10 reasons to use brand photos to stand out this Autumn.
So you have a brilliant brand and business? But the economic climate has left you a little low this year.
You need more sales, new clients?
But how to get them….? You need a new approach!
10 reasons to use brand photos to stand out this Autumn.
1- Professional brand photos reflect your value.
If you have had a shoot recently and your photos are still in date (the last 3-4 years), post one every week with content.
It will visualise your brand at a higher level.
Showing up in personal branding photos as a successful female business leader, secures your place at the table.
Other businesses start to perceive you at a higher level.
You look accomplished, established and potentials are more likely to trust you, just because of the status you branding photos bring you.
It is about not only showing up as who you are but your overall brand perception.
High quality photos telegraph to businesses that you have received a certain status.
2- You can £-charge more. (It's true!)
Professional photos bring massive business credibility to everything you do.
Even if you are a start up mini-league player, brand photography will £-buy you status that you are just starting to build. In other words it will illustrate you at the level you are seeking to achieve.
I have photographed many ambitious start up businesses and the end result? The photos make them appear way more established than who they really are. Especially next to similar competitor businesses.
Successful business? Brand photos for female entreprenuers will help you level up on your £-fees.
Stuck at certain price points? Other businesses need to perceive a change in your product / services to feel that you are worth more?
The easiest way to achieve this is by taking a brand photoshoot. Suddenly you have increased your prices and clients are just paying without question.
The confidence you feel following a personal branding shoot will make you show up differently.
Suddenly your business feels more successful and elevated.
And you find yourself levelling up to those photos and project outwardly with much more shine.
3- Increased emotional connection.
You have to get beyond how you think you look or don’t look?
Would you believe it but no one actually cares what you look like? So show up, personal, emotional, professional engagement is key.
This is your business and not about beauty. Your chance to shine out through photos as an authentic and compassionate business woman.
Take it. Embrace it. Shape it so that you are comfortable with it. Then you will just glow!
Even if you don't like yourself in pictures know that they work. Push yourself out there.. They will drive more conversations and connections to your inbox/Dm’s.
More views to your posts.
We buy from people based on emotion.
You are that emotion.
We just want to see that you are 'nice' and that we can 'trust' you.
We want to know what you 'look like' in a strong and professional way.
4- Demonstrate your truth.
Photos best illustrate who you are. WE read many things in a photo. The person behind the business and brand.
Professional photos visualise your truth. But keep it current. If your photos are 'stuck in the '90's', people will also assume this about your business..
Dated photos, dated business.
If your photos are out-of-date, we will feel lied to when we finally meet you over zoom.
But by showing up exactly as you look right now in photos and then IRL/ over zoom, creates a far richer ongoing relationship.
5- Consistent high business level approach.
A mistake or overlook that many successful female businesses make following a shoot is that they forget to keep using their brand photos. They are supercharged at the outset, but become side tracked with other work commitments and professional photos become forgotten. Relegated to website use and the occasional article.
Pick a day of the week, maybe a Wednesday? Every Wednesday use one professional photo from your branding shoot on a regular blog, across ALL your socials.
To demonstrate who you are at a high level.
To just constantly and consistently drip feed your worth through using that professional shot.
To WIN at being reflected at your rightful level and regularly.
6- Grow your business by visual repetition.
Guess what? You will grow bored of your photos and pretty quickly. We, as your potential target audience, just don't. We do not have the same emotional attachment with your images as you have. And we don’t see them very often.
Imagine showing up regularly at that business event, in a red jacket that became your trademark?
The jacket that you always wear and we love to see you in!
Same thing.
We don’t care that we have seen that jacket before,
If anything we feel more comfortable around you because of this created familiarity.
When you continually use your business photos, we feel warm and easy around you.
Because you are demonstrating visual consistency that makes us feel safe.
Laying foundations of common themes. Using your brand photos regularly is a key contributor to this.
Apply my four ‘R’’s
Rest
Repurpose.
Repeat
Rotate.
Know that you are simply drip-feeding your personality by using one a week, every week. You are creating status. Building your profile.
7- Show vulnerability by using every image from your brand shoot.
Most of us, following a branding shoot, will go through our images and we immediately note a small handful where we consider we look the most attractive, the most beautiful, young, etc.
Guess what? We then just use those few photos we really like and disregard the rest of the shoot.
This could mean we are using just 10 photos from a shoot where we have a bank of 50-100 branding photos?
Aim to use ALL of the photos from the shoot, not just the favourites.
Images where we look less perfect or beauty-led, will make better connection because you have demonstrated vulnerability.
Because you appear less bothered about yourself in those ‘ less than beautiful’ shots and photo moments.
8- Image + content works when you match the two.
If you say/read the expression out loud and make sure the majority expression of the photograph matches the majority tone of your content you will massively increase your post and reach potential.
Because when both your text and content work together your message is seamless and non contradictory.
If you use a photo where your expression is smiling broadly and happy, then your content must be happy and upbeat.
If you are using a personality full and quirky photo, then your content tone should be energetic, upbeat and potentially maverick in message.
9- Shake it up! It makes your brand more charismatic.
While it is great to have a brand photo shoot for your business you shouldn’t rely totally on your brand photos to bring home those target connections.
A charismatic business and news feed includes all elements of visual.
Use phone shots along side your professional ones.
They will make your branding shots look even more impactful by comparison.
They will make your pro-shots stand out even higher.
They will also inject some 'every day' and normal daily life into your content.
10- Just stand out. Be seen. Be found by the clients & businesses that need you.
An interesting comment I receive as a reason for not taking a branding photography shoot is that business owners feel that they need to be really successful before they commit?
Like they aren’t ‘worth’ the photos until they have ‘made it’?
Don't wait to make it before you take a shoot.
Your brand shots are part of your journey.
They help you visualise and manifest.
Consolidate your brand message.
Need just a handful of professional photos this Autumn?
To help you stand out ?
And get started on showing up at a higher level?
DM me.