they will want to invest in me and they’ll choose me, over many of the other health and fitness coach businesses that are available.”
Janice hits the nail on the head; Brand Photography is about creating a story that resonates with the people you want to help. They get to see the person behind the business and they have that lightbulb moment where they know that they want to work with you. They share your values and want to be a part of your journey, as well as you sharing in theirs.
Are you ready?
Let us help you to tell the story behind your brand; by producing images and videos that enable your personality and values to shine through, you will be able to connect with your target audience.
They’re out there waiting for their lightbulb moment, so let this be YOUR opportunity – grab it with both hands and book a call today.
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