I’m checking my emails and I see one email from the Professional Speakers Association (PSA) of Western Australia promoting their monthly event. In it, I see an image banner containing photos of myself and my stylist, Jillian.
The email reads:
When a client books you – there’s a high probability that they’ve seen your picture in a place or two…have you considered how often you shift and change your look like a professional speaker? Do your photos reflect those changes and better yet, do they reflect who you are and your message as a speaker? In this presentation, Songy & Jillian will share inside tips on how to prepare for personal branding photos through stories and visuals so come prepared to take heaps of notes!
As I was reading this, I felt a sense of dread. Did I really say that? Do I even know my stuff well enough to speak cogently in front of the professional speakers?
What have I got myself into?
What is really strange is that less than 12 months ago, I was wondering if it would be a good idea for me to become a member of this organisation and if I could get my name out there with my newly established niche as a personal branding coach and a photographer.
I felt so small and insignificant when I attended one of their monthly events several months ago to find out if I could become a member or somehow I could be introduced or connected with someone while I was there. As you’d typically do in such situations, I was telling myself a story. I wasn’t experienced or qualified enough or they don’t like me – not that there was any evidence of such an idea – so my self-fulfilling conclusion was that the PSA was not for me.
And here I am now wondering how I could deliver a nearly hour-long talk on personal branding photography as a domain knowledge expert, specifically how to prepare for a session, in a roomful of professional speakers.
How did that happen?
Of course, it wasn’t any sort of magic. One might say I was lucky. My husband would probably say it didn’t have anything to do with luck at all.
I’m writing a book so that I could share the process that I went through. Although I call it a process now it was not at all a neat step by step process for me because there was nothing out there to help me figure all this out in fell swoop or one book that neatly presented what I needed to get to the point of where I am now.
There are lots of fabulous world-renowned authors but none who tackled the issue of personal branding in the format with which I currently help my clients. This is the book that I wish someone has written for me*.
I’m quietly enjoying the process of writing this thing that I wish to share with you at some point when it’s all written, designed, packaged and printed. Oh, that would be nice.
Sure, I’m not even half-way there yet. But by announcing the fact that it’s happening I’ve given myself a hook not to give up!
Are you working on any project that you must deliver? Why not share the deadline with some important people in your life? It might be just the thing you need to push yourself to see the finish line.
*Isn’t that typically why a book gets written? :)
