People in business like to work with people they feel comfortable with. The best way to gain this level of comfort is to engage others through communication or go through shared experiences. If you are trying to build your business, however, it may not always be possible to network effectively or to the extent in which you require. Every time you market yourself and try to generate new business you should include as many personal items as possible. You can start with pictures and work your way up to videos – eventually leading to your own YouTube channel. The more others can get a sense of what your personality is, the more likely they will want to work with you. In other words, it pays to let people know who you are. You never know where your next deal will come from.
You can start with the most basic of marketing items: your business card. Instead of having a generic, cheap looking card, you can incorporate your picture. By simply adding a photograph of yourself, it gives the recipient a starting point of who you are. If you are in a suit in your photo it gives off a different vibe than if you are in a V neck t shirt. Either way can attract business, but by adding a photo that tells people who you are, you plant the seed of how you do business.
The next step is putting your picture on the bottom of your emails and on your website. Your face doesn’t have to be plastered all over the home page, but you should be on the website somewhere. What this does is create a brand for you and give you instant facial recognition. If you meet someone at an investing club meeting or a networking group, they will almost feel as if they know you. This will make it easier for them to work with you. Not only would they want to work with you, but they may feel comfortable referring someone to you just by seeing who you are.
The final phase is to take pictures and turn them into videos. Technology has made this almost as easy as snapping a picture. Almost every phone and camera has a video feature you can easily take advantage of. All you need is a friend (or a tripod with a fancy camera), a dark background and about two minutes of your time. If you make the commitment to record just a two minute video blog and post that on your website, your email lists and social media platforms will get more business. This short video could be about anything topical in the business and doesn’t need to be over produced. Speak about topics you know and speak from the heart. If you are consistent with your content you will slowly gain a following that will lead to more business for you.
This exposure could lead to more business that could lead to billboards on highways, ads on social media and speaking at local events. The more you can put yourself out there, the stronger your business will be. It all starts with a picture and letting people know who you are.
