Visual media is a resource that makes impact time and time again. Marketing your business with real, true photographs of you, your business, your team, your products, your services, your interests, your values… sharing these subjects will build a strong brand that nourishes meaningful connections. And connection builds trust. And an audience that trusts you, supports you.
See what I did there? Strong brand, build trust, drive sales… that’s the ROI on resources like professional photography. If you prefer hard facts, like I do, it’s easy to find stats on the effectiveness of marketing with custom photography! But you can see brands that are doing this right, even small local businesses. Their marketing is full of personable lingo paired with photographs and other engaging visual media. So what is personal branding photography?
Brand photography is a suite of professional images that represent your business visually, and fit with your visual identity through their use of colors, tone, props, sets and more. These can include photos of you, your team, your products, your process, your space and other things that make your business unique.
Brand photos illustrate you story.
A personal branding photography session needs a little planning for best results. Following are 4 areas to consider when bringing your vision to photo-shoot reality:
Select meaningful locations.
- Office / Studio / Place of Business
- Home / Home Office / Kitchen / Patio
- Co-Working Space / Client’s Office
- Cafe / Coffee Shop
- Rented Condo / Loft / Hotel Room
- Outdoors / Park / Main Street
- Vacation / Destination
Deciding what to wear.
Incorporate props and people.
- Coffee / Tea / Juice
- Laptop / Computer / Phone
- Journal / Book / Pen / Papers
- Flowers / Balloons / Confetti
- Car / Bike / Transport
- Bag / Hat / Sunglasses
- Brand Cohesive Food / Prop
- Hubby / Wifey
- Family / Friends
- Co-Workers Collaborators
- Clients
- Pets
- Models For Hire
Stage the stories that will build trust and interest.
- Behind-The-Scenes (a fly on the wall viewpoint)
- Client & Co-Worker Interactions
- Act out a Product and/or Service
- What you do during “down” time
- Using your support system (apps, tools)
- Enjoying the Outdoors / Traveling to/from Work
- Act out WHAT YOU DO from start to finish
Now is the time to begin sharing a little bit of yourself. You may decide to take your own photography, or you may decide to hire a professional. If you are new to this, it may feel weird – and that’s OK, it’s normal! On my website, www.KellyHeckPhotography.com, I share lots of tips on how to look your best in photos, and you can find lots of helpful advice online. These tips have given my audience the confidence they need to try this new thing, and I hope it will do the same for you! You will soon see what a powerful tool personal branding photography can be!
