132 | Creating great photos & social media content with Alisha Cohen, LISH Creative

Today we’re lucky to have Alisha Cohen on Episode 132 of Proof to Product. Alisha is the founder and creative director of LISH Creative, a content agency for vibrant lifestyle and hospitality brands. Alisha took the leap to found her company in 2016 when she realized she had to leave agency life to break out on her own. Since then, Alisha and her team have created content for some of the world's leading brands including Nickelodeon, Nestle, General Mills, Facebook, Dunkin' Donuts, Delta Airlines, and Benefits Cosmetics.

On today's episode, Alisha shares her start up story and how she grew her business through determination and grit. She tells us how she taught herself to take professional photos using just her iphone and to create engaging content for social media. Alisha and I also talk about tips for preparing for photo shoots, the importance of having a shot list and helpful photo editing apps. We dive into what’s working and not working on social media today, how Alisha has now moved from having an in person team to a virtual team and all of the challenges that go along with that.

ON TODAY’S EPISODE:

What Alisha does and what a content agency is
How she got into the field and what she did before content creation
Where Alisha gets her grit and drive
How she connects with big brands and what collaboration looks like
The importance of putting out good work, consistently to build your brand
Alisha’s number one tip for other other creatives
What’s working right now in the online space and what’s not
Advice for taking great photos without all the fancy gear
Questions to ask before scheduling a photoshoot
Avoiding pitfalls
The fine line between inspiration and replication
Reality vs perception of running a small business
What’s next for LISH

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KEY TAKE AWAYS

“When you can bring on different team members that specialize in different areas, you are ultimately producing better work for your clients.” - Alisha Cohen

“When you do good work, it's a lot of word of mouth.” - Alisha Cohen

“Businesses are built on relationships, and the contacts you make on a project today may lead to additional work down the road.” - Katie Hunt

“We only put out the kind of work that we want to come in.” - Alisha Cohen

“I sign contracts that say influencer agreement, so I have to take on that term as much as I don't like it. No one loves the term, but what else do you call it?” - Alisha Cohen

“Social media is evolving so quickly and there's different roles that people are playing and different ways that we can get involved.” - Katie Hunt

“You find what you like and what you don't. Management was definitely something that wasn't my cup of tea. So I kind of just hand it off, and don't really worry about the metrics too much.” - Alisha Cohen

“It's unbelievable how much trial and error can go into one shot. So don't expect your first try to be awesome.” - Alisha Cohen

“You want to know what you're going to be using these photos for and what the goal is, and then have a list of everything you want to capture so you don't forget anything. That was my big mistake. I kept forgetting things because I didn't have a list.” - Katie Hunt

“If you look at our client journey that we have with each person, 80% of the work is the pre-work, is the shot lists and everything. So don't underestimate the time that needs to go into that.” - Alisha Cohen

“It can be tough to do the virtual thing, especially when you've been in person, and the type of work you is real in-person high touch.” - Katie Hunt

“It is so important to continually post and to continually interact with your community, whether that's reactively or proactively.” - Alisha Cohen

“One thing I face on social media quite a bit is I think people think my business is a lot larger than it is. It's myself and a handful of contractors, and I want people to realize we're a small business just like them.” - Katie Hunt
“It's a lot different than what you see on the internet, that's for sure.” - Alisha Cohen

CONNECT WITH ALISHA COHEN

Website: LISH | Pinterest: @Alishyishy | Instagram: @Alishylishy

Connect with Katie Hunt

Katie Hunt is a business strategist, podcaster, mentor and mama to four. She helps product based businesses build profitable, sustainable companies through her conferences, courses and coaching programs.

Website: prooftoproduct.com | Instagram: @prooftoproduct