If you’re not utilizing video in your marketing or on your social media channels, you’re missing out on a major opportunity create brand awareness and connect with potential clients! Today we are diving deep into all the ways you can use video to amplify your business and boost your referrals. Listen in as I share the tips and tricks that you can use to become the local favorite in your area and grow your connections. This is one of my favorite ways to amplify my business; let’s jump in!

After sharing sneak peeks do you hear crickets? Learn how to easily capture behind the scenes video for organic referrals, local followers and build brand awareness. Make sure to grab my FREE Amplify Brand Awareness guide!

Review the Show Notes

Being A Local Favorite Over Being Viral (3:05)

Strategies For Wedding Photographers (And All Other Creatives!) (4:57)

How To Prepare Before The Wedding (5:58) 

What Happens For Your Business When You Focus On Video (12:58)

Video Safety (16:57)

Tips & Tricks For Video Rollout (19:48)

Wedding Challenge: Action List (21:26)

Free Guide: Amplify Brand Awareness (24:09)

Links

Amplify Brand Awareness

Review the Transcript:

Welcome to Quianna Marie weekly, a podcast for creatives who love to celebrate wins big or small by dancing in the kitchen photographers who are excited to serve their clients and friends who are ready to chase really, really big dreams. You can find all of the resources mentioned in this episode at quiannamarie.com/podcast. Join me as I share weekly motivation, chat about growing pains, finding genuine connections and celebrating your wins through the lens of a photographer at heart. Come join me for a dance party.

Ready? Let’s go. If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door. This is a quote by Kurt Cobain. That is the perfect kind of permission slip. For today’s episode, we are going to be diving into brand awareness, and especially for wedding photographers. Now, if you are not a wedding photographer, like I always say in previous podcast, this is going to be a conversation through the lens of a photographer. However, you can absolutely apply these tips and tricks and strategies to your own business as well. Today, we will be diving deep into capturing videos that help boost easy referrals. Okay, so this is so important.

When I first started my business, I had so much fun just capturing everything, I would capture tons of photos, I would capture little videos. And I mean even back when I had flip phones, I still was just trying to capture everything from any type of camcorder situation, whether that was old Polaroids or old camcorders, way back in the day before Instagram, and Snapchat, and all of these platforms for social media that we have today. 

Were even in existence, I was capturing all the things. And then I quickly realized as my business has been growing and expanding even out of state and even nationally and internationally out of the country too. I quickly noticed Wait a second. There’s their strategy to this. As I am posting these videos on amplify in my business. I felt like Okay, wait, there’s, there’s something here like I need to share about this. And so after a couple years, and especially going through quarantine and having a lot of time to think and a lot of time to analyze, because I’m totally an over thinker.

I quickly realized, wait a second, there really is power to capturing behind the scenes video, and I just I cannot hold this any longer. I feel like I’ve like Monica from friends when she hears something. Two seconds later. I just can’t hold it any longer. Like I have to share this with you.

Okay, so we’re gonna dive into some strategies for capturing video and amplifying your brand. Now I have a pretty bold statement to say that I’m sure may get a lot of hate or a lot of confusion. But I’m going to stand by the fact that be a local favorite is way better than going viral. Okay, so let me explain. Don’t get me wrong, uh, going viral is pretty awesome. I’ve only had the opportunity to do that maybe once or twice. On Instagram, I’ve hit over 2 million views for one super silly, real. And then same thing on Tik Tok, I think I’ve only hit over 500,000 views on at least just one video, which is amazing. 

There was an influx of followers. However, I really, really want to say this a lot. But I really want to hit home the idea that the power is not in numbers and in distance. Because sometimes I think when we go viral, which in my opinion, there really is no strategy to that. It’s really just the luck of the draw. And I’m sure there’s coaches out there that are rolling their eyes say no, no, I have tips for you. And I’m sure they do.

In my opinion, when you go viral, you are just exposed to a whole bunch of random people around the country and they may not even live in your hometown. And especially if you’re a service based business, like what good is that having people all over the country that may or may not work with you. I want to come in share a strategy with you today that is all about being your local communities favorite. Okay, and especially for wedding photographers now don’t get me wrong, like going viral has an opportunity for you to maybe book Future weddings in different locations, which I think it’s fantastic. 

