The Difference Map

Getting Down to Business with “The Difference Map”

Turning Purpose into Portrait Studio Success

Running a successful portrait studio takes more than just a beautiful portfolio and a good eye for light. It takes clarity. Vision. Strategy. And above all—it takes intention.

This week’s Tuesday Tidbit is about rolling up our sleeves and getting serious about the “why” behind our work by using one of my favorite tools: The Difference Map by Bernadette Jiwa.

If you’ve never explored it, The Difference Map is a simple, powerful tool to help uncover what truly sets your business apart. Not just in what you do, but in how you do it, and more importantly—why you do it. 

It's only one page...BUT it packs a punch!

Why This Matters for Portrait Photographers

In a crowded photography market, clients are searching for a connection—to feel seen, understood, and cared for. 

That kind of connection starts with you knowing exactly what difference you want to make in people’s lives through your art.

That’s where The Difference Map comes in. It helps clarify:

•  Your Principles: Truth about me/us? Truth about the market? Truth about the people I/we want to serve?

• Your Purpose: Why do we exist?

• Your People: Who are you really serving? What are their hopes, struggles, and dreams?

• Personal: How can we change how people feel? How can we help them live better lives?

• Perception: What do they believe about us? What would we like them to believe about us?

• Product: What do people really want or need? How do we create value for our clients?

What Happens When You Get Clear

When you dig into these questions with honesty and heart, something shifts. Your messaging gets sharper. Your offers get more aligned. Your clients feel the authenticity—and that builds trust. And trust? That’s the magic that turns inquiries into bookings and clients into raving fans.

A Challenge for You

This week, I challenge you to set aside 30-60 minutes of focused time. Print out The Difference Map (you can find it here) and take yourself through each section with intention. Be honest. Be specific. Be bold.

And don’t just stop at writing things down. Take one insight from your map and turn it into action—update your website, adjust a client workflow, reword your About page, or start a social post series that showcases the difference only you can make.

Let’s get down to business—heart-first, purpose-driven, and ready to build portrait studios that make a lasting impact.

*You can see a few of our answers in the photo at the top. It was an excellent, eye-opening time and well worth the effort.