Are you not sure if you’re ready to dive into a professional photoshoot for your business? Let’s take a look at 3 questions I ask every business before their corporate photoshoot.
Chances are, you know already the importance of showing who you are online (and why). If you’re still on the fence about it or need a gentle reminder, have a look at my headshot article here.
I combine fabulous photography with marvellous marketing skills. This is why business owners book me. I’ll craft a photoshoot that celebrates you and your business, ensuring that is cohesive to your brand.
Step 1: Know who your customer is.
It’s presented in so many ways, as customer, ideal client, audience, avatar… what you call it doesn’t matter so much. What does matter, is that you have figured it out.
Before you jump in and say ‘everyone’, let me remind you that not everyone is your customer. Let’s look at some fictional examples.
Imagine you have a service to fit out of upscale caravans. Accessories to make life on the road easier. Do you think they will market to everyone? Not likely a 15 year old is going to care much about your service offering. Not because it’s not amazing (it is!), but because it’s not relevant to them. What about a semi-retired 65 year old? Now we’re getting closer.
Or you might have a pilates studio in Wollongong. You live and breathe wellness, with a specific focus on pregnancy. You’re going to be wasting your marketing time, energy and money if you market to people who live in Perth. You will want to market to local women who take joy in wellness, and might be expecting a little bub to join in the future.
So, step 1 of your pre-photoshoot prep: Know who your customer is. Let’s make your photos work hard by ensuring they are relevant to your customer.
Step 2: Know your brand.
Let’s take a nod to the graphic designers around us and acknowledge that a brand is so much more than a logo.
One of my biggest regrets in the first couple of years in business was not understanding what a brand was. This weakens a business in a way that overcooking your spaghetti makes it gluggy. What happens with gluggy spaghetti? No one wants it.
“People don’t buy what you do, They buy why you do it.”
Simon Sinek
Simon Sinek is a clever chap. If you’re like me and love learning, check him out. I’d suggest starting with his incredible Ted Talk, Start with Why.
Lean in on your brand, your purpose and how you want people to feel about your business. Cook your spaghetti with purpose. Then, and only then jump into the fun part of working out your brand colours, logos and photoshoots.
Step 3: Decide on the purpose of your photos.
You’ve done the groundwork (give yourself a high five), you know what and why’s of your business and who you serve. The final step before booking your corporate photoshoot is to decide on how you want to use the photos.
Be inspired from the usage needs of some of my most recent clients:
- Updating websites
- Social media content
- Articles, Blog pieces, Email content
- Images ready for PR
- Advertising (print and online)
- Hiring employees
- Employee identification
- Introducing new team members
Knowing how you want to use your photos is important when I’m deciding on how to actually take the photo. For example, a headshot is a photo taken in a portrait, or vertical orientation. If you need a headshot for a Facebook banner, you will need it to be horizontal, with plenty of space around it for text.
Are you ready to update your marketing efforts with a corporate photoshoot?
Let’s ensure you not only look amazing, but that you are able to make your portrait work hard for your business.
I’m inspired by you, your personality and the the nuts and bolts of your business. It’s akin to putting the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle together to craft impactful imagery. They say an image speaks a thousand words, what are your photos currently saying?
I would love to learn more about your business, over a phone call, Zoom or coffee.