AND WHY DO I NEED IT?
Ok, let’s break this down.
Although it can sound a little intimidating, a brand photography session is really just a way to tell your business’s story visually. Yup – that’s it.
But hold on…
Branding photography is so much more than that! You might be wondering why it’s so important to tell your story…and what part of the story are you supposed to be telling?
Let’s start with what your brand is…
- Your product or service
- The “why” behind what got you started down the road of offering your product or service
- Your visual aesthetic (color palette, logo, are you light and airy? Bright and bold? Colorful? Minimalist? Timeless? Elegant? Richly colored and full of texture?)
- Your voice (are you bold and direct? Are you soft and welcoming? Are you more formal? Are you full of fun and excitement?)
- What makes your product distinct from other similar products
- The emotional response you elicit from your clients when they visit your website
- The client journey you create with your website
So as you can see, your brand is not one single thing. It’s the combination of many things that you have (hopefully) thought out and curated to give your client a very specific kind of experience.
So how does brand photography figure into all this?
Well, assuming your goal is to speak to your ideal client (and you better know who that is!), you need to draw them in with compelling storytelling visuals that convey the experience of using your product or service. A well thought out website for example will take the client on a journey – one where they get to know and connect with you, discover how your product or service can add value to their life or business, relieve pain points, and where they can get an idea of what that process might look like.
It’s important to remember that the majority of purchasing decisions are made (directly or indirectly) by women. And women make their purchasing decisions differently than men – they want to feel a connection, and find you relatable before they decide to do business with you.
That means YOU need to be on your website.
Strong, intentional brand photography tells the story, engages your audience, informs, and ultimately directs them where you want them to go. Strong visuals are an opportunity to evoke emotions and “show” rather than just tell.
Brand photography can be seen as a bridge between you and your ideal client. One that makes it easy to for them to cross, and decide to do business with you.
Suzanne Rothmeyer
They can see how they’ll feel when their pain points are addressed, and how it will change their life, business, and bottom line.
A lack of imagery, or imagery that’s thrown together and not intentional just comes across as unprofessional. You can’t expect a client to take you seriously if you don’t invest in yourself and take your business seriously. Consistent, intentional, professional images can make or break your business.
A big part of a brand photoshoot or a personal branding shoot is getting clarity on these things. I take my clients through a whole process of thinking through all of these aspects – breaking it down and creating a strategy for the final shoot. Everything from the story and aesthetic of their business, to location and wardrobe choices are all addressed – so when the day of the shoot comes around we go into it with a final shot list and mood boards in hand, with clarity, excitement and purpose.
So… if you’re in business for yourself – if you’re an author, an artist, a freelancer or any type of entrepreneur – then you can benefit from a brand photoshoot. Invite your ideal client into your world, and show them what you can do for them.
If you want to connect and explore whether you’re ready for a branding shoot, drop me note here!
Or you can book a free, no obligation discovery call here. I’m happy to answer any questions you have.
Huzzah!
