When you start out in business, the ‘to do list’ is endlessly long. Among the many things you need to get right; selling your business to your ideal client.

Every photo you put online is telling your audience something about your business. Therefore, it's critical to ensure it's the message you want to send! 

When you start investigating having your headshot or branding photos taken, I appreciate it seems like a big investment. While, I think investing in great images for your business is a savvy move; a picture really is worth a thousand words, I know that budgets are stretched. Audiences love photos and videos for ease of understanding your message and Google rewards your site for keeping your audience’s engagement.

So here are so steps to follow to DIY your headshots if you choose to go down this route.

Preparation is key

1. Grab your gear

You can use any camera you’re comfortable as long as it’s good enough quality to get a great photo. 

You’ll need a tripod (or camera holder of some description) or a friend to hold the camera for you because selfies absolutely DO NOT make good headshots! 

2. Pick a location inside with good natural light, or an outside location without too many hard light sources.

If you’re indoors you want a place away from direct sunlight. 

A lot of people opt for plain coloured backgrounds but that will depend on your branding. 

If shooting outside, you just need to look for the right light, so avoid dappled light coming through trees or bright sunshine that will give you unflattering hard shadows on your face. Look for a cloudy, overcast day or find some shade and face the light (this is called open shade).

3. Block off at least two hours for your shoot from start to finish – DIY headshots take some time to get right…

It will definitely take more time doing it yourself than outsourcing it to a pro, so leave yourself sufficient time to practice, make mistakes and try again!

4. Pre-plan your shoot so you have an end result in mind

It’s best to make sure you know what you’re wearing so you won’t clash with any background you’ve picked, so you’ll feel confident in your clothes and look great. Also think about what works well with your brand, website colours and the space on your website. Nothing worse than taking a landscape photo to realise the space for your headshot is a portrait one!

The shoot

1. Position your camera

If you’re using a camera phone, make sure you’re using the back camera not the selfie lens (see why you need more time now?!) because the selfie screen has a far lower resolution camera in it. 

Position your camera of choice to where you’re going to pose and stand or sit at least a metre away from the camera. You’ll need to focus the camera on you which is why it’s often easier to have a friend. If you’re alone you need to put an item in the frame to focus on then switch yourself in.

Set your timer and take a test shot. Remember, make sure you’re in good light to begin with, don’t ever use the camera’s flash because that light will not be flattering.

2. Relax

The benefit of a photographer is that they’ll help you feel natural and comfortable in front of the camera. The downside of DIY is that you’re going to have to do this for yourself. And believe me you’re probably going to feel silly, but now is when you’re going to have to do whatever you can to relax; fake laugh, think happy thoughts, loud music, do a little dance to relax yourself – whatever it takes!

3. Take more than you need

You’re going to need to take a bunch of photos here and look through them. See what is working, what isn’t. Is it the angles, how you’re standing, are you connecting with the camera? Be brutal on yourself and adjust for the next set you take. You want a great headshot after all and you can delete the duff ones later.

4. Edit

Download a free app like Lightroom and edit your favourite handful after your DIY shoot. You just want to give your photos a tiny bump so try the auto edit option or give them a tweak yourself manually. You can also crop them here for square use etc.

And that’s it! It’s time consuming but if you want to try to take your own headshots then I hope this has been helpful.

If you think this sounds like too much hard work then I can happily help you out and have incredible headshots for your new business in a stress-free 30-minute session at your home or place or business. 

Lastly, always remember the basics of what your headshot needs to do:

• Look like you so people can recognise you!
• Show the personality of your brand – do you want to look serious, friendly, quirky? Or do you want to knock it up a gear and show a bit of your business in what you do too? This is often know as a branding headshot or lifestyle headshot.
• Be framed nicely – don’t have so much space that you’re tiny in the frame or be so close that it’s uncomfortable to look at!
• Be you looking at the camera without a selfie arm / sunglasses / glass of wine (unless you’re a sommelier!) not on a beach etc – this is your chance to be professional which you can still do while letting your personality shine through.

I’m a Hertfordshire based photographer, happy to travel for amazing businesses, families and weddings. Find me at www.torideslauriers.com or on social media @torideslauriersphotography

Are you tearing your hair out when it comes to creating content for LinkedIn?  Not sure where to start?... this blog is perfect for you whether you're a newbie, dabbler or seasoned user. There has never been a better time to learn how to communicate and network with confidence on LinkedIn.  