So I don’t want you to think that I’m you know, shutting the door on those opportunities. But what I really want to share are these opportunities that I feel a lot of us are sleeping on if we’re not taking action right now. Okay, so just for your little like mental checklist. We’re going to go over a couple steps. for things that you can do before the wedding, during the wedding, and after the wedding to super maximize your exposure. And because I am all about creating connections and creating memories, too, I also want to share a handful of ways that you can kind of spark these moments that create fire.

Okay, so like just one tiny action from you on a wedding day, or during your client experience or during your business day can absolutely just explode and get people so excited to learn about you to connect the dots to ask, Hey, how do you know so and so and just create this ripple effect? That is just, it’s just going to bring in so much business. It’s crazy. And like I said, I kind of just stumbled upon this. 

This is something that I just took the initiative on, and I had fun doing it. And then I quickly realized, oh, whoa, like this is powerful. So we’re gonna dive into that today. All right, so first and foremost, I want to chat about the different ways that you can prepare before the wedding. So you can have a game plan, okay, because I don’t want you to just kind of feel flustered and confused. And oh, my gosh, I already have so much on my mind, I’m thinking about exposure, I’m thinking about lighting and posing, and oh my gosh, the hair and makeup team is running a little bit behind. Like, there’s so many things that go on on a wedding day and are out of our control.

So the idea of pulling out your phone and making like little music videos is just like so overwhelming, and I get it. But I think with the strategy, it’ll super help. Okay, so first and foremost, I have just a couple little cheat sheet videos I think you should be capturing throughout the wedding day. 

Okay, so first and foremost, consider capturing the location. Now, this is really important, because you can be tagging the venue, you could be tagging the city, you can hashtag local locations. And then you’re also creating like scenic landmarks, which is huge for your business, especially if you are a service based business trying to book more weddings within let’s say, a 20 to 50 mile radius, and beyond of course, but creating those landmarks and photographing in capturing video of these actual venues and locations is really, really important. All right, another type of video to capture our educational videos.

Sprinkle in tips and tricks and ways that you could be the SuperHero on wedding days showcase that you’re a pro. So whether that is sharing a quick key tip for a bride. Maybe you are sharing a key tip even for their makeup artists, right. So if the makeup artist is setting a setting spray and kind of spraying the girls with these, like capture that and then explain in the video. Oh, this is an insert the makeup artist and she is making sure the girls have perfect faces right before they walked on the aisle.

I will mention it again. As we go into like why this is important. But this is just a little teaser about the your vendors will want to share that. And that is what is just that that’s the power. Right? Okay. Another type of video that you should be capturing are emotions. Okay, so now, sometimes when I think of emotions, I think I don’t know why I just think sad. And like, super emotional. And that’s the first emotion that comes to mind. However, I think it’s so important to capture laughter and just sweet exchanges, whether that is with parents on wedding days. Cute little flower girl twirls and boomerangs. 

These are really fun and dance parties are awesome too because it captures so much life and so much movement. Another type of video to capture are promotional videos. Okay, so this is your time to sell. This is your time to actually be like, Hey, I’m a pro and look at how awesome I am.

There’s nothing wrong with that. Okay, this is your permission to promote that this is your business and that you are good at what you do. Don’t forget to show off your talents, post about your offers and sell yourself online. promote yourself as a local favorite and that you’re a business in demand. There’s nothing wrong with that babe. We’re here to sell. We’re here to make a living and by you sharing about your business and shared about your offers and the types of wedding experiences or the types of products that you sell. Like we got a post about it. Okay.

Another type of video to capture is your personality. Okay, so let your goofy self shine online. Share your quirks and ways that you go above and beyond for your couples and their families. 

People are watching, okay, and I think this is important because it’s like a two fold where you have not only are you creating this magnetic experience in person, but you’re also creating this experience and then you are sharing it online. mine. So that’s where this amplifying comes in hand where it’s just like this huge echo and ripple effect.

