262
"How do I get noticed?" a question that seems to plague most small business owners and photographers. There is endless amounts of discussion among photographers about SEO, google analytics, getting published etc. nowadays it feels like I can't even have a discussion with a small business owner without hearing about the topic that is about as exciting to me as picking my toenails... Search engine Optimization. Sure, all those things are fine and dandy, but if you ask me, getting noticed comes down to two words: BE REMARKABLE.
The word remarkable is a fascinating one... mostly because by it's very definition it simply means something that is worth making a remark about. Calling something remarkable doesn't necessarily mean that you LOVE it or that it is the absolute best thing since sliced bread, it simply means that it is worth your energy to take the time to remark on it. Being remarkable means that something you saw or heard or felt is worth the time to tell someone about.
There are a lot ways we can make ourselves and our business remarkable. Many people just fail to recognize their unique strengths and make them assets to them. But the beautiful thing about being remarkable is it doesn't take special Internet marketing techniques and knowing all kinds of things about key-wording, spamdexing and all that "geekery" (as I call it :) . It is something that is at the mercy of each of our fingertips. Being remarkable is a powerful trait that lies within each of us. Your unique individuality is an incredible gift. Each of us can be worth making a remark on, it doesn't take special powers...most times it simply takes recognizing what makes you unique and leveraging that in your craft and business. For instance, perhaps you go the extra mile for someone, or execute on a "crazy idea" that's been sitting on your desk, or you take extra thought and time to design an album that is completely customized to your client, sitting down to write a handwritten note, having a unique vision for an image and executing on it.... just to name a few.
Bottom line: You can stand out or you can fizzle out, in order to stand out you MUST be remarkable. To be remarkable you must learn to leverage your unique strengths and take appropriate risks. There you have it folks.... my soap box. :)
Thoughts
Add a Comment
View Comments (19)
hi sarah, my friends Dan and Christine visited you recently, and so now i have come to know about you...i really appreciate this blog post, as i think it's getting to the essence of who you are and putting that out there that is the challenge. it's all about personal branding these days, and delivering a simple message, and all the while doing it remarkably. love your work...i live in canberra but alas the funds don't stretch to allow me to come to your workshop in november, but i wish you all the best with it and every success you can muster.
I will never think of "remarkable" the same way again... thank you!
Wonderful post & pic! You are remarkable!
I completely agree with you. I find my work to be remarkable even if some do not. It's all about believing in what you are producing!
I agree completely. Well said, Sarah. Well said.
Do you use those hyperlinks to increase SEO? HAHA, just kidding, great post I could not agree with you more!!
LOVE your work, your words. every second day you seem to come out with something incredible.
just so you know, i think your business is remarkable.
you're making a difference in the world!
XO
Beka Hope
I love your inspirational blog posts :)
Hmmmm...great inspiration for hump day (Wednesday)!
I totally agree!
LOL @ picking my toenails! Great message!
Thanks for blogging on this, Sarah! This is something i've been thinking about and talking with people about recently. One thing I remember Dane Sanders saying was people aren't necessarily paying you because you take great pictures. Yes, that's important, but they pay you for the experience they receive.
I cannot agree with you more. being a photographer, and a good one at that, has strayed so far away from good imagery and being a good friendly person with your clients and is all about name recognition and google statistics. I feel like if everyone would put down their mice for a day or so and just walk outside and work on their craft they would benefit so much more even if its just in personal happiness and enjoyment. Yes google rankings and SEO stats will being you more business but is that the business you want. Is that the business that is going to drive you to be the photographer, designer, image maker that you always dreamed of. Maybe, maybe not, but you did not strive and work so hard to spend your time staring at graphs with numbers of visits on it. If you do what you love and capture/create the images that give you and others enjoyment everything else will follow with time.
Sarah your always inspiring to me, your more than remarkable.
Hi, Thanks for this post. It was really informative, and I love the picture you used, as always.
Very inspirational and true!
Great post. Love it. Goes along with Seth Godin's newest book Linchpin. Great great read.
Love the messge! Thanks for the kick in the arse today!
Hmmm..I've found myself remarking about you many times in the past month. You know what that means.
thank you. so true, and so well written. inspiring. :)