When Using Stock Photos “Gone Wrong” - Episode 139

“It's okay to use stock photos,” says May Yeo Silvers, but you must be cautious about representing your work and your skills honestly.  May dives into the ethical use of stock images in event planning, sparked by an experience with a florist whose misleading Instagram portfolio led to a corporate event that didn't meet expectations. This story underscores the risks of misrepresentation prevalent in the event planning industry through social media.   In her discussion, May stresses the importance of authenticity in marketing. She urges new event planners to ensure that the images they use align with their actual capabilities, to preserve their reputation and client relationships. Misleading potential clients with skills or services that cannot be delivered can lead to lost business and credibility.   May also touches on the critical aspects of responsiveness and the deep understanding of the logistics and costs involved in bringing an advertised design to life. She provides actionable advice for building a truthful and appealing digital portfolio, including conducting styled shoots that accurately showcase one's work.   For listeners looking to deepen their understanding of effective business and event planning practices, May introduces her Business Kickstart Bundle. This package includes 24 courses for $24, covering essential skills needed to thrive in the industry. This resource is designed to help planners create compelling, honest content that attracts the right clients. Click here to access the bundle!   Quotes • “It’s okay to use stock photos and it’s okay to use pictures of other people’s events as long as you don’t say ‘I did this event.’” (02:46 | May Silvers)  • “You need to be able to stand behind whatever you post on social media to say that, ‘Yes, I can do that.’” (14:09 | May Silvers)  • “This is how you’re going to sabotage yourself—if you use a stock photo but you don’t back it up with the resources or the knowledge to be able to execute that look. It’s extremely important if you’re using stock photos, you must get this step done. You must either know how to do it or you find somebody who can do that. Otherwise, it’s false advertising. It may align with your brand and your design style, but you have to be able to pull off that look… You have to back it up. I cannot stress how important that is.” (19:32 | May Silvers)    Links If you are hesitating to show up on social media because you don't have any "grammable worthy" pictures to showcase your work, you are in luck because I have just the solution for you!   In our 24 Courses Business Kickstart Bundle, there is an entire module on how to create a style shoot so you have a professional looking digital portfolio PLUS another module on social media strategies where you learn how to create content to grow followers and turn them into buyers, all for ONLY $24 for 24 Courses!    These 24 courses revolve around the business fundamentals of Pricing, Marketing, Converting Leads, Business Legalities, Items you need to start your business, Mindset & Productivity hacks.   Ready to launch and scale your events business for ONLY $24? Click the link below to see what comes with the 24 course bundle! https://learnwith.mayyeosilvers.com/kickstart-24ob47oto67-podcast   Connect with May at: [email protected] Website: www.mayyeosilvers.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mayyeosilvers/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/mayyeosilvers IG: www.instagram.com/mayyeosilvers TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mayyeosilversofficial FB private group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/events4anyone   Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm