Welcome! I’m glad you are here and ready to upgrade your visual marketing. I know as a business owner, I am always SO busy, so I will be brief and get right to the point. Here’s my 5 suggestions...
Welcome! I’m glad you are here and ready to upgrade your visual marketing. I know as a business owner, I am always SO busy, so I will be brief and get right to the point. Here’s my 5 suggestions to start upgrading your branding photography:
Step One: Research and make some decisions.
If you are in the exploration phase of your business, or maybe you are rebranding, research can help you see what you like and what you don’t like. Start a folder on your phone or computer and screenshot anything you are drawn to (you can organize next). The mood of the photos, the lighting, the colors… this will help you narrow down your ideal brand, and make it YOU. The next step is to make some tough decisions on which directions to go: pick a few colors and fonts and stick to them! Pick out your favorite 5-10 photos of inspiration and put them on your wall or your computer background! Start aiming for these visuals with all your might.
Step Two: What do you have, what do you need?
The next step I recommend is to see what media you already have that will fit into your new brand. Do you have cool behind-the-scenes videos of a product you think your clients will love? Do you have beautiful photos of your shop? Start organizing these in a way that works for you (and in a way that you will actually USE). Next, pinpoint what visuals you NEED. Do you need a headshot or yourself or your employees? Do you need simple studio photos of your products or services? How about photos of you interacting with a client? Keep a list of photo and video goals so you can start checking them off your list and be more prepared.
Step Three: Execute!
Whether you are hiring a photographer or you ARE the photographer, now is the time to look for opportunities. Look at your business with visual marketing in mind, and be playful about it. If you have a festive event coming up, consider taking photos then. If you have a product that clients are always asking “how do you make that??” consider filming a behind-the-scenes video. Play around and see what sticks. And you can always work with your photographer to find more opportunities. As always, keep your branding colors and mood in mind.
Step Four: Share!
Photos and videos of your business are only worthwhile if you SHARE them! So come up with a plan to update your website, Facebook, Instagram, or whatever platform your clients hang out on. Take the most striking images and use them across all your platforms, this will really tie together your branding. Mix your new content in with any previous stuff that made the branding cut. Have fun sharing your passion projects with your clients and be proud of yourself that you took the steps to refresh your visual marketing!
Step Five: Repeat.
I’m putting this step in here to remind you of a little secret: it's YOUR business, and you have the power to change it at your will. Branding consistency is very important, but I also believe in doing what works best for you and learning from your past. Be confident that you have more clients and customers out there waiting for you, and keep on evaluating your branding visuals. If you see an opportunity for a great content creation moment: capture and share it! Marketing should be fresh and exciting, so keep on searching for those visuals that excite you.
I hope this was a helpful list to get you started! If you are in the greater Seattle area, I would love to be your photographer. I also offer visual marketing consultation! We meet about once a month and I help you reach your marketing goals by assisting you in branding exploration, content creation, social media calendars, website optimization and MUCH more. Best of luck to you!
-Courtney