Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area.

Anne Thomas of www.annethomasphotography.co.uk is a UK-based branding photographer who believes most people can't tell the difference between a good photo and a really good photo.

This allowed her to create a website based on her story and sell emotionally to her target clients.

Interestingly, she lived in Kuwait as a local for 12 years after meeting her Arab husband at university at 19. She says this time opened her mind in ways that have put her in good stead to run a successful business today.

On her website, she says she's all about sharing her client's stories with their ideal customers to make real connections with them through imagery.

She also says before your clients will part with their hard-earned cash, they need to know in their hearts that you're worthy of it – because, after all, a dozen more photographers do what you do — so what's so special about you?

In this interview, Anne shares how to utilise LinkedIn and storytelling to grow a personal brand photography business.

Here's some more of what we covered in the interview:

• Running an effective photography business today
• The culture shock of living in the Middle East
• How Anne started her career in photography
• Quitting as a teacher to pursue a photography business
• Transitioning to personal brand photography
• Why you need to niche down to be successful
• The advantage of shooting as a brand photographer
• What clients are looking for when they find Anne's business
• How to find your target market as a branding photographer
• How to effectively attract and find clients via LinkedIn
• Doing a website overhaul to become a branding specialist
• The importance of hiring a coach to help improve your business
• Why you should post regularly on LinkedIn
• What type of content should you post on LinkedIn
• How to utilize storytelling on LinkedIn
• How to guide your customers to the right product to buy
• Payment schemes and booking fees for branding shoots
• How LinkedIn business storytelling works
• The main purpose of business storytelling on LinkedIn
• How to deep dive into what clients actually need for their business
• The importance of networking
• Why is Anne against dropping messages into people's inboxes and doing hard sells
• How to jump over to the forefront of people's Inboxes on LinkedIn
• How to get both active and organic connections on LinkedIn
• Why are profile headlines in LinkedIn important
• What message to send to people who send connection requests on LinkedIn
• Responding quickly on LinkedIn is better than sending canned responses
• Ringing the notification bell to get people's posts and updates on LinkedIn
• How Anne selects people to connect with on LinkedIn
• The average time you need to spend with LinkedIn updates and interactions
• Anne's LinkedIn routine

What’s on Offer for Premium Members

If you’re on the fence about becoming a premium member, join with the $1 trial today and get access to the FULL interviews each week, get access to a fantastic back catalogue of interviews, and have ALL future interviews delivered automatically to your phone or tablet.

Plus, special member-only interviews.

I love the variety brand photography gives you and also the creativity as well. – Anne Thomas

You'll also receive access to the members-only Secret Facebook Group, where you can connect with other Premium Members and interview guests to help, support and motivate you to take ideas you hear in each episode and put them into action. The group also has FB live video tutorials, role-play, and special live interviews. You will not find more friendly, motivated, caring and sharing photographers online.

Seriously, that's not all.

In addition to everything above, you'll get access and instructions on forming or joining a MasterMind Group with other premium members. These groups are super motivating, make you accountable and build friendships with other pro photographers with similar motives to you – to build a more successful photography business.

What is your big takeaway?

Following this interview, I’d love to know if you're taking anything from what Anne shared. Is there something you heard that excited or motivated you to the point where you thought, yeah, I'm going to do that! If so, leave your thoughts in the comments below; let me know your takeaways and what you plan to implement in your business due to what you heard in today's episode.

When you're interacting with their posts, then you're always on their radar. – Anne Thomas

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Anne or if you want to say thanks for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

iTunes Reviews and Shout-outs

I check for any new iTunes or Google reviews each week, and it's always a buzz to receive these… for several reasons.

Firstly, it's confirmation that I'm on the right track with the interviews and that they are helping you improve your photography business. That's awesome!

Secondly, iTunes and Google are the biggest search engine for podcasts, and your reviews and ratings help other photographers find PhotoBizX. More listeners mean more interviews and, ultimately, a better show.

They do need me helping them to understand what it is they need because it's never just ‘I need photos for my website'. – Anne Thomas

If you have left a review in the past, thank you! If you haven't and you'd like to, head to https://photobizx.com/itunes or https://photobizx.com/google, and you can leave some honest feedback and a rating which will help both me and the show, and I'll be sure to thank you on the show and add a link to your website or blog if you let me know the URL of your website and your name.

Alternatively, if you've left a review for PhotoBizX and are looking for more backlinks to help your SEO, leave a review for the new Photography Xperiment Podcast and email me your keywords or keyword phrase and where you'd like me to link to.

The more you do [storytelling], the better you become. – Anne Thomas

Another great way to get a backlink to your site is to send a video testimonial. It doesn't need to be fancy, and your phone will be perfect. Click record and tell me how PhotoBizX has impacted you and your photography business.​

Although not a review specifically, I received the following email following last week's episode from Owen Sound pet photographer Candra Schank:

I really enjoy your podcast brand. It’s really inclusive, diverse, and informative. I like knowing more about you and your passions. It humanizes you and lets us connect with you. Plus, we have learned through your podcasts that putting a little bit of ‘us’ into our brands is absolutely amazing and builds connection.

 

Please keep the emails coming, as I and others enjoy reading them.

 

Happy Cycling ?‍ 
Kind regards
Candra 

The post 519: Anne Thomas – Utilising LinkedIn and storytelling to grow a personal brand photography business appeared first on Photography Business Xposed - Photography Podcast - how to build and market your portrait and wedding photography business.