Why Should You Be On Periscope?

This blog post is written specifically for my birth photographer colleagues. So if you are a client or a friend, consider yourself relieved from reading it! :) 

I'm a little bit obsessed with Periscope at the moment. It is a newer social media platform that's changing the world of social media. In a culture of immediacy, the live broadcasting service is quite frankly unbeatable. 

My colleague, Amanda Ditzel from Raleigh Birth Photography, is hosting a Birth Photography Periscope Challenge starting this Monday, March 7th. There are over 60 registered birth workers (you don't have to be a birth photographer to participate!) and it is a wonderful opportunity to practice on periscope with a community there to support you!

I know a lot of people are thinking "I don't need ANOTHER platform to manage," or "How is this even beneficial for my business?" I wanted to take a minute to address a few hesitations because, not only do I really believe Periscope is an incredible platform that every business owner can use, but having a challenge to participate in makes everything seem a bit less intimidating! My hope is that at the end of this blog post, you will be convinced to sign up for the challenge and join us on Periscope!

Why Should My Business Be On Persicope?

1. Connect with your clients face-to-face and build relationships. Periscope is THE fastest way to build the "Know, Like and Trust" factor! When you literally show up in your client's living room in REAL time and you talk directly to them, you are building TRUST. When people like you and trust you, they will invest in you and your business. It is honestly unbelievable how EASY and SEAMLESS this process is through Periscope. (It almost feels too good to be true, guys!)
2. Set yourself as an expert in your field. Using Periscope to share information and "teach" your clients is a wonderful way to set yourself as a leader and expert in your field (and community) without actually organizing an event and standing in front of 30+ people to teach. Less effort, equal benefits! Again - people invest into businesses they TRUST.
3. Build your tribe. Let me say it again. When people like you and trust you, they will invest in you and your business. But who has time to sit down and build an individual relationship with so many people? We have enough on our plates as mothers, wives, aunts, friends, and business owners! Periscope offers us the opportunity to meet with many people at once and investing in them and their interests in an easy way. This helps build your tribe and your tribe are the people who will always support you. 
4. Create enticement and anticipation by showing your products and services in real time. Imagine with me an "unboxing" periscope:
   1. You receive a box from UPS.
   2. Log into Periscope and begin a 'scope titled "Unboxing an album! Sneak peek before I deliver to my client!"
   3. Say "hello!"
   4. Set your phone on a tripod and open the box. Ooh and Ahh... with great enthusiasm, show your clients the quality of your product. Tell them the story behind the pictures and the family/clients you are delivering it to. Add romanticism. 
   5. Before you know it, you have an inquiry in your inbox that reads "I saw you on Periscope and I LOVE the album you showed! I'm interested in hearing more about what your studio offers!"
   6. Send me a virtual high-five, because, friend, IT IS THAT EASY.
5. Show behind-the-scenes of your work. You'd be surprise how much people want to know how all the magic happens! Use Periscope as an exclusive platform to only show "Behind the Scenes" clips of your business and your life. People feel more connected to you when they are getting exclusive peeks into your world... and... you got it, they will invest in YOUR products and services when the time comes for them to make that decision.

Are you getting the jist, guys? Periscope is incredible... it is truly changing the scene of social media!! I hope these quick bullet points will help give you the push to hit that Broadcast button! Or at the VERY least, download the app and watch some scopes! You will learn SO much!

If you are scared to do try your first broadcast (Who isn't?! It's SO intimidating!), I'd love if you would download this Free Periscope How-To Guide! It's 5 pages of information I've gathered to help you get on your feet in the periscope world!

And lastly, if you are a birth photographer and you haven't already signed up for the Birth Photography Periscope Challenge, what are you waiting for?!

So the question is... Will I be seeing YOU on Periscope next week?! Leave your username in the comments and I'll be sure to follow you!

Launching The Birth Session Website

With the new year around the corner and the holidays in full swing, my mind has been on goal setting, reviewing what did and didn't work in 2013, and brainstorming ways to create a better experience for my clients in 2014. 

One thing that didn't work for me in 2013 was burnout. I pushed my boundaries quite a bit and learned from it. With that in mind, I started brainstorming ways I could find a healthier balance between doing what I love (photographing love) and paying the bills. There's a lot that goes into running a business that isn't always a ton of fun. But, it's necessary in order to maintain a career of doing what I love.

After much thinking and conversing with Tommy, we've decided to dive full force into bringing The Birth Session to life in 2014. I made the big announcement on Facebook this morning, but I wanted to make sure my blog readers didn't miss the news:  

I've launched a new website for the birth side of things,
and a new Facebook page.

Because birth is such a passion of mine, I didn't want my wedding and portrait photography business to become overwhelmed with birth pictures and conversations. While the two types of photography are similar in that they are both photojournalistic and full of emotion, they are also obviously different. So this is a great way to help keep things separate and to respect my brides, grooms, and families who have no interest in birth whatsoever. 

I hope you'll come over and like the new Facebook page. (And share it with your friends if you think they may be interested, too!)