How to get over the fear of getting more visible in your architecture practice and career
In this new blog series, I’m sharing some of my own experiences of building a successful consulting business, which saw me transition from freelance-journalist-for-hire (2005-2016) to sought-after-expert with a waitlist of architect clients (2020-the present day).
I’m sharing these memories, reflections and insights to help architects recognise where their own experiences or beliefs may be stopping them from striving towards new goals or reaching new levels in their own practice and career.
I’d love to hear your feedback if any of these resonate with you: you can leave a comment below this article, join the conversation on social media, or email me directly at hello@soundslikedesign.com.au
1. My first personal branding photoshoot
One of the first shots of the day - I was still feeling VERY uncomfortable at this point!
In March 2020, I was updating my website, and I booked a personal branding photoshoot with a local photographer.
I make it sound easy, but in fact, I’d worked through an enormous amount of fear and dread to even get to that point.
I’d had to sidestep all sorts of concerns around being judged, both by the photographer and the people who would see the resulting images on my website. Some of the questions that swirled around my head included:
Who was I to even think that getting branding shots done was a worthwhile exercise?
What if her fees were outside my budget?
What if the photographer laughed at me during the shoot because I didn’t know how to pose?
What if I didn’t like the photos she took, but I’d already paid for them?
What if, what if, what if?
Eventually, after months of “researching” and gathering knowledge to help build my confidence - so that I could take decisive action - I took the plunge and made contact with a local branding photographer. She’d been recommended by a social marketing expert who’d helped me with my website, and whose opinion I trusted.
My friend assured me that this particular photographer would put me at ease during the shoot, and wouldn’t come across as judgemental for this rooky business owner/subject.
As part of my preparation, I’d downloaded a how-to guide from another mentor around planning a photoshoot. Working through the process she described - based on her own experiences of doing lots of personal branding shoots over the past decade - helped to quell some of fears and apprehensions I was feeling, as the day of the shoot drew closer.
The how-to guide contained suggestions about how to select an appropriate location, what props to bring, what outfits to wear, how to create a list of preferred shots, how to curate the mood in line with brand values - and I’d followed the advice to the letter, so I was well prepared for my shoot, or so I thought…
What did this struggle look like for me?
On the day of the shoot, Tuesday 3 March 2020 (just 8 days before the WHO declared Covid-19 a global pandemic, meaning that there was already a strong sense of fear and uncertainty emerging in Australia), I helped my kids get ready for school as usual, and I dropped them at the gate.
I’d found the process of getting myself ready extremely difficult: from the moment I got up that day, until the moment the photographer started taking pictures of me under The Narrows Bridge, I felt so sick and anxious that I thought I would vomit.
In fact, if I hadn’t paid for 50% of the substantial fee up front, I would have cancelled the whole thing. I even thought about cancelling it and foregoing the deposit, but I decided to push through.
I wanted those new photos for my website!
By this outfit change, I’d remembered to start breathing again, and was starting to feel slightly better about the whole thing!
I’d packed my car the night before with everything I needed for the shoot (except one belt, that I ended up having to “adapt, improvise and overcome" in the last outfit change). We’d agreed to meet at 10am at the South Perth foreshore, and I arrive early in an attempt to try and settle my nerves.
Before deciding to do this shoot, I’d done a few things that might have prepared me for this next-level of visibility. I’d done some public speaking as an archi-tour guide with the AAA in Sydney; I’d done some filming years before in my journalism degree and making short films with friends; and I’d presented to rooms full of architects at industry events.
Incidentally, last year I presented live - twice! - at the National Conference in Canberra, so I can categorically state that I’ve NEVER felt as nervous and churned up as I did on the morning of my personal branding photoshoot.
My hands were shaking, I kept going to the toilet thinking I would be sick, I couldn’t eat anything and the coffee I drank before leaving home probably amped me up even more.
Luckily, once the photographer arrived at the foreshore and set up her cameras and lenses, and produced a couple of test shots, she put me at ease pretty quickly. Once we got underway, I quickly realised that the whole thing wouldn’t be as bad as I’d imagined - that the build-up and my own fears about making myself visible in this way was actually far worse than the event itself!
In the end, I enjoyed the shoot and got quite comfortable in front of the camera.
How does this visibility struggle play out for architects?
I know that many architects also grapple with this issue of being visible; that they don’t feel confident posting photos or videos of themselves on their websites, or social media profiles and they don’t even have recent professional headshots that they can share with event organisers.
