We recently had a headshot and personal branding session with Jackie and Alicia from Jack & Gem Media – a marketing, social media and advertising agency based in Barrington. Jackie and her team help small businesses in the area with their marketing and social media needs, including everything from building their websites, to running ads and managing their social media.
Headshots and Personal Branding for Website and Social Media
Jackie is an inspiring business owner and is so so knowledgeable about small business marketing and social media management. I highly recommend you follow her on Instagram at @jackandgemmedia for tips, ideas an inspiration for small business marketing, and her account @bossbusinessmoms for some comedic relief for working moms.
Jackie needed some fresh headshots and team shots for her website and social media. We had a great day at my studio in Barrington creating some fresh, fun images of her and Alicia that match her brand and style.
Digital Marketing for Small Business Owners
I couldn’t resist asking Jackie for some of her top tips for small business owners who are trying to balance digital marketing with running a business, and boy did she come through! I kind of want to tape these to the wall so I remember them from week to week.
From Jackie of Jack & Gem Media:
Small business owners are typically wearing ALL the hats. Today, that even means social media manager. Business owners are expected to know not only how to run a business and provide a product or service but also how to market it. So if you are a small business owner struggling with digital marketing, here are my top tips for what I see working best right now:
1. Authenticity. If dancing in front of the camera or lip-syncing to a song feels terrible to you, you don’t have to do it! Find a way to portray WHY your customers need your product or service and the value you provide their lives, in a way that feels good to you.
2. Consistency. If you post nonstop on social media to the point of burnout and then stop posting for weeks, that is doing more harm than a slow and steady pace. If you are struggling to stay consistent in your marketing efforts, start small first. Post once or twice a week until it feels more natural and then slowly work your way up if you can.
3. Influencer marketing and user-generated content. You don’t need to pay thousands of dollars and find an Instagram influencer with a million followers. Ask your customers to tag you on social media when sharing about your business. Utilize local facebook groups to find people who are asking for businesses, products, or services like yours. See if there are any customers or people you know with not only a following (even if it is a few thousand people!) but with an engaged audience. Ask them if they can post about your brand in exchange for a product or service of yours.
4. Content pillars. Get clear about 3-5 topics your brand will talk about and create content around those topics every month in your social media, emails, and blogs. This keeps your content diverse and helps you stay organized. Be sure one of those pillars is to entertain! Funny, inspiring, and entertaining content are doing very well right now.
Are Your Our Next Story?
We love working with and supporting local businesses with fun photosessions that help you take your image to the next level. Be sure to follow us on social media for more inspiration and reach out to schedule your own session.
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