You and Your Photographer - Taking your Business to the Next Level

You + Your Photographer:
Taking Your Business to the Next Level

Are you only using your photographer for an occasional headshot? You may be missing out on one of the best tools you can use to define your brand and connect with your audience. I'm sure we're all familiar with the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words“.

Here's a complementary statistic: 90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual. Our brain processess visuals 60,000 times faster than text.

Here are 3 ways to help your business stand out with its powerful brand story:

More than a Headshot
If you are in a creative business, you should get creative with your headshots too! Your images should tell who you are and incorporate your brand at the same time.

I recently worked with another photographer who is making a magazine for the local wedding market. We talked about wedding venues and her ideal client, and how we could position her right in the middle of that. Living in a ranching area, we chose a ranch and shot her there in casual attire and cowboy boots. We wanted to show that she was comfortable in her element, and was already there and ready for her perfect clients!

We did a few close-ups to show off her sweet and sassy personality as well as some further back shots to show the area and invite potential clients into the scene.

Think about how you and your potential clients are already connected and how you can show that.

You can see more of the images from our shoot here.

Showcase your Value

Recently, I worked with a local cooking store doing just this. We talked about how we could enhance her brand by conveying the emotion or feeling of shopping in her store and how customers could carry that feeling home with them. As we planned the lifestyle shoot, we chose a family and started telling the story with an in-store shopping experience. We finished up with an in-home documentary session where mom and kids made muffins together.

Think about what kind of experience or feeling you can offer your customers and help them feel that right from the beginning.

Here is a sample of the images (you can see more here). What kind of feeling does this help you
associate with their store?

Show off your product!

Do you have a specific product or products to sell? Consider hiring a lifestyle or
documentary photographer to show off your product in a practical or more upscale way.

Sales are higher when people see your product in action and can easily place themselves in your images. The photo below certainly shows off the beauty of this custom-made skirt far more than a flat lay on your kitchen floor would! Give your products life and movement with a lifestyle shoot. Your upscale photos will make a world of difference when it comes to selling your upscale products.

TIPS for choosing your photographer:

1—Look through their portfolio and see if you can imagine yourself and / or your business in their images. It's a simple way to see if your styles are compatible.

2—Meet with your photographer (many offer free consultations—if it's long distance; request a skype session) to discuss your ideas. If they share your vision and offer ideas that get you excited, you might have a winner.

3—Have fun! If you enjoy the process, it will show in your images.

Dana Dyer is a storytelling photographer who specializes in branding businesses and documenting families in their everyday environment. She makes a mean chocolate chip cookie (the secret's in the pudding!) and her ideal evening consists of loud music and dance parties with her family of nine. Join her email list for more photography + business tips and see more of her work at danadyer.com.

You can also find her on Instagram and Facebook.

You and Your Photographer – Taking your Business to the Next Level

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