By you sharing that you love goldfish or Cheez Its or what your favorite wedding day snack is. Or if you maybe you have a thing where you always just dance down the aisle. I don’t know, whatever your thing is share about it. Because I feel like that’s a great way for people to connect. I know on a personal level, not all of my followers, friends and family, they’re not all photographers, they’re not all into weddings as much as I am.

So if I can kind of sprinkle in ways that they can relate to me or connect or make them giggle or think up, there goes key on it again, there she goes, dancing, or just other ways that they can know me on a little bit more of a personal level, that’s going to create those genuine friendships. And those I call them like the writer die followers, okay, so they’re gonna, they’re gonna want to refer you in the future, because you are quickly becoming a favorite right before their eyes. Alright, and I saved the best for last. Because I feel like this is one of the easiest ways that you can capture video and completely amplify your brand. And I’m talking like, just like blow your business up. 

And that is capturing videos for vendors. Don’t forget to include video clips of vendors working on the final touches of decor to show off their work. And honestly just capture them in action. So whether that is them placing flowers on the you know, on the table, right before the reception is complete pouring water for the caterers, maybe it’s the florist.

Sometimes, the cake lady will have like just a little pile of flowers left by the florist. And so when when the cake person comes to drop off the cake, they’ll be putting the final touches of florals on the cake. It’s oftentimes not the actual florists that does that.

Usually it’s the cake decorator that puts those final touches on. And so capture that, capture that in, I also want to have another list of tips for being mindful and capturing it. But make sure you’re doing these in a flattering way. Okay, like girl code, like you don’t want to be capturing the florist bent over in the middle of the aisle and you get this like wide butt shot of her. You know what I mean? 

Like, I’m just saying like, I’m trying to be really realistic here. But try to find super flattering and that means you have to move your feet or that means you have to ask them to pause quickly and just, Oh, I know you’re sweaty, I know you’re working really hard. But can I please capture a quick little video of you or a quick photo, which is huge, because, of course, you can absolutely share these vendor images. And they’ll be happy to post about them too. But today’s episode is all about video.

Capturing them in action in a super flattering way is going to make a huge impact because they’ll share it. I’m not even joking when I tell you how many times I can make things easier for vendors. And then it always works in my favor and they always share it. Now I want to share with you just kind of a quick, like run through of what’s possible and what has happened in my own business that I really want to happen for you too, especially in your local hometown. I mean, even if we’re neighbors like you still need to be doing this. 

I want you to think about a time when you can photograph just the ceremony space. Okay, so as a photographer, things are crazy. I get it, you’re flustered. And maybe you just totally forget, okay, but if you remember to capture just one video, I challenge you to step back during the ceremony. While they’re exchanging vows. While someone is giving a reading, when you know what I’m talking about, like things aren’t really happening, you photographed the ceremony already heavily enough.

Now you can take a moment, step back, and just take a quick scan, slow pan video of the ceremony space during the ceremony, I feel is the most impactful time of day to capture all vendors involved. Even the cake person will be happy to get a snippet of that because clearly, there are like their wedding cake person, okay, like wedding cake vendor. So even if it’s not a direct video or picture of their exact cake or their exact service, they’re still going to want to share that. Back to this visual here. Okay, so you’re capturing the whole wedding party, you’re getting in this is also important to you’re capturing the backs of people’s heads.

So I know, for example, you know, we can’t always be putting in everybody’s faces online, which is another conversation have to, but it’s just super safe. Because you can see the wedding party from a distance. Their faces may be a little bit hard to to break up, they’ll know who they are when they see this video, right.

Just for any random on the internet to see this, the faces will be really tiny. You’ll be really far away. And this is a great opportunity to tag every single person you know, either in the wedding, or every single vendor. Now I want you to just think about this ripple effect.

After you post it, watch it fly. Okay, so the wedding planner will most likely reshare it, the bride and the groom and the couple and the wedding party, they will be most likely sharing that as well. The venue will reshare it. And I just want to share the power in that ripple effect. So let’s say for example, from that one ceremony, scan, only four people reshare it, okay, that’s it, like, let’s be realistic about this, it’s gonna take time for things to start really kicking off. But let’s say just three to four people actually reshare that on their Insta Stories, or, you know, on their social media.

