028: What To Do When Your Brand & Passions Evolve with Lauren Carnes

Wedding

November 8, 2017

Evolving Your Brand

Being a photographer means our brand will change and evolving your brand helps it grow along with us.

How should we adapt our business and marketing as we explore new things?

Lauren Carnes is a photographer & communications strategist who has been able to bring her many different passions into her business. She markets her wedding photographer, food photography, brand photography, and communications coaching all under one brand.

In this Episode of the Bearded Tog, Lauren shares how she used her background in marketing to build a business that allows her to pursue her many passions.

Lauren Carnes on Branding

When Lauren first started out, she didn’t have many wedding images to show in her portfolio. Knowing that showing consistent work on instagram was important, she took pictures of whatever she had on hand, which ended up being mostly food. The practice and consistency made her a better photographer, and led to her falling in love with food photography and styling.
There’s nothing more valuable than building a relationship. If you are just starting out, look for others in your industry who have a similar style and clients, ask them out for coffee, and get to know them as a friend.
When offering services to others, think of how your work will benefit them in the long term.
Go make the work you want to shoot more of. Do styled shoots with the purpose of helping others market their own business as well.
There will always be an opportunity for you when you are ready for it,
What is an ideal client? It is the target audience you are trying to reach that may purchase your services. Your brand marketing and voice must speak directly to this person.
When figuring out who your ideal client is, don’t just ask “where do they shop?” ask “why do they shop there?” Find out the values of your audience, and what they care about.
Find the common values you have with your ideal client, and market the values.
Lauren has used Instagram stories to connect with her audience on the day to day level, and many clients have come through responses to stories.