Growth words you want to nurture in your photography marketing and business
Image by: @jeremybishop
If you’re reading this blog and finding me on other platforms like my Youtube channel or speaking in my private FB group, you’ll know that I feel words matter a lot when it comes to business and marketing. I’m sure we all understand the difference that language can make, as in calling our work “pics” versus “photographs".
I encourage everyone to have brand words, and also a list of words that they wish to avoid as part of their brand. When you are clear on how you want to communicate and what words may break that energy, then you’re already on the road of success of more effective marketing communications.
Growth words
Growth words are those that point to gains of some sort; usually with a double meaning for maximum impact.
Why is this important? Words of today are rooted in the language of yesterday. The origin of language and words is interesting and curious because it often points to a relationship that we no longer see or understand fully. We know what words mean but there can be powerful insight when we understand our words more deeply.
Take the word decision. We take it to mean that we have to settle on something. But the root of the word means to cut/ kill off. Applying that added insight, to decide means to cut yourself off from any other option other than the one you’ve chosen to pursue. And there is an added element of absoluteness, without a plan B. When we see it this way, we feel that making decisions is serious and comes with a commitment to the course of action we have settled on. And when we commit to something, we want to follow through. Using the word daily, we may lose the impact of it, but seeing it in different light can infuse us with new wisdom.
I was listening to a podcast today, and the speaker had referenced the word appreciate. The prevailing wealth mindset wisdom tells us that when we are grateful for all that we have (we appreciate it), then it appreciates. It occurred to me that appreciation is used when we are thankful and it also applies to our money growing. Is this an accident?
The word originates from a term which means to be appraised or valued. To appraise means to evaluate for worth. When we deem something worthy of praise, we are receiving value and are thankful of that. Value is also tangible, as in appraising the value of an old coin or an antique, or even our home.
Where we place our appreciation matters. We tend to feel unappreciative if we feel something is eluding us - like money, in the same way we feel unappreciated if we no one around us ever expresses that we are valued (like when you send your gallery and get no feedback, amiright?). If we can use this word to appreciate all - ourselves first, the money we do have, the other valuable things in our life, then those things may start to appreciate as well!
List of words
After I listened to this podcast and had these thoughts, I considered another word that I have used often that has 2 meanings built into one: Learn. To learn is to gain value through education, and earn means to gain value financially as well as emotionally, mentally and spiritually, such as earning someone’s respect. The word comes from an old English word meaning to deserve, merit or win or labour for. Where appreciation is more of a state of mind — as in being in a state of gratitude, both learning and earning are states that are more active - as in labouring for knowledge and conducting ourselves in ways where we merit positive returns.
This all got me on a kick. I Googled growth synonyms and lovely AI gave me a list of words. Here are the ones that stood out for me, that I wish to use and nurture in my business and in my marketing where applicable:
Inflate or inflation: We typically use the word inflate to refer to filling something up, like a camping mattress or balloons with air, for a party. We may use it in negative terms, such as an inflated ego. We typically only refer to inflation as an economic terms that gives us diminishing returns on our dollars as prices go up.
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It occurred to me that we often also use another word in association with inflation: shrinkflation. If someone hasn’t increased the price, they have decreased what we receive for that price. It’s curious to me that many of us practice a version of shrinkflation ourselves - not taking up our space, but shrinking or playing small because of our impostor.
But when we inflate something, it grows and it gets bigger. We deserve to fill up the space we are meant to fill in this life and fill it confidently because there is no one else like us on this planet that can do exactly what we do. And we are also meant to inflate all good things. I mean, does a balloon fulfill its destiny when not inflated? It’s just a piece of coloured, shrivelled, rubber. But inflate them and you get the biggest and most colourful and vibrant spheres of celebration: love, connection, photographs, business success.
Soar: We use this term when there are significant gains in value and it also defines a sense of flying high - such as soaring prices which we perceive as negative, but also soaring like a bird, which we perceive as positive and powerful. Can we choose to soar over the competition, soar in our success and soar in our own finances? This word has a sense of freedom that really appeals.
Gain: I’ve been using this word to describe the other words, but it is also a term often used for monetary and non monetary purposes. We often use the word gain in negative light as well - such as unwanted weight gain. But gains financially mean that we’ve made the right investments, and gains in other areas such as knowledge mean we’ve made the right investments in education. To gain isn’t just an increase, it’s obtaining something - to gain means to acquire. What you acquire refers to ownership and well that’s a word that I love.
Ownership means that something is yours and it also means mastery and taking up space (inflating!) - owning the room, owning our behaviour. When we experience real or a sense of ownership, we take responsibility for our actions and success, and become more confident in steering our ship.
Words matter. Use powerful and positive language in your business to instil these qualities into your business and then allow a sense of ownership to lead you to act in accordance with these words as well. If we do, I believe that we will grow: appreciate, inflate, gain and SOAR!
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