Offline, you have had your entire life to cultivate your personality.
Your personality is a mix of your own emotions, opinions and quirks. It's also how you express them to others.
Your voice can be the most powerful tool in expressing who you are - it really shows people what kind of person they're dealing with.
There are many different ways to tell the same story. Some people might find it easier to talk about their day with a new friend at a coffee shop or bar, and others may prefer telling stories more privately in front of just one person--their mother for example.
You have a lot more freedom in person. You can change the tone of your voice and adjust it to suit whoever you are speaking with, just like an actor would do on stage.
Your personality is limited when talking online because thereʼs no way for people watching or listening to know what kind of mood you're actually feeling at that moment; as if this was being shown live instead of recorded beforehand.
Are You Boring on the Internet? When you're offline, it's easy to adjust how much enthusiasm or excitement is in your voice depending on who you've called. For example: if the person is someone with a lot of energy and an outgoing personality (a friend-turned-artist, for instance), then we might want to up our own level so as not leave them hanging during their call; but when talking one on one with somebody more reserved or shy than us, maybe we should tone things down just a bit?
Online, you have one chance to create content that captures what youʼre trying to communicate in a way thatʼs engaging to different types of people who show up. What kind of voice should your tone be? A witty and clever tone? Serious or somber? Casual or lighthearted?
So how do you create a consistent, believable, snapshot of your personality? Without all the extra nuance youʼve had a lifetime to develop offline?
Itʼs no easy task, but it can be done with the help of a few tried and true methods.
It's not always an easy task to put your personality in words or on paper (or into social media). The world has made us all a wee bit more introverted than we used to be thanks primarily because society dictates that you have one chance at being judged by everyone for everything - so why open yourself up? But what if I told you that today was going to be different...that I knew something about how YOU could take control over this vicious cycle and give people insight into who you really are without taking away from anything else- would you believe me then?
You need to pick your platform personality archetype.
Pick Your Platform Personality There are three platform personality archetypes that work well in various industries, and any one of them may be able to capture your target customerʼs attention.
They are known as the sage, the sherpa, and the struggler. The key is to pick the platform personality that comes most naturally to you, and then commit to that personality so that your content consistently comes across from the same, or a similar, perspective.
Are You the Sage? The sage is the voice of wisdom and experience, and gives guidance directly without the need to add a lot of research or explanation for why they recommend what they do.
People trust the sage, because the sage has some external source for their authority that is highly-respected (such as a mind-glowingly talented photographer, bestselling author, or Nobel prize-winning economist).
If you're good, your good and people know it. As a photographer, your reputation for talent precedes you and there is no need to explain it to anyone. Your talent speaks for itself.
Are You the Sherpa? The sherpa is someone who has “climbed the mountain” and teaches other people how they can climb the mountain, too.
The sherpa speaks from personal experience, sharing what they have learned along the way to a destination that their target audience wants to reach, too.
By sharing your personal stories about photography, you pull in clients and followers because your stories are compelling, show empathy and tell your clients you understand them.
People trust the sherpa, because the sherpa represents hope of transformation, a few steps farther down the road.
Are You the Struggler? The struggler shares what they are learning, as they are learning, and rallies an audience around a mantra of “weʼre in this together.”
People trust the struggler because theyʼre vulnerable and transparent about the rough stuff they have not figured out yet, but they still continue to try and try again.
As a photographer you share your client's pain points and reservations because you've been through the struggle(s) yourself. You can help your client achieve what they want photographically because you've experienced the same thing they have.
Many successful platform-builders have grown an engaged audience with any one of these platform personalities, which one will you choose?
You can start with one and move into another as you develop and grow, but the key is to stick to presenting your personality through just one lens for an extended period of time.
This is how you get peopleʼs attention, and present a personality people will latch onto, as you build their trust over time.
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