Cohesive business photography isn’t just about getting that one perfect picture; it’s about understanding the message behind your product or service and sharing that message visually in a series of images across all of your virtual platforms. The consistency within your business photography is key in building not only a successful brand but also trust with your potential audience.
If you’re looking to build trust with your audience & elevate your business, consider the following tips for cohesive business photography.
1. Focus on Cohesive Visuals Across Virtual Media
Imagine for a minute that you are scrolling through Instagram, and you come upon a photo of a delicious-looking coffee, you know the kind with the cute leaf pattern in the foam on top? So, you click on the Instagram profile to see other images and learn that you are looking at a photographers page. You see this photographer’s headshot in the profile image, she is smiling and wearing a navy-blue shirt. You enjoy her photos and decide you’d like to know more about her to see if she could take photos for your business, but before you message her directly you want to check out her credentials on LinkedIn.
You pop over to LinkedIn and type in her name, and wow, there are 20 other people with the exact same name! Luckily, you immediately see the exact same profile image of the photographer smiling and wearing the navy-blue shirt, so you save time and click on her image right away, you didn’t have to scroll through ALL of the other search results to find her.
This is one example of why it’s important to focus on cohesive visuals across your businesses virtual media. Using the same headshot, product image or logo help build immediate brand recognition with potential customers.
Common virtual media platforms you should try using the same images on are Instagram, LinkedIn, your Google Business Page, your email signature, and website. And don’t be afraid to update these once a quarter. You want your audience to see fresh new images, but make sure to update them across all of your platforms simultaneously, to keep your business brand cohesive.
2. Get Professional Photos
Whether you have a storefront or work from home, professional business portraits offer customers a more tailored experience that elevates you above others in your field. Professional headshots and clear pictures relating to your products or services can easily attract new customers in business searches, because it gives them an immediate idea of your level of quality and attention to detail.
For example, if your product photos are dark and a bit blurry, maybe taken on a cellphone in a rush to get a photo to your marketing team or web guy, then it provides potential customers with a first impression that you might rush or cut corners on their work because they are left thinking: “It looks like they rushed these photos, will they rush my work too?”
Your products or services are represented by the photos people see on your platforms. They are not only a digital first impression of your business, but they also offer an unspoken promise to your customers about the level of quality they can expect from your business. Professional photos will help you deliver on that visual promise.
3. Keep Photo Editing/Image Polishing Authentic
There are many free or paid photo editing apps which apply filters to make your images catchy and stand out. But beware, the filters can often make your images appear overdone, and a little gimmicky, resulting in a loss of authenticity or professionalism.
Professional editing or image polishing can work for any business. Seemingly simple changes such as replacing a background behind your product, adding a shadow, removing the dark circles from under your eyes, or blemishes from your headshot, all while keeping the beauty mark on your cheek that helps make you, you! Professional image polishing can make a world of difference and keep your business and brand feeling authentic.
4. Set Goals & Plan Images
We live in a visual society, where one often judges a book by its cover. Showcasing the essence of your business through images of your products or services becomes incredibly important. To do this well it’s great to set some goals and plan your images, don’t just pull out your cellphone and start clicking away. Work with a professional photographer to plan and guide you on the type of images that visually represent your values and industry.
Setting up regular quarterly image sessions is an excellent way to keep your digital content updated and fresh. This is also a great way to build your own custom stock image catalog of photos for future use and provides an opportunity for seasonal photos to complement your quarterly promotions and marketing.
5. Know Your Target Audience
Once you’ve settled on a visual storyline, knowing who you want to attract is another vital step in business profile photography. Your target audience should be the essence of your chosen photos. Your storyline should reflect the person and their lifestyle, needs, and desires. Consider appealing to the emotion that your product visualization offers.
If you’re seeking assistance in achieving cohesive brand photography, Bonnie Dickson Photography offers a wide array of services for business photography in Toronto and southern Ontario. From professional headshots, image editing and polishing, and image planning, Bonnie can work remotely, or on location, with you to tell your business story visually. Her focus on meeting ever-changing demands and needs through quarterly scheduled sessions can help your business grow along with your customer base. While a picture tells a thousand words, the right picture can speak volumes globally. Contact Bonnie Dickson Photography today for a virtual consultation at https://bonniedickson.com/.
