Smile for the Camera: How Branding Photos Can Make or Break You (And Not Just Your Selfie Game)
Hello fellow entrepreneurs, marketing fans and selfie enthusiasts - welcome to October!
Autumn has always been a love of mine, even though I frequently bemoan the cold, I am a huge fan of whatlower temperatures bring – coal fires, snuggly jumpers, a warming tipple and any excuse to drink hot chocolate.
In this blog, we're diving deep into the world of branding photos, where a pixel can be mightier than the sword (or at least your mobile). So, grab a comfy pew, a mug of something yummy and join me as I ask you to ‘grab your cameras and strike a pose,’ because we're about to sashay through the wonderful world of first impressions.
Lights, Camera, Professionalism
Let’s imagine that you have an interview for a rather fabulous job and you walk into said interview wearing a unicorn onesie, complete with rainbow slippers. What kind of impression would that make? Probably not the one that lands you that corner office. Similarly, when it comes to your brand, those branding photos need to scream professionalism louder than a cat meme on the internet. High-quality, well-composed photos say, "I've got my act together!" So, please leave the unicorn onesie at home.
Consistency: Not Just for Your Morning Coffee
Picture this (pun intended) - your Instagram feed resembles a chaotic jigsaw puzzle with images ranging from gorgeous landscapes to cat videos, not forgetting the close-ups of your coffee mug. Confusing, right? If your branding photos are all over the map, your audience might think they stumbled into a random flea market rather than a trustworthy brand.
Consistency, my friends, is key and whether you like it not, that constant, reliable and friendly vibe will draw folk to you.
A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words
Storytelling through branding photos is where the magic happens. Take your audience on a journey. Show them the highs, the lows and the occasional office mishap (we've all been there, spilling coffee on your keyboard). Photos act as your brand's personal storyteller, so make sure that the narrative flows along with your daily life.
Emotional Connection: Laugh, Cry or Just LOL
Remember, it's not just about looking into your camera and smiling for your photos. It's about making people feel something. You want them to chuckle at your clever captions, laugh out loud at a funny story or shed a tear of joy when they see and share your triumphs. Creating an emotional connection will turn a casual browser into a loyal customer.
Keeping It Real (and Not Just Your Airbrushed Selfie)
Lastly, authenticity is crucial. Don’t be afraid to let people see the real you. We all get sick of airbrushed nonsense and people relate to honesty.
You are the expert and bringing what you do is aided immensely by photographs. It doesn’t matter what you do because images of you help potential clients recognise you, connect with you and understand what it is you do.
The chance of making your social media stand out from the crowd will be greatly enhanced through authenticity – trying to be something that you are not has a limited timescale before someone twigs. No-one wants that kind of fall-out. So, keep it real!
Your branding photos can either make you shine in the galaxy of marketing or leave you forgotten. Remember, in this digital age your first impression is often a pixelated one, so make it count and don't forget to smile.
And finally
The weather is rather gorgeous as I write, although as we all know, October can slide into cooler and rather duller days. It is, however, a great opportunity to get taste-testing mince-pies. And if last year’s offerings were anything to go by then we should be in for a treat… Good old Aldi most definitely gave Marks a run for it!
Take care, dear reader until next time.
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