Strong Brands Leverage The Power Of Photography. Here’s Why.
Introduction
Branding is an exercise in creativity and execution. The former is conceptual, rooted in feeling and emotion. The latter is practical, rooted in organization and unity.
When we talk about branding, we talk about identity. Who are you, and why do you matter? Who are the people you desire to serve? How do you attract the right customers and affect their purchasing decisions?
And how does photography fit in this branding picture? Well, great branding doesn’t start with photography. But it may just end with it.
A memorable photo requires the right environment and artisanal focus. In the following paragraphs, we will outline the three key areas where investing resources in your photography reinforces the meaning you broadcast to the public. We will talk about products or services, internal culture, and the why that drives it all. We will also provide words of wisdom, highlighting the pitfalls of a lack of focus on your photography. Pun intended.
The Products & Services
Your product or service may be the result of an identified need. Needs are a result of a gap in the market. There simply isn’t a product or service that fills that need.
Alternatively, sometimes a product or service is established that creates its very own perceived need. These are the inventions that come along that are so groundbreaking that people didn’t even know they needed them.
No matter the case, photography does the dutiful job of telling the story of your product or service with visual clarity. It speaks to your audience and addresses their concerns, aligning their expectations, goals and aspirations with your unique offerings. High-quality photography puts your business on meaningful display, then visually demonstrates your solution to a problem in a way that people can relate.
Additionally, genuine high-quality images allow your product or service to stand out in a competitive marketplace. While everyone’s whispering, you’ll be speaking confidently.
Are you using quality photography on your website and across digital and social platforms?
Are the visual themes consistent with your values and goals? If they don’t, it’s past time to invest in professional photography.
The Culture
Now, we turn to the who.
Who are you? What makes you tick, and why do you matter? Beyond your product or service, what makes you and your team the right fit for the customers you seek?
Businesses must take extra care to not only build a cohesive culture but adequately display that culture. Organizational culture is most effective when your customers can feel it, too. Most business owners understand the importance of creating a corporate culture and the positive impact it has internally, but a growing trend is proving a secondary benefit. Customers are looking for opportunities to align their values with yours.
The number one goal is to be genuine when communicating your company values while staying connected on a human level. Here are some practical tips for doing so:
- Display staff photos and biographies – this creates an instant bond with your audience, showing you’re proud of your people. Headshots should be taken by a pro whenever possible.
- Group photos – They’re a great way to show internal relationships in a teamwork-focused environment.
- Select a social media platform to display more light-hearted images, such as team events, causes, birthdays, anniversaries and other day-to-day happenings.
Displaying your corporate culture to the world not only reaffirms brand loyalty with your customers but demonstrates to potential new employees that this is a company worth working for.
Identify who you are, be true to who you are. Then shoot, select and display your images for all to see.
The Story
When it comes to storytelling, beauty lies in simplicity.
This can be difficult because good stories are rarely short. They require context. They require time and space to say what needs to be said. Even short stories require several minutes to read and absorb.
So, how do you communicate your story to your audience in the shortest possible amount of time?
Photography is one of the best ways to do so. Strategic photography tells your story in a visually impactful fashion, quickly connecting with the intended audience. If your business offerings are suited to a customer with a particular lifestyle, your photography needs to broadcast key aspects of such lifestyle. Humans relate to images of other humans, we are drawn to faces and like to look at them. People are the main characters in your story, after all.
Your story matters. Quality photography ensures your audience knows why it matters.
The Pitfalls
We’ve demonstrated how photography helps tell the story of your business, its offerings, and the who’s behind it. Now we turn to some common photography pitfalls to watch out for during day-to-day business operations:
Inconsistency
To clearly identify inconsistency is difficult. Rather, we simply feel it. Inconsistent brands don’t bring customers into their sphere of influence. They merely wave at them from a distance. Bring your audience closer to you. Be consistent.
Stock Photos
Properly curated stock photography serves a valuable purpose in the marketing world, useful in many scenarios. The danger lies in using them haphazardly. Stock photos produced without your story at the forefront are at risk of being misinterpreted. Use these assets sparingly.
Image Quality
Consumers demand impactful media. Attention spans are shorter than ever, so be sure your photography is of striking quality. This will not only allow your messages to resonate but will elevate the perception of your entire brand.
Image Exhaustion
Even the highest quality of photography can get redundant. And even if hiring a pro isn’t in the cards yet, there are plenty of ways to keep content fresh. The bottom line is that your audience craves variability, and it’s your mandate to deliver on this desire.
Objectivity
The first step here is to designate someone as your objective set of eyes. This person needs to know your story and your audience so they can give you valuable, objective feedback. Lack of objectivity is a surefire way to miss the mark with your audience.
These are just some of the pitfalls we see among everyday businesses. Keep them top of mind and make your mark!
Conclusion
The world will always need photography. High-quality images bring rich colour to our community canvas, leaving a trail of understanding, meaning and connection. The customers you cherish the most are looking for every reason to connect with you, so provide them with such an opportunity. Tell your story with pride by aligning your photography with those qualities that make your business exceptional.
