I read quite a lot of different blogs, and it always disappoints me slightly when businesses don’t take full advantage of what blogging can offer. That’s why I wan to share a link to this quite exceptional example of small business blog content from Lorna Coates Photography.
One of my wife’s friends from school set up a photography business a few years back, and she has a blog that I really enjoy. Working in technology I see a lot of blogs that are really little more than conventional marketing through a new channel. Blog posts are little more than a stream of new features and case studies that would previously have found a home elsewhere on the website anyway.
I think that blogging should be an opportunity to do something more than that. I try to share things I have learned about on this blog – things that aren’t significant enough to have ever merited a traditional article, press release or news item, but which I think might be of interest.
What Lorna has done exceptionally well with her blog is to really get across the value proposition, values and personality of her business. With bold, confident statements like “Firstly when you look at my work you should really like it, love it preferably – sorry if this sounds a bit obvious.” and “So there you go, that is my reasoning for why I charge what I do. And as I get even better and more in demand, I plan to charge more!” she expresses confidence in her ability and sets out her stall very clearly.
I so rarely see this done at all, let alone this well, that I thought it was more than worth a Friday Link.
The main page of the blog is dominated by sample photos, so I would jump right in to a couple of my favourite posts:
- How the hell do wedding photographers justify their price? – an excellent piece on what is really involved in doing a wedding shoot, and the value an experienced professional can bring. This really brings out the Lorna’s personality and her professional value proposition brilliantly
- Why NOT to book me as your photographer….. – again starting with a really bold headline, this sets out what Lorna believes people should look for in a photographer, and her own values.
You might me stealing some of her ideas and approach here sometime soon…
