How Any Photographer Can Attract Their Dream Clients With This “Brand Voice Shortcut”

This could be taken as an oversimplification but hear me out…

I see 2 chief reasons why photographers aren’t smashing their marketing as easily as they could. (And why you’re probably working WAY too much on yours).

1. They only dabble in their dream clients’ worlds.
2. They totally forget to be themselves!

 

And Therein Lies The Secret To A Powerful Brand Voice

It’s the intersection between those two things. The more naturally they align, the better your brand voice will attract your perfect clients.

Reason? It shows those clients that you share their values. 

*Persuasive messaging unlocked!*

And you can take that to the bank.

It’s okay if you’re more of an introvert in your day to day. That’s totally cool. But when it comes to writing your copy, you gotta spice it uuuuup.

And I have one very particular kind of spice in mind.

Yes – we need to liven up your copy with a good helping of…. 

Charisma! 😀

For some strange reason, people’s personality often vanishes in their copy. Maybe it suffocates from the pressure to sound professional. Who knows…

But I’m here to tell you to keep that funky stuff in. 

Not only that. You gotta stay true to you AND your dream clients’ identities. Tall order, right?

Here’s how you do it.

 

How To Flesh Out Your Brand Persona With Natural Charisma

Let’s boil this down to three key steps. 

 

Step 1 – Mirror, Mirror, On The Wall… 

Would it surprise you to know that your ‘resumé’ is probably the least compelling part of your business?

Your USP beats it. Your personality beats it. And your stories? They crush them all!

So you’re going to write down how you got into this business. The hardships you faced. The monsters you defeated. The heads you’ve claimed!

In less fantastical terms: You’re turning your regular job history into an exciting tale which SHOWS clients the kind of person you are.

Done it? Wow, you’re quick. Now look at those tales. What kind of person do you see? 

Are they adventurous? Are they tenacious? Do they get lost in the little moments of life? Or are they always focused on the next huge challenge?

Take a step back from your ‘character’ and report on the qualities they have demonstrated to you. But that’s not all.

 

It’s Time To Get Weird (Because That Is Client Catnip)

Oh, that’s right. Look at the batsh*t stuff we do on our Reels. 10K viewers can’t be wrong!

We’re also going to unleash your quirks.

Write down the things that irritate you. What do you seem to do a little differently than everyone else? What you will absolutely not stand for? What can you never live without? What parts of your job make you want to scream? Which parts do you adore? What’s the most horrific work situation you’ve ever encountered? What’s your favourite way to “waste” a day? 

Write them down in rich detail with vivid examples. Pump them with sensory information.

Done that, too? Damn, I’m impressed.

 

Now I’m About To Do Something That Will Make You Very Uncomfortable

I’m going to ask you to call your best friends — and even your past clients — and have them tell you what they think about you.

Are you squirming? That’s normal. But why would I ask you to do such a thing? 

Well, other people see in you what you don’t. They pick up on the peculiarities you subconsciously discard but they are what make you special!

Those mannerisms naturally define your brand voice. 

It’s how you pronounce a word a little oddly. What makes you flinch in disgust (for me it’s bananas 🍌 🤢). What things you tend to gloss over / fixate on. What parts of your personality attracts and repels different kinds of people.

This stuff is all powerful brand voice juice.

“Are you nuts?! I’m not ringing my friends and asking that, let alone my clients.”

Fineee!! Maybe you can get by with a little self-reflection. Or maybe I could weed the answers out of you with a specialised interview.

Anyway, for now, take all this fodder. Put it in one place. And later, we’ll use them to form a persona that will help you to sell your service.

 

Part 2 – Crank It Up A Few Notches

As I said, you lose some of your power when you put yourself on the page. 

Sometimes it’s voluntary. But usually, when you transfer your ideas between different formats, some of that ‘energy’ can dissipate.

Soon, your copy ends up too vanilla to hold interest. So to fix that, let’s take the cornerstones of your personality and play them up a little bit.

Here’s one example:

If you’re a grouch without your first coffee, sure, you could say that. But you could also say, “I can’t peel my face from the pillow without caffeine in my brain.”

If all your favourite clients are total coffee fiends, too, you’ve just won an ‘affinity point’. Ding!

The trick is to say it in a way that your readers will closely relate to. Dramatic and concrete examples for the win here. 

Do this to a handful of your key personal traits. Try it out. It’ll seep into your sales argument — and what you say will start to stick.

When you start checking boxes in your clients’ hiring criteria, you’ll see the difference.

That’s how your brand voice is actually heard and – more importantly – followed.

 

Part 3 – Weave It Everywhere The Sun Shines

And I mean everywhere. If you want your voice to hold weight, it can’t only show up half the time! 

So your brand voice isn’t just the phrasing you use, it’s how you express every aspect of your business.

It’s how you price things. How you talk to clients. Who you do and don’t work with. Why you do things the way you do them. There’s never any confusion because your brand voice is in harmony. And you’ll feel so much more relieved when you address that stuff because it’ll all be in sync. 

That’s the kind of relaxation and fluidity you can expect when you have your brand voice nailed down. 

Sweet, sweet confidence!

Now, before I get into which information to keep and which to ditch, I have to ask….

 

Are You The Kind Of Photographer Who Dares To Be Themselves?

Then great things await, my friend.

And while this post has teased the potential of your Brand Voice (see, now it’s a PROPER NOUN)… there is more.

If you want the direct path to attracting your dream clients with everything you say, you’re in luck. We are writing the perfect ‘lil guide just for you – ready in a matter of days.

Join the Pepperstorm newsletter community 👇 and you’ll be the first to get your paws on it.

(And while you’re waiting, why not grab your free Lead Magnet Mastery Guide just below!)