As we face uncertain times it's the people who remain visible who will reap rewards.  Buyers love confidence and people buy people.  It's the role of content which will set you apart and create that sense of know, like and trust which will prove invaluable as we enter 2023.

You may be surprised to learn that of the 850+ million members on LinkedIn, only about 1-2% are actively creating content and about 9% are engaging with comments.  About 90% of all users are looking on from the sidelines. 

Are you lurking, networking or actively leveraging your network as an influencer?

No-brainer reasons to share content on LinkedIn:

- The organic reach is fantastic and won't be there forever folks!
- Keeps you top of mind - ‘mere exposure effect’
- Increases brand awareness
- Builds credibility
- Builds your network and generates opportunities
- Allows you to control the conversation

Ask yourself is your existing content brand centric or customer centric?
Before I dive in and explore this more I want to share these wise words by Dale Carnegie with you.

"You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you."

So many people make the mistake of only sharing brand centric content - it's all 'me me me' and then they wonder why it falls flat on the feed.  

As a rule of thumb you should follow the 80/20 rule which means that 4 days out of 5 you should educate, inspire, motivate, entertain and give value - 1 day out of 5 you self-promote.  In short you need to 'earn the right' to toot your horn on LinkedIn. 

To build trust with your content you need to:

- Address the fears, worries & concerns of your customer
- Answer customer questions 
- Answer objections
- Be truthful, honest and fully transparent

Being clear trumps being clever any day of the week.  A confused mind will always say no!

“With content, a relationship of trust can be built with the Salesperson (and Company) long before the first sales meeting.  
Great content means more trust, more trust means shorter sales cycles.”  Marcus Sheridan, Author ‘They Ask You Answer’ 

14 Main Types of Content Posts on LinkedIn (you don't need to use all of them!)

1. Text Only (3,000 characters)
2. Post with image (single image or several)
3. Upload video (ideally with captions)
4. Document post (PDF report / white paper / visual)
5. Give kudos (shout-out to a team member, network)
6. LinkedIn Article / Newsletter 
7. LinkedIn Live (ideally 30 minutes in length)
8. LinkedIn Poll 
9. LinkedIn Event
10. Share you are hiring
11. Audio Events
12. Occasion or Milestone (new job, anniversary etc)
13. Template posts in beta on mobile
14. Carousels are being rolled out

The LinkedIn Algorithm rewards ‘social behaviour’ and in the first 1-2 hours of pressing publish / submit, LinkedIn will determine if your post is:

- Spam
- Low-Quality
- Clear

Some things to consider so that you show up as 'clear':

- Commenting (engage with your networks posts before and after you post to invoke the law of reciprocity)
- Hashtags (use between 3 to 5 maximum - LinkedIn is not Instagram and you don't need 30 hashtags, in fact it looks really spammy)
- Timing (mix things up and determine what time your audience is online, there is no 'magic' time for all - do your research and check your analytics)
- SSI Score (the higher your social selling index score - the more reach your content has - check your score here: https://www.linkedin.com/sales/ssi)
- External Links (try putting these in your image / graphic - this feature is only available on mobile currently).

LinkedIn content should be:

- Inspirational – stories, morals, quotes
- Educational – tips, lessons
- Deal with objections – what they think / believe
- Engaging – opinion pieces, polls, their opinion
- Entertaining – humour works everywhere!
- Promotion – invite audience to a call, event, masterclass, lead magnet etc.  
- 80/20 Rule

It can take up to 16 touch points in the digital space before people decide to reach out to you.  

Always ensure your content has a clear call to action and you are telling people what they need to do next.  
Be clear versus clever and dig deep as to what you're trying to achieve on LinkedIn.

Ultimately like with any form of networking - 'be a giver'...be social, be consistent and cultivate a community mindset!
Wishing you all continued LinkedIn success ladies. 

Jen x

P.S. If you want to explore how I can help you going forward book in for a free 20-minute LinkedIn game plan call here: https://mysuperconnector.co.uk/contact/

Or watch LinkedIn Content That Converts here https://youtu.be/hevzTDZCXbs

The moment the sun breaks through after a long hard winter and, in this case, after a long hard year all of us turn our minds to springtime, spring cleaning and the opportunity to start afresh.

