“People do business with those they Know, Like and Trust”. Some business leaders call it the KLT factor. Your clients don’t only book you based on your portfolio. That’s the beginning, that’s so they can know WHAT you do, but they also want to know WHO you are, they want to “Know” YOU.
As a freelance makeup artist, you are responsible for your own “Personal Brand”. Your personal brand includes your personality, values and strengths as much as your qualifications and skills. Whether you know it or not, you have already begun to cultivate your personal brand, by becoming a qualified artist and marketing yourself to the way you dress, communicate with your clients, even the things you post on social media. An important part of your success involves creating and curating the personal brand you want to portray to the world. One of the most obvious places you can begin is with your “About Me” section on your website.
How often when you are browsing a small business’s website do you look at their “About Us” or “About Me” page? Its one of the first pages I ever look at. Whether it be a hair salon, pet-sitter, driving instructor (for my kid on his L’s), paragliding instructor (gotta get my adrenaline fix), I always want to know about the person behind the business. *See what I did there? I told you some stuff about me that you might not have known, I like pets, I have a teenager (2 actually!) and I’m an extreme sports nut… now you KNOW ME a little better!
What About Me? (I mean, YOU)
This week I want to talk about your “About Me” section on your website. If you don’t yet have a website, you should! I recently polled a group of makeup artists, and 74% said they do have a website (which is a great result!). I wrote about the importance of a website over here. When I am working with my coaching clients who are putting together their websites, one of their biggest challenges is writing their “About Me” section.
I have read enough “About Me” pages to become bored with the same old list of qualifications and “work I’ve done”. And, I’ll admit it, for a LONG TIME my About me was like that too, as I thought I had to be all professional-like, to attract commercial and corporate clients. However, I’ve learned that most of the time, people aren’t really interested in that stuff… they want to know WHO I am, and WHY they should book me.
Getting back to that KLT factor, your About Me section is your greatest opportunity to get your clients to Know and Like you (trust will come soon after). So don’t be afraid, tell them about YOU. This is your opportunity to CONNECT with your ideal client, and start to build that KLT factor. Your ideal client doesn’t book your work, they book YOU.
So how do you write a great “About Me” section?
- Imagine you are the client. What is she thinking? Of course she wants reassurance that you are qualified and experienced enough to do a great makeup job, but she also needs to know that you are a great person, and that you are going to get along with her. After all, you’re going to be touching her face! I think sometimes we forget how up-close and personal we get with our clients, so keep that in mind when you’re writing about yourself.
- Imagine you are in a job interview, and they ask THAT QUESTION… (I remember from my recruitment days that many people squirm when asked this question!) “Why should we hire you for this job?” THAT is the primary question your client is (sub-consciously) asking when they click on your About Me page. I was recently helping another makeup artist launch her website and we role-played this question. The answer she gave me was SO different to what she had written! Her About Me section now shows her passion.
- Write from your HEART… this is the best way to make a meaningful connection with your reader.Then get feedback. Ask your loved ones, ask your colleagues, ask a mentor to read over your About Me section and get their feedback.
- SHOW YOUR FACE!!! I can’t stress this point enough. And I know, I know, you’d rather be behind the camera. I get it. I can’t tell you how uncomfortable I felt getting my professional headshots done, but a great image of you, smiling at the camera also helps your client to KNOW you. As solo entrepreneurs our headshot is a really important part of our personal branding.
- List your achievements, awards, career highlights, but don’t go on and on… Name drop if you feel the need, but if you are going to name drop, make sure they are names that people will actually recognise! I’ve read makeup artist’s bios where I’ve maybe recognised one in twenty of the names they have listed. You might instead like to provide a link to your CV where you have your jobs, publications and famous faces listed.
Take some time to look over your “About Me” section and ask yourself; Does this accurately represent me as the artist I truly am, and want to be? Is my “About Me” page helping me portray the personal brand I want to? Rewrite it if necessary. You may find, as you grow and develop as an artist that your career takes you in different directions than you first thought, so make sure you keep this page up to date. It may be the deciding factor in whether a client actually books you or not!
I hope you have found this post helpful, and it has maybe encouraged you to go and have a look over your “About Me” section. Are you speaking to your ideal client? Does your About Me page really tell your clients about you? Feel free to share this post with any other artists you feel could use a hand with this info, and as always, if you have questions, drop a comment below, or reach out via email, I’d love to hear from you ❤
Photo credits:
Tenille Fink
Michael Greves
Dream Life Photography
Some unknown fellow tourist!!!
Sue Louise McLaurin 