Now, I want you to think of those, let’s just say four people and the followings they have, even if the newer not so established wedding planner has less than 1000 followers on Instagram, your work and your name will be blasted to that many people now we all know, not all of our followers see everything. 

It’s a very, very small, tiny percentage. But you get my point. Okay, you will be blasted to each of those new networks of people have fans. And the best part is the majority of them really are local. You know, so I feel like there’s this power in instead of, like I said, trying to go viral and trying to push your your name and your business out to the masses. Wouldn’t it be so much like so much more powerful if you could be a favorite to a handful of bridesmaids, or handful of groomsmen that after working with you, they think,

Gosh, this girl was so cool. She was so fun. She was so efficient, she wasn’t annoying, like I loved working with her having the power of bridesmaids and groomsmen and especially wedding vendors on your side. Wanting to work with you, again, is powerful. Okay, like that. That is what this is all about. Okay, so let’s also dive into some tricks. And some tips about now that you have these videos like how I actually rolled them out. Okay, so first and foremost, before we even move on, I should have mentioned this in the beginning. 

Like if you’re still hanging on here, like, please, please, this is honestly the most important thing, do not I repeat, do not post anything live and do not post anything like in in the moment. And when I say live, I mean I mean two examples of that, I highly suggest that you do not actually go live like you do not have like live footage of something unfolding. Even if you wait till ceremony, even if you wait until the reception. And the reason why I’m a stickler for this. I’m a big safety person. So I am a big person about being super aware of my surroundings.

Honestly just loving and caring for the people around me. I’m all about safety. That’s one of my love languages. Like I don’t even think that’s a love language. But that’s, I feel really strongly about that. And when you post live, you are making yourself other vendors, and especially wedding party and guest super vulnerable in that moment.

Now, I know this sounds ridiculous, like I don’t think everyone has Dockers that follow you around, and then we’ll actually show up to a location. But that is one of my like, definitely fears. And I know it sounds so silly. But one time, I was actually at a spring training game here in Arizona, and I had posted a little Instagram about it. 

And I had a friend who was a friend like someone who I know is not going to physically hurt me or there is no like beef or anything worried about it. Like we were just we’re friends. But they were a longtime friend from high school. And he saw my posts and was like, Oh my gosh, where are you wanting to meet up? Now, let me explain that the thought of meeting up with him was not scary or awkward. But I was just like having a like I was having a beer with my best friend and her husband and we were living our best life. It was actually was it was a Giants vs. A’s game.

So if you’re from the Bay Area, it was a really big game. And I just thought, I don’t want to go see you like, you know, and then I thought oh my god and then he’s gonna think I’m avoiding him. He’s gonna think I’m being mean like I had all these like internal thoughts. And at the end of the day, I didn’t go see him. I just kind of played it off like, oh, sorry, I put my phone away or I think I said my phone died or something. I don’t know. But I just kind of played it off.

I didn’t see him and like I said it. I was in no danger. Like I just I just did not like that feeling of someone knowing exactly where I was and that I was actually touchable. Like in that actual physical feeling. 

So long story short, I will share that because I feel it’s important that you are always thinking about your safety and your control during that time. Also, I’m not even joking when I say if you can wait at least 12 to 24 hours before posting your story about the day. You will get increased audible engagement like beyond belief. When I wait 24 hours before I roll out my Insta Stories and my social media game app following a wedding, I gain so many more views, like I literally triple and quadruple my views. And I think here’s why. Because most of the wedding party, especially the couple their their phones, most likely are down.

Yes, they may be located out to take Snapchat videos or selfies on their phone. But they’re busy, like they’re, they’re enjoying the best day of their life. And vendors are running around going crazy, they’re all sweaty, and they’re making things you know, happen for the couple and creating these magnetic moments. So people aren’t on their phones. 

So by just waiting in that extra day, it kind of extends a celebration, and is a great way for you to gain more views gain more followers. And this is the cool part too, is during the day, it’s a great way for you to kind of curate the wedding story after the wedding. If you’re just constantly posting random things, not only are you taking yourself out of the day, so if you’re already flustered and running around for time, do not take even just two seconds to write out a little Insta story and tag vendors and make little captions. Like don’t do that to yourself. Just whip it out, record it and then slip it back into your pocket. Okay, so I have a little wedding challenge for you. 

