Let’s assume you have yet to learn what branding means and what makes it essential to small businesses.
Your Brand is how you want your clients to think and feel about you and your business. Your branding should be an identifier that communicates your company’s overall message and values.
You need your customers to know what they can expect when they see your logo, promotional materials, or even the banner on your website or Social Media pages.
The images representing your business play a huge part in telling that story.
Working With a Photographer
When I begin to work with a client as their photographer, I try to nail down the company’s essence by asking a few defining questions.
For instance, when I met with Stacy of the West Coast Dog Mom Blog, I asked her the following questions.
- Describe your typical customer to me. Who is your client? How do you see your Brand?
- How do you want people to think and feel about you and your business?
Once we get past this initial questioning, which helps me understand the client’s overall message, values, and needs, I move on to more photography-specific questions.
- Do you need images for print, online (website/social media), or both?
- What are the most important things you want to be captured during the photography session?
- Is there a specific location you would like the photo session to take place?
- What is your timeline? When will you need the images?
- Who will be featured in the images; in Stacy’s case, it was her awesome dog Sailor with her in the background.
Once those questions are answered, I often ask my client to make and send me a copy of a vision board. In doing this, I know my client has a clear idea of what they want, and we can work together to create images that clearly express the brand mission and fine-tune it for impact.
What Photographers need to Remember
Each Brand has a unique identity, and the photographic style must reflect that.
Branding photographs are not just beautiful images without purpose. Branding images are intentional. As a brand photographer, you need to have a sound marketing strategy and be able to communicate the story behind the photo.
Brand photography is different from portrait photography!
As a portrait photographer, I aim to create images that will have an emotional impact.
Brand photography may use emotion, but the purpose of the photo is to create awareness of the Brand and increase sales.
The Brand photographer needs to keep the difference in the way you shoot at the forefront.
Your Perfect Client
You don’t have to take every job that comes your way. Your initial client meeting should serve as a way of qualifying the client.
Before accepting the booking, ask yourself:
Is this someone/company you can successfully work with?
Will they value the work you create?
Will they trust your ability to plan a practical and effective photoshoot for them?
You also want to be confident that you are the right photographer for them. If another photographer would better serve a potential client, I have no qualms about giving them a referral.
I hope that was helpful to some of you; thanks for reading!
Read some fabulous blogs from WEST COAST DOG MOM BLOG here
RAMONA HARTLEY PHOTOGRAPHY 