I’m sure you’ve experienced it-you're scrolling through Instagram and being bombarded by a sea of generic stock photos when you suddenly see a post that stops your scroll.
The photo captures the essence of a moment, a moment that resonates with you. It also captures the brand—it’s vibrant, engaging, and bursting with personality. You’re intrigued; you click on the profile and discover a small business that instantly engages you, and you’re pulled into their world.
That's the magic of brand photography for small businesses. When so much of our marketing is on social media, where attention spans are shorter than ever, effective visuals are essential for capturing your audience's hearts (and payment cards!).
Of course, you know I’m going to proclaim the benefits of professional brand photography. The reality is, though, that after a brand shoot with me, many of my clients comment on the variety of ways they’ve benefited - ways they didn’t realise they would. So, here are eight benefits of professional brand photography for your business.
How to improve your brand image with photography
1 Boosting Brand Awareness
Professional photographs elevate your position wherever you use them, whether that’s your website, social media, or other marketing materials. Not only do they grab attention but they drive brand awareness by building a consistent image of who you are and what you do.
Your bespoke photography showcases what makes you unique, showing you as a person, telling your story, and clearly demonstrating how your brand supports your people. I discuss these benefits more in my previous blog, Boost Your Business Visibility With Powerful Branding Photography.
2 More Effective Marketing
Of course, the most important part of this increased brand awareness is that you’ll make more money by selling more. Creating a more cohesive marketing plan that uses storytelling
and stunning visuals means you will attract new clients and keep your existing clients engaged.
Your posts will create an emotional connection, with your compelling photographs evoking emotions in your audience and creating a lasting impression. Ensuring you have the right photo for each step of your buyer's journey means you can create marketing which speaks to your viewers when they’re in those spaces, making them feel happy, inspired, or confident, influencing their buying decisions and establishing your position in their consciousness. Again, I talked about this recently in my blog Brand Photography Your Secret Weapon to Staying Top of Mind.
3 Saving Time and Effort
Yes, having a brand shoot with me will save you time, and let’s face it—time is a precious commodity, the one thing we all wish we had more of.
With effective branding photography, you will have less stress and overwhelm;
your marketing becomes far easier when you have clarity on your brand, values, business, goals, story, and mission. Before working with me, many of my clients had never done the deep digging into their brand identity, which is the backbone of our work. That clarity is invaluable when you’re building your marketing strategy, something you can explore further here in this blog.
4 Enjoying Your Marketing
I’ve also been told that having a set of your own brand photographs, means talking about your business actually becomes more fun. Rather than trawling through pages of stock images that don’t really reflect you or your message, you’re able to use an image of a moment which speaks directly to your people.
Of course, the photo shoot itself is also an opportunity for fun; delving deep into what you do and why, planning images that capture the experience of working with you, and bringing together the people you work with. Even people who start the process uncomfortable in front of a camera, come away happy - and your business should make you happy!
5 Attracting Better Clients
All the work we do to plan your images means we create photographs that clearly demonstrate:
- who you can help
- how you help them
- what it’s like to work with you
- the kind of success you bring.
Showing this story of success helps your ideal clients see themselves in that picture alongside you - and people who aren’t attracted by this vision will steer clear! There’s more in this blog, How Brand Photography Attracts Your Tribe.
6 Stand Out
Your planned, styled, and professionally shot images will stand out among the multitude of stock photos everyone else is using.
While stock photos can seem like a quick fix, they lack authenticity and the connection that brings. Brand photography, on the other hand, tells your unique story. And, did you know, that bespoke photography also helps you with social media algorithms that prefer you to use fresh authentic imagery? I look into this in more detail in this post How Can You Use Your Treasure Chest of Brand Photography?
Your own images will include scenes and moments that resonate with your network because you’re referencing the things that impact them; you’re speaking to them about the ways you can help them. In your professional brand photography you’re showcasing your team, your products, your workspace – everything that makes your business special and makes you stand out!
7 Building Trust and Credibility
High-quality photos demonstrate professionalism and - because of that - build trust with potential customers. They show that you take pride in your brand and invest in how it’s seen in the world. You’re telling your audience you mean business, and you’ll take them seriously too.
As well as presenting yourself professionally, these photos increase your credibility by showing you as an expert, a topic we looked into in this blog with Sharon Davidson, Brand on Brand: Personal Branding Photography.
8 Increase Your Confidence
I believe, and have been told by my clients, that having great-quality images that present you well, boosts your self-confidence. It’s important to be visible, and these photos will present you in a way you’re happy to be seen. I talk about this more in the posts Worried About Booking A Personal Branding Shoot Don’t Be and On Confidence: Personal Brand Photography.
I’ve also seen clear evidence of how seeing yourself as others do - because this is what professional photographs present to you - can really boost a person’s confidence. Your photos show you on your best day, be proud of that version of you and share her with the world!
When You Need Help Talking Through Your Brand Story
Investing in brand photography is an investment in your business and your future. It's a powerful tool for attracting new customers, building brand loyalty, and, ultimately, achieving your business goals.
Don't worry, you don't have to navigate this on your own. As a brand photographer, I love collaborating with freelancers and small business owners to bring their visions to life. From helping you brainstorm ideas to capturing the perfect shots, I'm here to guide you every step of the way.
I have recently created a questionnaire to ask my audience what they need from me and the value they think they get from brand shoots. As a thank you, I put everyones names in a hat and one lucky person has won a Mini Brand Session that includes the in-depth planning I’ve talked about, a one-hour photography session, and 30 images to enhance their brand marketing, and a runner up has been gifted a 30 minute creative headshot shoot. Congratulations to both winners.
If you feel that brand photography would benefit your business, I’d love to talk to you; book a discovery call here!
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