And I’ve come across plenty of reasons why architects don’t feel comfortable putting themselves forward as the face of their practices.
For example, I often hear that: “The work should speak for itself”, or architects make reference to the fact that they used to be banned from advertising themselves so this kind of promotional activity doesn’t come naturally, or they tell me how most architects are perfectionists, and that can get in the way of taking action when it comes to marketing themselves.
I see this play out in a negative way when I review architects’ websites as part of my Scorecard service, because often I can’t find a photo of the principal/s anywhere on the site, among all the beautiful professional shots of the projects. Some architecture websites don’t even contain the names of the founders, so without names and photos, there is no personal connection for a potential client to latch on to at all.
And this can lead to major problems in the modern marketing era, because “people buy from people” and your future clients aren’t looking for an architect, or a modality, per se, they are seeking a trusted guide to steer them through a complex and difficult project journey, towards a successful outcome.
Understanding what motivates your clients - and how to respond to their needs, wants, objections and fears - which revolves around the way you build connection, trust and rapport with them, and how you describe your process to help them find the clarity and confidence they’ll need to engage you, - is actually far more important than highly stylised images of your past award-winning projects.
Which is why having appealing and reassuring photos of you (and your team) - the people who will help them navigate the journey - on your website and your social media platforms is essential.
Insights from an architect:
Imposter syndrome and tall-poppy syndrome are a dynamic duo! Architecture-school knocks confidence! As self-worth improves, we’re taught not to brag about our greatness, so we feel unworthy of the attention…
- Anonymous architect, SLD Market Research Survey, 2024
What are my takeaway lessons from my own branding shoot experience?
At this point, I was feeling totally comfortable with the camera and the setting, and getting into the swing of things.
Solid preparation and planning can help to eliminate some of the stress associated with trying new things, or stepping out of your comfort zone. Seek out a free “how to do you first personal branding shoot” download from an internet marketer you trust (I used this one from Amy Porterfield)
Having access to stress relievers to fall back in the moment - such as breathing exercises, or a song you can dance to, to shake off nervous energy, can move you out of fear and into action. I had a cup of peppermint tea in some of my shots, which helped to calm my nerves slightly.
Sometimes you just have to leap into the unknown and trust that things will work out in your favour, because your anxiety and fear could stop you from reaching your next level. Knowing that your brain is hard-wired to keep you safe and inside your comfort zone, what methods or workarounds have you tried and successfully implemented in the past, to help you do hard things?
How can you adopt a progress-not-perfection mindset for your first personal branding photoshoot - or team photo shoot - knowing that, like anything you’re doing for the first time, you’ll get better at it with practice and experience, so it doesn’t have to be perfect on your first try?
We’ll be adding to this series and sending updates via our email newsletter. We’d love you to share it with your friends and colleagues, and anyone can click here to subscribe so you’ll be notified when the next instalment is published.
Find out more about our specialist business development and marketing services for architects:
Sounds Like Design developed the Six Channel System of business development and marketing for architects, to help practice owners, principals, directors, those responsible for bringing in new business - and anyone who looks after marketing and communications within a practice - to create or enhance their new client and project pipeline.
Our system and approach is all about helping you to win more of the work you love, and we offer four main services in Mini, Small, Medium and Large sizes, as follows:
Mini - purchase an Architecture Marketing Scorecard here and Rachael will privately review your online presence - including your website, social media profiles and email newsletter if you have one - to see how it’s performing as a new client pipeline. You’ll receive a video recording and a PDF scorecard to with tips and suggestions to make improvements and enhance your ability to attract and win more of the clients and projects you love working on.
Small - book an Acupuncture Session here - this is a one off (or regular) 1-hour Zoom meeting with marketing mentor Rachael Bernstone, where you can discuss any architecture related business development and marketing topic of your choice, including Referrals, Email marketing, Social Media, Publishing, Awards, Websites and more.
Medium - enrol in Architecture Marketing 360: a CPD course for architects here - our online, self-guided CPD course sets out the basics of business development and modern marketing for architects (everything you didn’t learn in your degrees!) and takes as little as three weeks to complete. Then, start your implementation and you’ll see results in just three months. It will help you build a client pipeline, and you could even start a waitlist.
Large - Enquire about Review + Reset - our one-on-one consulting package with Rachael here. In this three-month, intensive, fixed price package we’ll co-create your Business Development and Marketing Blueprint, so you can confidently build your client pipeline and delegate tasks to your team members or external marketing providers.