As a creative entrepreneur, developing and fostering your brand helps further bring life to your work, values, and professional goals. One way you can strengthen your brand and enhance its positive associations is to use it to create community. Here are some ways you can encourage your supporters to forge connections with one another and with you.
Host In-Person Events
The idea of hosting an event can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. You don’t have to go over the top. Just focus on creating comfortable gatherings related to your brand that encourage interaction. An event can be as simple as:
An early morning coffee and networking session
A complimentary educational event
An after-work or after-class happy hour meetup
A wellness experience that ties into your industry (ex. an outdoor yoga session if your clients and associates spend most of their time behind screens, a guided meditation for relaxation and stress management)
(blog post continues below photo)
Photo Credit: CatMax Photography
More elaborate ideas could include hosting a drop-in celebration for a project you recently completed and inviting the project collaborators, client(s), and your business’s supporters or putting together a small end-of-the-year get-together to thank your team and clients.
Create a Facebook Group Associated with Your Facebook Business Page
A private Facebook group managed by your Facebook business page is an excellent place for clients to get advice from one another, for you to provide special resources like downloadable guides and other perks, and for you to casually stay connected with past clients.
Hold Online Video Q&A Sessions
Give past or potential clients access to you and your knowledge by regularly holding online video Q&A sessions. You can go live and invite supporters to join and ask you about anything business-related. You can even forgo the Q&A format altogether and instead, have informal catch-up/business chat sessions about what’s been happening in your industry or the business world lately. Remember, the goal is to encourage your supporters to interact with you and one another. Platforms you can go live on include:
YouTube
Instagram
TikTok
Facebook
CatMax Photography hosts an Instagram LIVE Q&A session each month with the entrepreneur being highlighted in the Woman Wednesday series. We talk business, branding, and photography. Plus, the chats are regularly held at Noon, meaning you can join in while enjoying your lunch. Win-win!
Photo Credit: CatMax Photography
Use Hashtags
Create a name for your supporters or community. Influencers do this often, and it’s a fun way for supporters to shout you out on social media and find each other. You’ll also want to use the hashtag name you come up with in your own posts as well, that way you are a part of (and can help control) the conversation.
These are just a few of the ways you can create community around your brand. Experiment and see what works for you. Ask your supporters what they are looking for and what would best serve them. Then, think of how you can provide that.
Event marketing and social media are highly image-driven. There’s no need to rely on stock photography or outdated photos to represent your brand. The CatMax Photography Personal Branding Experience is a complete package designed to deliver images for all your public relations needs. If you’re ready to learn more, let’s chat.