Who is my ideal client? Working out who inspires you to do your best work

As a personal branding photographer, I get to work with some seriously inspiring people; creatives, change-makers and small business owners who are out there building something meaningful. But not everyone is a perfect fit for my style and approach… And guess what? That’s totally ok!

The same goes for you and your business. Not everyone will buy into your brand vision and values, and neither would you want them to. You want to spend your time and effort working with clients that really ‘get it’. The clients that you feel a connection with and people who fuel your reason for doing what you do.

If you’re at the start of your branding (or re-branding) journey, ‘who is my ideal client?’ is a question you must ask yourself. In fact, it’s the first thing to do before you even think about choosing a website designer or personal brand photographer.

When answered thoughtfully and thoroughly, ‘who is my ideal client?’ will really inform the direction of your brand identity. And in turn this will influence the look and feel of your branding in general as well as your photo shoot.

How to identify your ideal client

Here are five quick ways to identify your ideal client:

1. Remember your favourite past clients. Who lit you up to work with? Who appreciated what you did? Which clients are your cheerleaders? Who invests their money with you? What does it feel like to work together? Then ask yourself: what did these clients have in common?
2. Reflect on your shared values. Are you and your clients ambitious, go-getters who are at home in the corporate world? Or are you both playful and relaxed people who like to work from home in pyjamas? Are socio-political or environmental issues important to you both? Your values should align.
3. Get specific about your ideal client. Write a short biography going into specifics about things like their location, gender, education, career, budget, likes and dislikes. You could even give them a name!
4. What problems does your ideal client have? How can you help them overcome those difficulties with what you have to offer?
5. Don’t be afraid to think about who your ideal client isn’t. For example, you may have a client in mind that always pays on time, but it doesn’t make your heart sing to work with them. Your new branding won’t necessarily put them off, but it could attract new clients who really excite you.

Once you know who you love working with, it becomes so much easier to plan the direction of your branding shoot with clarity. You’re well on your way to working with clients who truly get your vibe!

My ideal client is…

Now we’ve gone through how to identify your ideal client, let’s talk about who my ideal client is. Spoiler alert: it could be you!

Thanks to previously working through the above checklist before I launched my personal branding photography website, I’m shooting for my ideal clients on the regular. Because my branding is on-point tailored to my ideal client, I know that 99% of enquires that hit my inbox will be a good fit for me and ready to book. And my business (and personal wellbeing) is all the better for it.

• My ideal clients are building brands that are creative, authentic and positive. They want to inspire their ideal clients too!
• My dream client knows their business inside-out and are not afraid to show themselves in it. They get that personal branding photography isn’t just about looking polished—it’s about being relatable, real, and recognisable. That could mean shooting in their home office, favourite bar, or out in the park with their dog. They’re up for capturing the vibe that represents who they are.
• They want personal brand images that communicate something bold. They’re thinking bigger than a business card; websites, social media, press features are all on their radar. They want the kind of visual identity that makes people stop scrolling and say, ‘Ooh, who’s this?’
• They also value collaboration. They come ready with ideas (and maybe a mood board), but they also want me to help them shape a visual story that fits their goals. They’re willing to try out creative ideas at their personal branding shoot, even if it makes them feel a bit daft at the time. This is because they’re invested in what I do, and they trust the process.

Who my ideal client isn’t…

Thanks to really refining the look and feel of my branding, it’s rare that I work with an un-ideal client these days! However, I wanted to address a common misconception about my personal branding photographs…

You do not have to be a really ‘out-there’ person to come and have a shoot with me.

My clients all have different personalities. Some are introverts. Some are extroverts. Some are neurodiverse. And nearly all are a little bit shy when it comes to having their photo taken. This is totally normal and something that I’m very used to!

Regardless of your type of personality, I use my wealth of experience as a freelance photographer (14 years and counting!) to put you at ease so that you can get the very best out of your personal brand photo shoot. No matter who you are or what you do, you can have headshots that look and feel like the real you.

Ready to book personal branding photography?

When all is said and done, my ideal client wants more than just a headshot. They want connection, clarity and confidence in how they show up online. If that sounds like you, let’s make something great together. You can read more about what personal branding shoots I have to offer at my services page.

When you’re ready to book your headshots shoot, please fill out my contact form and I will get back to you right away with my availability.

Thank you for reading this blog post and I hope I’ve helped to get your ideas flowing about your dream clients! If you have any more questions please feel free to get in touch with me to chat further. Or take a look around my blog for more top tips about personal branding photography and more!