However, what about the feeling we get a few weeks later when we realise that we didn’t stick to any of our new year resolutions? When it comes to looking after a business it can often feel the same. All those good intentions during that first week in January can soon get lost in the everyday rush to meet the various demands of your business, never mind the legal requirement to make sure you get your tax return in by the 31st. We do understand how it happens all too easily and yes, we’ll share this with you from our corporate days - it happens to even the biggest and the best of companies.

All organisations are run by human beings after all. What we’ve found so far in 2021 is that many of you want this year to be different after the wake-up call that is the pandemic. It has been a struggle for some organisations who are just surviving, as they hold their nerve until business life regains some semblance of normal function. For other businesses it has provided opportunity and also the impetus to innovate. Whichever it is, there are risks, challenges and opportunities to be thought through and acted on. One of the central issues is communication and how you maintain an appropriate dialogue with your customers as the parameters constantly shift and as your ability to deliver your goods or services changes to meet the regulations and guidelines.

We’re talking about your marketing and communications here.

If you’ve got lingering issues in your set-up that were already causing bumps in normal times, then now they will make themselves really felt, just when you need to be fast and efficient and sure of what you’re doing. This is not the time to be flummoxed by LinkedIn or Facebook or any of those other critical marketing tools for your business.

What To Do?

Well, some of our clients already know about our exceptionally effective and free health checks, which will review and quantify a particular area of your business operation. Many have already been in touch, asking us to health check their communications and provide recommendations. The outsider’s viewpoint can be incredibly helpful in a situation like this, shining a light on problems that can sometimes be fixed rapidly through training or tidying-up processes and this makes the world of difference. These health checks are proving the most popular as our lovely clients navigate the roadmap back to normal operation.

THE PINK SPAGHETTI HEALTH CHECK APPROACH

Our Pink Spaghetti Virtual Assistants identify what is working well and what business owners could do to enhance each area selected for a health check, leading to a report with specific recommendations which is free of charge. The Facebook Health Check Facebook is a place where you can converse with your customers and where, depending on what your business offers them, they will discuss your products and services. There is an art to doing this well especially when everyone is in a time of flux. You need to be a combination of human and professional so that your customers know you are real and dependable, and willing to listen to them. There are many ways to optimise your Facebook Page and make it work for your small business.

Profile pictures and header images need to be high quality and branded.

The same quality rules apply for content which needs to be consistent and engaging. We will guide you on a range of settings and suggest improvements. The LinkedIn Health Check A steady flow of interaction on LinkedIn tells your community that you are active, engaged and steering your way steadfastly through tricky times. Even if it doesn’t feel like it sometimes, it’s good to be part of a business community where you can learn from others. Essentially you are your business and LinkedIn is where you present your professional profile, through your education, experience and achievements. We make sure it is professionally set up for you to build a meaningful network of contacts and guide you on how to offer ongoing value to your professional community and peers through creating relevant articles and posts.

The Brand Health Check

When things are changing in unpredictable ways for you and your customers now is the time to know yourself better than ever. If your customers know what you stand for, then it is much easier to communicate with your customers in an authentic voice every single time. Have you got a quality brand that is brought to life consistently through all your communications?

Does everything look and sound like it comes from the same company with one voice and one look – across websites, invoices, ads, emails etc? If yes, great; if not, we’ll show you how to fix it and we can suggest templates to make ongoing consistent branding for your business easy to achieve.

The Email Health Check

Your email list is such an incredibly valuable asset. You should nurture it, polish it and check it on a regular basis. Remember how annoying it is to get something that is badly spelt or gets your name wrong or worse, an email when you’ve unsubscribed? On this last point you may be breaking the law so it’s not just about niceties of grammar. Email should help rather than hinder a small business owner. Our health check will identify ways to clear up, file and automate many areas of emails; and then look at the frequency and content for the next few months. The outcomes of these health checks can often be as simple as training to show you quick and easy ways to plan your communications or assistance with sorting out the relevant processes and content for your customers. If you’d like a communications health check to make sure your marketing is ready for the next few months give us a call. It’s free and we promise it will make a positive difference to you and your business.

