Where to start…

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The most important thing you can do for your branding before you even think about your website is think about photography.

I want to share some experience with my current and (hopefully) future business clients.  Something that can propel your business and help you get noticed (and paid) – whether you’re just starting out or a well established business within your community.  It is the concept of how Photography, Perception and Pricing work together to create a strong brand story that helps make you money without having to defend your pricing.

Let’s talk photos. What is the number one investment (along with a professional design, of course) that you should make for your business branding?

PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY.

And this comment isn’t just because I am the photographer in the equation. I frequently have potential clients come to me ready to jump into a new site, new branding, new everything…but their photos are lacking or non-existent. If we don’t have great photos, it doesn’t matter how good all your branding looks – it will fall flat and you will be disappointed. In these cases, I advise clients to wait on the website investment and instead take that money and get great photos. If your images aren’t telling your audience WHO you are and WHAT you do in the way you to want be perceived, your pricing will be the main casualty. If your prices are on the higher end, yet your photography looks like your uncle came over one day and took a few quick pics, your customers will have a hard time connecting their visual perception to the reality of your value. It’s like going to a casual bistro for lunch only to find they are charging white linen, steakhouse prices. You don’t want to have to defend your pricing to customers. Beautiful photography helps you put it all out there and goes a long way in attracting the right type of person to your business – one who won’t hesitate to hire you and “gets you” from the beginning.

My number one piece of advice to business owners looking to rebrand? Focus on getting the right type of imagery for your brand before you focus on your website. Find a photographer who will work with you to figure out your style and shot list first.

My goals when working with a business:

• Achieve a mix of layout orientations – with plenty of horizontals for your website.
• Make sure to get lots of “detail shots” to blend in to help tell your story. These could be shots of your desk, your favourite flowers, your tools, even your dog if it helps tell your audience more about you. You don’t just want a shot of you smiling directly into the camera on every page of your site. Detail shots help fill in the blanks and create a full story.
• Incorporate a mix of strong business portraits, friendly candids, detail shots and different lighting situations.
• Create a shot list: I work with you to write out a list of shots you MUST get. It helps me to understand what you want, and it also helps YOU to think through the shoot as a whole. A shot list is just a plan! Don’t get intimidated.
• Create graphics and quotes using some photos from your shoot to use on your Instagram feed to help create some consistency and connection.

In the end, your website is like setting the stage for your pricing. Your work is stunning (and you are, too) so make sure to show it in the best light! A little time up front makes a huge difference when your clients are hovering over that “contact” page.

EXCITING NEWS!

We are offering a brand new service in 2019 to help you with this exact small business problem. Brand strategy, customer insight, and a super focused creative direction tailor-made for your business – all before you jump into that big web design investment. Sounds good, right? Sign up here to be the first to know when we open the doors on this one. There will be limited availability per month. You can’t afford to miss it!