These are just a couple little moments during the day. Like I like explained earlier, those are things to look for. Now I have an actual action list for you because I’m all about grabbing and posting later and really amplifying your brand. So number one details. These are so easy guys, you are already doing the work with your flatlays a on with the rings and shoes.

Between the dress or the zoo all the details, all you have to do after you’ve laid out your flat lay is just either take a photo on your phone, or do a cute little kind of scan or pan, or even kind of zoom in to the ring. That’s it.

Now you can take it a step further by sharing that maybe where you are to actually taking these videos and taking the behind the scenes stuff. You are like crammed in the corner in the living room of you know of the getting ready house, or maybe you are on a bed in a tiny hotel room. And you’re just working with that natural window light. And then you see like the chaos of the room around you. But then you see the final images and you see the behind the scenes and that is shares that you are professional and that you can absolutely work magic with what you’re given. Okay, so that’s even like a deeper level of why this is important.

All right, number two, another way that you can capture like a little actionless for you is the ceremony. I mentioned this before, one scan far back is really going to have a huge impact this has, like I said the most vendors in one shot. And that’s a great way for you to create those re shareable moments. Because remember, and I’m all about these dinners, like Danny Tanner moments.

Remember, when you are making someone else’s life easier. Which in my opinion is capturing these videos for vendors, they will be so happy and that’s when you become the local favorite. Okay, and then a next action list number three is reception details. So grab a pan a super wide shot of the entire, like untouched reception space. Oh, makes me so happy. 

Those those images and those videos also are great way to capture the attention of vendors, they’re going to want to reshare it and I’m not even joking. It literally takes three seconds. All right. So I think that’s pretty much it as far as kind of giving you the rundown on why this is important.

How easy it really is to capture how you should be posting it. I have a free guide for you. It’s called build brand awareness. And this is a course like I said it’s it’s geared towards wedding photographers so you can catch this free, download this free cheat sheet and this guide right in the show notes. I just I just challenge you baby to just capture your life like capture the behind the scenes, capture as many opportunities as you can just share and you’ll notice how quickly you will be like the go to person in your neighborhood. 

Right. Then of course because I’m scatterbrained and I’m thinking of all these last minute tips, I’m like wait a minute, before you go I have one more idea. Before you start posting these things, I challenge you to really look for like and really have a game plan for what you want to shoot because remember, like before I go I have this one One last tip for you. Remember, you will be amplifying what you do. If you are a little bit intimidated or maybe you don’t enjoy shooting those big fat greek weddings and those wedding parties that have over 250 guests, and super large wedding parties. Maybe your style is a bit more intimate or elopement status, like don’t pose those big weddings like and if you do, there’s their secrets of this. Just post the couple, just post the details.

I am a firm believer in posting everyone. In fact, one of my photographer friends, Natasha, she just posted about how important it is to make sure that you are always posting and sharing about every single couple, so nobody feels left out. And that’s, that’s huge. That is so important. But I also want to mention to like, you’re going to get the business that you post, people believe what they see.

Okay, so if you are wanting to go for more of those tiny elopements and you love those adventure shoots, then definitely amplify those and post those. But this is your warning, okay? Because I feel so so strongly about this strategy to like that, you will be amplified, like your business will boom, and you will be getting organic, and super easy referrals in the future. So we got to make sure that it’s exactly what you want to do. Alright, so I hope this helps to wrap back up to our quote of the day if opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door, okay, like come on, baby. 

You got this. create those opportunities for you be helpful. Help others in the process. And you will be amazed at how quickly your business will boom. always cheering for you. Don’t forget to grab that free download, and I can’t wait to chat next week. Love you. That’s a wrap on another episode of Quianna Marie weekly. Thank you so much for your listenership and support. You can find the resources and show notes for this episode and more at Quiannamarie.com/podcast. I’d be honored if you’d show your support by leaving a review and rating on your favorite podcast app. Until next time, keep on dancing.