Our Social Mum of the week is photographer Claire who is a member of our Social Mums West Kent Facebook Group. She shares her inspiration for starting her business as well as a great social media tip she has picked up!

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your family.

Hello! I live in Penshurst, just outside Tunbridge Wells, with my husband and two girls, Olivia and Sophie. We moved to Penshurst from Blackheath in London, 8 years ago and I absolutely love this part of Kent. I love the outdoors, long walks, coffee (and wine) in equal measure and I’m obsessed with light! 

What is your business?

Little Olives Photography – I’m a family and lifestyle photographer. I specialise in family lifestyle portraits, as well as doing weddings and events and headshots and branding for other small businesses.

What inspired you to start your business?

My children are definitely the inspiration behind my business. I took up photography when they were little as I wanted to take better photos of them as they were growing up. I took a foundation course in photography and after that I was simply hooked. Soon afterwards I bought my first DSLR camera and went on to develop my photography from there – teaching myself and taking further training in portrait photography.

What social media platforms do you use and why?

I mainly use Facebook and Instagram. I think most people are on Facebook so it’s important to have a business presence on there. However, I think a lot of people are moving onto Instagram, which definitely seems to be a growing platform. As Instagram is photo based, it’s brilliant for photographers and definitely my favourite social media platform at the moment.

What do you find most challenging about marketing your business on social media?

I think as most businesses are now on social media, it can feel very crowded out there! The challenge is standing out amongst similar businesses and showing how you are unique. It’s also very time consuming, especially if you are trying to post every day. I try to make sure that I network and meet people face to face so that I’m not just relying on social media for my business.

What is the best social media tip you have picked up for your business?

To be authentic and be yourself – show a bit of your personality. It’s much easier to find the right words when communicating if you are just being yourself. Hopefully you’ll then also attract the right clients that want to work with you. I enjoy posting on Instagram ‘stories’ when I can as this is a great way to show some behind the scenes footage and a bit of your own personality too.

What have you found most useful about being part of a Social Mums Facebook Group?

I really like the daily social share. It’s a great way to help increase engagement when you put a new post out on social media.

Where can we find you on social media?

You can find me on Instagram here.

You can find me on Facebook here.

 

Find out more about our local Facebook Support Groups here.