When it comes to small business, choosing to pay out for services and products is usually a big decision. A limited income, especially in the beginning, is a barrier to booking those services, courses and workshops that’ll help your business grow. And leaping to pay for a branding photographer is no different. So it helps to know what a branding photographer can do for you and your business. By knowing that, you can prioritise what’s important to you, especially in those early days! So, allow me to tell you exactly what a branding photographer can do for you and, more importantly, your business.
It’s all about your brand
If you read the first part of this series, you’ll know that branding photography is a more lifestyle approach to capturing your business brand. It aims to link your business, your brand and you all together in a beautiful mish-mash, making your small business personal, friendly and trustworthy. Those are all qualities most small businesses want to convey these days, don’t you think?
Small business, home business, shopping local. These all suggest the consumer’s desire to step away from the faceless big corporations that dominate every industry right now. There’s a longing to get back to basics, to support the small business and to take an eco approach when making purchases or booking services.
Which means a small business’ brand is more important than ever. Especially when there are plenty of competitors all offering similar services to the same markets. This is why your brand becomes important. It shows the face behind the business. It allows people to decide which person (or brand) they feel most aligned to.
First impressions
One of branding photography’s most significant roles is to help you give the best first impression you can. The thing is, we’ve all got clever smartphones that can take a great selfie photograph. I won’t deny that. And I get that, when money is tight, this may be the only option you have.
But, as a photographer, even I can’t take a selfie that looks as great as a professional headshot. A photographer knows about light. They know ways to get you looking your most natural best in front of the camera. They know how to compose a shot so the eye is drawn into the image. They can also shoot and edit in a way that incorporates your brand and keeps the whole look in mind. Not to mention the pro equipment they have, which helps create a more professional look.
A personal and approachable business
There’s a lot to be said for a smile and a friendly face, don’t you think? A genuine smile can go a long way to making a person feel comfortable with you and trust in you to help them. And so the same thought should carry over to your branding photography.
Branding photographers will, of course, grab the obligatory headshot. But what we also do is aim to take photographs of you doing your thing, as well as relaxing, smiling and laughing too. Having these images are great for sharing on social media. They immediately build trust with your audience. They can see that you’re a friendly, approachable human being, as well as being a business owner, too!
If I was researching which business to choose, one of the deciding factors would be how friendly the owners both look in their photographs. Ultimately, people want to know they’re putting their trust into a nice person who doesn’t look like they’re going to be difficult to work with, don’t they?
So, having some images of you smiling and laughing as you curl up with your cat on the sofa can say a lot. It might not look “business-y” but it sure as hell makes you look like a warm, fun person to work with!
It’s all about engagement
If you’re a busy business owner who spends lots of time sharing your work on social media, you’ll have heard of the term ‘engagement’. Engagement is the golden ticket in social media these days. It doesn’t do to just have followers or fans. Now, it’s how those fans interact and engage with your content that people are most interested in.
Having great branding images can go a long way to helping increase that engagement. It comes back to showing that personal side of you and your business, for sure. People feel comfortable engaging with someone who isn’t afraid to show them what things look like “behind the scenes”. By sharing a photograph of you chilling out with a book, you’re showing people a little bit more of your business than what’s on the surface. People love that!
Sure, branding photography is styled and curated to match your brand. But there is a level of honesty about it too. How many CEOs share an image of themselves drinking coffee while scribbling notes into a notebook? And how many would respond to comments on their social media feeds afterwards?
If people see the real you, it allows them to feel like they can approach you and speak to you. It adds to that trust you’re trying to instil in your audience. A trusting, happy audience is an audience who are likely to buy from you at some point. So it can only be a good thing, right?
Consistency
If there’s one thing that can make a small business look unprofessional, it’s a lack of consistency, especially with branding. Consistency is one of the key factors that differentiate a big business with much smaller ones. Yet, it doesn’t take a huge amount to get that one thing right in your business.
Consistent images on your website and throughout your social media work to bring the branding of your business together. Branding photographers know and understand this. Which is why we work to create a shoot that ties all the areas of your business into one cohesive look, no matter how many parts of it need photographing.
From headshots to lifestyle shots to some good stock shots and flat lays, we can ensure that all the images work well within the whole look of your brand. This is great for you when sharing them because you don’t then have to try and keep things consistent with icky filters. You can simply select an image from your library and get sharing!
Sharing your story
Of all the aspects of running a small, personal business, having a brand story is one many forget about. Your story could be anything from why you set up your business to the incredible journey it took to get there. Ultimately, it’s your narrative and one of the things people love to hear when researching small businesses. So, having images that help you to share your story visually, as well as through words, again draws people in in a much more personal way.
All these things combine to create a strong, personal brand that is unique. And that, when tied in with your words, is exactly what you need to share to show the most unique aspect of your business… YOU. I know I say that a lot, but that’s because it’s true. People buy into people. So, an investment in good branding photography will only result in a stronger brand persona. This will, in turn, result in bigger audiences and more clientele!
Thinking about booking your own branding shoot? Then definitely get in touch and let’s talk about how I can help you!