Community Over Content with Lamoureux Images
Being a photographer provides constant insight into what it takes to create a special place for those I want to work with. I’m challenged every day to be more than someone who desires a fully booked calendar and successful business. I’m an artist with a vision, and that vision involves making people feel valued as well as helping them value their lives more with timeless imagery!
How I execute this vision extends beyond my camera knowledge and the creation of beautiful photographs. It extends into my people skills, being able to correct website glitches, communicating concisely, and simply making sure my interactions with others are genuine, helpful, and positive. Every day, I'm challenged to take this further and constantly refine the portrait experience for others. Sometimes it seems like a never-ending process, but the process itself ultimately gives me insight into the behind-the-scenes value that needs to back up every good photograph and marketing concept!
Creating content for business owners and leaders so they can represent themselves in the best way possible, is something I thrive on. This often involves taking headshots, team photos, images of products, and branding photography.
It's exciting to get down to the heart of what people are all about and help them get their message across in a well-represented way using great imagery.
Good ideas are exciting, and new horizons even more so. When entrepreneurs, business owners, or leaders of organizations catch wind of a new direction to pursue it’s easy to jump ahead into talk about how exactly they wish to present their concept to the world. Yet, in the usual excitement that surrounds change and growth, there is something important that almost always gets overlooked. Nearly all of us (me included) have been guilty of overlooking this to some degree when we are fixated on growth regardless if the growth we desire is more sales, employee recruitment, business expansion, or interest in a particular cause.
What we often miss is...COMMUNITY!
As human beings we are community driven, and if we want our ideas and dreams to see success, we need to be able to slow down and value what community already exists within our reach that will serve as the launching pad for the next exciting venture we look forward to.
The value of community needs to be so great that when our sights are set on change and expansion, we are first prompted to look at those nearest us and ask them if they have what they need to do what they need to do, and really listen to where they are coming from. Are they equipped? Do they feel valued? Are their voices heard? Are they on board with our new vision? Does the new vision involve making the lives of those already around you, better? Is the community environment one that is so great that the existing participants will be your greatest asset when it comes to getting attention from your target audience? Let’s back up for just a minute and think about that last phrase, shall we?
Target Audience
Business owners and community leaders put A LOT of time and energy in determining target audiences and capturing the attention of those they wish to be within their circle of influence, yet it would serve us all well to turn around and look at how we are improving the experiences of those who are already alongside us.
We cannot treat past clients or employees who signed on years ago like old news. If we would only slow down and invest in these people first, whatever marketing campaign we decide to take on will gain an extremely solid foundation.
I’ve worked for companies in the past that had awesome marketing campaigns for employee recruitment yet did not provide their existing employees the resources they needed to do basic jobs efficiently. I’ve also worked for companies whose marketing completely matched
the environment and family atmosphere they fostered among their employees and because of this, growth was inevitable. I have also watched impressive social media accounts and websites boast top-of-the-line graphics and content while being absolutely void of any real depth or meaning. Similarly, I’ve been a customer who can tell when the person I am doing business with doesn’t care about my needs or retaining my respect any longer and has moved on to other endeavors.
If you wish to elicit a genuine response from people you need to figure out why it’s so great to be a part of the vision you have, or own the products you're offering, or have the service experience you provide.
Put a voice behind what you're doing, use that voice to enrich others, then, show the world what you are doing and how it improves the lives of those already around you!
Do some serious soul searching here and get to the heart behind what you want to accomplish. Don't create hype around something you wish to see take off overnight and essentially be unapproachable or act like you are running a one man show.
Ask yourself why people should join up with your cause, product line, vision, or company, or pay for your services. Help them to be excited about choosing you and let them be a part of what you are doing. We must give people more than empty social media posts or cool merchandise. Ask yourself if you are giving your existing clients, coworkers and peers, the best experience you can provide, then figure out where you can do better!
Marketing needs to be about what you are doing to improve the lives of those already with you as well as those you want on board moving forward, otherwise you’re just another meaningless commercial begging for attention.
We cannot merely toss content out there
(no matter how good it is) and expect people to get excited about what we are doing. We all can do better than this! Your marketing needs to match the level of care and sincerity that you are investing into those you wish to reach. High-end imagery might as well be a homemade flyer typed up one a word document with a bit of free clip art scattered across it, if you aren't ready to really put some heart and soul into all that you are bringing to the table.
If you're after content, branding, design and campaigning, make sure the community you've created is the loudest part of the message you are conveying. Then and only then, go out and hire a great photographer and content creator who will do justice to the value you've invested into your work and will help you share it with others in a genuine way!