Images with IMpact
We want impactful imagery in our business. It allows us to stand out from the crowd. We want to stop the scroll, connect and engage with our audience. We want photos that resonate with our ideal client. We want to repel those people that are not he best fit for us and conversely have raving, adoring fans that can’t wait to work with us. And this really requires more than a handful of pretty pictures!
Here are three examples of not-so-impactful imagery that we want to avoid. And there are a myriad of legit reasons why our marketing may look like this – from starting out to visibility blocks etc… We’ve all been it or seen it and there is no shade here I promise xx
- The business owner that is absent in their imagery: Usually hiding behind stock photos there isn’t a face for the brand. This business owner is missing out when creating connection and relationships as there is no human to human connection. (I am totally guilty of this – I used my logo as my profile picture for a very long time!)
- The business owner with one epic, amazing, awesome photo, that doesn’t look anything like them when you rock up to work with them. That profile pic is either kinda old, or looks like them on an awards night, or has been cropped out of someone else’s wedding photos where they were all dolled up, or is filtered within an inch of it’s life. I am a huge believer you should be recognised from your profile pic and that there is trust lost when you show up on a Facebook live and I have to do a double take and check I’m in the right place!
- Then there is the business owner using the same 5 photos. On repeat. Over and Over. So often people scroll past on auto pilot assuming they’ve seen it all before. So their not getting the engagement they deserve.
Photography needs to be part of your marketing strategy and it becomes truly powerful when we move beyond a handful of pretty pictures. We want impactful imagery and I call this going beyond the smiling shot. It’s about telling your story. It’s the YOU in your business that makes it different to everyone else doing what you do.
What does that look like?
It can be literally that – having photos where you are not just wearing your camera smile. Photos of you laughing, photos of you deep in thought, pulling a face, staring straight through the camera. Think about what you want to communicate or share with your audience… how you want them to feel. Then pretend the camera isn’t there and you are talking directly to them and go with your natural expressions. This is where you need to be true to you and really feel what you are trying to emote else it can look posed and cheesy.
Going beyond the smiling shot is showing up as yourself. This can be wardrobe, makeup and/or shoot location. If you don’t feel like yourself your discomfort will be obvious in photos. And I’m a huge believer you should be recognised from your profile pic and that there is a heap of trust lost when you show up in zoom and I have to do a double take! Great lighting, a good hair day and a photographer that knows what they’re doing will still have you looking schmik!
And going beyond the smiling shot is about ditching stock photos and creating some of your own (checkout this blog on that)!
What photos will you be adding to your visual strategy so you can have an impact?
