If you follow me, you know that I am obsessed with my Instagram account. It’s truly the ideal medium for the person who loves photography and social media. I have been on it for a while now, almost 4 years, but it’s only since I started this blog that I realized the power of Instagram and the benefit it had for my blog, my business.

Many of the fancy events that I have attended are because PR companies have found me on Instagram. The modelling gig I got for Smithery’s Spring look book was all thanks to Instagram stalking. They found me, so I must be doing something right!

When I started out, I had about 300 followers, most of which were my Facebook friends. It’s only when I started using it more strategically, using better images, adding hashtags and engaging with people that I noticed the numbers climbing up, way up. At this very moment I am at 3670… but that can change over the course of minutes! It’s a numbers game, after all.

As an entrepreneur, I get inspired all the time and try to figure out ways that I can help small business in my city, thrive and grow. I knew I would have to educate small business owners first, on what they don’t know and what they are missing out on.

In my post Bloggers & Businesses: Ways we can work together I helped define the advantage of working with bloggers and the many different ways bloggers can collaborate with small businesses. In my subsequent post Why we love brands who engage I introduced the concept of engagement, the bread and butter of social media.

And today, I am excited to finally launch my first Instagram workshop in Ottawa, with my colleague and professional photographer, Debra Cowie. This workshop is targeted to small business owners, creatives and makers who want to learn how to use Instagram and learn how to maximize opportunities online.

Introducing 9 Ways to tell your brand story: Photography and Digital Strategies for Instagram (May 14 2016, Ottawa)

We know that the secret to Instagram success is of combination of beautiful images and strategically planned content that will help to generate positive engagement and build a loyal following… and we want to show you how it’s done!

Whether on the fly, or perfectly planned, this intensive workshop will help you get the most out of your smartphone and teach you how to create beautiful images intend for Instagram. You will:

• Learn how to use natural light and shadow
• Learn to use composition and colour to create a compelling image
• Learn secrets from a professional stylist on how to use props and creat backdrops to optimally display products
• Learn how to edit your photos, create a signature style and make the most out of editing tools like the VSCOCam app

Once you have mastered your photography skills, you will learn how to tell your brand story using your new photos on Instagram. This social media planning component will help you:

• Optimize your account
• Plan your content
• Build your following
• Leverage hashtags
• Engage with your followers
• Grow your business

In the practical component of the workshop, you will have the opportunity to work one-on-one with your coaches: photographer, Debra Cowie and digital strategist, Chantal Sarkisian.You’ll have plenty of time to put all that you’ve learned into practice, so bring some of your own products to photograph. We will play with backdrops and props to help you create that perfect image paired with the right content for optimal Instagram sharing.

We are offering this first full-day intensive workshop at an introductory rate of only $168. That’a a crazy cheap investment considering you will learn about photography and digital marketing for your business. It will be worth every penny, I promise!

You can join our Facebook event page if you’re on the fence, or if I have managed to convince you, you can register on eventbrite.

I am really looking forward to sharing my knowledge and genuinely hope to help small businesses recognize that if they want to harness the power of social media and make it work for their business, there are a few tricks of the trade that will help them get there!