Why You Need Clear Brand Messaging to Stand Out as a Creative Entrepreneur

Look, there are a lot of photographers out there. We don’t have to tell you that.

So, what causes your photography business to stand out from the crowd? 

(Not a photographer? Insert your creative profession here.)

The only way to convey your unique value is with strategic branding. By sharing content that talks about why your business is rare, you create an air of exclusivity that causes clients to go, “Huh… I’ve never heard of someone doing it that way before. I think I want to work with her!”

You can’t just rely on your pretty Instagram grid (though that certainly helps!). You also need crystal-clear brand messaging to communicate why YOU — not the gal down the street — are the one to hire.

Here’s why your brand message is so dang important in attracting and converting the right photography clients.

The Importance of Branding

You’re a creative entrepreneur, so we’re gonna guess you probably already know, and care, about your branding. But we’re gonna tell you why it matters anyway.

Why Branding Matters for All Creative Entrepreneurs

Branding is, at its core, what your clients think about your business. 

Picture Coca-Cola. What comes to mind? For me (hey, Sarah here), it’s a jolly scene of friends in red sweaters, sharing a bottle of fizzy sweetness. The brand embodies joy.

Now picture Louis Vuitton. What comes to mind? Personally, I think of my mom, because she had an obsession with those logo-stamped bags back in the day (and was known to purchase a knockoff or two). But most people probably think of a chic metropolitan store, laden with gold and filled with wealthy women. The brand exudes luxury.

Branding is essential in attracting and converting the right clients. Here are several reasons why.

1. Aid Brand Recognition

Wouldn’t it be amazing if someone said the name of your business, and her friend immediately knew who she was talking about?

That’s called brand recognition: the ability to recognize a brand with ease. It’s every business owner’s dream to achieve. Once you’ve got good brand recognition among your ideal clients, your work to convert them becomes so much easier.

That’s what good branding does: it makes your business recognizable.

2. Build Trust

It isn’t enough to be recognized, though. You also have to be trusted.

Branding helps you establish trust among potential buyers by showing them, time after time, that you’re reliable. You mean what you say. You follow through on your promises. Your clients are happy with your services, shouting your name from the rooftops (or, more likely, tagging you in their Stories).

While visual branding helps more with brand recognition, brand messaging helps more with building trust. More on that below.

3. Stand Out from the Crowd

Aside from your gorgeous photos, what makes you different from other photographers or creative entrepreneurs in your field? Why should your dream client choose YOU, not someone else?

Once you become known for something specific, you stand out from, and above, your competitors.

Why Branding Matters if You’re Launching or Rebranding

All right, those are reasons why all creative entrepreneurs should care about branding in general. But what if you’re making a pivot in your business — say, launching a new product or service, or rebranding from wedding photography to brand photography?

Photographers and entrepreneurs who are launching or rebranding their businesses need to pay particular attention to their branding, especially their brand messaging. Here’s why.

1. Avoid Confusion

If you have an existing audience, they’re already familiar with you in a certain context: newborn photography, perhaps, or in-person design services.

But what if you want to start offering something completely new, like brand photography or virtual consultations?

An intentional brand messaging strategy helps you launch your new product or service smoothly. Instead of confusing your current clients, you lead them by the hand. Instead of jumping straight into something they know nothing about, you explain why and how it works (and, most importantly, how it benefits them). That way, they warm up slowly to the idea and are more primed to buy when the time comes.

2. Connect with the Right Clients

If you’re pivoting your business, you may be targeting a completely new audience from the one you had before. (And if you’re launching a new business, you’re definitely targeting a new audience!)

Messaging is critical to not only grabbing the attention of those new clients, but also keeping it long enough for them to buy. 

By writing copy that explains what you offer and why it helps your target audience, you create a bridge between you and your ideal clients. Slowly but surely, they’ll start walking over it toward you.

3. Create Authority

It’s tough to be known as a leader in your industry if you’re relatively new to it. Yet authority is so important in building trust among potential clients.

Until you become a household name in, say, brand photography, you’ll need to tout yourself up. Boast about your background. Share, explicitly, why you do know what you’re doing. 

Do everything you can to get testimonials from your ideal clients, so they can brag on your behalf. But until you get those glowing reviews, start creating regular content that proves you’re knowledgeable. Over time, that educational content will build your credibility.

The 2 Main Elements of Your Brand

We’ve referenced branding a lot by now. But what specifically do we mean by it?

Essentially, branding can be boiled down to two main elements: visual branding and brand messaging.

1. Visual Branding

Visual branding is what most people think of when they think of branding. It includes things like:

• Logos & icons
• Fonts & colors
• Photos & videos (duh!)

Basically, it’s everything you show your audience. You might work with a brand or graphic designer to help you establish your visual identity and create designs that align with it.

2. Brand Messaging

Brand messaging is more behind the scenes. It involves things like:

• Name & taglines
• Voice & tone
• Dos & don’ts

Basically, it’s everything you communicate to your audience. You might work with a copywriter to help you establish your brand messaging and write copy that aligns with it.

