Have you ever had a big dream (or small dream!) floating around in the back of your mind that you decided to let go of because you didn’t even know the first step to take towards achieving it? Or maybe you were scared that people would scoff at your dream because you’re so far from achieving it or because they don’t understand it? Whatever your dream is —  to start a business, run a marathon, earn another degree, start a non-profit organization, raise money for a cause…the list goes on and on! — I think that half the battle to reaching your dream is being willing to put yourself out there and create awareness about whatever it is that you want to do…

I don’t think that means making a big public announcement of your dream on Facebook..at least not right away..although maybe that could help in some cases…but I think it really means connecting with the right people and making them aware of your dream…I think you’d be surprised how many more experienced people are willing to help you get started on reaching your dream by pointing you in the right direction!…or how many people who are in a similar place that would want to work together to learn something new!

About a year and a half ago, my business was nothing but a little tiny dream…I hadn’t really thought it all the way through yet, but I started to network with photographers who were working towards a similar dream. My favorite part was getting to make new friends! Less than a year ago I went to a networking dinner with a bunch of photographers who had already established their businesses…there were about 20ish people there and we went around the table with everyone introducing themselves..you were supposed to share your name and business name…When it was my turn I remember saying, “I’m Annamarie and I’m not actually a real photographer yet soo my future business doesn’t have a name…”…TALK ABOUT INTIMIDATING.

But you know what?? People were SO encouraging! They wanted to give me advice and tell me about their experiences and I just soaked up as much information as I could. And it turned out that that was one of the most important things I did…Creating awareness that I had this dream of running a business…I had to let down my pride and admit I needed a little A LOT of help. And I think no matter where you are in your dream..especially if your dream is to run a business..creating awareness and asking for help will always be important to continue growing and moving forward. To me, creating awareness and in turn, expanding the circle of people you reach is what the basis of marketing is all about!

So here are a few things that have helped me work towards my dream by creating awareness of it and by expanding the circles of people I reach…Obviously these are what helped me as a photography business owner, so they will look very different if you have a very different dream! Id love to know what steps have helped you start working towards your dream and if they are similar or different than mine based on what your dream is!! I still have a lot to learn and I’m always looking for new ways to create and expand.

1. Make friends in the industry – these people have become some of my biggest fans and they’re always willing to point me in the right direction when I need advice!

2. Shoot for free and look for opportunities when your first starting out…In the beginning I asked a ton of friends if I could take pictures of them for free…after I had built up a portfolio, I heard that a friend of a friend was getting married and had a smaller wedding budget…so I actually contacted HER, showed her my portfolio and offered to shoot her wedding for basically free. I think you have to be proactive and willing to make sacrifices to reach your goals.

3. Create Awareness of your professionalism…Even if you’re shooting for free at the beginning (whether it’s your own gig or you’re second shooting) make sure you treat it as if you were getting paid…because you are getting “paid” in other ways — you gain experience, new skills, and an opportunity for positive word of mouth referrals, among other things!

4. Attend a workshop or mentoring session…If you don’t know where to start finding people to connect with in your area…it could be a good idea to go to one that’s local to help you meet people who are at a similar place with their business!

5. Start a referrals group…I just starting doing this with a few of my photographer friends in VA…I’ve heard how awesome this worked for big names like Jasmine Star, but I’m not sure I really believed it until I tried it.  All you have to do is find a group of photographers who are similar in price and style to you…then when you get an inquiry for a date you’re already booked for, you can send those inquiries to the group! It expands your reach by a ton because then your getting inquiries from people who may have never found you otherwise! Plus I just love the girls in my group and gained some new friends when we established it. They are awesome.

And just in case you got bored of this post because this was A TON of writing with no pictures…here’s a few of me that my wonderful friend Katie (who is also a part of my referrals group!) took of me while I was shooting an e-session (aka living part of my dream!)…Also note my lazy girl top knot hair style that I have probably sported too many times since I started a business because I almost never have time to straighten my hair anymore….

Got any other tips? Happy Tuesday!!