Guest Blog: Helen Yandell Photography
Is a brand shoot a necessity?
Well I may have a biased answer on this but, I genuinely do think brand photography is a necessity especially if you want to launch your business and attract clients that value you and your business.
People buy from people that’s a known fact in the world of business, SO how are you going to stand out from the crowd with your business? One easy way is to have a bank of bespoke on brand images that show the real you and that are aligned to your values and business.
Stock images vs professional images
Is a generic stock image going to do that for you? NO is the answer as everyone (not just Photographers) can spot a stock image nowadays, you are unique, your business is unique, how you do it is unique so therefore you need visual images to show this to your potential clients.
If you have no professional images of your business, how are you going to connect with your clients quickly and easily?
There are a host of different ways that you can market your business from social media to Networking to flyers to exhibition stands the list goes on. Let’s take one platform as an example
(PS I recommend having multiple platforms, so you’ve not got all your eggs in one basket try 3-4 to vary the marketing)
If we look at social media as a platform whether its Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook or the newest one to emerge you’re in a sea of visual media, a plethora of businesses and an endless scroll, so how do you get your head up high above the rest?
Getting Visible
Well, a few proven ways to get yourself visible is to do lives and videos so you show people the face behind the business, This is a brave but effective way of getting yourself out there as well as having a set of professional images that you can use to post about how you solve people’s problems with your product or service.
Being visible is a fast-track way to help you get where you want to with business growth and confidence.
Are you authentic? Is that one of your values? Because if it is then having generic stock images or even worse no images at all isn’t being in line with your business.
Have you googled authentic? It means not to copy and to be original so be brave and show you and your business for who / what you are and be proud of it.
Having a bespoke set of images does not mean that you should have 20 images of yourself. A brand photography shoot is so much more than this. With a brand Photography specialist, you will explore all about your business and how you are unique then design a shoot that shows just all of this and more in the form of visuals.
You need your potential clients to get to know you, and realise why you do what you do,
A brand shoot will connect them it will show your values, and this will all help with that Know like and trust factor we talk about in business.
Having a brand photography and including all your who’s and your’ why’s will set you apart from the crowd and attract your ideal clients.
Showing up in an authentic way and having a brand specialist design a brand shoot that is specific to your business is a marketing investment that can be used cross purpose.
Your images will show a consistency that is carried through all your marketing your images will have the same feel so that when you show your images off your potential clients can immediately see that it’s you before they even read the text. They recognise the branding by your visuals.
CONNECT With Your Clients
Have you thought about the big brands in the business world? Have you noticed that they all have a tone and a feel to their marketing, they do not necessarily have all the workers and staff images on their advertising (they are so big that that would not work for them.)
But as a small /medium sized business it is SO different you need to connect with your clients through you the owner the founder the director the face behind the brand. They want to see the face behind the business and the way to-do that quickly and professionally is through brand photography; remember visuals are processed faster than words.
Investing
It is an investment like it’s an investment to make your company limited, like it’s an investment to get a web designer to design you a website, having someone work with you to share your vision can be so powerful.
Brand photography can do so much more than give you a set of on brand authentic images that attract your ideal clients though – it can give you confidence and with that you are proud to share your images more often and therefore you will achieve your goals quicker.
It really is a win win if you gain confidence by sharing your images and you love them then you’ll achieve business growth much quicker
If you’re a personal brand you’re the face of your business and customers want to see you and know who you are if they are going to work with you.
PRODUCT Branding
If you are a product based business then the same applies but also having a bank of images that showcase your products to their best light and in an authentic environment will again help with customer connections – think of the curtain twitchers on social media always looking making decisions on buying if they can find out more from your website and awesome visuals will do that. You will keep them on your website for longer and therefore they’re naturally educating themselves and getting the information that they need to make buying choices, and this is done from amazing visuals and imagery through a brand shoot.
Your brand shoot
It is so so important your images are the FIRST thing that will stop them in their tracks, if you’re a holiday let they will be looking for certain things, wheelchair access, flooring not carpet for the dog, the lighting the feel of it will in a second put someone off and you will not even get the chance for them to read your lovely words. This is the power of good photography visual are so so important in this field and area of business.
Every business needs a certain base layer to get it going and take off, a brand shoot and suite of professional images for your products, accommodation or food business is part of that base layer that is a necessity. It really is an investment just like a logo and a website and a name it’s the basis and foundations that underpin your values and what your business is about.
Let me know if I can help you with your business branding.
What’s stopping you and why wait? Invest in your business and you’ll see the rewards.
Find Helen online at HelenYandellphotography
Book a coffee & chat with Helen Select a Date & Time – Calendly
Get Helen’s guide to the 5 images you should have on your website 5 Images you should have on your website in 2023 (subscribepage.io)
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