*Image credit Canva Sept 2022

11 August 2022

Cornwall Insight, one of the leading energy market analysts, has revised its forecast for the October and January price cap - with forecasts suggesting an 81% rise in October. This means the typical household energy bill will reach £3,589. And in January, when the price cap reverts to quarterly, there will be a further 19% rise according to Cornwall Insight. This would take bills to £4,266 per year for the average household.

Another Headache?

This is another headache for consumers as the cost of living crisis continues to bite. These revised forecasts will have households revisiting their budgets and spending plans for the rest of the year with further pressure on their pockets. But there is a way for consumers to take steps to insulate themselves from the forthcoming price rises. While most energy-only suppliers are only able to offer prices at the price cap, the UK’s only multiservice supplier, Utility Warehouse, is committed to offering variable energy prices up to 5% below the price cap.

Not just savings

But the savings don’t stop there. UW’s latest fixed price offer provides customers with a way to make substantial savings against future price cap rises - right through August 31st 2023. New and existing UW customers, who take two or three other services, will be able to fix their energy at a cost of £3,150 a year for the average customer - until 31st August 2023. This represents a £432 saving against the incoming October price cap and including the universal £400 rebate from the government, this is effectively an £832 saving against the impending price cap in October. Looking ahead to the January price cap, consumers who fix with UW now will be able to save more than £1,100 against current forecasts.

And the savings don’t stop there...

Cashback Card

Multiservice UW customers are able to access further savings. UW offers the unique Cashback Card, a prepaid debit card that gives customers cashback up to 10% on purchases at selected retailers and customers who take two or more services can access a further 1% cashback everywhere they spend. The money earnt comes directly off the monthly utility bill. UW customers can also take advantage of further discounts and savings on other services and products. As UW spreads its cost over a number of essential household services, our customers can take advantage of great broadband, mobile, and insurance deals.

Such as:

• Superfast broadband prices starting at just £21.60 for new multiservice customers - including a 10% discount for taking both broadband and mobile
• Great value mobile SIMs starting at £12 a month for 5GB of data, with unlimited texts and calls or just £18 for unlimited data, texts, and calls.
• 5* Defaqto rated boiler and home cover for just £18 a month.

We all know that building relationships within your networking groups are the main factor for success when it comes to networking.

Whether you attend a monthly, bi-weekly, or weekly networking group, there is usually a regular schedule to the groups you’re a member of.

However, we do also have lives outside of our networking groups! You may be going on holiday, fall poorly, or be unable to attend your regular meeting due to something out of your control. This is where a “sub” comes into play.

Why you should send a sub

Our WIBN groups meet 12 times a year, either face to face or online, for 2 hours. If you can’t make it, you can have a sub up to three times in your membership. So why should you send a sub in your place, if you can’t make a meeting?

A sub gives you the opportunity to continue to showcase your business in the room. Whether to members or visitors. You will provide your 1 minute to your sub, and they will read it while in attendance. This means you won’t miss the chance to build your sales team for your business, particularly for the people you haven’t met with yet! 

If you send a connection of your own, who isn’t a member, they get to attend a networking meeting to grow their connections too! They will be able to attend, for free (as it is included in your membership) and they’ll have the chance to do their own 1 minute for their business.

Why it’s great to be a sub

As a member, you can visit other WIBN groups that don’t have your profession in the room, to grow your network even further. You can do this as a visiting member, or as a sub!

As a sub, you will be offering the same benefit for a member who can’t make it to not miss the opportunity to make sure their business is heard in the room. As a member, you’ll get to go to the other group, for free, and also connect with the members in the room.

Being a sub is a great way to help someone in need in the network, as well as help you build your business network.

Overall, the most important thing with networking is the consistency of attending. You want to show that you are committed to this business event and the other people in the room. If you regularly can’t make the date, then this may mean you need to speak with the Associate who runs the group to see if there’s a better group to align with your schedule.

We want to make sure you get your best results from networking which comes with consistency and building strong relationships. As a member, that means ensuring you can come to your networking meetings regularly, but also offering the option to have someone there in your place when you can’t. If you ever have trouble finding a sub, the best option is use the closed facebook group or contact your associate and ask them if they can help.