How to Make Your Brand Message Stand Out

While visual branding does help your business stand out, brand messaging is what truly differentiates you from others. But what does that mean for you as a photographer or creative entrepreneur? What are you supposed to do?

Here are our top three brand messaging strategies to focus on.

1. Pinpoint Your USP

USP stands for unique selling proposition, which is a fancy term for “what makes your business unique.” We’ve touched on this concept a bit already, but it’s so essential to your success that we aren’t afraid to harp on it. 

You need to know your USP like the back of your hand. First, it makes the selling process easier, since you aren’t fumbling for answers when someone objects to your process or price. More importantly, it increases your clients’ confidence in your services, since they know you’re confident. (Confidence is contagious!)

Don’t be afraid to talk about your USP in your copy again, and again, and then again some more. It might seem redundant to you, but it won’t to your audience.

2. Find Your Brand Voice

Your brand voice is how your business sounds in your copy. Do you write in short, snappy sentences, or do you use long, flowery language? Are you more serious or upbeat? If you asked your Instagram followers, how would they describe your Stories or post captions?

By using a clear, consistent brand voice, you’ll stand out in the minds of your ideal clients. As they read copy that sounds like you and uses their own language, they’ll start to see you as a friend and mentor they can trust.

Still a little confused? You can learn all about what a brand voice is (and how to craft yours) here, and download our download our brand voice magazine for free.

3. Create Original Content

Knowing your USP and brand voice won’t do you much good if you don’t actually use them. That’s why you need to create original content on a regular basis.

You should be sharing something educational about your industry at least once a week, maybe even once a day if you’re active on social media. It doesn’t always have to be a monstrous blog post, either; it could be a quick tip shared on Threads or X. 

The important thing is just to show up. That’s how you stay top of mind as the leading brand photographer / interior designer / insert your profession here.

The Top 3 Places to Nail Your Brand Messaging

Although it’s important to nail your brand messaging everywhere you create content, here are the three most critical places to focus on.

1. Your Website

Your website is your digital storefront: the place people come to buy, or at least inquire about, your services. If there’s one place to make your message shine, it’s here.

Specifically, you should address your:

• Website copy: Write each word with purpose and conviction. Speak directly to your target audience, using “you” far more than “I.”
• SEO settings: Ensure the back end of your website is optimized for search engines. Include your focus keyword in your page title, meta description, and image alt text (and make that meta description engaging!).
• Resource topics: Choose what you write about wisely. Don’t share an article, podcast, or freebie that isn’t highly relevant to the offer you’re promoting.

2. Your Instagram

Especially for our millennial photographer friends, Instagram’s where it’s at (and by “it,” we mean “your clients”). If you thought IG was only a visual platform, think again — your messaging matters just as much!

Here are a few places to optimize your copy on Instagram:

• Account name: Instead of using just your own name (whether personal or business), consider adding a keyword that explains what you do — for example, “Georgia Mae | Wedding Photographer in Atlanta.” 
• Bio: Lead with what you do, who it’s for, and how to take the next step. Try to infuse your brand voice while being succinct.
• Link(s): If you want more leads, share a relevant freebie; if you want more clients, share your services or contact info. Consider creating a separate page that includes links to multiple resources your IG followers may find helpful.
• Highlight covers: Use microcopy to name your highlights in a way that is both creative and clear. (Don’t forget the cover photos themselves, too!)
• Content: Share feed posts, Stories, Reels, and Lives that align with your overall brand message. Add enticing copy to your Reels covers and the first image of every carousel.
• Followers: Be judicious about whom you interact with. If you want to work with local businesses, find a few, follow them, and start commenting encouraging messages on their content.

3. Your Email Marketing

Your email list is gold. First, you rightfully own it (whereas your TikTok account could be snatched away any day). Second, it’s full of people who have raised their hand to say they want you to enter one of their most personal places: their inbox.

Make your email messaging as valuable as possible by focusing on:

• Storytelling: Use personal stories to draw your clients in and help them remember your message. Start an email by dropping the reader right into the heart of the action, and use specific details to paint a picture of the scene.
• Personalization: Segment your send list as much as possible. (For example, send info about family mini sessions only to those who have purchased a family session or opted in to family content.) If that isn’t possible, just be conscious of the various people who might be reading your emails; adjust your message accordingly.
• Consistency: Send emails on a consistent schedule — ideally once a week, or at least once a month — and don’t make sudden changes unless you’re prepared for a bunch of unsubscribes. Make sure your brand voice is consistent, too, so your readers come to know, like, and trust it.

The Power of Clear Brand Messaging for Photographers

When you’ve got a good handle on your brand messaging, everything falls into place for your photography or other creative business. You become more confident in your offerings, which inspires confidence in your ideal clients, which inspires them to book your services. It’s the coolest ripple effect.

If you’re feeling motivated to work on your brand messaging, but you don’t know where to begin, check out our free resources and copywriting services. We have options for entrepreneurs trying to DIY as well as those who are ready to get some of their copywriting off their plates — and onto the plate of someone who knows exactly how to craft the perfect messaging strategy for your business.

[I Want Help with My Brand Messaging!]