You are a talented creative (photographer, graphic designer, event planner, etc.), you have tons of knowledge worth sharing with folks in the industry, you want to grow a community of like-minded people that empower each other - why not become an educator? For some, there comes a point when their creative brand matures and going into education only feels like the natural thing to do. Others start it early on, grow powerful learning communities, get more recognition online, and turn education into a consistent source of income. If you too are considering to become an educator and serve your community better, but are not sure where to start - keep reading!
Phylicia Willis: 7 steps to becoming an Educator in the Creative Industry
image credits: poshmomentsphoto.com
This is a guest post by Phylicia Willis - a Wedding & Brand Photographer and Educator, based in North Carolina. She nurtures a strong educational platform for photographers and serves her community daily, by offering useful marketing and business content and also bits of her witty personality. In today’s article, she shares her own formula with us - 7 powerful tips that will help you get started in your teaching journey.
Phylicia Willis| Posh Moments Photo | Destination Wedding and Brand Photographer & Educator
POSHMOMENTSPHOTO.COM - WEBSITE BUILT WITH PORTO DESIGN KIT
First let me say, I truly believe that in order to become a teacher you should first become a student. The process of humbling yourself under the tutelage of an industry authority is soooo important. I came into the photography industry with pure intentions to enjoy and hone in on my craft. I was willing to do whatever it took (shooting under someone for free or paid mentorships) to soak up all the knowledge like a sponge. Honestly, my intentions were never to become a huge photographer and educator. I sat under someone because if I was to charge anyone money for photos I wanted to serve them in excellence. Also note, that I did not chase the path of becoming an educator. It aligned itself when I genuinely gave a darn about people. The private question after private question in my DMs and my willingness to be an open book were the first stepping stones to the pathway of education. I love walking this path and how it is continuing to build.
Did I hear you ask "Where do I start?"?
1. Learn. Learn, learn, learn, and then learn some more. I cannot say this enough. Successful people never stop learning. Spend countless hours on youtube university, invest in workshops and conferences, read and seek out a mentor. Let's not forget about life lessons! How can you give if you don't have anything to give?!
2. Genuinely care about your audience (ideal audience). Caring means that you empathize with their struggles, support their dreams, know their goals, etc. You will then know how to serve them with amazing content that gives answers to all of these areas!
3. Grow down, not wide. This means to serve those right in front of you. The 10 photographers that look up to you will soon become your brand evangelists and superfans all because you took the time to dig deep and show up for them. When I first started my Photo Tribe Facebook Group, I had the same 2 people interact daily on my lives. Guess what, I kept showing up just for THEM. I had to remember that I was there for the people that were in my DMs, emails, and texts. You want to serve those who are listening!
4. BE CONSISTENT. Choose the platform through which you want to communicate with your audience and be consistent. This builds awareness, likeability, and trust! I chose Facebook groups for Photo Tribe as my main place to share. I go in weekly for live chats and avail myself to answer all the faqs through various content. Put yourself out there over and over again. You never know who's watching and who will become your brand evangelist.
5. Give the good stuff not the fluff! The content that you choose to give should not be filler. There is enough fluff out there! Share the juicy info that you know they want to learn! This will set you apart from the rest.
6. Now that we know to give the good stuff, give give give and give again! Give all the value everywhere. On my website, I have constructed freebies for my audience. When they visit my internet home, they are greeted with something free and I don't want anything in exchange. This creates a loyal audience. Every human can tell when they are being targeted for a sale and that's not what you want them to think of you.
7. Collaborations are fantastic! Collaborate with other people in and around your industry that can bring value to your audience. Your viewers will be so grateful to hear expert advice AND the guest that you choose will share the event, live, blog, etc. with their audience. MORE exposure! More eyes on you both!
The gist of becoming an educator is to learn, care, and serve. If you follow these steps you will be well on your way to becoming a pretty darn standout educator in your industry!
Did you enjoy these tips? Make sure to join Phylicia’s Facebook Community Photo Tribe, where she shares insightful content for photographers - on marketing, gear, and editing, posing tips, business insights, and much more. She also hosts regular lives inside the group, on various topics, with really awesome guests in the industry. Want to see more? Check out Phylicia’s YouTube channel - trust us, you’ll instantly fall in love with her fun personality! And if you haven’t yet, make sure to follow her stunning work on Instagram.
Creatively yours,
Squaremuse Team