Authenticity, Marketing and Important Announcement Regarding The Six-Figure Studio
Welcome Back and Big News to Share
Welcome back, friends! It's been a while since I've been on here, and I'm happy to be back to share some big things that are happening here at Sandra Coan Education.
A big reason for the hiatus is that in May we launched my latest program, the Sandra Coan Certification. It is massive, and I see it as a legacy project. I'm really thrilled but because it requires so much of me, my attention has shifted. My team and I have been talking about what that means for the rest of our educational offerings, and so we made the big decision to close the doors on my group coaching program, The Six-Figure Studio, forever.
My intention when I launched The Six-Figure Studio was to help photographers get through the lockdown. I wanted to teach them how to build their brand and market their business through difficult times, because I learned from experience the importance of knowing how to do this.
Since launching The Six-Figure Studio, it has evolved into something I'm really proud of. I have been able to help thousands of photographers from around the world strengthen their brands, build out their SEO, rank on Google for the first time, build systems for marketing that help them to stand out and make more money and so much more! I've seen people do phenomenal things in this group. This stuff works and the community is next level, so making the decision to close this program has been very hard, but I really do want to be able to give my all to Certification.
In Certification, I'll be working one-on-one with each member to curate their portfolio and to get them to a level where I can put my name on their work. The brand and reputation I've spent 24 years building for myself in the industry will be associated with them and their work, and I take that really seriously. So it's very hands-on work and requires a lot of attention, and unfortunately I can't do both.
So at the end of the month, we'll be closing the doors on The Six-Figure Studio forever. And since it is a six-month program, those who join now will get the full experience for the full six months—the coaching calls, the personalized website and portfolio reviews and access to the amazing community.
Now I'd like to share a clip of a recent coaching call from inside The Six-Figure Studio so that you can get an idea of the types of conversations we have in there. We really go into a lot of depth, and I know that this is a key component of the program, so I hope you find it interesting to hear a bit from our chat on authenticity and marketing.
We touched on the power of digging deep with yourself in order to get clarity surrounding what you do, why you do it and why that's important.
Vulnerability in Your Marketing
Grief is something we all go through and everyone experiences. Capturing moments of the human experience is a gift we have as photographers. I've captured photos of people I've lost and hold those very near and dear to my heart.
We talked about being private but also sharing deep moments that everyone can connect with. I choose to keep my private life private, but I also share moments that people can connect with—like grief and imposter syndrome.
When it comes to finding clarity in your work, in The Six-Figure Studio we discuss the importance of sharing the work you want to capture. If parents don't like being in your photos, it's important to share family photos and explain that they aren't for you—they're for your children to cherish in the future.
This may not surprise you, but the vulnerable posts are typically the ones that get the most attention. While it can be scary to share, the vulnerability connects you to others. One student shared she always gets lots of DMs and stories after posting something vulnerable. Post what you're comfortable with of course, but being vulnerable is not wrong or unprofessional.
Being authentic and vulnerable is how you connect with your followers and clients. We are all people, and we all work with people! It just makes sense to share those common emotions we experience—pain, joy, grief, love, excitement, passion, etc.
I always say stop thinking what you SHOULD do and lean into what you actually do. This is in your work but also in how you present yourself! How much easier would your work be if you showed up fully as yourself, always?
If you'd like to join The Six-Figure Studio community before it closes for good in July 2023, click here! And to watch my free informational webinar where I chat more about the program, click here.
