Today I’m talking about using Instagram Stories to promote your services with Abby Jiu and Lisa Ziesing of Abby Jiu Photography. I’m really excited about this episode because I have been watching their Instagram Stories and I love their approach. We are talking all about how they got started with Instagram Stories and tips about showing up in front of the camera and figuring out the content you should be sharing. We also talk about getting more engagement on their Stories and how they are engaging with both clients and those in the wedding industry all in one place.

Topics Discussed:

• Why Abby and Lisa decided to make Instagram Stories part of their social media plan
• Tips for getting over the feat of showing up on camera
• The kinds of content you should be sharing
• Balancing personal, behind-the-scenes, and other content
• Creating Stories that resonate with your dream clients
• Getting more engagement on Stories
• The importance of showing your face
• The results Abby and Lisa have seen from using Instagram Stories

Resources Discussed:

• Bandolier
• Later
• Over
• Apple Watch

Action Steps:

1. Find 3-5 themes you can talk about consistently and relate back to your brand
2. Make a plan of what you will share and show up consistently
3. Find someone to hold yourself accountable

Connect with Abby and Lisa:

Abby Jiu has had a passion for gorgeous imagery and creating art since before she can remember. But in 2009, she picked up a camera and hasn’t put it down since. Her style is the best of both worlds, using film and digital cameras alike to catch the stolen glances, fits of laughter, and heartfelt emotions sprinkled among the ever-important beautiful details that make each wedding day unique. She loves having the opportunity to get to know her brides and grooms and uses these relationships and her decade-plus of experience to capture precious memories in an intentional way. When she’s not behind the camera, Abby fills her time with her supportive husband Jamey, their lovable bulldog Penelope, and sweet son Cooper—who like her is always taking in the world around him. Abby loves D.C. but also revels in traveling abroad, finds relaxation in the form of eating something sweet while watching TV on the couch, and has a great appreciation for interior design and fashion.

Lisa Ziesing has loved wedding photography long before she became the one creating it. She has been shooting film since her high school days on the yearbook staff and hasn’t stopped since. She’s in love with the details, getting to know the couple’s story, and getting challenged to take her work to new heights by the people she gets to collaborate with. When it isn’t wedding day, Lisa is most likely taking her high-energy Brittany pup Peaches for another walk, being an amateur food critic with her boyfriend Alex as they debate the merits of various Neapolitan pizza spots around town, and tending to the ever-growing collection of plants taking over her living room.

Established in 2009, Abby Jiu Photography began with just Abby behind the lens. Five years later, Lisa joined her, expanding the team and the scope of weddings and events they cover. Over the years, Abby and Lisa have jointly documented dozens of weddings and traveled together for destination jobs as near as New York City and as far as Ireland and Portugal. They also spend plenty of time together in their stylish Northern Virginia office. And even though they shoot individually too, the bond they’ve formed is undeniable.

This foundation makes them solid...