We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Katie Soyka a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Katie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. One of the most important things we can do as business owners is ensure that our customers feel appreciated. What’s something you’ve done or seen a business owner do to help a customer feel valued?

As a small business owner in the service industry, it is very important for me to elevate the client experience. When a client books a brand photography session with me, I want them to feel supported and prepared for their session, but also feel special and cared for. I know that it is an investment of trust and time to put themselves (and their business) in front of the camera.

I mail each new client a gift in the form of a crystal to put on their desk, along with a handwritten note that explains the special meaning (enhancing self-confidence, self-worth, and manifesting prosperity.)

This small gesture goes a long way with my clients – but don’t take my word for it. My last client sent me this sweet email: “Thank you so much for the note and beautiful stone! It made my day to get a thoughtful and unexpected gift. I appreciate the good vibes and sparkle on my desk!”

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

The journey to owning my brand photography business began with a degree in marketing, followed by working for a Fortune 500 company for 6 years. When I had my daughter almost 14 years ago, I left my job to be a stay at home mom. However, my love of photography prompted me to create and slowly build my own business. Though my early photography focus was on weddings and families, I soon expanded into commercial photography, helping businesses craft their message. Today, as a brand photographer based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, my positive energy and encouraging nature, combined with a passionate eye for the creative and beautiful, have found their perfect home.

I am most proud of my ability to make women feel comfortable in front of the camera because when they overcome their fears, they create immense power. I believe that when women invest in themselves they step into their power and raise their voice. This is at the heart of everything I do.

The problem I solve for my clients is helping them know where to START when it comes to branding. Businesses typically know that professional images can set them apart, position them as the expert, and increase their worth. When I partner with a business, we begin by defining when I call their “brand essence” so the photography session captures each unique story. In this way, they establish authenticity and increase visibility. I elevate their brand so they can shine their light.

My aesthetic is light, bright and airy for fresh and clean visuals. We explore genuine expressions and natural posing for a lifestyle branding photography session. I am proud to connect my clients to their ideal clients with beautiful brands and stunning images.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

A lot of small business owners are trying to increase their presence on social media, and here is some advice for those with that goal:

– Shift your mindset. Instead of thinking of social media as “just one more thing you have to do” or thinking about how much “you hate social media”, think about it as a way for you to connect with your ideal clients. It is a fantastic opportunity to create authentic relationships, and just like so many other things in life, you will get out of it what you put into it.

– Get clear on your messaging first. Decide how you are going to talk about your business. Resist the urge to look around at what everyone else is doing, and take the time to write out your personal brand messaging. Ask yourself how you want people to experience your brand. What is special about the way you do business? I urge my clients to come up with their “Brand Essence,” which are 3 words that describe their brand. They can be adjectives or words that just kind of feel right. This helps get clear on what to say and what not to say when it comes to your business on social media. For example, a business with the brand essence words “positive, uplifting and beautiful” will have a very different presence online than one that is “edgy, bold and fun.”

– Know who you are talking to by defining your ideal client. Don’t be afraid to niche down, as this helps define your voice and gives you a cohesive page. When someone opens up my instagram page they see a very distinct style (light, bright and airy, positive, feminine), which all compliment my website and style of brand photography.

– Define your “Content Buckets” These are 3-5 topics that you can talk about in your business over and over again. One of the content buckets can and should be the actual service you provide or your products. But don’t ONLY talk about those things. Other content bucket categories could be behind the scenes, FAQ, community ties (do you want to support other wellness businesses or women owned businesses?), or the personal side of you (dog mom? wine drinker? avid reader).

Have you ever had to pivot?

Six years ago, my family and I moved from Texas back “home” to Wisconsin. At the time I was doing a lot of family and wedding photography, and there went each and every client that I had.

The first thing I did after the move was join my local Chamber of Commerce as a way to meet people and make business connections in the community. Looking back now, it was a pivotal time in re-defining my business because it gave me the opportunity to lean into the kind of photography that really filled me up inside – branding and working with businesses. If I had remained in Texas, I’m not sure that I would have ever been able to pull away from those paying clients and repeat customers that I had a great working and personal relationship with.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://elevatebrandphotography.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elevate_brand_photography/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-soyka-8b4788152/
• Other: Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/elevatebrandphotography

Image Credits
Katie Soyka – Elevate Brand Photography